Thomas The Mainline Engine
Discussion
June 16th, 1973
Thomas was pulling a train of trucks, coaches, and Elsie to the junction when he stopped at Hackenback. The stationmaster came out and said "Thomas, the Fat Controller will be waiting for you at Knapford Junction tonight. Stay at the shed there and wait for him." Thomas's smile dropped and said "Tell him thank you for responding so quickly." A few minutes later the guard blew his whistle and Thomas left, his coaches eagerly talking. The latest MK1 coaches had proven to be very nice and travelled meaning the rolling stock had many adventures to tell.
On the a bridge, Jack the bulldozer stopped and blew his horn, behind him Oliver and the truck twins stopped. "What are you playing at Jack?"
"Thomas just passed." The vehicle said.
"We both know Thomas, unless he's being repaired that blue kettle will be there tomorrow." Monty said crossly.
The vehicles left while Thomas passed under the bridge, unlike everyone around him he wasn't cheerful. He was thinking very hard about what he would say to the Fat Controller tonight, this wouldn't be pleasant.
That night it rained, thick sheets of rain went poured outside cooling the humid air but causing the engines and workers still awake to grumble. In the shed Thomas felt very cold as he saw a branchline train appear out of the fog. Passengers rushed to cars or to Daisy who was doing a passenger run with Elsie.
Two minutes passed, five minutes, and ten. Thomas stopped being anxious as realized he wasn't on the train. Then a whistle blew and Emily came to the platform hauling a single coach, Thomas peered through the darkness and saw it was one of the restored GWR Clerestories. A single door opened and the figure of Sir Emelyn Hatt, war veteran and Controller of the North Western section of British Railways emerged with a poncho on.
The man quickly left the platform while Emily departed, Thomas watched with some interest as he approached, a few minutes later he reached the shed.
"Evening Thomas." The man yawned.
"Evening sir, pity about the weather." Thomas replied.
"This isn't bad. I've had worse down south." The Fat Controller replied, he was quite friendly with engines and the best way to tell where you were on his books was by the length of a conversation you had. Thomas was worried before the Fat Controller said "I had a Dock Tank, American, in the transport regiment I was with. Poor lass would often find herself as a taxi for me when it snowed and or rained. Never complained though. I suspect that is where I found my love of tank engines."
"Whatever happened to her?" Thomas asked.
"We separated and she went to work on the Southern Region." Hatt replied.
Thomas smiled and said "Cannot go wrong with the Southern Region, Stepney is living proof of that."
Hatt beamed and said "I couldn't find her and the lads down South were busy so I went to the Great Western."
"I will never tell Duck you just said that." Thomas said.
"I wouldn't mind if you did. Duck was the first Great Western I talked to and as soon as I learned he was available I purchased him on the spot." The Fat Controller said, "Now it is getting late and you did call me here for a reason."
"Didn't want to interrupt sir." Thomas replied, then began "Let me begin with the background sir, it'll help you understand. It all started in 1952-"
1952
Thomas was slowly travelling down from the quarry very slowly with 10 trucks of stone, Annie, Clarabel and Elsie plus a brakevan. As he travelled to the top station, Thomas saw a policeman tying his bootlace.
He whistled causing the man to hop over to him angrily.
"Not so fast. Breaking the peace are we?" the policeman said crossly.
"I am sorry. I meant to say hello. I'll warn you in the future." Thomas said.
"Well then, saying hello isn't agai-. Hang on. Where is your cowcatcher?"
"I dont catch cows sir." Thomas said and the policeman frowned.
"Don't be funny."
"I wasn't trying to be. The only other thing you could mean is those hideous things that cover my wheels." Thomas said.
"Thats exactly what I meant."
(2 days and a whole lot of legal action later)
Thomas waited at the station and then jumped as he heard a bell. Then a tram engine came up, "Hello Thomas." The boxy shed on wheels said.
"Hello. Why are you here? You are supposed to be at Arlesdale End." Thomas said.
"My name is Toby, I am here to handle the trucks at the quarry." Toby said.
Thomas smiled and said "Impressive. Well Toby, I am the main goods and passenger engine here. Thomas is the name."
Present day
"That is part one, the next part was in 1959 after the harbor was completed when we fixed that sinking issue." The Fat Controller and Thomas coughed in embarrassment. The 5 year project was still a source of embarrassment for the NWR.
1959
Thomas came down to the platform with 12 trucks of stone and smiled, it had been tiring pulling all those trucks. Then Percy whistled and said "Hullo Thomas, want me to help?"
"No, take the passenger train." Thomas said then stopped and said "Hang on. Why are you here?"
"Duck has the yard handled so I am working on the branchline." Percy said.
Thomas smiled and said "What will you do?"
"You know how your freight trains are so long? Only 8 trucks were needed but the branchline has only two engines you have to waste time taking them all for slow goods. With a third engine you will have time to recover and not take so many trucks at a time." Percy said cheerfully.
"At last the new Fat Controller understands." Thomas said, "Good engine. I can't wait to see the heights you get the line to." Percy happily went to collect the train.
Present Day
The engine smiled and said "That was a good day. Of course the next year we got a best branchline in England award. The next part was a year after it."
1961
Thomas came into the yard, a few months ago he had crashed into a stationmasters house after a cleaner had messed with his controls. Then he had been given instructions to drive himself, his time away had meant a few changes including the arrival of two diesels. One Diesel shunter at Anpoha Quarry and the other a Diesel railcar. As he got onto the line Thomas watched the yard proceed and realized something. They had managed, and managed well without him.
Present Day
"I am starting to see where you are going with this but it was the off season that you crashed." The Fat Controller said.
"Of course, plus with the time I had after trains it allowed me to become more available for maintenance. I had no objection sir, they were my favorite trains during my time as pilot and my views on them haven't changed." Thomas said with pride.
"Two years ago after Arthur and I had our incident, the engines on the branchline handled the workload well with some assistance from Diesel after Dennis failed. I have come to a single conclusion. The branchline has many wonderful parts on it, however I am suited to none of them." Thomas said sadly, "I want to request a transfer to the Mainline and a lighter engine to take my place."
The Fat Controller was surprised, he had inklings of what it might be but hearing Thomas actually admit the Branchline didn't need him was a shock. "I am surprised. Given you called for me it seems you put a lot of thought into it."
"Its not that I feel lazy but I feel that my design is too brutish for the line." Thomas said.
"Is that so? What was the catalyst for this?" The Fat Controller said.
"During that day with the light maintenance on the bridge every engine but I could work. Diesel came in to do maintenance trains. I am turning lazy and slack." Thomas said.
"I see, you want to work harder?" The Fat Controller said surprised.
" I was wheezing when doing Henry's loads with Arthur." Thomas said crossly, "We're heavy tank engines. This is what we were built for and being lazy is not the GNR way."
"I see. Why did you wait so long. If memory serves that maintenance was 4 years ago." The Fat Controller said.
"Well, I couldn't just have a deputation. I remember your reaction to the engines deputation and they had a lovely goal then. This sounds a bit selfish." Thomas said.
"Well then, I have a lot of thinking to do if there is nothing else to say." The Fat Controller said.
Thomas replied with a smiled and said "Nothing except isn't there a ball tonight?"
"A bit stuffy for my tastes." The man admitted and Thomas smiled before he said "You have some steam. Can you take me near the hotel?"
A few minutes later Thomas drove the Fat Controller to the platform next to the hotel and watched as he got in.
"Apparently I am a taxi." The engine said as he left to get out of the rain and get himself cleaned out.
(Dont kill me! Remember what the J23 was built for, heavy loads to go up and down from mines (Think a super version of Falcon and Stuart in their Mid-Sodor Railway days) and Thomas is feeling underused because so many engines can do various trains meaning his usual train is quite light to him. I was inspired by Seasons 5-now of Thomas the Tank Engine where the shunter is off the branchline and everywhere. Then I learned that Thomas (both E2 and J23) are the heaviest engines on their line. This Thomas is 60 tons due to a hidden condenser system which improves traction while the next heaviest engine is Daisy at 40 tons. Mavis and Toby are about 30 tons each. Percy is the lightest since he's a lighter version of a GWR Trojan at about 18-20 tons. This is an alternate universe where Thomas is a J50, Henry was a Pacific but was rebuilt into a Royal Scott, the 2nd Fat Controller has the name Emelyn, Percy can haul trucks without crashing, and where the engines of the K.E.T, S&M, and W&S roam to this day.
Idea by Past Relic of Si3d proboards, TTTEMan2002 of youtube, and myself)