D7101 was now a part of the Fat Controller's railway, but he didn't feel like he was.
Mainly because of how he was so... unwanted? That was the best he could say about his situation he was in. He was sold to the NWR and he was glad about that, the island was beautiful and peaceful. But the engines on the other buffer weren't that too keen on him. Henry was basically tasked with showing the hydraulic 'their ways'. The diesel liked Henry, he was kind and understanding. The big engine called Gordon didn't talk much to him, he was observant, to say the least. The rest of the mainline were more open in showing their distrust with him. The red engine called James the twins from Scotland both showed a dislike with the newcomer. But D7101 tried his very best to not tell them to shut up, his temper was short, but to himself, he was doing alright.
One bright morning, a week after Duck's branch line was renamed 'The Little Western'. D7101 was in the yards, being given a lecture by Henry. He was to take slow goods, and the big green engine was telling him how the North Western engines did it. D7101 was fascinated.
"That's much better than the one we have back where I came from," he said.
Henry chuckled. "Of course it is!" he said proudly. But before he could say anything else, Douglas came in with some trucks of his own.
"Whas this?" he questioned suspiciously.
D7101 felt the tension through those words. Henry knew this too, but just gave the Scottish engine a friendly smile. "Hullo Douglas," he said, "I'm just telling D3 with what to do with pulling slow goods."
Yes, D3. D7101 had his name... well the number changed to the diesel number system on the NWR. A diesel railcar called Daisy was diesel one, that Boco diesel the hydraulic had yet to meet, and that leads himself, D7101 to become diesel three. So now he was D3. Douglas raised an eyebrow.
"Did'ne not have trainin' back on his wee railway?" he asked.
"Well... our ways," corrected Henry.
Douglas wheeshed steam unimpressed. "Why?"
"We told you ours as soon as you got here," Henry replied, his smile turning into a frown, "why not D3?"
D3 felt too uncomfortable, even though he wasn't an engine to fight, he did feel like if he did, the Scottish engine would push him off a cliff. "Excuse me fellas," said D3 politely, "it's best if I go."
His engine roared into life, but suddenly, a growling came out of it. The two steam engines winced at the sound. "Och!" said Douglas, "what was tha'?"
"Sorry!" said Bear, looking back at his body, "my engine does do a roar occasionally."
The hydraulic diesel rumbled off and went past Douglas who scoffed a little. "Sounded more like a growl," he murmured. Henry only scowled crossly at him.
*
D3 made excellent progress down the line. He forgot about the run in with Douglas and rumbled down the mainline until he reached Wellsworth station. He came to a smooth stop at the platform. To his surprise, he saw a sleeping diesel in a siding right next to the station platform. It looked like a banker siding, but a massive diesel like itself shouldn't be doing that sort of job. D3 began to look at the diesel's design, it seemed to be a BR class 28, and then when he looked at the big diesel's number, D3 knew who this diesel was immediately. This was Boco.
D3 thought it would be rude to wake the big diesel up, after all, it was impolite and he must've had a busy day. But his engine refused to listen to him. The growling noise of his engine erupted from D3. Boco jumped wide awake and his eyes, dark green like Henry's turned to the hydraulic diesel who sat beside him at the platform. He gave him a hard stare, which made D3 feel the tension from his encounter with Douglas come back, only three times worse.
"Do you mind?" asked Boco simply.
"Sorry!" said D3 quickly, "it's my engine you see, it tends to growl at the most inconvenient times! I didn't purposely try to wake you up!"
The big diesel stared at D3 for a while, then he sighed. "I see," he replied, "my name is Boco, what's yours?"
"I don't have a name," replied D3, "only the number I carry."
Boco looked to the hydraulic's number and smiled. "So you're this diesel three, I've heard about," he said.
"You've heard of me?" asked D3, slightly surprised.
"Henry has told me of you when he stops here," replied Boco, "James and twins do talk about you sometimes."
He trailed off, D3 sighed. "Not good stuff about me then?" he asked.
"They haven't said anything about you for a while," said Boco, "but they're not so keen on you."
D3 groaned, he hadn't even done anything wrong to them at all and yet they were being nasty and horrible to him. "Don't worry about them though," said Boco, who knew what the hydraulic diesel was thinking about, "the three haven't had the best experiences of diesels from what I've heard. It took them a while to warm up to me actually."
"I think someone mentioned that to me," said D3, "but how did you do it?"
"Simple," smiled Boco, "be friendly, kind and helpful. Try and gain their trust and don't be too harsh on them. You get in a fight with those three you'll be back on square one."
"I understand," said D3, the signal then dropped and it was time for D3 to leave.
"Goodbye D3!" called Boco, "and try and fix that growling the next time we meet!"
D3 laughed. "I'll try!"
*
D3 did listen to what Boco had said, even though he had done it previously, he decided to try harder. He offered to help shunt the yard and fetch the other engine's coaches. He was always on time if not early. He was determined to win the engine's trust. Gordon was impressed and showed it and whilst James, Donald and Douglas didn't, they secretly were.
But one cloudy afternoon, when the wind was brisk and the end of the day was about to arrive. D3 was coming into the yards, he felt very pleased with himself. There had been no faults so far, Boco had now become a close friend and had promised the hydraulic diesel that he'll be at Tidmouth sheds tonight. Then he saw a small green engine ahead, he was shunting trucks in the yard. He was too small to be Duck and his paint was too bright to be Oliver. Then who was it? Bear then noticed a bright number six on the side of the cab and realised that number belonged to one of Ffarquhar engines. He had only met one and he was pleasant enough, similar to Gordon in a way. D3 was in too much thought to realise he was being too quiet compared to the small engine's hissing steam and screaming trucks.
Then everything seemed to happen at once. The growl of his engine came out more, furious and loud. The sound startled the little green engine and bumped into the truck way too hard! The truck's screams came out loudly and derailed with coal coming out of them. The small engine was shocked and turned his eyes over to D3 who was just as stunned as he was.
"What on earth was that!" cried the engine.
"Well-I-I-" stammered D3.
"What's going on?"
Both engines looked over to see Donald come from a goods line that headed straight from the Little Western. He was pulling a train of ballast. D3 just groaned, this wasn't going to go well at all.
*
"And he said it was an accident and he wasn't to blame?"
Donald hummed a reply. "Mmm-hmm."
James looked over to Bear at the other side of the sheds. "So the Fat Controller let him off then?"
"The Fat Controller knows Bear has issues with his engine and it came at the most unexpected time," Henry said defensively, "besides Percy has been told by the Fat Controller that he won't be punished either so you can't say it's favouritism."
"Och what do ya know?" scoffed Donald crossly, "the wee bugger caused a mess in tha yard!"
"Did you not listen to what Henry just said?" asked Boco, who was sitting between the green engine and the hydraulic diesel.
"We listened tae it," replied Douglas more calmly than his twin, "but we just ain't convinced."
Boco rolled his eyes. "Just give it a rest you three, what has Bear done to you?"
"Threatened to-wait what did you call him?"
"Excuse me?"
"Ya call him Bear, did'ne you? said Donald.
"It's a nickname, some of us have given him so we don't have to call him D3," explained Henry.
"So he has a name now?"
"Oh come now Douglas," wheeshed Henry, "you and your brother of all engines should know what it's like not to have a name!"
The anger was filling up now for D3, it was getting too much. He was trying with all his might to keep those emotions down. But no one can keep emotions bottled up forever.
"Och! He's a threat to us!"
"I'm more of a threat to you if you keep this up!"
"Look at that, Henry sticking up for that green box on wheels."
"Oh well thank you for telling me what you think I look like James."
"Shut it Boco! I was talking about that failure-"
It was about time he would snap in my opinion.
"Just shut your mouths!" yelled D3, the engines went dead silent, all eyes went to the hydraulic diesel. "I have been helping you for the past few weeks now. Even when you gave me cold stares I still tried to put a smile on my face next time we met. But when I immediately make a mistake, you just want to scrap me instantly! Yet Donald there smashed into a signal box, Douglas creates chaos when losing a special coach and James crashing into a field. All of those accidents happened in your first month? Yet you supported each other anyways! But when it's a diesel, you just go on about how inefficient diesels are and why we should be abolished. You say diesels are vicious beasts who want to kill every single steam engine, but are you any better?!"
The silence echoed through the yard. D3's anger began to sweep away, he looked at Boco and Henry, thinking they would look furious, but they only gave sad, sympathetic looks at him. Donald and Douglas were speechless, jaws dropped and blinking several times. James looked like he was growling. "Get out of the shed," he said harshly.
"James!" finally, Gordon had spoken, he was dead in the middle of them, James and Henry either side of him. He glared at each side. "No engine is deserving to go outside," he stated, "...Bear will stay, whether you like it or not."
"You're on their side!"
"Not all diesels are bad James," said Gordon, "you know who helped us to save the steam engines?"
James sighed. "That diesel thingy helped you."
"Exactly," said Gordon, "most of the steam engines on Thesang are trusting and even feeling sympathetic to the diesels. So stop being a fool and move on!"
James looked more furious, but he only looked down at his buffers and slowly began to calm down. The rest of the sheds remain quiet too. Gordon scanned them all. "Any others want to declare their foolish opinions?"
No one replied, Gordon hummed in approval and closed his eyes. The rest slowly went to sleep too. D3 remained awake though, he thought of what Gordon had said. The big engine had reached national news because of that act. D3 only sighed, he knew he hadn't said something overly offensive to the engines, but he still regretted it. He went unhappily to sleep.
*
The next day, D3 rolled into a siding. It was midday, and his driver wandered off to get some food at the local cafe. D3 began to doze off, his face was still showing the regret and sadness which happened at the sheds last night. But before he fully dosed off, he heard a voice.
"Hello there!"
D3 eyes opened up and he looked to his left and almost jumped. There, standing on smaller rails, was a small engine. He had a red coat of paint with blue stripes. He had no tanks on either side of or even saddles. But a box thing in front of his cab had the look of a coal bunker. His wheel arrangement was a 0-4-0 and his face looked mature. His face hadn't developed into an old machine but his eyes showed wisdom with the slightest glance, people knew that.
"Umm... hello," replied D3.
The small old engine chortled. "My name is Rheneas," he said, "you must be one of those two engines that was brought by Sir Charles Hatt!"
"I am indeed," said D3, "my name is D3."
"D3?" quizzed Rheneas, "I thought your name was Bear?"
"Bear?" said D3, "why do you thin-oh wait. Henry or Boco mentioned me to you, didn't they?"
"Both did in fact," chuckled Rheneas, "now what's got you all in a sorry state?"
"Sorry state?" said D3, "I'm not in a 'sorry state'."
"You look like you did to me," smiled Rheneas.
D3 sighed and explained everything, Rheneas listened carefully. After he was finished, Rheneas seemed a bit cross. "Don't listen to them," he said, "they don't know what they're talking about."
"They're blinded."
Rheneas and D3 looked to see an engine much different design wise compared to Rheneas, but with the same livery and his face showed maturity too, but age hadn't caught up with him, with his eyes sparkling more wisdom.
"What do you mean?" asked D3, with a raised eyebrow.
"Donald and Douglas came here in 1959," replied the other old engine, "they were't really there when dieselisation took effect, but they felt it's presence and they later found a close friend who helped sneak Douglas into the island got cut up for scrap as punishment, as well as some of their siblings. Same goes to James, he's the last of his class and he didn't even say goodbye to his siblings. Diesels who came to your railway or took over their trains to take to the mainland harassed him, it came to surprise that he accepted Boco."
"Indeed," agreed Rheneas, he then blinked, realising something important. "Bear, this is Skarloey. Skarloey, you've heard about Bear from Henry?"
"Yes I have," said Skarloey, "pleasure to meet you."
"You too," smiled D3. Just then, D3's driver came walking up.
"Come on fella," he said, "we need to get to Barrow-In-Furness for our next train."
"All right," responded D3, "hopefully I'll see you two again."
"I think we will," smiled Skarloey.
"And remember what we said," added Rheneas. D3 only smiled back, and tooted his horn. The sound of a low growl came from his engine as he went out of his siding. Skarloey and Rheneas chuckled to each other.
"No wonder Henry and Boco call him Bear," mused Skarloey.
Rheneas winked at him. "Daisy is named after a flower, then Boco is named after his wheel configuration, now Bear is named after an animal! Whatever next, a diesel named after some food?"
*
D3 spent more time with the Skarloey engines, he eventually knew all of them. They told stories about their past. Skarloey told D3 about their little line and people along it and how it's changed through the years. Rheneas talked about the adventures he and Skarloey had along it, it seemed to D3 they considered each other as brothers. There was also this little diesel engine that talked about the maintenance on their line and how they kept in perfect order. D3 was amazed by all of it. But not as much as the tales from Sir Handel and Peter Sam. The two would talk about their new railway, their old one, and their experiences from it. They talked a lot about an engine called Duke, 'Granpuff' they called him, like he was a grandad. Sir Handel told the story of when Peter Sam was tricked by Duke with making passengers think he had broken down instead of Duke. An embarrassed Peter Sam retorted with a story about Sir Handel almost tipping over a hillside and Duke having to rescue him. D3 laughed as the two argued with each other, until Rheneas scolded them almost immediately when he returned from pulling a train.
It had been two weeks after D3 had snapped out in the sheds. James and the twins had been quiet about the hydraulic diesel for sometime now. But one day, Douglas came into the station with D3's passenger train. Rheneas was confused when the Scottish engine came into the station.
"Hullo Douglas," he greeted, "where's Bear?"
"My fire wouldn't start properly," Douglas explained, "so the wee diesel had to switch roles with me todae."
Douglas scoffed. "Did'ne know why the Fat Controller had to choose him," he said, "I would've gone for Donald or James or even-"
"Douglas."
Douglas looked down to the gallant old engine. His face was stern. The Scottish engine looked confused for a few seconds, then realised what Rheneas meant. "Nae ya tae," Douglas said, almost like he was groaning.
"You haven't given him a chance yet," said Rheneas crossly, "you won't if he isn't like other diesels if you don't give him a chance."
"We gave him a chance thoogh," replied Douglas, "but instead, he scared Percy almost of tha rails!"
"From what I've heard, that was an accident," said Rheneas, "he can't help his growl and besides, it wasn't really a chance when you barely talked to him the entire time."
Douglas looked away, thinking about anything to defend himself on, but nothing came to mind.
"Bear thinks he's unwanted from your railway," continued Rheneas, "he's kind, helpful and a hard worker. You must see that in him at least."
The guard's whistle blew from the back of Douglas' train, the Scottish engine then pulled off without saying a word. But Rheneas already knew that Douglas was thinking about his actions.
*
Meanwhile, D3 and Boco were at Wellsworth yards. Boco had returned from pulling a goods train and was resting before taking a train to Tidmouth. Just then, James rattled by with a long, and what looked heavy, passenger train. He racing along the line, his face red and sweating with ash. He rushed through the station and carried on towards Gordon's Hill until D3 couldn't see his brake coach.
"Wonder why he's trying to knock himself to bits," joked D3.
Boco scoffed in bemusement. A few minutes later, D3 was shunting some trucks into a siding and Boco was preparing to leave for the big station, when the signalman came out of his box. "For petty sake!" he called to the two diesels, "number five has broken down at Maron station with the Limited. Diesel number three, you'll have to rescue him, serve him right for trying to be fast!"
Without any response, the signalman walked back into the signal box, muttering under his breath. Boco looked at D3. "Are you going to be fine with that?" he asked.
D3 smiled confidently. "Oh please," he said, "I'm not some man-child that cries every second."
*
James stood at the platform, steam wheeshing everywhere. He grumbled dreadfully, his driver was cross too. "I warned you about going too fast for your own good," he said, "now you burst your safety valve and these passengers won't be going to their destinations in time!"
James only huffed. "I'm still running early," he muttered.
He then heard a toot of a horn and purring of a diesel. James looked back to see D3 roll up alongside him.
"Hello James," greeted the hydraulic, "I guess you know why I'm here?"
"Pretty much," James replied, "you'd better hurry! That diesel from the other railway will he taking the train in from Barrow and he's strict with the schedule,"
"I've pulled this train a couple of times to know what that diesel is like," chuckled D3, then he faltered, "wait, we're talking about that Class 50 that looks like he wants to rip you apart?"
James and the diesels on the other railway didn't get along and D3 had seen their arguments before. The class 50 was the worst and would criticise the railway in any way possible. The red engine raised a brow. "Yeah," he said, "that's the one."
"And he'll probably never let you hear the end of it when he sees me pulling you in."
James' frown deepened. "Well there's I can do?" he said, "now hurry it up!"
D3 began to pull off, then his engine growls viciously, James cringed by hearing the sound. Suddenly, an idea popped into D3's grills. "James," he called, "I think I have a way to make that class 50 see a little sense."
He quickly explained his plan, by the time he was finished, James was wearing a small smile on his face. "It could work," he said, "let's try it."
Soon enough, D3 had shunted him and James into position. The hydraulic diesel had placed James right at the front and himself between the red engine and the coaches. By the time they had done that, they were a few minutes late, but they both didn't care. The guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag, and Beat began to rumble out of the station.
"Come on! Come on! Come on!" he growled to the coaches.
"You're doing it! You're doing it!" called James.
A short while later, the Limited was soaring down the line once more. The coaches came smoothly along, and James wasn't causing any difficulties to D3 at all. Passengers' stares came from all directions as they ploughs through stations. Even other engines who saw them had a confused glance.
They were reaching Henry's tunnel and F3 gave a toot of his horn. "I believe it would be best if you start our plan now James!" he called.
James agreed, they entered the tunnel and came out the other with James' steam pouring out of his funnel, just as if he was pulling D3 and the Limited himself.
They reached Barrow-In-Furness, just as click hit the hour. The class 50, stood at another platform. He was surprised to see James wheeshing steam and coming to halt, pulling in D3 and the Limited.
"What is this?!" he demanded.
"Oh, this diesel behind was taking the Limited," explained James.
"I thought it was you?"
"Had to do some shunting," smirked James, "I offered D3 to take the train instead."
He looked back at D3. "Surprised he got over our hill with the sound of that engine," he finished.
"Pah!" snorted the class 50.
Then out of nowhere, the low growl of D3's engine came out of nowhere. The class 50 jumped and James looked back. "That engine is still going?" he called.
"Playing up again unfortunately," smiled D3, "can't help it!"
James sniffed and then looked at the class 50. "Of course steam engines have to rescue you diesel engines," he said in a taunt, "tell me, is it us that's useless? Or are you just trying to find an escape goat so as to blame your failures on us?"
The class 50 seethed, but said nothing, as James wheeshed more steam, and as quietly as possible, D3 pushed him out of the station. Like it was James pulling the Hydraulic away. James trying to hold back stifled laughter; whilst D3 tried his best not to grin.
James' safety valve wasn't in need of extensive repair, and was repaired quickly by his driver in Barrow yards. Both then picked up a small goods train and headed back to the big station. By the time they got back, the Fat Controller was waiting for them. He looked very pleased.
"Well done diesel three!" he said, "I'm very pleased with your work effort this week and you have shown me today that you are a reliable asset to this railway!"
"Thank you sir," replied D3 gratefully.
"As a reward," declared the Fat Controller, "I shall give you nameplates, but they can't come blank. What would you like on them?"
D3's grinned widened. "Are you giving me a name sir?" he asked. The Fat Controller smiled and nodded.
D3 grinned and pondered the thought. "I'd like to have Bear on them sir," he said.
The Fat Controller blinked. "Bear?" he said,
"Yes sir."
The Fat Controller was a little surprised for the diesel to go with an odd name, but he smiled nonetheless. "Bear it shall be then," he said, he then nodded to James and left for his office.
D3 and James then went to the sheds, it was getting dark and all the other engines were there. When D3 came to a stop, he heard a low hiss from beside him. He looked to see the Scottish twins.
"Listen lad," started Douglas, "we're sorry about being rude tae ya."
"Aye," agreed Donald, "we thooght we were given ya a chance. But it really wasn'e."
"Can we start fresh?" asked Douglas.
D3 grinned. "Of course," he said, all three engines then turned to see James explaining the whole deal to Gordon, Henry and Boco.
"So that's why you looked so odd," chortled Henry, "clever plan there Bear!"
"Yes," smiled Gordon, "good work for you D3."
"Actually Gordon," interrupted James, "it's Bear now."
The engines looked surprised. Gordon looked down at James with a raised brow. "Bear," he repeated, "and thought you didn't want diesels to have names."
"Well..." said James, who looked over to D3 and smiled, "Bear isn't like those diesels."
The hydraulic diesel felt something flow within his engine, he smiled at James. After being on the railway for a few weeks now, Bear felt like he was on a railway he can call home.