Author's Note: The Title of This chapter is derived from the YouTube Series. Stories of Sodor. The Episode in question and much of the plot was inspired by Victor Tanzig's video Goods. Thank you that is all.
Goods
The Next night at the sheds the fleet was gathered after another day of hard work. The fleet was back at the sheds getting cleaned off and having their fires dumped and their smokeboxes cleaned while they were discussing the events that had occurred during the day which pretty much was not out of the ordinary but the mention of a lorry in the area was something that brought concern to both Thomas and Duchess Corrinne.
Duchess Corrinne: So what's this I hear about a lorry being near the Kalos Railway? You guys are aware of what happened the last time a lorry company was here right? They tried to steal our clients on Arcanon's orders.
Thomas: (Confused) Who is Arcanon? It sounds like you guys all fear him.
Gervase: Lord Arcanon is a fearsome warlord from the European continent but he has hideouts everywhere. He's so powerful that even Coi was afraid of him and most likely still is even to this day.
Clare: I remember when he sent a fleet of lorries to steal all of our goods clients and they almost did. Of course I had a slip up on my passenger run and that was after Aurora's slip up so Arcanon timed it correctly to try and force the Kalos Railway to go under.
Thomas: He actually did that?
Princess Aurora: He did. Of course thanks to King Elgar and my cousin Duchess Corrinne stepping up their game in combination with myself making up for my failure they managed to bring back our passenger traffic and it was a good thing since Sophia, Greg, and Blaine needed overhauls at the time which meant that Coley, Michael, and Jake had to step up to the plate but even they weren't strong enough. Which is why we needed some extra muscle.
Thomas: And that brings me to my next question. Where did you find the extra muscle?
Duchess Corrinne: We'll tell you the story Thomas. And you'll learn how Coley, Jake, and Michael stepped up to the plate after they got their much needed overhauls and with the help of a new engine.
Thomas paid close attention as the former LMS engines of the Kalos Railway told him the story.
In the year 1979, three days after Princess Aurora's fiasco with the express, the Kalos Railway's passenger traffic had dropped and things got worse than Claire's coaches had a hole in them which had to be fixed with Passenger's bootlace and that in turn gave one of the Kalos Railway's Enemies the opening to send in a fleet of buses to steal the Kalos Railway's passenger traffic. Fortunately the Kalos Railway was able to stay afloat thanks to the goods trains hauled by the dedicated fleet of goods engines and with Greg and Blaine doing most of the heavy lifting. Unfortunately the time had come for the two of them to receive some much needed repairs and boiler overhauls. Aaron Belmonte the Kalos Controller had arrived at the sheds to tell the fleet the news on the subject the week after Claire's fiasco.
Kalos Controller: As you all know, Greg and Blaine need some much needed repairs and boiler overhauls so that means the rest of you will need to step up your game.
Jake: (to Michael and Coley) That means he'll be looking to the three of us since we're the strongest of the LMS goods engines of the Kalos Railway.
Kalos Controller: I'm looking at all of you but considering what you said it'll seem like I'll be relying on you, Michael and Coley the most Jake. I'll have Noah and Gervase assist.
Noah: Not that I'm arguing but are you sure you picked the right engines? I mean you ironed out Gervase's issues and now he's able to help but what about me? I'm a suburban tank engine I don't know if I'm strong enough.
Jake: Noah it's not about brawn. It's about willpower and believing in yourself. If you can do that then you can do anything. Just believe in yourself like we believe in each other.
Kalos Controller: Jake's right Noah, I wouldn't have chosen you if I didn't think you were capable of taking a goods train. Trust Jake, your instincts, judgement, courage, and your friends and you will go far.
Noah took the Kalos Controller's advice and sure enough he left with the first goods train of the day. The Fairburn Suburban tank was doing very well for himself considering the trucks on the railway are much more polite and well-mannered unlike the British trucks found in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately Noah was about to run into some unpleasant company. A lorry had broken down on a stretch of road that ran next to the railway and was in a very foul mood.
Noah: What happened to you? Did you break your radiator or something?
Lorry: For your information I have a flat tire and I have to wait for a tow truck to come and fix it.
Noah: Well I'd love to stay and help but I'm afraid I'm on the clock. Goodbye for now.
Noah promptly left as the lorry growled at the current situation he was in.
Lorry: (seething angrily) I'd love nothing more than to teach that tin kettle a lesson. Him and the rest of those Kalos Kettles.
Lorry Driver: Calm down. Everything happens for a reason. Besides word on the streets and rails is that two of the Black Fives on the Kalos Railway are currently in the shops getting overhauls which means that we have a chance to prove ourselves.
The Lorry liked hearing that and began to make a plan to spread the word.
A few days later Sophia, Jake, and Gervase were sleeping peacefully in the sheds early that morning when the sound of loud horns and truck motors woke them very rudely and loudly.
Sophia: (surprised) What was that? Did somebody forget to turn off the air raid horns?
Gervase: No Sophia. That was the sounds of truck horns and truck engines and I have a terrible feeling that our enemies have given the truck companies some new trucks to try and steal our clients one by one until our most loyal clients are left.
Jake: So what's gonna happen? Is the Dark Witch gonna attack the clients that have stayed loyal to us until they refuse to do business with us anymore?
Sophia: Given the situation Jake that's a big possibility. But on the flipside thanks to King Elgar and Duchess Corrinne's brave efforts our passenger traffic is back up and they and the other passenger engines are fully swamped. Even Duchess Corrinne's having a tough time keeping up and she's the strongest of the passenger engines.
Gervase: Still she doesn't have to shoulder the burden alone. She knows this and she's freely told us what Lord Arcanon could possibly do next.
Jake: In that case then we may have to tell the Kalos Controller that if push comes to shove we might need another engine. Hopefully it won't come to that but if it does then we'll be ready.
True to Gervase and Sophia's predictions a new fleet of up to date trucks cruised in and with the backing of Lord Arcanon began taking most of the contracts and winning them for the various truck companies one by one. On the flip side though passenger traffic on the Kalos Railway reached an all-time high so that kept the Kalos Railway afloat and able to help pay for Greg and Blaine's repairs but the goods clients were starting to dwindle until only a handful were left.
At the sheds the engines were discussing the situation as of late.
Josh: The Stone Quarry, the Coal Mine, the Iron Ore Mine, the Dairy Farm, the Steel Mill, and the Oil Depot. That's all we have left.
Malcolm: This is ridiculous. Once upon a time we had a lot of clients for goods trains.
Mary: Now we're reduced to only six clients.
Claire: I blame that blasted Lord Arcanon and the Dark Witch!
Princess Aurora: It's an outrage Claire I understand but right now we have bigger problems.
Duchess Corrinne: Aurora's right. What are we gonna do about our lost clients?
Sophia: Corrinne's right. Greg and Blaine were pretty much the heart of the Kalos Railway's LMS engines and we can't ask the others to transfer some of their heavy goods engines over to us. Gervase, Jake, Michael, Coley, and I are struggling to keep up.
Coley: I hate to say it but we need another engine. I mean what else can we do other than what we've been doing?
Aaron Belmonte: Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Noah: Impeccable timing sir.
Malcolm: Can we just skip the formalities and get down to business?
Aaron Belmonte: Malcolm's right. As you all know you've done your best and I've said this to the other engines on the Kalos Railway but it's clear to me that you lot need some help. So I'm bringing in another engine. His name is Colby. He'll be here tomorrow and I told him to report to the Auto Plant.
Mary: No offense but I thought we didn't have that client.
Aaron Belmonte: Well we do Mary. Fortunately I was able to keep hold of that client along with the other six clients. Anyway you've all done me proud and you've done your previous controller very proud and I hope you do my successor proud as well.
Noah: Thank you sir. We need all the help we can get.
Aaron Belmonte: You all deserve it.
Gervase: Oh I almost forgot sir what can you tell us about Colby?
Aaron Belmonte: Let's just say that according to the reports of his supervisors he's built for goods trains but he can handle passenger trains if the situation calls for it and he's among the best. Now get some sleep you're all gonna need it.
Aaron Belmonte then left on that note.
Duchess Corrinne: Oh soot. We forgot to ask what class Colby is in.
Gervase: I'm sure we'll figure it out tomorrow.
Next day saw Gervase and Noah at the Auto Plant preparing to take some cars to Bordeaux.
Gervase: Ironic that we've got the contract for the Auto Plant and yet we lost most of our clients to trucks.
Noah: Yeah but if our new arrival is as good as Mr. Belmonte says he is then he may be able to get our clients back.
Gervase: Same here and before Greg and Blaine are fixed. I don't want them overworking themselves to try and win back the contracts.
Noah: Let's just focus on this order of automobiles which has to go to Rennes.
Before they could discuss an Auto Plant worker showed up.
Auto Plant Worker: Gervase you're needed in Paris right away. There was a goods train that was supposed to go out but the engine that was due to take it is delayed. It's vital that the train get to Nancy at once.
Gervase: But what about Noah? How is he gonna manage this?
Noah: It's alright, Gervase. I'll figure it out. I always do. Now go.
Gervase: Alright Noah. I trust you.
Gervase left on that note as Noah went to arrange the train.
Noah: (thinking) I hope I didn't bite off more than I could chew.
Noah was about to couple up and leave when he heard an unfamiliar whistle. Noah waited as he saw that a big locomotive with ten driving wheels and two leading wheels steamed up before him. Upon seeing the British Railways crest on the tender he knew instantly that this was a British Railways Standard Class 9F.
Noah: Hello. I'm Noah who are you?
BR Standard 9F: Hello Noah I'm Colby. Mr. Aaron Belmonte told me to help you with this huge order that needed to go out.
Noah: Yeah. This is gonna take a couple of trips though due to the weight.
Colby: Shunt all the trucks into the train I'll couple up on the train and you can couple up in front of me. I need to learn the route.
Noah: Very well.
So Noah did as Colby asked and arranged the train before Colby coupled up to it and Noah coupled in front.
Noah: This is a very long heavy train. Are you sure that you can handle this?
Colby: This is nothing next to the trains I used to take on the British Isles.
Noah: I understand. Well shall we get going?
Colby: Of course. Now let's get there on time.
So Noah and Colby puffed away with the train and made excellent time despite the heavy load. Soon the two arrived at Rennes on time and they met up with Joshua who was waiting with a passenger train.
Joshua: Noah glad to see you're here. (Sees Colby) And I see you made a friend.
Noah: Yep. Joshua meet Colby.
Joshua: (To Colby) Wow you're huge but then again considering you're a BR Standard Class 9F I'm not surprised.
Colby: Yep but I'm not the type to use my size to intimidate people. I'm the type to work hard and use my strength to help good people with good hearts.
Joshua: Well I think you'll fit in quite nicely.
It wasn't long before the entire Kalos Railway Fleet met Colby and became friends with him. Michael, Coley, and Jake were happy to see him and thanks to the four of them working in unison they were able to help reclaim the old clients of the Kalos Railway and they even managed to make new ones with Colby handling the heavy mineral trains leaving the 8Fs free to cover the general goods trains and Joshua free to help out on the Branch Lines that could hold his weight.
In the present day Thomas was amazed at what he had heard.
Thomas: Sounds like Colby was pretty much exactly what you guys needed.
Gervase: He sure was but it was among the Kalos Railway Engines who served upon the London and North Eastern Railway and the Southern Railway that he was very well liked. However that's a story for another day.
Joshua: That's right. Speaking of Branch Lines I'll take you to see some of the branch line Engines tomorrow but right now let's get some sleep.
So the engines agreed as they all got some much needed sleep.