When Mr. Dry heard about the viaduct's collapse, he was far from happy about it.

"Alright, who made the viaduct become unstable?" he snapped when he got to Maron.

"It was 98462 with the express, sir," said Edward.

"Right then," he said firmly. "I'll send buses for the passengers to shuttle to Cronk. Mildred will take over with Audrey, Hilary and Mark from there."


When the buses came up, three of them being colored red, blue and yellow, respectively, Mr. Dry boarded the red one.

"You were very brave," the red bus smiled up at Edward.

"Thank you, er…"

"My name's Bertie," he replied warmly. "There's lots of us at the garage, but my closest friends are Algy and Bertrand over there."

"Pleasure to make your acquaintance," smiled Bertrand, the yellow bus.

"We'd be happy to lend a wheel or two here," added Algy, the blue bus. "Keep up the good work."

"I will, you keep it up too," smiled Edward as the buses roared away.


Mildred, meanwhile, was in deep shock over what she had heard regarding the viaduct.

"The viaduct's collapsed?!" she cried. "Thank goodness no one was hurt."

"I heard Edward was quite a hero today," said Audrey. "One of the workmen who rushed over to this side of the viaduct said that he saved Judy and Jerome."

"Where would we be now if we didn't have those two to help us out of every accident we're in?" agreed Hilary.

"I wouldn't want to think about that," sighed Mark. "Thank goodness Edward was at Maron."

The buses came to unload the passengers, but Mr. Dry stayed in Bertie once everyone else was off.


At Vicarstown station, 98462 was told to wait in a siding, but she didn't know why.

"This is odd," she said to herself. "I've made it on time, haven't I?"

Mr. Dry disembarked the red bus when Bertie arrived.

"Thanks for the lift," he called, and he walked over to the blue tender engine. "98462!"

"Y-y-yes, sir?" Judging by the tone of her voice, 98462 looked rather worried when she saw Mr. Dry addressing her.

"There was a slow order in place on the viaduct for a reason," he said firmly. "Didn't you hear the warnings or see Judy and Jerome there?"

"Er… I was in a hurry because of that Edward, sir," she said lamely.

"That is no excuse!" snapped the controller. "As of right now, the only reason you will be kept on Sodor is because we can't get the viaduct fixed until later and Mildred isn't strong enough to take the express. Once we find a suitable replacement engine, you will be out of here."

98462 was in shock. "But… I…"

"No buts!" he walked sternly away. "I swear, this engine has put us in an awkward predicament. Why did I agree to purchase her?"


Mr. Dry held an emergency meeting at Knapford with the remaining engines when he got back to the west side of the viaduct.

"Engines, I'm sure you're all aware of the viaduct situation," he announced.

"Edward told us when he came back down this way with Annie and Clarabel," confirmed Glynn.

"Here's what we're going to do," said Mr. Dry. "Mildred will run the Kirk Ronan branch line trains, and perhaps another tank engine will be hired from the mainland to help with the local trains on the far side. 87546 will have to manage the express from this side of the viaduct as there's no other engine who can do that. Until we find a replacement for 98462, she'll carry on from halfway. Edward, Albert and Glynn, you three carry on as you were, with Edward stopping at Maron."

"Yes sir," the smaller engines agreed. 87546 did too, albeit reluctantly.


On the far side of the viaduct a few days later, Mildred had managed the smaller passenger trains and the trains to the Kirk Ronan branch line as best she could.

"This is such an awkward predicament indeed," she muttered when she had taken a local passenger train to Vicarstown. "The only other engine on this side of the bridge is that monster."

"What monster would that be?" asked an unfamiliar voice, which was followed up by a whistle.

Mildred, Audrey, Hilary and Mark all blinked in surprise as a black tank engine puffed into view that none of them had seen before.

"Hello," she said warmly. "My name's Marklin. What are all your names?"

"I'm Mildred," replied the Wellsworth and Suddery engine. "And these coaches are Audrey, Hilary and Mark."

"Welcome to the island," smiled Mark. "Are you going to join our fleet permanently?"

"Oh, I'm just here to help because of a… bridge being out," Marklin explained. "Or was it a viaduct?"

"It's the second one," said Audrey. "Things have been just hectic since 98462 and 87546 arrived."

"Really?" asked Marklin. "What did they do?"

The quartet quickly ran down all that the rude engines did, and Marklin gasped.

"That's awful; no wonder they don't have proper names."

"Don't tell that to the little engines at Peel Godred," Mildred said sadly. "Two of them had their old names revoked when they didn't do anything to deserve it."

Marklin winced. "Sounds like an awful manager they've got."

"You can say that again," Hilary grunted. "Almost as bad as the railway board at times. We've suffered a lot of losses because of them, y'know."

"I just hope the railway board isn't going to get any worse…" sighed Mildred.


I'm afraid to say Mildred was tempting fate. Edward was struggling to steam up again.

"Oh, not again…" Edward said quietly.

"Still can't build up steam, eh?" smirked 87546 as he puffed out of the sheds. "Maybe I should have been covered in mud so your crew can clean you up again, give them something to do."

"I just need a moment," Edward said weakly.

"At this rate," sneered 87546, "no driver or fireman will choose you again. They want big strong engines like me and my companion."

Poor Edward started sniffling even more, and 87546 laughed as he saw tears in the smaller engine's eyes.


Some of the directors saw this from a fair distance away.

"This is getting ridiculous," muttered one of the directors. "Edward is making so many trains late because of his shy steaming."

"That's not something the works can't fix up," insisted Bertram Hatt. "With some modifications, this won't be an issue anymore."

"The railway is in need of money, Mr. Hatt," said another director. "We've put in a lot toward the viaduct repairs, hiring Marklin and we're trying to find a replacement for 98462."

"Once we get that viaduct repaired, I say Edward should be replaced with another engine too," added a third director.

"But we can't!" cried Mr. Dry. "Edward's such a dedicated engine. Didn't you hear that he-"

"It doesn't matter what he did," a fourth director interjected. "We may need to keep Marklin after the viaduct is repaired."


It was most unfortunate that while Edward had finally managed to steam up, he had overheard the discussion.

"R-replaced…" he said quietly as he went to get Annie and Clarabel. "I'm unwanted?" He started to cry again.

"What's wrong this time, Edward?" asked Annie worriedly.

Edward tearfully told the coaches everything he had heard from the railway board of directors.

"The nerve of those directors!" snapped Clarabel. "You've done so much for us in the years that you've been here."

"Especially after you saved Judy and Jerome," added Annie. "There has to be something we can do."

But the trio sadly couldn't draw any definitive conclusions. More days had gone by with Albert, Glynn and the coaches all soothing Edward's ruffled feelings from 87546's taunts and the railway board's looming threat. In the meantime, the viaduct was under repairs, and becoming more stable every day. But one day, when the viaduct was almost stable enough for engines to run on there was more trouble.


87546 was taking a goods train from Maron to Knapford with the goods being transferred from one end of the viaduct to the other by some lorries. Unfortunately, Elizabeth wasn't among them.

"I dunno where she's gone," commented a lorry worriedly.

"It's been years since Elizabeth was last seen," agreed a second one.

"I hope my sister is okay," said a third. "Glynn told me he used to see her every other day, but since Maurice was scrapped, that stopped happening."

"It's no secret she was close with the Coffee Pots, Isobella," sighed the first lorry. "Poor thing must have been devastated to lose Maurice like that."

"Imagine how she'd feel now that Leslie and Phyllis are gone too," agreed the second lorry.

"At least Glynn's still around," Isobella sighed. "So long as that railway board doesn't continue to meddle with matters."

Unfortunately, 87546 had paid no attention to the anxious lorries.

"Come on," he grunted to himself. "Am I going to start or not?"

"Patience," said his driver. "We're not going to recklessly head off like 98462 did!"

"There won't be any viaducts to collapse back that way," insisted 87546. "We can go as fast as we can."

The guard's whistle blew and 87546 was off. Unfortunately, some dust sprayed right onto Isobella.

"Oi, watch my paint!" she snapped. But 87546 hadn't heard her.

"Rude…" muttered the second lorry. "I'm surprised they haven't tried to send this engine back yet."

"Especially after his behavior to poor Edward," sighed the first lorry.


87546 thundered down the line.

"I can't believe this," he muttered. "My companion and I are perfectly capable of handling trains. Why are they sending her back? It's absurd. We're far more powerful than those four tin kettles put together!"

As he charged up the hill, the trucks became irritated.

"This big blue whale has been nothing but rough since he started taking us out," said one.

"That's no way to treat us," snapped a second one.

"I say that once he's at the top, we teach him a lesson," said the truck at the front of the train. The others agreed to the leading truck's plan, but 87546 was unaware of the trouble he was about to be in.

"We can't be late," he grunted as the train started to crest the top.

"NOW!" cried the lead truck, and the whole train surged forward.

"Whoa, what the-?!" exclaimed 87546 as he suddenly felt himself going faster.

"Didn't you want to be late?" chuckled a truck. "We're helping to prevent that."

"This is not what I meant!" cried 87546. He shot right through Wellsworth, where Albert, Victoria and Helena had just brought some passengers to the junction to wait for Edward, Annie and Clarabel.

"What was all that about?" exclaimed Albert as he saw the big engine race past.

"I don't know," gasped Victoria. "I haven't seen anything like this for a while. What about you, Helena?"

"Neither have I," said Helena.


Down at Knapford, Edward had Annie and Clarabel, and Glynn had Sean, Mick, Harry and Dexter in tow.

"I'm really worried, Glynn," Edward sighed. "The railway board are planning to withdraw me once the viaduct is mended."

"They should all be fired as far as I'm concerned," grunted Glynn. "Maybe my siblings would still be here if that was the case."

Just then, Dexter heard something. "Er, everyone, do you hear that fast puffing?"

"That can't be Albert," said Edward. "He doesn't rush unless he has a reason to do so."

"And Mildred and Marklin are on the other side of the viaduct," said Harry.

"Sounds like there's only one engine who's going faster than the speed limits will allow," said Glynn.

87546 raced by on the track between the two passenger trains.

"Hi, bye!" he called.

"He's heading for the yards!" cried Clarabel.


In the yards, there was a goods train waiting for Glynn to take back to the Ffarquhar branch line after his passenger run.

"Uh oh!" cried 87546. "Divert me somewhere else!"

But it was too late as 87546's crew jumped clear.

CRASH!

The trucks for Glynn's train, which were thankfully not loaded yet, had smashed to pieces. 87546 lay dazed and surprised amongst the wreckage.

Edward was called to bring in Judy and Jerome, and Glynn had been asked to take Annie and Clarabel as well as the two red coaches. Mr. Dry had arrived on board Edward to speak with 87546.

"What were you thinking?!" snapped Mr. Dry. "Coming into the yard much too quickly."

"It wasn't my fault!" protested 87546. "Those stupid trucks pushed me down the hill!"

"Maybe this would have been avoided if you weren't so rude to poor Edward," came Judy's irritated voice.

Mr. Dry stared in surprise. "Edward?" he asked.

"Er… both 87546 and 98462 have been bullying me since they've arrived, sir," Edward said quietly. "The reason why I was muddy some time back was because 87546 sprayed me with mud, and they've both been saying I'm an 'Old Iron' and make them wait because of my shy steaming."

"Both of them have been saying that, have they?!" snapped Mr. Dry. "Well, I see what needs to be done now."

87546 gulped nervously; he didn't feel so superior now.

"Once the viaduct is repaired, you will be sent away too, 87546!" Mr. Dry said firmly.

"B-but, I… we…"

"No buts!" he snapped. "I've already found a good replacement for 98462, and by some coincidence, another director's found another engine who'd be willing to give Sodor a chance. Both will be here when the viaduct is complete."

"This railway won't last long if you give both of us away!" snapped 87546. "You'll be regretting it once you've sold us off!"


Finally, the viaduct was repaired, and 98462 and 87546 were sent away in disgrace.

"It's a travesty!" 98462 was saying. "We've helped to modernize this railway, and what do we get in return? We're sent away all because of a few minor mistakes!"

"Sounds to me like they were more serious," muttered Marklin, although she had a bit of a puzzled expression on her face as the two big engines disappeared over the Vicarstown rolling bridge.

"You feeling okay, Marklin?" asked Mildred as she came up with Audrey, Hilary and Mark. "Things should be easier with the viaduct fixed."

"Well, that is a good thing indeed, Mildred," she replied, "but here's an odd thing. The viaduct's fixed, but I've not been told to leave."

"How peculiar," said Mark. "Well, maybe you've been kept on because those two blue rockets were sent away in disgrace."

"I don't think that's it," Hilary insisted. "Why would a small tank engine be here to replace two large tender engines?"

"Something's afoot," said Audrey. "We'd better go to the other end of the line and check it out."

They didn't need to do that, because the tank engines and coaches heard two unfamiliar whistles in the distance.

"Those must be the new engines," Mildred realized. "Wow, that was fast."

Two green shapes came into Vicarstown station, one behind the other. The first one had more of an apple green livery with the letters LNER on his tender, and the second one was a darker green. He didn't have a logo, but seemed to be a bit slower than the other one.

"So this is the Island of Sodor," said the first one as he braked to a stop. "I must say, this station does look quite grand."

"I think this is the terminus for the far end of the line," the second one observed as he switched onto the next track over and braked next to him. "It took a while to get steam up, but it was worth it to come here."

"Hello, you two," smiled Mildred. "I'm Mildred, this is Audrey, Hilary and Mark, and the tank engine on the next track is Marklin. Welcome to Sodor."

"I'm Gordon," said the apple green engine. "I wasn't really given a class, but I suppose you could say I'm an 'A0' from the London and North Eastern Railway."

"And my name is Henry," added the other engine. "I… never was given a class at all. I don't know which engines are my family, or which railway is of my origins."

"Oh," the tank engines said sadly.

"Well, we're your family now," Mildred said warmly. "I've got a local train to Knapford station, so it will take me a while to get there, but Marklin can lead you down there."

"Mind you, I haven't been down there before either," she admitted to the bigger engines. "I was hired to help out with a recent viaduct collapse. Slow orders are in place, so be careful."

Gordon and Henry were a bit shocked to hear that news but decided not to ask any questions regarding that, and followed Marklin all the way to Knapford, minding her warning.

"So if you've been hired until the viaduct's been fixed," asked Henry as he crossed the other side of the viaduct, "why haven't you been sent back yet?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Marklin said anxiously as Gordon started to cross to the other side. But I'm afraid the trio were about to find out…


Here's the third instalment for North Western Origins. Sadly, Edward's time hasn't gotten that much better, as his shy steaming continues to kick in gear. In case you haven't figured it out, this chapter is basically throwing in elements of Edward's Day Out that we didn't include in Edward, Gordon and Henry. We also get to see exactly how 98462 and 87546 are sent away. As an added bonus, we included Marklin to help with lighter trains on the east side of the viaduct. I made her a girl because the series needed more female characters. Gordon and Henry also make their first appearance on Sodor, at least chronologically speaking. Gordon's in the standard apple green, but Henry's in a plain darker green. Neither have numbers as the former is a prototype and the latter has been built in a shady workplace. We also get an Isobella cameo, and yes, she and Elizabeth are sisters. As for what happened to the latter, you're going to have to wait for the season 6-7 ft. The Pack redux for that.

Now, will things get better for Edward, and how will Gordon and Henry fair on their first day? Well, all these will be answered when the trio show us The Power of Three.