DIESEL 10 STRIKES BACK
Based upon "Day of the Diesels" by Sharon Miller
The Vicarstown Rolling Bridge had just lowered down after a freight ship had gone by. Three diesels were waiting as the bridge lowered to let them pass, with a fourth on a flatbed with no wheels attached to it. It was very late at night, and so it was hard to tell what the engines looked like from a distance.
Seeing that no one was there watching them, the leading diesel honked its horn, signaling for the others to follow it over the bridge and onto the Island of Sodor.
Soon, the four diesels were rolling through Vicarstown station, and then out onto the Main Line past the engine sheds. They went further and further before coming to a stop at a junction, where one of the drivers went down to change the points. After the diesels crossed them, the points were switched back and they carried on their way.
After going through a short tunnel, the four diesels found themselves at a quarry-like area, and in the middle of it all was a large, disused building with three tracks leading into it, surrounded by some smaller, similarly disused buildings as well as an engine shed with five berths.
"Dizzy diesels, I don't like the look of this," the smallest diesel grunted. "Who lets a site like this go to waste? It looks like a ghost town around here."
"Oh, I don't know, Dart," said the largest diesel. "It looks kind of… er, well, what I'm trying to say is…"
"What you mean is, Den," said the smallest diesel, Dart, "that this whole area could do with a real refurbishing. Sir Topham Hatt really ought to make this look less like a dump!"
"I don't know, guys," said a third one, a green diesel shunter in the same shape as Diesel. "It could use a bit of fixing up, but I think it's kind of… nice?"
"Yeah," agreed the last one, who was the same shape as the green one, but was painted blue. "Uh, what could use some fixing up?"
"The shed, Sidney," said Dart.
"Oh, right," replied Sidney.
"I guess Paxton's right," concluded Den.
"What he means is," added Dart, "it'll have to do… for now."
"But… aren't they sort of the same thing?" Paxton asked. Before anyone else could speak, they heard a loud growling sound from within the main building.
"What was that noise?" asked Sidney. "Couldn't have come from me. My engine's off."
A shadowy figure then began to slowly emerge towards the four diesels. They were most surprised to see that the figure had a large claw on the top of its roof.
"Who…" squeaked Paxton.
"...or what…" continued Den.
"...is that?" gulped Dart.
"Welcome," greeted the figure in a surprisingly polite tone. "What brings you to the Dieselworks?"
"Er…" Den whimpered. "We've come to… uh, what I mean is…"
"What Den means to say," interrupted Dart, "is that we were brought over to help run this Dieselworks."
"Sidney and I were also brought here to help with goods and passengers," added Paxton. "Unfortunately for him, he's in need of repairs."
"Guilty as charged," added Sidney. "Er, what's your name?"
"Oh, where are my manners?" asked the figure. "You may call me… Diesel 10."
The diesel's mouths dropped at such a name until Den spoke up.
"Diesel 10, huh?" asked Den. "Why do they call you that?"
"People say I'm ten out of ten for brutal strength," explained Diesel 10. "Others even insist it's for devious deeds regarding… rumors."
"Why do you have that claw?" asked Paxton.
"It was part of an experiment to remove debris on the line without needing to rely on the breakdown train," said Diesel 10, motioning his claw as if it were doing as he was saying. "Some fools rejected it, even saying that it was dangerous and impractical. I call it Pinchy."
"Pinchy?" Dart giggled. "That's a cute-sounding name for something otherwise scary!" He continued to laugh until Diesel 10 snarled loudly at him, snapping his claw in the process.
"Okay, it's not silly! I take it all back!" Dart said quickly in fear. Thankfully, Diesel 10 calmed down and returned his claw back to its resting spot.
"My apologies," he said. "I get rather… offended whenever a criticism is made towards Pinchy."
"So, how can we begin helping out?" asked Paxton.
A slightly sinister grin appeared on DIesel 10's face. "I thought you'd never ask…" he said darkly. "After all, the future belongs to the diesels… and to me…"
Things on Sodor had been very busy since the opening of the new Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. It was the peak of summer, and the engines were hard at work, taking passengers and goods to their destinations on time. Over at the Steamworks, a rather special project had just been completed.
"How's she coming along, Victor?" asked Sir Topham Hatt.
"We've just finished, sir," confirmed Victor. He then looked deeper into the Steamworks. "You can come out now."
From a corner of the Steamworks, a large, blue tank engine with red wheels slowly puffed into view. She had the number 6120 on her side tanks, an unusual crest on her bunker, a large brass bell on her firebox, and on her water tanks were two red cannons.
"How do you feel, Belle?" asked Sir Topham Hatt.
"I feel fantastic, sir!" confirmed Belle. "It's been so long since I was last able to work. I can't wait to get started on my first job."
Just then, the Steamworks manager rushed in with a phone in her hand, looking rather frantic.
"There's a fire out on the mainline near the fuel depot!" she cried. "A shed's caught fire, and there's a risk that it could lead to an explosion!"
"What?!" gasped Sir Topham Hatt. "We have to do something before it's too late!"
"I could help, sir!" offered Belle. "We could test out my new water cannons on that fire."
"Ah, good thinking, Belle!" said Sir Topham Hatt, quickly getting into her cab. "We haven't a moment to lose!"
With the clanging of her newly-installed bell and a blow of her whistle, Belle quickly raced out of the Steamworks to where the fire was taking place.
Out on the mainline, traffic had been halted to avoid anyone getting hurt by the fire. James was taking a slow goods train and had to stop at a signal.
"A shed has caught fire near the fuel depot," explained the signalman. "Sir Topham Hatt and his newest acquisition will be dealing with this as soon as possible."
"What's that about a new acquisition?" asked James, not fully understanding. "Why would he buy a fire engine for the railway?"
Before anymore could be said, Belle raced through with her whistle blaring. James stared off in surprise!
"What's that engine doing on our railway?" he exclaimed. "And why are they heading in the direction of that shed fire? They must be mad!"
Over by the fuel depot, workmen were passing buckets of water to keep the fire at bay.
"Keep going, men!" called the manager. "We can't let the fire spread to the rest of the yard, or else the whole island will be ablaze!"
The workmen were doing their best, but they were soon getting tired. Suddenly, they heard a loud, unfamiliar whistle followed by the clanging of a bell.
"Is that the fire department?" asked one of the workmen.
"Can't be," said another. "They don't have any locomotives of their own."
Then from out of the smoke came Belle.
"Leave it to me, everyone!" she cried. From there, her water cannons began to raise, pointing towards the burning shed. The workmen cheered as the fires began to die down.
It wasn't long before the fire was put out, and the damage could be assessed.
"Now what caused that shed to catch fire to begin with?" asked Sir Topham Hatt.
"It was rather dark in there," explained a workman sheepishly. "So I was using my lantern to do some inspections to see if it would be safe for that old shack to be replaced. But I accidentally tripped and my lantern broke open on a spill of oil on the floor."
While the workman was being scolded for his carelessness, James pulled up alongside Belle.
"Who are you?" he asked. "And what are those… things on your tanks?"
"My name's Belle," said the large blue tank engine, "and these are my water cannons. I've been specially modified to fight fires."
"A fire-fighting locomotive?" asked James in disbelief. "That's not exactly saving water now, is it?"
"Probably needed more thinking through," admitted Belle. "I think Victor brought forth the idea of an auxiliary tender for when I go on my fire patrols."
Before long, Sir Topham Hatt returned to Belle. "A fantastic job, Belle," he complimented. "Your water cannons have worked a treat. But I say it's best to refill on water."
"I would, sir," said Belle, "except… I'm out of water."
"Oh dear," sighed Sir Topham Hatt. "We should probably consider that auxiliary tender for you. James," he said, turning to the red engine, "since you're here, can you give Belle a push to the nearest water tower?"
"Yes, sir," agreed James. Switching tracks, James coupled up to Belle and began to push her along with pulling his train. But it wasn't easy. "Bust my buffers!" gasped James as he pulled out. "You're heavier than I thought!"
"I beg your pardon?" asked Belle indignantly.
"I didn't mean it as an insult," James hastily corrected. "It's just that I usually have no trouble pulling or pushing a fellow engine as long as I've no other train to carry. I once had to struggle pushing Toby along as well as pulling the express at the same time."
Thankfully, this settled Belle down, and she enjoyed her ride to the water tower.
Later that evening, the other engines got to meet with Belle for the first time.
"So you're a fire fighting engine now?" asked Henry, quite curious at Belle's experiment.
"Not the first of that kind," said Belle, "but I'm probably the first for Sodor."
"Will you still be able to help with regular jobs too?" asked Emily.
"She'd better not take my express," grumbled Gordon.
"Some of my siblings took express trains back on the mainland," said Belle. "I could take it if given the opportunity, as well as regular jobs. I'm fine with any job, really."
"Will you be free for a more proper tour of the railway?" asked Percy. "Thomas and I could show you down our branch line sometime."
"I would really like that," smiled Belle. At that moment, Sir Topham Hatt drove in to address the engines.
"Good evening, all," he greeted. "I see Belle has made herself comfortable here."
"Indeed I have, sir," agreed Belle. "I'm honored to be a part of this railway."
"And we're glad to have you aboard," continued Sir Topham Hatt. "However, having only one fire engine will not be suitable in the case of multiple fires. Therefore, another fire engine is being brought to help you."
"Another fire engine?" asked Thomas. "Will it be like Belle, or will it be like the kind of fire engines that go on the road?"
"A bit of both, Thomas," explained Sir Topham Hatt. "This other fire engine is a road-rail vehicle."
"How is that possible?" asked Emily.
"This fire engine has been modified with a special set of wheels," said Sir Topham Hatt. "This allows him to run on the rails despite being a road vehicle. It works well to avoid traffic jams."
"That sounds rather clever, sir," remarked Edward.
"Wait until Bertie hears about this," chuckled Thomas to himself.
"When do you suppose he'll be arriving, sir?" asked Henry.
"He should be arriving within a few days or so," Sir Topham Hatt responded. "Until then, I want you all to make Belle as welcome as possible and carry on with your usual duties for when he arrives."
"Yes, sir," the engines replied.
When Sir Topham Hatt left, the subject of the new fire engine coming to Sodor soon became the most talked about throughout the evening. But Gordon's opinion was the loudest of all, which was no surprise to everyone else.
"A fire engine that runs on rails?" he scoffed. "I've never heard of such a ridiculous thing!"
"Oh no, here we go again…" mumbled Henry, rolling his eyes.
"Does he always act like this?" asked Belle to Thomas.
"Only when he likes to have everyone's attention," whispered Thomas back. "Trust me, you'll be hearing a lot of that when you're living here on Sodor."
A few days went by and there was still no sign of the new fire engine that Sir Topham Hatt had told everyone about. But despite all this, Belle was settling in well with her new life on Sodor. She recently helped to stop another fire that was consuming Farmer McColl's field of crops and she was already receiving high praises.
"You should've seen her, Percy; she shot water out of those cannons and took out that fire within seconds!" Thomas said excitedly. He and Percy in the yards, preparing to shunt Gordon and Henry's respective trains for the day. "I passed by when I was taking Annie and Clarabel out for a run the other day."
"Belle sounds like a superhero for the railway," joked Percy. "Still, I hope that new fire engine gets here soon. She knows she can't be everywhere at once if there's more than one fire taking place."
"So do I," replied Thomas. "I'm sure he'll be here sooner or later."
As the two tank engines were about to shunt the trains for Gordon and Henry, they could hear the sound of a diesel engine in the distance. They couldn't see from behind a line of box vans until suddenly, the mysterious diesel engine bumped into some plank wagons!
"Oh! Oh! Oh!" screamed the trucks. "No need for that!"
"Oh, s-sorry!" the diesel stammered. It was Paxton, but Thomas and Percy had never met him before and were quite surprised by his entrance.
"Oh, hello there," called Thomas. "Are you alright? You're not hurt, are you?"
"Oh no, I'm alright," Paxton replied. "Sorry, I'm not that much of a good shunter. Though I do try my best to be careful with them…"
"Never mind," chuckled Thomas. "It happens to most of us. Who are you, anyway? I didn't know Sir Topham Hatt acquired another diesel engine here."
"I'm Paxton," he replied. "I've only just arrived here recently." He looked over at Thomas and gasped. "Don't tell me; you're Thomas the tank engine!"
"You've heard of me?" the blue engine asked with surprise.
"Of course I have," replied Paxton. "Your stories are very well known on the mainland."
Thomas was flattered by this. "Why, thank you," he said modestly. "This here's Percy, my best friend."
"Nice to meet you, Paxton," the little green engine said. "Are you here to help shunt trucks?"
"Oh yes," Paxton replied. "Although I may need a bit more practice shunting these trucks here. They're not like those on the mainland."
"Perhaps Percy and I can show you how to handle them when we finish our jobs," Thomas offered kindly.
"Oh, that would be nice! Thank you!" Paxton said appreciatively.
"We'd better be off now and arrange these trains for Gordon and Henry," said Thomas. "Gordon's going to be cross if I keep him waiting for too long…"
"And I'd better get Henry's goods to the station as well," added Percy. "Nice meeting you, Paxton! See you later!" And with cheerful toots of their whistles, Thomas and Percy both set off, pushing their trucks and coaches for Henry and Gordon.
Unbeknownst to the two tank engines, however, at another part of the yards, Diesel was speaking with Sir Topham Hatt.
"I can assure you that my plans for the Dieselworks will come to fruition soon enough," Sir Topham Hatt was saying. "You and the other diesels just need to be a little more patient until then."
"But, sir…!" complained Diesel.
"That's enough, Diesel. Just please do as I say for now."
And with that, he turned on his heel and walked away, leaving Diesel gritting his teeth before sighing to himself, "The boss is not going to like this…"
"Hello there, Diesel!" said Paxton, rolling up to him.
"Agh! Paxton! Don't do that!" snapped Diesel after being jumped like that.
"Sorry about that," said Paxton. "But anyway, I just met those two tank engines in the yards. Thomas and Percy were very friendly, even offering to help me shunt trucks. I'd imagine every steam engine on the island is like them!"
"They may look friendly, Paxton," said Diesel darkly. "But remember what the boss said about them; steam engines are nothing compared to us diesels. We are the way forward on this island. We are revolutionary!"
"Er, what do spinning records have to do with us?" asked Paxton in confusion.
"Not that kind of revolution, you fool!" snapped Diesel. "Did you grow up in a yard full of steam engines?"
"Well, yes, I have, and-"
"That was a rhetorical question, Paxton!" snapped Diesel. "Anyway, I've just been talking to Sir Topham Hatt…"
"Oh, did he say he was going to help with restoring the Dieselworks?" asked Paxton hopefully.
"Well, he shot down that request to make way for attending the steam engines' needs," grumbled Diesel. "This is why diesels are not favored that much! All he cares about is steam engines and not diesels like us! We have our needs too!"
"Oh dear…" said Paxton. "Do you think the boss will be annoyed with us when we tell him the news?"
"That, Paxton, would be an understatement," said Diesel. He honked his horn and oiled away, leaving Paxton alone in the yards.
Meanwhile, at Brendam docks, Cranky was unloading an unusual vehicle from a cargo ship. Edward was there to see the action.
"What kind of vehicle is that, Cranky?" he asked.
"He's a fire engine," answered Cranky. "At least, I think it is."
"Oh yes," said Edward, "I think he's to help out with the Search and Rescue Centre." He remembered when the centre was opened a while ago.
The fire engine looked at Edward and smiled. "Hello," he said, speaking with an American accent. "Flynn's the name. What's yours?"
"I'm Edward," replied the old blue engine. "Welcome to Sodor, Flynn."
"Thank you, Edward," said Flynn as he was set onto the ground. Once he was unhooked from Cranky, Flynn rose slightly off of the ground and onto the rails.
"Bust my buffers!" gasped Edward. "I've never seen any of my friends do that before."
"Oh, I should mention that I am able to travel on both roads and railway tracks," explained Flynn. "I'm adaptable."
Edward was impressed. Then he remembered about Belle. "Looks like we've got two firefighters on the railway," he remarked.
Flynn looked puzzled. "What do you mean?" he asked.
Edward then told Flynn about Belle. "I'll have to meet her at some point soon," the fire engine chuckled. "Er… do you know how to get to the Rescue Centre from here?"
"Sure, I'll show you the way," said Edward. "I think you two will be firm friends - and firm firefighters!"
"I'm sure we will," said Flynn. "Oh, goodbye Cranky, and thanks for the help." And with that, Edward and Flynn set off down the line.
It wasn't long before the two arrived at the junction outside of Suddery.
"The coastal track is to your right," said Edward. "From there, you'll arrive at the Search and Rescue Centre."
"Thank you, Edward," Flynn smiled. "I think I can make it from here. See you later."
"Nice meeting you as well, Flynn," Edward replied. "I'd better hurry to my next job."
The rest of Flynn's journey to the Search and Rescue Centre was uneventful. When he arrived, waiting for him was Sir Topham Hatt as well as the rest of the search and rescue team - Harold, Rocky, Captain, Butch and Belle.
"Ah, right on time," smiled Sir Topham Hatt. "Everyone, this is Flynn, our other fire-fighting engine."
"Greetings, fellow rescue team," said Flynn. "It's a pleasure to meet everyone."
"Welcome aboard, Flynn," Belle said warmly. "I think you'll like it on Sodor, as I have."
"I already like it here," Flynn grinned. "So what's our first mission together?"
"Hold on there, Flynn," chuckled Harold. "There's no emergency at the moment. They come up when some of us are called to the task."
"Oh… right…" Flynn looked a bit embarrassed. "I just wanted to be ready; you know what I mean…"
Later that night, on another part of Sodor…
"You mean to tell me that Fat Hatt is refusing to rebuild the Dieselworks just to listen to the need of those puffballs?!" Diesel and Paxton had just reported what the former had been told by Sir Topham Hatt to Diesel 10, and, like Diesel predicted, the clawed engine was less than happy with the news.
"Er, that was pretty much it?" asked Paxton. Diesel 10 let out an angry growl, and using his claw, he picked up a rusty old wheel and threw it, barely missing some of the other diesels who had gathered.
Sidney was now hanging on a hoist, awaiting his new wheels, while Den, Dart, Paxton and Diesel, as well as Arry, Bert and a very reluctant Dennis were gathered around Diesel 10.
"Y'know, this woul' be a complete diesel gatherin' if we 'ad Mavis, Daisy, Salty and Rusty wi' us," said Bert.
"D'you really fink Rusty woul' be able t'attend?!" Arry snapped. "'E can't even get onto our rails unless 'e was on a ruddy flatbed! As for th'others, they're on such good terms wi' th'steamers they wouldn't e'en try. And e'en if Rusty was a standard gauge engine, th'latter applies to 'im too."
"Steam-lovin' 'ippies, they are," grunted Bert. Then they heard a loud snoring; Dennis had fallen asleep in the middle of the Ironworks diesels' conversation.
"Seriously…" muttered Arry under his breath. "OI! GET UP, YA OVERSIZED SARDINE TIN!"
"What, huh, who?" Dennis' eyes shot open and he looked all around the area. He looked over at Arry and groaned. "Can't I get some rest every now and again?"
"Take it easy, Arry," Paxton called over. "Sleep is very good for us. If we don't get any, we can't do what we're meant to do."
"That's enough, you lot!" commanded Diesel 10, snapping his claw. Paxton, Den and Dart jumped back, and Sidney winced from his place on the hoist.
"Erm, when do you think I'll be able to get my new wheels, boss?" the blue diesel asked.
"Keep your horn on," Diesel 10 grumbled. "They'll get there… eventually," he said that last part under his breath.
"Getting back on topic," grunted Diesel, "do you have any ideas on what to do?"
"Just give me a moment, Diesel…" Diesel 10 paused to gather his thoughts. "Hmm… yes, I got it. Paxton, you befriended Thomas and Percy earlier on, didn't you?"
"I did," said Paxton. "They were really nice engines. I don't know why we're…"
"Well, I think one of them would listen to you," Diesel 10 went on. "Say that, Sir Topham Hatt told them they needed to help you up here with shunting or something."
"But would Sir Topham Hatt ask them to help out up here?" asked Paxton. "I mean, they said they've got lots of work to do on their branch line."
"Daisy and Mavis would probably step up to help," Diesel 10 interrupted. "You go and talk to Thomas or Percy, and I'll talk with Sir Topham Hatt about the idea."
"Uh… okay then," Paxton said. He wasn't quite sure what Diesel 10 was thinking, but he was eager to say hello to Thomas and Percy again, and he didn't even get a chance to say hi to Daisy or Mavis yet.
The next morning, Paxton arrived at Knapford station. Luckily for him, Thomas was there, waiting with Annie and Clarabel.
"Hi, Paxton," greeted Thomas. "Have you met my coaches yet? The front one is Annie, and the back one is Clarabel."
"Hello, Thomas," said Paxton. "And you too, Annie and Clarabel. Pleasure to meet you."
"It's a pleasure to meet you too, Paxton," smiled Annie.
"How are you settling in on Sodor?" asked Clarabel.
"I love it, thank you for asking," Paxton grinned. "Er… Thomas, Sir Topham Hatt is expecting you at the Dieselworks."
"The Dieselworks?" asked Thomas, puzzled. "Why would he need me there?"
"Something about shunting, I believe," Paxton elaborated.
"Oh my… well, I can't leave these ladies here without someone to pull them," Thomas said worriedly. "Hmm… maybe Daisy or Percy are nearby without a job…"
Just then, Thomas and Paxton heard a familiar whistle.
"Hi, Percy," Thomas called. "I got an urgent job to tend to; Sir Topham Hatt says that I'm needed to shunt some trucks at the Dieselworks with Paxton."
"Odd…" Percy said quietly. "But I wouldn't question Sir Topham Hatt with a request like that. I'll take Annie and Clarabel if that's the case. My next job isn't for another couple of hours."
With the arrangements made, Percy was coupled onto the coaches and set off.
"Come along, ladies," Percy called.
"We're right with you, Percy," Annie and Clarabel chorused.
"Have fun helping Paxton, Thomas," Percy smiled.
"Thanks, Percy," Thomas called back as he and Paxton made their way to Vicarstown.
When the two engines got there, Thomas got a good sight of the Dieselworks.
"Oh my…" Thomas gasped. "What happened to this place?"
"I dunno," said Paxton. "They've been like that when I first came here."
"Mavis and Daisy did mention the place was a bit run down," said Thomas, "but I didn't think it was this bad. No wonder Sir Topham Hatt needs all buffers on deck here." He didn't notice some ominous shapes surrounding him and Paxton.
"Well done, Paxton. Just like we planned," said a sinister voice.
Thomas froze and his eyes widened. He was sure he heard that voice before. A voice from an old enemy he knew quite well. "Wait… I know that voice! Oh no… it-it can't be!" Standing before him was Diesel 10, with the most sinister of grins he had ever seen.
"DIESEL 10!" yelled Thomas in surprise. "It is you!"
"That's right, you little blue puffball!" said Diesel 10 with a smirk. "You'd never thought you'd never see me again, did you? You've got your new friend Paxton to thank for that!"
"Paxton?" gasped Thomas, looking at the green diesel with wide eyes. "Wh-what…"
Paxton looked down at the rails with guilt and remorse in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he murmured quietly. "I was only following orders…"
"I thought you were my friend!" snapped Thomas. "But allying with… with DIESEL 10 of all engines! I trusted you!"
"Pipe down!" snapped Diesel. "It's because of steam engines like you that we're in this situation in the first place!"
"That doesn't make any sense whatsoever," Thomas retorted; he did not notice Paxton had slipped away from the group when Dennis left an opening for him. "How am I to blame for you choosing to cause trouble?"
"Well… he does have a point… I mean, what I mean to say is…"
"What Den means to say is," said Dart, "you did tell those lies about Duck years ago which started the whole rivalry to begin with."
"H-hey!" snapped Diesel. "It was Duck who started the whole thing by making the trucks laugh at me! And how did you even find out about that story?!"
"Word travels fast on the mainland," Den said simply.
"Enough with this mainland gossip!" Diesel 10 growled, turning his attention to the blue tank engine. "You will be here as long as we need to."
"But why are you doing this?!" demanded Thomas. "Why come after me?! What's the deal?!"
"The deal? The deal is you, you little puffball!" ranted Diesel 10. "You have humiliated me! Ruined me! Shamed me and have me sent packing to the mainland where I spent most of my lifetime, carefully planning to take my revenge on you and the rest of this pathetic little island! But it got me thinking - why go through it alone without a little band of diesels that can make my plans all swift and secure? And now, I have finally got you, like a rat caught in my trap! And with you out of the way, I swore to myself that I shall be rid of all steam engines from Sodor… completely! And my revenge will be complete! Take him away!" he ordered the diesels.
"You'll never get away with it!" protested Thomas as he was being pulled away. "Steam will thrive no matter what!"
"Take a good look, puffball," scoffed Diesel 10. "I already have."
"Percy, Toby, anybody!" Thomas cried at the top of his smokebox. "Please, help!"
"Nobody's going to save you now, you little blue puffball! Can't have a little tank engine like you get in the way of my plans!" cackled Diesel 10. "The future belongs to the diesels, and to me!"
Back on the Ffarquhar branch line, Percy was enjoying his travels with Annie and Clarabel as they gently pulled into a stop at the station at the end of the line.
"Brings back memories of us going down here when Thomas and Edward were running the main line," Percy smiled, and both coaches heartily chuckled too, and the three heard the familiar toot of Mavis coming by with a quarry train.
"Hello, Annie, Clarabel, Percy… Percy?!" Mavis looked up in surprise. "Why are you pulling Thomas' coaches?"
"Thomas had to go with Paxton to shunt at the Dieselworks," explained Percy. "Sir Topham Hatt's orders."
"On such short notice?" asked Mavis. "Really? I know the Dieselworks isn't in the best of conditions, but that's a bit odd."
"I thought that for a second, but… Annie, Clarabel," Percy called to the coaches, "did you two see Sir Topham Hatt before I took you down here?"
"No," said Annie.
"I didn't see him either," added Clarabel.
"Then where did the message come from?" asked Mavis.
"From that new diesel Paxton," recalled the coaches.
"He befriended me and Thomas yesterday," Percy told Mavis, "although he's been spending a lot of time at the Dieselworks."
"Hmm… I've got a couple of theories," Mavis said quietly. "Either Paxton has ill intent, or he's been used as a pawn for something. Either way, I sense something is off here."
"You think Thomas is in danger?!" gasped Percy in shock. "We have to go rescue him!"
"Annie, Clarabel," said Mavis, "I'll send Rosie down to get you if Percy's not back in time."
"Understood," said Annie. "Just please save him."
"If Paxton hurts Thomas, we'll give him a lecture he won't forget," added Clarabel.
With that, Annie and Clarabel were left in their siding, and Percy and Mavis raced to the rescue. When they were about halfway, they found Paxton, who was already running out of breath.
"What have you done with my best friend?!" snapped Percy.
"Percy! It's about Thomas, and-" Paxton began.
"Where is he now?" the saddle tank engine growled. "You'd have better not hurt him."
"He's trapped down at the Dieselworks!" admitted Paxton. "I didn't want to be a part of it, but the others outvoted me!"
"So… you were used as a pawn," Mavis realized.
"I only wanted to help the Dieselworks get fixed up," confessed Paxton, feeling rather ashamed of himself. "I think the same can be said for Sidney, Den, Dart and Dennis too."
"Sounds like nearly every diesel on the island was a part of it," Mavis said to herself. "Though I can safely assume that Salty was not, and I know Daisy wasn't; she was on the branch line all day."
"And not Rusty," added Paxton quietly. "Though I think Arry mentioned he was too small to fit on our rails anyway." He sighed. "I… I didn't know what to do… h-he was so scary."
"Arry?" asked Percy. "Well, yes, he and Bert are quite scary forces to be reckoned with."
"No, not them," said Paxton. "Diesel 10."
Mavis and Percy exchanged a worried look.
"He's back?!" Percy cried. "Oh no, Thomas is in huge trouble if that's the case."
"You've met Diesel 10 before?" asked Paxton.
"Not me," Mavis admitted. "I was a bit preoccupied at the quarry, but from what Percy, Thomas and Toby have described, he's a real monster, willing to destroy any steam engine in sight. Arry and Bert look up to him so much it's scary."
"Y-yeah," agreed Paxton. "I didn't know Diesel 10 was so cruel enough to… d-destroy any steam engine in sight," he gulped. "We have to save Thomas before he can do that!"
"Do you know where he is at the Dieselworks?" asked Percy.
Back at the Dieselworks, Thomas had been shunted into the far back of one of the goods sheds.
"Let me out of here!" Thomas shouted. His crew couldn't help him, as some workers had cornered them at the back of the shed too.
"Keep it down, kettle!" snapped Arry. He and Bert were guarding the goods shed in case anyone came near. "May as well give up on 'ope while ya still can!"
"Glad we convinced Diesel 10 that we should guard this place instead o' Den an' Dart," Bert said quietly.
In another shed, Den, Dart and Dennis were talking well out of earshot of Arry and Bert.
"Mates, I was thinking…" said Dennis. "Was this idea really the best way to go about getting Sir Topham Hatt's attention?"
"Maybe this hadn't been the best idea," admitted Den.
"Thomas does seem nice enough," added Dart. "He came down here when Paxton asked him to help, because… he thought Paxton was his friend."
"Maybe… he still is," Dennis whispered. "I mean, he dashed off when I left an opening for him. Maybe he's gone to get help."
Meanwhile, Paxton, Mavis and Percy had managed to find more help; Daisy and Salty were more than willing to lend a buffer.
"Don't you worry, darling," Daisy said sweetly to Paxton. "We'll have Thomas back safely before the day's done."
"Diesel 10 and his scallywags may have plundered away our friend," said Salty, "but we'll fight for Thomas to the end!"
Other engines to join the charge to Vicarstown included Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Toby, Emily, Belle and Flynn.
"That Diesel 10 isn't getting away with this crime!" Toby growled.
"He's gone too far!" agreed James.
"How far is Vicarstown from here?" asked Belle. "I hope Thomas will be okay."
"Halfway across the island from the Search and Rescue Centre," said Henry.
"Gordon, if worse comes to worse, you cut ahead of us," Emily advised. "You're the fastest of us."
"Understood, Emily," Gordon said firmly. "You can count on me."
"Let's hope Diesel 10 doesn't plan to do that…" Edward gulped under his breath.
The good news for Edward was that Diesel 10 wasn't planning on crushing Thomas to bits. The bad news, however...
"Grease and oil, Diesel 10!" gasped Diesel. "What are you doing?!"
The large warship had used his claw to gather a pile of oily rags around the old shed where Thomas was being held captive.
"I'm doing what I should have done in the first place," explained Diesel 10. "Just a snap from Pinchy, and that blue puffball will be up in flames!"
"But so will Arry and Bert!" protested Diesel. "B-besides," he added with a whimper, "no one deserves to be burnt alive."
"That tank engine has made a huge fool out of me," Diesel 10 growled. "And now I will have my revenge no matter what it takes!"
"If Sir Topham Hatt finds out about this," warned Diesel, sounding surprisingly deep, "we'll definitely kiss our new Dieselworks goodbye! He'll probably send all of us away for scrap because of you!"
Diesel 10 stopped to think about what Diesel had said. The little black shunter did bring up some good points, and getting a new workshop was probably not worth the life of a fellow engine, steam or diesel.
"Hmm… well…" said Diesel 10 at last. Diesel felt hopeful for a moment, until... "Maybe you'd better do some fast talking then." Diesel 10 snapped his claw, causing sparks to fly.
"Oh no…" Diesel raced away to where Dennis, Den and Dart were chatting away. "Guys, the Dieselworks is about to catch fire! Diesel 10's set some oily rags alight to burn Thomas alive!"
"Why would Diesel 10 do such a thing?!" cried Dennis. "Doesn't he know Arry and Bert are guarding Thomas?"
"I don't think he cares about any of us anymore!" figured Diesel. "All he really cares about is getting his revenge!"
"What do we do?" asked Dart.
"Uh… I got it," Diesel said, getting an idea. "There's a new Search and Rescue Centre opened, and two new fire engines work there."
"Well, in the meantime," said Den, "perhaps we should, er…"
"Go?" finished Dart.
"Yes."
"One of us has to get Sidney too," Dennis added. "And Thomas is still trapped."
Just then, as the group was about to evacuate the area, they heard the whistles and toots of a large group of engines.
"Hey, isn't one of those horns Paxton's?" asked Dart.
"And it sounds like Mavis, Salty and Daisy are here too," added Dennis. "Though that siren's new…"
"And the whistles must be the rest of the Steam Team. Plus a new whistle I haven't heard before... " Diesel realized, causing Den and Dart to look at Diesel in confusion. "Hey, Thomas came up with the idea, not me. And you guys aren't the only newbies here, alright?"
True to Diesel's word, Percy, Paxton, and the rescue team raced into view.
"Where is Thomas, guys?" Paxton demanded.
"In the back shed over there," insisted Diesel. "Diesel 10's trying to set it on fire!"
"Not if we have anything to say about this," said Flynn, lowering himself to run off track. "Come on, Belle!"
"Right behind you." Belle followed as best she could manage on the rails.
"The shed's being set on fire?!" cried Percy. "You mean he's trying to burn Thomas alive?"
"I wish I could say I made this up," Diesel sighed, "but I'm not tricking anyone this time."
Meanwhile, satisfied that his revenge was about to be complete, Diesel 10 decided to make a break for it.
"He'll be a pile of burnt scrap," he cackled as he raced off. "Now, no one can stand in my way! The future belongs to the diesels! And to me!" And he laughed triumphantly as he rolled away, but unfortunately for him, Diesel 10 didn't get that far…
"Ahem," said Gordon, blocking his track. "What was that about Thomas?!"
"Oh, blast it!" cried Diesel 10, and he reversed to find another route to escape, but Den and Dart were blocking it.
"You're not escaping this time!" snapped Den.
"What he means is…" Dart began. "No, wait, never mind. That was what he meant to say."
"Oh, yes I am!" snarled Diesel 10. This time, he was blocked off by Percy, Toby and Paxton.
"You'll be sorry you tried to burn our friend," said Toby firmly. No matter which path Diesel 10 tried to use to escape, another engine or two was always blocking his way.
"Give it up already, Diesel 10," demanded Edward crossly. "We got you surrounded."
"Indeed you do," boomed a voice from Edward's cab. Stepping out was none other than Sir Topham Hatt!
Diesel 10's eyes widened with fear. "Oh, scrap piles…"
"Trying to burn one of my engines alive?!" Sir Topham Hatt spluttered. "The very crime is unspeakable!"
"Uh… I… might have been wanting to have the Dieselworks refurbished…" Diesel 10 trailed with a whimper. "And… someone may have told me it wasn't a good idea to start a fire that wasn't in a steam engine's firebox…"
"Of course it was a terrible idea!" exclaimed Diesel. "I wanted the Dieselworks restored as much as the next engine, but to destroy one just to get it to happen?! Even I don't sink to this level!"
The steam engines looked on in surprise; they had never seen this side of Diesel before. Neither had Mavis, Salty, Daisy or Dennis.
"Diesel 10, why would you think of doing something so heartless?" asked Edward. "That's behavior I wouldn't wish upon any engine!"
"We diesels are the engines of the future," countered Diesel 10 harshly. "Revolutionary, reliable, and cheaper to manage. But instead of stepping into the future, people insist on clinging to the past with their precious steam engines. Everyone prefers steam engines over diesels. It's downright discrimination!"
"If anything, you're the one discriminating," snapped Mavis. "Steam engines and diesels can work together in harmony, if you can put a buffer forward to try."
"Mavis is right," agreed Daisy, "It did take a while for some of us to accept steam engines, but now we can't imagine our lives without them."
"Diesel 10 told us that if we obeyed his orders, then Sir Topham Hatt would be convinced to restore the Dieselworks," insisted Paxton.
"But in reality, he lied to us!" added Dart in frustration. "Now thanks to Diesel 10, part of it's been burning down, and it would have been soaked thanks to having it to be put out."
"Oh dear!" Toby said suddenly. "Where's Thomas? Is he alright?"
"Don't fear, everyone; he's alright!" called a voice. There, emerging from behind was Flynn, followed up by Belle, a rather shame-faced Arry and Bert, and coming from behind was…
"THOMAS!" Percy cried in relief, tears starting to prick his eyes. "Oh, thank goodness you're safe!"
"So am I," said Thomas. "I'm very lucky that Belle and Flynn came as quickly as they could."
"Are we glad to see you're okay," sighed Toby. "It's thanks to Mavis we figured out what was really going on."
"Aww, it was nothing," Mavis said modestly. "Good to see you, Thomas."
"What?!" exclaimed Diesel 10. "The blue puffball is still alive?!"
From there, Sir Topham Hatt turned back towards Diesel 10. It was clear from his surprised exclamation that he did indeed want Thomas to be burnt alive.
"For trying to burn one of my engines up and causing so much confusion and delay… No, scratch that; it is much WORSE than causing confusion and delay!" he corrected himself. "I am sending you back to the Other Railway! I'd imagine that they won't be pleased with you going against your parole!"
With the other engines glaring at him intimidatingly, Diesel 10 knew he didn't have much of a choice. He slunk silently away, with the engines hoping that this would be the last they would see of him.
"And that takes care of that!" declared James.
"Yes, indeed," added Gordon. "Absolutely disgraceful!"
"Disgusting!" put in James.
"Despicable!" finished Henry.
"Sir, we're really sorry for our role in Diesel 10's scheme," said Dennis. "We didn't think it would lead to this much trouble."
"Indeed," agreed Den. "We didn't know what Diesel 10 was really like… I mean… what I mean to say is…"
"What Den means to say is, we were new here and looked up to the first engine we came across without really thinking about it," Dart put in.
"We'll do anything to make up for our mistakes, sir," promised Paxton.
"I'm glad to hear that," said Sir Topham Hatt. "And in case you were wondering, I was indeed planning on restoring this place, but I put it on the backburner after newer projects rose up, like restoring Great Waterton and Hiro, as well as the construction of the Search and Rescue Centre. I do apologize for not completing this first."
"It's okay, sir," said Daisy. "At least we had the Steamworks in operation down at Crovan's Gate, so it wasn't the biggest issue."
"And hopefully once they're back in order again," added Thomas, "Victor and Kevin won't feel as overworked!"
It wasn't long before work on the Dieselworks was in full swing. Paxton, Dennis, Den and Dart were all shunting trucks of supplies to help mend the place, and people were helping to tidy up things like oily rags to make sure no more fires would start.
"I wouldn't have wanted to be a fire engine," said Paxton. "Fires are much too scary for me."
"Let's hope we don't have to witness another out of control fire," added Dart.
"I'm just glad Sir Topham Hatt's giving us another chance," said Dennis. "We really did mess up when Diesel 10 was here."
"I hope we never see that troublemaker again," prayed Paxton.
Meanwhile, Diesel was talking to Arry and Bert.
"Why didn't you two just move out of the way?!" Diesel scolded.
"We was only doin' as we was told," replied Arry.
"Yeah," agreed Bert. "Diesel 10 tol' us to stay put until 'e said otherwise."
"With a fire going at the back of the shed?" Diesel growled. "All three of you could have been burnt to a crisp! I may not like the steam engines that much, but Thomas didn't deserve that, and you two are my brothers! If anything happened to you, I…" The black shunter bit his lip, trying to keep up a tough facade in front of Arry and Bert. He sighed, "Uh… I think there's more trucks I need to get." And he rumbled away before Arry or Bert could respond.
It was the middle of autumn when the Dieselworks were finally finished. All the engines who could make it were gathered for the opening event.
"Oh, today's the day," squeed Paxton excitedly. "I can't wait."
"Ladies, gentlemen and engines," announced Sir Topham Hatt, "for the longest time, the Steamworks at Crovan's Gate has been the railway's main resort for engine repairs. But during that time, there was a Dieselworks at Vicarstown, which fell into disrepair. But instead of fixing it when the problem first began, I foolishly pushed it aside for different projects. And in doing so, one of my engines was put in danger by Diesel 10, but thanks to the efforts of Belle, Flynn, Paxton, Percy, Mavis and some others, we managed to avert a crisis. And now, today, I'm proud to say we have restored the Dieselworks to its former glory."
From there, he took out a pair of scissors, and cut the red ribbon leading to the main entrance of the Dieselworks. This was met by a chorus of cheers, whistles and horns.
"In addition," continued Sir Topham Hatt, "I am also proud to announce that the Dieselworks will be run by two of our newest acquisitions, Den and Dart."
Den and Dart looked at each other in surprise.
"Y-you mean it, sir?" asked Dart, touched by this gesture.
"I-it's quite the honor, sir," agreed Den. "We won't let you down."
"There's some good engines," said Sir Topham Hatt. Amongst the crowd of engines, Paxton spoke to Thomas and Percy.
"I'm really sorry that I nearly got you into a serious scrape," the green diesel apologized.
"It's alright, Paxton," sighed Thomas. "You didn't know what you were getting yourself into, and you did set things right."
"It's partly my fault too," Percy admitted. "I should have thought more about the situation before it got out of control. Sorry, Thomas."
"We all make mistakes, Percy, and I'm fine," Thomas assured him. "See? Not a scratch."
"Let's just hope that the next time someone threatens Sodor, we'll be better prepared," sighed Toby. And I'm happy to say that for the longest time after this, there were no more dangerous threats to Sodor. But Paxton felt rather uneasy.
"I can't put my buffer on it," he said absentmindedly, "but I keep feeling like we forgot something… It's probably nothing."
Meanwhile, inside the newly refurbished Dieselworks…
"Hello?" called a voice. "Anyone coming in to give me my new wheels… please? … That's okay, take as much time as you need."
THE END
Author's Comments
At long last! The rewrite to Day of the Diesels is here, one of the worst Thomas specials ever written, if not the worst. The canon special has so much wrong with it; racist undertones with the steam vs. diesel rivalry, Thomas coming off as a designated hero, Percy coming off as borderline unsympathetic, the newbies having very little to do, a tone that's incredibly depressing and boring, the plot being cliched by Nitrogen standards, the list goes on and on. There's nothing to gain out of watching Day of the Diesels; Tale of the Brave had a similar plot line and was done so much better three years later. Of course, the co-writers and I aimed to fix most of these issues, and I feel we've all done a fine job at it. As you could tell from the first scene, there was far more emphasis on the diesels, and there's more of a gray area regarding their behavior as opposed to being all black and white, showing that they're not all bad. Paxton and Sidney have the personas given to them from series 17 onward, though in the former's case, he's a tad more gullible and naïve, but he does get better over time, as can be seen with Blue Mountain Mystery. And of course, Dennis takes the place of Norman; the latter added nothing to the show, and so he won't add anything to Seventyverse. As previously established in Series 13-16 Redux, Belle was given special modifications to fight fires so they actually have a purpose rather than just being there to sell toys. This will also apply to Flynn, and they're treated more like actual heroes rather than the idiots as portrayed in Big Belle, Fiery Flynn, Race to the Rescue (none of which are being rewritten for Series 13-16 Redux as they're not worth it), Rocky Rescue and, to some extent, Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Trucks.
The plot starts off a bit slowly, which works to its advantage as it picks up when Paxton gets tricked into dragging Thomas to the Dieselworks and the little blue engine nearly getting burned alive by Diesel 10, probably the closest you'll get to implications of murder in the series. This shows just how sadistic Diesel 10 is; he doesn't care who gets hurt, steam or diesel, so long as he gets what he wants in the end. He's all about himself and himself alone. Mavis and Salty also have more involvement, although it's the former more so; on the actual DVD cover, it looks as though they'd be more involved, but they have minor roles at most. Here, Mavis and Salty are involved in the charge to the Dieselworks with Paxton, the rest of the Steam Team, Daisy, Belle and Flynn. The climax was also fun to write up, with the diesels turning on Diesel 10 for his selfish act of betrayal, with some having second thoughts even before then. We even added in a proper reason for the Dieselworks not getting refurbished sooner; recent projects got in the way which pushed it to the sidelines before it finally got priority. And of course, the ending bit with Sidney still hanging on his hoist does lead into what would become of him in The Missing Christmas Decorations, except Diesel 10 has no involvement whatsoever. Not to fear; that rewrite will come up when it's closer to Christmas. For now, there's the second half of Series 13-16 Redux to cover.