Author's Note:

Readers, I wrote this story for my friends. We're all fans of Thomas The Tank Engine, and I thought they would enjoy a story starring the four of us as train operators on the Island of Sodor. I don't expect anyone outside of them to read this and enjoy it, as it is LITERALLY self-insert fanfiction. It's just for us. You are, of course, welcome to read it if you so choose, and if you do, I hope you enjoy it. I put just as much care and time into writing this as I would any other fanfiction I write.

Dedicated to Chris, Justin, and Lopez. My bros.

Croven's Gate

Gordon peered out at the rain from beneath the station canopy. It came down in buckets, gathering in puddles between the track bed and streaming down the canopy roof. The wind blew in hard, constant gusts, whipping the trees and telephone lines.

Gordon had been running "light" on his way back to Tidmouth from the end of his express run when he was signaled to stop at the Works station. The rain had already been coming down hard, but it was a drizzle compared to the storm raging outside the safety of the station now. All mainline traffic had been halted until further notice, and so, Gordon waited.

His driver, Chris, a quick-witted man who could rival the Fat Controller in size, stood on the platform leaned against the cab, watching the rain with his engine. "I'm not going out in that," he said firmly.

"Agreed."

The station was eerily quiet. No passengers crowded the platforms, no porters pushed luggage trolleys. The staff had all been sent home. The rain and wind, however, echoed against the canopy roof, so they almost didn't notice the sound of the door to the stationmaster's office open. D'jalma Lopez, the stationmaster, met them on the platform.

"'Sup, Lopez?" Chris greeted.

Lopez wasted no time with pleasantries. "Gordon is still in steam?"

The big engine groaned. "Please don't tell me I have to go out in that storm."

"I'm afraid so," said Lopez. "There's a special coming. The sea wall protecting Arlesburgh has been weakened by the storm. Douglas is on his way with building materials to reinforce it, but he's running very low on water and he can't afford to stop for the time it will take to fill his tank. His train has to get to Arlesburgh Harbor as soon as possible."

Normally, Gordon would have protested the very idea of a goods train. But he knew the consequences should the sea wall collapse. The entire town of Arlesburgh would be devastated by the sea. Besides, if time was of the essence, there was no better engine for the job than him. "Don't worry, Sir. I'll get those supplies there faster than you can say 'Fat Controller!'"

"Only one problem," said Chris. "My fireman is ill. When we stopped with the express in Victorstown, he stayed behind to see a doctor. I can drive Gordon 'light engine' by myself, but not highballing with a heavy load in the pouring rain."

Lopez cussed under his breath. "Fine. Then I'll be your fireman."

"Have you ever fired an engine before?" Chris asked skeptically.

"I have not. But how hard could it be? Throw coal into a fire. I can do that."

"It's a little bit more complicated than that…" Gordon began, but he hadn't the chance to finish.

A whistle could be heard in the distance, and it wasn't long before Douglas came wheezing into the station, looking very red in the face. The water level in his boiler had dropped so low that his crew had been forced to dampen down his fire. The Caledonian was short of steam, barely able to move the heavy train. As he coasted slowly into the station, his crew extinguished his fire completely before poor Douglas's boiler could be damaged.

"Losh sakes…Hullo, Gordon," Douglas panted as he rolled to a stop. "Iz it yoo who's to be tak'n over this train?"

Gordon smiled as Chris backed him down in front of the weary engine. "I am. Don't worry, Douglas, you've made a gallant effort. I'll get these supplies the rest of the way."

"Thank ye," was all Douglas had the strength to say.

While Douglas's fireman uncoupled him from the train, Stationmaster Lopez fetched a shunter's pole and coupled the two engines together. Gordon hauled Douglas out of the station and backed him into the works shed, whistling a friendly goodbye. He returned to the station, ready to collect his train.

The consist was not long: Four vans headed by a flatbed loaded with steel girders, plus the brake van. Lopez coupled Gordon in front and hopped into the cab with Chris. "We're the only train on the line right now, according to control. Should have green signals all the way from here to Tidmouth."

Chris nodded as the guard blew his whistle, and released the brakes. "Good. Then let's highball."

Lopez cringed. "Within reason, right?"

Chris opened the regulator and Gordon began to ease out of the station. The train was heavier than the big engine had expected. "Oh, right," teased Chris, "because you've never gone from Hamilton to Jackson Outlets in under ten minutes."

"That wasn't in a hurricane!"

Gordon had no idea what they were talking about, and he hadn't time to wonder before he was blasted in the face by wind-driven rain. He squinted against the storm as he accelerated. "Come on! Come on!" he puffed to the trucks. The train was lighter than his normal express rake, but the trucks did not come as willingly. He lost traction on the soaked rails beyond the station, and his wheels slipped fiercely.

Chris checked the wheel slip. "Turn on the sanding gear!" he told Lopez.

"Uh…which one is that?"

He pointed. "That one!"

Lopez turned the handle, and Gordon's drive wheels dug in as sand showered the rails.

"Comeoncomeoncomon COME ON!" the big engine grunted, and at last, the trucks gained momentum.

Stationmaster Lopez was kept very busy stoking the fire as Gordon brought the train up to speed. Pulling the heavy trucks on wet rails was hard work and needed a lot of steam. But Gordon's efforts paid off, and by the time they reached Kellsthorpe Road, they were running nicely.

"Now we're away!" Chris called. "Attaboy, Gordon!"

Gordon didn't reply. He was working too hard to answer.

Tidmouth

Duck and Percy rolled into Tidmouth Station, happy to be out of the rain. They were returning from Brendam, where they'd been sent long before the storm had hit to help Edward and BoCo clear the docks of as many trucks as possible. Then they helped Edward bring the dock workers to Wellsworth, where they would be safe from the stormy seas. It had been a long, exhausting day of non-stop work, but at last, they were home, pulling only a string of empty coaches.

"Out of the rain at last!" Duck said happily.

"I'll say!" Percy agreed. "I haven't seen a storm like this in years! I forgot what it feels like to not be pelted in the face by rain!"

Duck's crew hopped down from the cab and his fireman, Justin, uncoupled the two engines. "Except now you have to return these coaches to the yard," he teased.

"Oh, right," Percy groaned. He reversed away, pushing the now empty coaches to the yard. "See you in the shed, Duck!"

Justin leaned against his shunter's pole as he caught his breath, looking toward Robbie, the driver. "Long day."

Robbie nodded. "Very long day." He turned toward his engine. "How you holding up, Duck?"

"Not out of puff just yet, but I'm definitely glad for a rest."

"Same."

The respite from work was short lived. The yard foreman suddenly came running up onto the platform. "Hey! Robbie!"

Robbie laughed. The foreman was soaked to the skin. "Pete, you look like a drowned rat."

"I haven't time for your jokes. I need Duck for a special job."

The engine and his crew all groaned quietly.

"I know, you guys have been at it all day, but this is an emergency job of the utmost importance. Gordon is bringing up a special train headed to Arlesburgh Harbor. It's building materials to strengthen the sea wall."

Justin scoffed. "A little late for that now, isn't it?"

"It is. The storm has weakened the wall and it's in danger of collapsing. That train has to reach the harbor right away."

"And I'm to take over when Gordon gets here?" Duck asked, assuming that the big engine would not be allowed on the branch line.

"No, we can't afford the time to switch engines, and Gordon can reach the harbor much more quickly than you can."

"Then what do you need us for?" asked Robbie, puzzled.

"I was told to send you ahead while Gordon is still on his way to inspect the line and make sure it's safe. Since it is Duck's line, after all, you three know the track the best."

"True."

"You'd better get a move on," said the foreman. "You won't have much time before Gordon passes through here, and you wouldn't want to rush your inspection."

"No, we would not. Alright, Pete, we're on it."

The two men clambered back to their engine's footplate.

"Here we go again," said Duck as they prepared to head out into the storm once more.

"I just hope that sea wall holds long enough for us to get up and back," said Justin. "There's a few places along the coast where the track bed is almost at sea level. It would flood for sure."

Robbie's hand froze on the regulator. "Let's try not to think too much about that."

Duck whistled twice as he left the safety of the station, and the Great Western Engine braved the howling storm once again.