FADE IN.
EXT. ENGLAND-RAILYARD-NIGHT
We experience a moment of darkness. Then here-there and everywhere, we start to hear pouring rain and light thunder.
Roll In: Opening Credits
Then the light slowly brightens up the screen. We see a rail yard located somewhere in ENGLAND. Trucks and Vans are parked in sidings waiting to be picked up. Flashlights are moving around. They were being held by railway staff.
Close-Up: Rail Yard
UNKNOWN RAIL-YARD, ENGLAND, 1962
The Railway Staff are walking around the yard shining their flashlights in different parts of the yard. They appear to be looking for something, possibly a steam engine, or perhaps a criminal.
We hear the roar of a diesel engine, and the scene changes to face a passing diesel. After it ends, we see a flyer posted on a telegraph pole with a picture of an engine on it. The flyer says:
WANTED – LBSCR E2 #32106 by orders of Dr. Beeching, and Abram Johnson
Fade Up: Music
The scene moves onto a train of vans. The tank engine, from the flyer, appears from behind. She was scared to death.
Mix to:
INSIDE: Tank Engine's Cab-Night
Inside the cab were the engine's driver and fireman. They were helping their engine to escape being scrapped.
Driver: C'mon 32106. Let's get out of here.
Fireman: We must avoid that scrapheap at all costs. We've been through too much together to have you end your own life like this!
Note: This is around the time when British Railways is being modernized with diesel power. Because of this, steam engines are being ordered to be scrapped to make way for the diesel engines
Mix to:
EXT. ENGLAND-railyard-Night
The engine slowly moved forward to try and escape the yard without being noticed.
A diesel appears on the other side of the vans. He spots the tank engine's escape attempt, and toots his horn to alert both the staff and the diesel engines about the attempted runner.
The Diesel Engine: A steamer is escaping! A steamer is escaping!
The railway staff shine their flashlights on the tank engine.
The engine gasps in horror and takes off running.
Staff: 'She's getting away! After her!'
A diesel shunter comes out of his shed and starts chasing after the tank engine.
Cut to:
Ext. ENGLAND-terminus-night
The tank engine rounds a bend ahead of her.
Close-Up: Tank Engine
The tank engine was looking back behind. She then looks ahead of her. She then puts on her brakes, and comes to a complete stop.
The diesel shunter stops as well.
We soon zoom out to see the shadow of another diesel. We'll get to know him later.
The other diesel reverses away.
Both the Driver and Fireman of the tank engine jump the cab on the left side, and run away in fear of their own lives. There are tears in their eyes, as they both feel horrible in not being able to help their friend escape from her gruesome fate.
The tank engine was now scared. The diesel buffers up to the tank engine, and the Driver couples them together with a shunter's pole.
We see the back end of the diesel, and watch him go in reverse taking the tank engine with him.
Fade to:
EXT. ENGLAND-Scrapyard-Night
We arrive at a scrap yard. We don't know which one until later in the story. The diesel, now moving forward, shunts the tank engine on a cold damp siding.
The diesel then backs away from the engine, which reveals he is uncoupled.
The tank engine was now in tears. She knew this would be the end of her.
A man with a blow torch appears on the screen with a welding mask on his face. The engine sees him and gasps in horror. The man turns his blow torch on, and slowly moves his arm to place the torch on the buffer.
The screen blacks out and all that can be heard is the blood-curdling screams of agony from the tank engine.
Steam begins to appear around the screen. It then clears to reveal the title:
THOMAS AND THE FALL: A SUDRIAN CHRONICLES FILM
MIX TO:
EXT. SODOR-Junction #1-DAY
The location and date appears as NWR #1, "THOMAS" pulls into the station on the left while facing forward.
CITY OF KNAPFORD, SODOR ISLAND, GREAT BRITAIN, 1968
"THOMAS" screeches to a halt, and then lets off steam from his cylinders. A porter comes to open the carriage doors for the passengers onboard his train.
CLOSE-UP: PORTER
He opens the door, and streams of passengers of all shapes, sizes, and ages come out of the passenger carriages. Teenagers walk out, parents look for their children, and the porters help the older passengers off the carriage in a very safe manner.
A man climbs down from THOMAS' cab. It was his driver. He wore typical railway workers clothes with cap that said British Railways on it and smokes a pipe. He was around 40 or 45 years of age and looked tired from all his hard work.
The Driver then looks at his watch and smiles at his engine.
Thomas' Driver: Well done, Thomas! Right on time again, as usual.
THOMAS smiles.
THOMAS: I just know Sir Topham Hatt would be very pleased with me! I don't know what he'd do without me to run this branch line!
THOMAS' DRIVER nods his head in silent agreement. He turns around and heads toward the station office on the left side of the screen.
As THOMAS was waiting for his trip to the TOP STATION, he heard a whistle from another engine.
Puffing towards the station on the other platform was NWR #4 GORDON. He is blue like THOMAS, but his is a different shade of blue, he is also bigger. GORDON is a pompous engine and thinks he's far more superior than any other engine on SODOR.
We look at different parts of GORDON. First his funnel, then the number 4 on his tender, the side rods spinning with his wheels, and lastly his face. He was cross. He keeps on repeating the same exact words over, and over again as we look at his parts.
GORDON: Goods Train! Goods Train! Goods Train! Goods Train! Goods Train! Goods Train! Goods Train!
He screeches to a halt and stops his grumbling at the same exact time.
THOMAS gains a cheeky grin on his face. He's ready to crack a joke.
THOMAS: Hullo Gordon. I see you're pulling your favorite job. Is that right?
GORDON lets off steam crossly. He glares at THOMAS.
GORDON: Humph! Favorite job indeed!
THOMAS laughs.
GORDON (cont'd): Real funny, little Thomas. Anyway, why does Sir Topham Hatt choose me to take the Goods instead of my normal Express duties?
THOMAS (cheekily): Maybe because he thinks you're not fit to be an express engine anymore! After all, we do have so many engines fit to take it from you! There's Rebecca, Merlin, Belle, Ashley, Henry, James, Molly, and Emily! In fact, I heard a rumor that Sir Topham Hatt is thinking of purchasing your cousin Spencer from the Duke and Duchess of Boxford!
Gordon makes a face at THOMAS. THOMAS laughs again. Before GORDON could respond, STATIONMASTER #1 enters the scene from the left.
Stationmaster #1: Gordon, your path is clear now. You'd better get a move on.
GORDON blew his whistle and took off. Then STATIONMASTER #1 turns to THOMAS.
STATIONMASTER #1 (CONT'D): Sir Topham Hatt wants you at the big station, Thomas. There's an important announcement.
THOMAS: What is this about?
THOMAS' DRIVER comes up from behind the Stationmaster with his cap on his left hand.
THOMAS' DRIVER: We'll have to go over and find out. C'mon! Let's leave the coaches here in a siding.
He puts the pipe in his mouth and climbs back into the cab. THOMAS backs up his coaches to go into a siding.
TO BE CONTINUED...