Another new story is up, and let's go back in time again, shall we? It's own interpretation how Gordon came to Sodor. Also here is new character Kirk the red B12, who was in the first illustration of "Edward's Day Out", if you didn't know. 87546 is a B16 and not a B17 because B17's were built in 1928, six years after the events of this story. Enjoy.

ThomasAngryBirds' Remakes and Stories

Story 7: The Experimental A0

New story written by ThomasAngryBirds

Do you remember in the old days of the North Western Railway, back when Thomas was the station pilot for Vicarstown?

You do? Well then, there are much more stories about Thomas' early days prior to getting his branchline, but here is a story about how Gordon was brought to the North Western Railway in the late spring of 1922...

The last engineer for the Great Northern Railway was a man known as Sir Nigel Gresley. Among Gresley's designs were the J50 0-6-0 'Submarine' tank, the K3 2-6-0 mogul, and the A1 4-6-2 pacific.

Gresley also invented a three-cylinder design with two sets of Walschaerts valve gear, better known as the Gresley conjugated valve gear, which would produce smooth running and power at a lower cost than would have been achieved with the conventional three Walschaerts gear sets.

Gresley was designing and developing the A1 pacific. His prototype was a "Hush-Hush" A0, which would eventually be used to develop further A1 pacifics. Unknown to Gresley, reject plans had been stolen from him by a rival, to develop their own locomotive.

This particular locomotive was Gordon. Like some locomotives, Gordon had faults in his design. By trial and error, all his defects were cured and Gresley was pleased with the final results.

A man came to see Mr. Gresley to see his secret project. This was Sir Topham Hatt, the Fat Director of the North Western Railway.

"Gentlemen," Gresley said to the workmen, "this here is Sir Topham Hatt of the North Western Railway. As you know, we are developing our first batch of A1 pacifics, starting with no. 1470. Mr. Hatt, would you like to see our project for yourself?"

"Very much, Mr. Gresley," said the Fat Director.

The Fat Director was led and taken to see Gordon. He looked over Gordon from top to bottom, and was very impressed.

"What is your name?" asked the Fat Director.

"Gordon, sir," said the A0, "I am built to run express trains from one end of the line to the other."

"But you won't be running the Great Northern, Gordon," said Gresley, "if it is all right with you, Topham, I would like to sell him to your railway."

"That would the excellent, Nigel," said the Fat Controller, "my railway is in need of a full-time express engine."

And so the deal was done. Gordon said goodbye to the workmen, and he was shipped off to his current home, the Island of Sodor.

Gordon's ship was taken to the harbor at Kirk Ronan, which was the original terminus for the Sodor and Mainland Railway. When he was lowered onto the tracks, next to him was an engine he never saw before; it was of a design of Stephen Dewar Holden, a Great Eastern Railway B12 4-6-0.

The B12 looked over at Gordon. "So you're the new engine that's arrived, correct?"

"That's right," smiled Gordon, "my name is Gordon. What is yours?"

"Erm, I don't have a name," the B12 confessed, "I'm new here myself, but you can call me 1571."

The Fat Director got out of his ship, and looked over at 1571.

"So you're the extra engine I ordered," he said.

"Yes, I am, sir," said 1571.

"Well, then," said the Fat Director, "Gordon, 1571, you are to come to the engine sheds at Vicarstown. The other engines will be waiting to meet you both."

The two engines puffed down the track to Vicarstown. They passed Crovan's Gate, where a little engine named Rheneas whistled "hello." Gordon and 1571 then puffed through the single track bore of Ballahoo Tunnel.

The other engines were waiting at the sheds at Vicarstown to meet the new arrivals. Among them were Thomas, a blue rebuilt K2 tender engine, a green tender engine who looked like Gordon but was smaller, a red mogul tender engine, a blue B12, and a blue B16. The others were named Edward, Henry, David, 98462, and 87546, respectively.

Edward was at the leftmost part of the shed, looking sad that he had not been out in a long time. Henry, 98462 and 87546 gave him looks that made themselves look superior, while David looked at the three bigger engines with a stern look. Thomas, however, was anxious to hear what the exciting news would be.

"I think I might be running a line of my own," Thomas grinned to no one in particular.

"Don't be foolish, little Thomas," snorted Henry, "little tank engines like you should be shunting coaches and trucks for us big engines, not running on the mainline."

"Henry's right," smirked 98462, "tank engines should be seen and not heard like Edward here."

"Oh, give those two a break," grumbled David, who was not used to arguments.

"I think I see the new engines arriving," remarked Edward, glancing over at two columns of smoke in the distance.

Gordon and 1571 slowed to a stop outside the sheds. The Fat Director climbed down from Gordon's cab.

"Here is Gordon," said the Fat Director, "he is from the Great Northern Railway, an experiment by Sir Nigel Gresley. With him is 1571, a Great Eastern B12."

"1571, my brother, it has been a long time," smiled 98462, who was pleased that one of his brothers had come to Sodor.

"Why yes, it has been, 1530," agreed 1571, "and in a new coat of blue, I see."

"Right now, I go by 98462 or Alfred," explained 98462.

"I understand, brother," said 1571.

"I am pleased to make your acquaintance," said Gordon politely.

The next day, for Gordon's first run, he was to take a non-stop express from Vicarstown to Tidmouth. Gordon observed as Thomas shunted his coaches to platform one.

"You have taken passengers before, right?" asked Thomas.

"It's my first train ever," explained Gordon, "but not to worry, little Thomas, I think I can handle just fine."

"If you say so," said Thomas, as he was uncoupled and puffed onto a siding.

Gordon then backed onto the coaches, and to everyone's surprise, he buffered up smoothly.

"For a first time passenger locomotive," said the shunter, "you do know how to treat coaches."

Gordon grinned, and Thomas rolled his eyes. Minutes later, the guard blew his whistle, and Gordon set off.

"Watch me now, Thomas," he chuckled as he puffed onto the open line.

"I think Gordon's going to get into a mishap," Thomas said to himself, as he prepared 1571's trial goods on platform 4.

But Thomas was wrong about Gordon getting into a mishap. All the way to Tidmouth, Gordon pulled the express without a hitch. The Fat Director was very pleased with him.

"Gordon," he said, "you did very well for your trial. We were twenty minutes ahead of schedule. I am most pleased."

"Thank you very much, sir," smiled Gordon. Wait until Thomas hears about this, he thought to himself, as he was uncoupled and rolled onto the turntable to turn around.

A tank engine shunted the coaches to the eastbound platform to Vicarstown, and he set out for more shunting as Gordon backed onto the coaches again.

This time, Gordon was to stop at Crovan's Gate, where 87546 would take over. Gordon then went onto a siding close to the sheds of the Skarloey Railway. He spotted Rheneas resting.

"Hello there," said Rheneas, "I saw you yesterday when you raced by Crovan's Gate. I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, forgive me," chuckled Gordon, "where are my manners? My name is Gordon. I'm a prototype A0 pacific built by Sir Nigel Gresley of the Great Northern Railway."

"I'm Rheneas," said Rheneas, "my name is from the ancient Sudric language meaning Divided Waterfall. The other engine at the platform is Skarloey, which means Lake in the Woods."

The two talked for a while until Gordon was taken into the workshops. In there, he saw 1571.

"What are you doing here?" asked Gordon.

"I'm for a new coat of paint," said 1571, "how about you?"

"Same thing," said Gordon.

The Fat Director spoke to them. "You have both passed your trials," he said, "and to make you fit in with the North Western Railway, you will be painted in new colors. What would you like?"

"Blue, sir," said Gordon.

"Red would be lovely," said 1571.

"Very well," said the Fat Director, "and 1571, I think I've decided a name for you. I've hoped to name you 'Kirk', after Kirk Ronan which you and Gordon arrived at. Would you mind?"

"Not at all, sir," said 1571, "Kirk does have a good ring to it."

"Excellent, Kirk it shall be," smiled the Fat Director.

A few days later, Gordon and "Kirk" came out of the workshops in their new coats of paint. The engines were impressed with their new colors, and Gordon had been christened as the North Western Railway's #4. People came to see Gordon, and I'm sorry to say it made him boastful. Thomas, being a cheeky little engine, thought he could bring him down to earth.

Gordon was resting on a siding feeling very tired. His express had been late, and did his best to make up for lost time. No sooner did he fall asleep when...

"Wake up, lazybones!" Thomas whistled cheekily, "Do some hard work for a change! You can't catch me!"

"Good Gresley!" Gordon exclaimed in shock, as Thomas ran off laughing while he went to fetch some coaches. Gordon was cross, and he wondered how to pay Thomas out, which I'm sure you know how it all went.

And that, my friends, leads to the events of "Thomas and Gordon". I made "Thomas and Gordon" take place prior to "Edward's Day Out", to kind of make it flow with the very first episodes of season 1, if you know what I mean. This story is part one of my "Thomas and the Mainline Engines" saga. And yes, I might be doing my sagas out of order, just deal with it, okay?