Gordon:
A New Beginning
Part 1
Chapter 1: Nit-picker
The North Western Railway is, and always has been, a magnificent place to visit. The rolling green hills of the valleys were inviting and peaceful, and beaches were always so clean and crisp. The railway also had many other exiting places to visit, including Knapford Station, the main station of the Main Line. You can usually see most of the big engines there, including Gordon, the A0 prototype Pacific. He's very proud of it, in the sense that his brother is Flying Scotsman. However, after over-hearing an argument at Vicarstown Sheds, you'd have thought that he disliked his brother.
"I'm not one for all this begging, but I just think that I'd look better with a corridor tender," he grumbled to James, Henry and Edward. It was 11:30 P.M, and the others weren't really in the mood to hear anymore. "Gordon, would you just drop the bloody topic already? It's 11:30 P.M, and you're standing there whining!" Henry had finally lost patience with his shed mate. James mumbled in agreement under his breath; Edward had wisely dozed off, and had blocked out the conversation. The next morning, The Fat Controller had arrived with news for Edward. He was being sent to the Steamworks for an overhaul. Afterwards, he'd be a replica of the British Railways Fowler 2P in Persian Blue. After hearing the news, Gordon wasn't particularly in favor of it. So, as usual, he started arguing with James and Henry again.
"Great, Edward goes off for an overhaul, and all I get are coaches to celebrate my perfect timing with the express!" Gordon's steam pressure suddenly rose alarmingly, and his face was as red as James's paintwork with anger. It was slowly becoming obvious that this was a topic Gordon wasn't going to drop so easily. Later, he reversed grumpily onto the Express. Hiro, the Japanese D51 could see how glum Gordon looked, and thought it wise to ask about his problem. Even I wouldn't dare repeat the response Gordon gave him.
"The response was completely shocking. I've never heard a Greasley use such foul language my entire life." Hiro sat there at Tidmouth, his cylinders shaking violently. Toby, who was idling close by at the time, went over to consult the broken D51. He stood in wonderment as the younger of the two engines span their bewildering tale. Toby knew he'd have to help, and he knew exactly who to see. Half an hour later, he had arrived at Ffarquhar sheds, where he met Thomas, the railway's Billington E2. "Something's happened to Hiro," the old J70 sighed as he re-composed himself. Thomas was being cleaned after a day's work at Arlesbrough coal mine with Percy, and listening to his driver's radio.
"Thomas!" Toby shouted at the top of his cylinders. Thomas's driver turned the radio off. "I was listening to that," Thomas pouted. "What do you want this time, Toby?" Toby sucked in a last lungful of breath, and explained the situation to Thomas.
Chapter 2: How can we stop it?
Percy had returned from the mines, covered in coal dust. As he whistled a greeting to his shed-mates, a shower of soot flew out of his whistle valve. "Glad that's over with. The compressed pressure was making me feel fat," Percy began, but Thomas, (being the star-billing ass he's been since season 7) interrupted. "Quiet. Toby's trying to tell me something! Go ahead, Toby." So, while Percy was being cleaned, Toby explained what had happened to Hiro. "Gordon said what?!" Percy exclaimed, "That's horrible." Thomas shut his eyes in agreement, and started talks for a plan of revenge.
Meanwhile, Gordon was making good time with "The wild Nor' Western". He'd just crossed into Borrow in Furness when a problem arose. The terminal platform had been shut off to be inspected, and the nearest thing to a platform available was a freight loading ramp. Gordon snorted forward and pulled the heavy train up the hill before the ramp. In a sense, this was exactly what he wanted. He pulled hard, and the result was a sheered tender coupling. He was embarrassed beyond belief, and his driver carefully reversed the Pacific back to the train. His crew and a few nosey passengers examined the damage. After a short inspection, his crew thought it best to get a banker to attend to the train, and a way-gang to keep watch over the tender before it could be moved.
"Oh, yeah. We're gonna sleep tonight!" Gordon's fireman sighed sarcastically. His driver nodded in sarcastic response. Back on Sodor, word of Gordon's incident had spread, and all the engines were cracking their steam domes, they were laughing so much.
"What a laugh," James chuckled with absolute delight, "He deserves it!" Murdoch, the BR 9F was idling at platform 2 at Knapford. He too had found out what had happened to Hiro, and wasn't particularly taken by Gordon's choice of vocabulary. Murdoch had been given permission to look after the Wellsworth branch line while Edward was away, and was getting used to it. With the other engines giving him bewildered looks, he snorted away with a goods train.
"Well, it's clearly obvious that something's bugging him," Percy began. The others gave him a strange look. "Yeah, no shit, Sherlock!" Henry stammered, glaring angrily at him.
Soon after, Murdoch went back to Tidmouth to check on Hiro. He had clamed down considerably, but was still shaken up. They both knew that what Gordon had said would scar Hiro for the rest of his life. He found Hiro sitting there, listening to a CD full of meditation music. Murdoch asked if could join, and Hiro smiled in acknowledgment. The two friends sat there in peaceful silence. Soon, Douglas, the Caledonian 812 rolled into the yards. "Have ye heard the news?" he questioned. Murdoch grinned in response, but Hiro gazed in wonder. Douglas, surprised, explained what had happened to Gordon. Both he and Murdoch still found it funny. Hiro? Not so much. He had a look of concern, and promptly left the sheds. He arrived at Kirk Ronan, and spotted The Fat Controller. After gathering more information on the situation, Hiro thanked The Fat Controller and left. He had also asked permission to travel to Barrow in Furness and rescue the stricken Pacific.
A few hours later, Hiro had arrived and found the Pacific in a siding, literally broken. He found the situation serious, but he found the situation slightly more humorous than anything he'd ever seen. "Do you think it was a braking decision to pull the express today?" Hiro joked. Gordon sighed angrily as the D51 backed onto the pacific. In between the two engines was a flatbed carrying the stricken tender.
Chapter 3:
The rebuild begins
Molly, the Claud Hamilton steamed into Barrow-in-Furness a while later, her cheeks bright red. After being informed of the situation, she took the coaches to the loading ramp, and left them for a local shunter to tend to. As for Gordon and Hiro? They left soon after, and returned to Sodor at seven o' clock that evening. From Knapford onward, Fergus took over and took Gordon to the Steamworks, where he spent the night with his stricken tender. Kevin couldn't keep a straight face, and kept making crude jokes and comments to Victor, who saw the funny side in some of the comments. Being honest, even he made some jokes.
"So, Gordon. Is it strange seeing your own ass?" Victor asked in his Cuban accent. Gordon merely groaned, having heard the joke from Fergus first, followed closely by Kevin, and finally Victor.
The next day, The Fat Controller went to the Steamworks to inspect Gordon's tender, and found that it had been severely battered over its long years of service. He had soon come to the conclusion that it needed either replacing, or an extensive overhaul. To Gordon's disappointment, his tender was overhauled and a replacement was found suite. To Gordon's thrill, it was a tender from a Pacific comrade. Soon, coupling inspections and water tank connections were soon made, and Gordon was fitted with a new tender. His only gripe about it was that is in Post-War Goods Train Black, and with self-regret, Gordon got repainted into the same shade of Black. He felt strange, but was glad to have a proper Pacific tender. It was later that night, however, that things went from bad to worse.
Gordon backed into his berth at Tidmouth, several hours after the others. James, who was in the berth closest to him, noticed his new tender . . . And was sent into a giggling fit. "Watch out, it's the engine with an ass as long as his tongue." The other engines felt about laughing, but Henry didn't see the funny side of it.
"It's not funny! It's not a pleasant feeling to be separate from your own rump." Henry looked over at his shed-mate, who gave a rare smile. After thanking Henry for his concern, Gordon departed to take care of the evening express, who was followed by Thomas and Percy to tend to that night's postal services. The night flew by without incident, and the three engines spent the early hours of the morning at Vicarstown sheds.
Chapter 4:
Things can only get better
Dawn soon broke over the Knapford based hills, and the engines at Tidmouth were fired up, ready for that day's work. Thomas, Percy and Gordon were still asleep, but were soon awoken by a very loud horn. Diesel had recently left the Dieselworks, and had been put in charge of shunting duties in the nearby yards. He sneered cruelly at the three steamers, but mainly towards Gordon, for even he felt for Hiro. "Do you honestly kiss your girlfriend with that foul-mouthed smokebox of yours?" he questioned loudly. Gordon merely grinned, a comeback brewing in his firebox. It was only after he thought about it, that he came to the staggering conclusion that it was rather racist.
"What girlfriend? I'm single, and loving it," Gorgon replied simply, before rolling onto the turntable. Diesel hissed and spat angrily in the Pacific's direction, for he had found himself in a runaway relationship with Mavis. As Diesel shuttled about the yards, Thomas, Percy and Gordon met up at Tidmouth with the other engines, where Sir Topham Hatt was making a very important announcement.
"I have a very important announcement to make, everyone. In the next few weeks, Locomotive 60163, also known as Tornado, will be visiting Sodor on his current Rail-Tour. He will have his own private shed, and will be here for a few days. Make him as welcome as possible when he arrives." The engines chorused loudly in agreement before returning to work. However, only two stayed at Tidmouth. The first being Edward, who had recently returned after his overhaul. Claiming he felt 20 years younger, he was spoiled rotten by Steam enthusiasts, Sodor's Press, and even a visit from the Mayor! The other engine was Gordon, who was asking Sir Topham Hatt if he could double-head a few Express trains with Tornado. The response he got was disappointing, but in some cases, he deserved it. "I'm sorry, Gordon. But that role has already been taken . . . By Hiro . . ."
To Be Continued . . .