Connor and Caitlin were doing superbly well on the mainline. Gordon was being kept in the works longer than imagined, but the British and American Trust saw their engines running trains on the North Western mainline as a test of sorts. Both streamlined engines didn't mind, they enjoyed running along the line with the coaches running smoothly behind them. Passengers sang theirs praises to them, and the other engines were thankful for their help.

But it all had to end sometime, and Gordon returned a week before the Summer season was about to begin. Connor felt a little sadden by the fact that he wouldn't be pulling the express anymore but was still looking forward to pulling his own train from Sodor to Thesang.

One early evening, Toby the tram engine was heading into Tidmouth yards with a small stone train from the quarry at the branch line. He had shunted them in a siding and left to be refuelled for the return trip back to the junction. The fuelling depot was at the front of the sheds though, so Toby had to encounter the mainline engines, he only spotted a few engines though in the sheds. He then saw Oliver the western engine parked on the other track; he rang his bell to greet the engine. Oliver smiled back. "Hello Toby," he called, "never thought I would see you here at this time! What brings you here?"

"Oh, just a small stone train," replied Toby, "we'll head back with a small train of vans."

"That's nice to hear," smiled Oliver, both engines then looked over to the sheds, to see Gordon, Connor, Henry, Boco and Bear in the sheds. Caitlin was pulling the last passenger train of the day and wouldn't be back until later that night. Connor noticed Toby a few seconds later and was immediately fascinated by the tram engine.

"Hello there," he called, "you must be Toby, am I right?"

"Indeed, I am," replied Toby, "I've seen you before going past with the express whilst Gordon was away, Caitlin also told me about you."

"Ah, I guess she would've," chuckled Connor, "she's a lovely girl, like a sister to me. Both of us built in the same workshops and came out almost at the same time too!"

"I must ask though," said Toby, "you two are very unique engines, with your basis in America, this should've been on the front page!"

Toby then paused his eyebrow raised up with a curious question fluttering inside his funnel. "Which begs the question," he continues, "why haven't we ever heard of you before?"

Connor chuckled. "Well it's because we kept secretive, we weren't a success at all on British Railways and wasn't before the Duke of Norramby and other founding members of the British and American Trust decided purchase us."

"You could tell us your full story," suggested Gordon, "get to know more about you before you leave to start your work."

"Well..." pondered Connor, "as long as I don't bore you."

"Nonsense," scoffed Henry, "we'd love to hear about your story! Better than Duck talking about the Great Western technical thinking."

"Yes Henry, I would like to hear more insults please," replied Oliver, who was slightly offended by the green engine's rude remark.

Connor only smiled, but he began his tale all the same with his confidence brewing within.

*

Connor was built in Swindon works in the spring of 1960. Caitlin came out of Swindon a couple of months later in the winter of 1961. Both were experiments to an American design, with a few British modifications to their original drawings of course. Connor was based off an NYC J-3a Hudson and Caitlin was based off a BO P-7a. Both engines had a similar streamlined appearance, and both were actually quite efficient whilst running on BR. They ran small stopping services for a while and did their paces in the yards of Swindon too. The railway board decided to keep them secret and not overly popularise the two engines since they did still have some teething troubles but other all, could handle passenger work without fuse. It wasn't until at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, almost a year when Connor came out of the works, both engines were ordered to go into some sidings and wait for some special visitors.

The two streamlined engines were confused. "Who are the visitors?" Caitlin asked her driver as their crews were cleaning her black paint.

"Wait and see," chuckled the driver. They did, and it wasn't long before the visitors arrived to see Connor and Caitlin gleaming and beaming in the sunlight.

"So, these are the engines?" asked one, looking curiously at them, "intriguing I will say that."

Another one of visitors came up the two engines. "We are inspectors from the railway board of British Railways," he announced to the engines, "we are to your final testing stages."

"Final testing stages?" echoed Connor, "but I thought we already had them."

"Evidently not," replied the same inspector, "your final tests are for your main purpose, to run high speed trains."

"You mean... we will pull important, fast passenger services?"

"Well why do you have a streamlined look then?" asked the inspector at Caitlin. The engine only blushed wildly and look down at her skirt.

Connor seemed pleased. "So, who's going to pull the first train?" he asked eagerly.

"Caitlin will," replied the inspector, seeming a little displease with himself with saying the engines names since they bear no numbers. "She'll have a dynamometer carriage behind her for the trip."

Caitlin was very excited Connor was annoyed by this though. It was obvious that he wanted to go first, and sort of found it insulting that they chose Caitlin who was built six months after him, was going first.

"It's not fair!" he complained in the sheds that night, "I should be the one going first, not Caitlin!"

"Oh well," chuckled Caitlin, "once I've done it, you can improve on what I did!"

Connor only sniffed a little and went to sleep, much to the other engine's relief.

Three days later, Caitlin was backing down at Swindon station with a full passenger train. She was excited and her driver to calm herself down when she buffered up to the coaches. "Don't over blow it girl," he grinned, "we don't want to give a bad impression."

"Yes George," replied Caitlin, but she still couldn't but bubble with excitement. Soon enough, the inspectors got into the dynamometer carriage at the front of the train, whilst passengers got inside the Mark I coaches. The signal showed green and the guard's whistle was heard at the back. Caitlin blew her loud whistle, and she began to heave out of the station, the train was longer than any other she had pulled before, but she managed to get the train up to speed.

And once they got into the countryside, Caitlin gave it her all. She thundered down the line whilst the coaches ran smoothly behind her. She felt the weight of them tugging behind her, but she didn't care and ran past stations and buildings with ease, but when she past the final station that was before her first stop, she felt something odd within the left side of her.

'Must've strained a little,' she thought, 'I'll tell driver when we get to the station.'

But they never got there, because as Caitlin rounded a bend, the strange feeling became stronger and stronger, Caitlin tried her best not to dwell on it, but as the bend stopped and a straight piece of track came in front of her, there was a mighty crack and a quick thud came next. Caitlin then began to bounce along the line.

"WOAH CAITLIN!!" cried her driver, and immediately applied her brakes. Caitlin obliged almost instantly, and the train came to a rough and grinding stop.

"Ouch!" exclaimed Caitlin, "that hurt!"

Her crew then got out and examined her whilst the guard from the end of the train went to the nearest signal box. Her driver then came to her front with bad news. "Your left spring broke Caitlin," he explained, "must've worn out whilst you were going at these speeds."

"But... but..." stammered Caitlin, "I thought everything was checked from the past few days!"

"Clearly something was faulty," replied the driver, grumbling to himself. "Never mind, I'm sure another engine will come and take us to the next station."

He was right. Soon, a BR standard came up from behind Caitlin's train and with a mighty shove, began to push her and the train the rest of the way to the station. By the time they there, Caitlin would've left a few minutes ago. Caitlin was more annoyed than ever when the train was moved to another platform since there was no other way for her to be moved out of the way. By the time the standard moved the coaches to the other platform and went around it to the other end, the train was half an hour late. The standard only looked at Caitlin with a look of disapproval.

"Blooming yanks," he muttered under his breath and snorted out of the station, leaving Caitlin offended and ashamed.

An old shunting engine came from the yards and took Caitlin carefully into a siding near the mainline. Caitlin's rough riding had unfortunately damaged some of the track along the mainline, making delays inevitable for engines who had to go along it, since they could only use the down track. This annoyed engine greatly and Caitlin felt very embarrassed as engines that had come the same way as she grumbled past her.

Then, Caitlin saw Connor puff into the yards. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Connor was supposed to be back at Swindon, readying for his final test. Her friend smiled with mix of warmth and pity.

"I had to pick up this coach from your train from the last station," he replied, Caitlin looked back and gasped. It was the dynamometer coach. Then the inspectors came out all with different looks on their faces.

The inspector who had talked to Caitlin a few days ago came up to her, he looked far from happy. "We made a quick investigation with what happened to you with the drawings that were given to us before the run," he started, "the reason why your spring cracked was because of many faults with your undercarriage, bad structure for it to hold and the faster you went, the more likely it would've cracked."

Caitlin didn't entirely understand what he fully meant by that. But she knew that latter reason was because of her going too fast. The inspector continued. "But with these faults, cause more faults. From the state of the track from what we've received before leaving with... Connor over there we heard it is in a worse shape that any usual engine whose spring breaks whilst on the move. You've also got no front coupling, meaning delays on trains are bigger than usual."

Caitlin felt ashamed. "What does this mean sir?" she asked sadly.

"It means that you are a failed engine," replied the inspector, "all of us within the dynamometer coach have agree that making more of your somewhat class is unnecessary, your future will be judged on whether you'll be suited to run passenger services like any LMS Ivatt or GWR Bulldog."

Caitlin felt distraught, Connor couldn't believe it too. But he said nothing and took Caitlin and the dynamometer coach back to Swindon as smoothly and carefully as he could.

Caitlin was put on a siding and was told to be left there until further notice. Connor puffed up so both engines could see each other.

"I'm terribly sorry Caitlin," he said, Caitlin didn't respond, "even though you won't be working on the trains we were built for, I swear that you will be repaired and back in working order in no time!"

"But I still feel like I let everyone down," replied Caitlin sadly, "I won't be pulling fast trains again and it felt so wonderful rushing down the line with the wind against your funnel."

Connor sighed and only said goodnight to her and left for the shed. He came to the murmurs of other engines who had also came for a rest.

"Not so perfect are ye now?" called one.

"Not fair whatsoever," grumbled a tank engine, "I've got to repair the line all night tonight and it's because of those yank engines!"

"But we aren't American engines!" scowled Connor crossly, "we were built in the same works as you and we have the same accent too!"

The grumbling tank engine only scoffed. "Just you wait yank," he called, as he left to get the maintenance train, "you'll be just like her and then we'll have to clean your mess up!"

"A sort of repayment for our past events with you lot!" joked the other engine from before and the other remaining engine laughed with him. Connor only wheeshed steam at them, but then he began to feel nervous.

Both he and Caitlin knew they weren't based on the same class, but what if the same thing happens to him? Connor began to get more and more nervous when thinking about, but then he thought to himself, he wasn't going to be like Caitlin, even if he does get a cracked spring, he will bring the train. He went to sleep, as confident as ever.

*

It was soon Connor's turn for his final test. It the exact same train and destination as Caitlin's and Connor felt very proud as he puffed gently into the dynamometer coach.

"Alright," he muttered to himself, "I won't have the same incident as Caitlin, I'll show I'm worthy of being the future of these rails, I might even beat that Mallard engine's record!"

Connor's confidence was growing over him, too much unfortunately. So when it was time leave, Connor started up so quickly, even his driver was concerned. "He could be straining himself for all we know!" he said to the fireman, as Connor over the points and onto the mainline, quicker and louder than Caitlin had, who could only watch from her siding nearby.

Connor was doing well. He had gotten to the first stop on the line unlike Caitlin and even got their early. The streamlined engine was under way with the train again, he was going as fast as possible, trying to prove he wouldn't be like Caitlin.

Then it happened.

Connor felt a strange feeling coming from not one, but both sides of him. 'I must'n give up now,' he thought confidently, and he began to go even faster, the strange feeling got worse and worse. Until, when he came to long curve, the right spring snapped, something in Connor's boiler sank, he began to bounce uncontrollably, then it happened again. His left spring snapped. Connor bounced twice as much as before and it wasn't long before his driver applied his brakes and Connor jumped the rails, scraping the ballast and sleepers, his front hitting the other track next to his own and he came to full standstill.

Connor was now derailed, with the dynamometer coach and the two coaches after it also derailed, now blocking both the up and down tracks on the mainline. Connor groaned as the pain of hitting the other's tracks rails stuck around, sitting uncomfortably on the ballast and sleepers wasn't much help either. And the fireman had to run to the nearest signal box as quickly as possible. A breakdown crane arrived at the scene, with another engine taking the unhurt coaches back to the station Connor flew past. It took a while, but by the afternoon, Connor was sitting on a flatbed, he had broken both his springs, meaning he was more unsafe to take back with him on the rails. A gruff tank engine took Connor home on the flatbed. He arrived back at Swindon a while later. Caitlin was in the siding right where Connor was being shunted, she had heard about Connor's accident and began to soothe his feelings.

The inspectors then came to the two engines a few hours later. Before they could say anything, Connor spoke first. "I've failed the test, haven't I?"

The same inspector, who had spoken to the engines before, nodded his head. "I'm afraid you have," he said, "both of you won't be pulling fast trains which you were promised."

"I'm guessing we'd be pulling slow passenger trains like GWR Bulldogs then," said Caitlin.

"That won't be the case," sighed the inspector.

Connor and Caitlin stared at the inspectors in disbelief. "Excuse me sir?" Caitlin said.

"We figured that you both will be unsustainable for pulling those type of trains," he stated, "and too cost effective for them as well."

Connor had no words to describe what he was feeling in that moment. "B-But-But," stammered Caitlin.

"There are no but's in this matter," exclaimed the inspector, "the decision is final."

"What's going to happen to us?" asked Connor.

The inspector turned from Caitlin to the streamlined engine whose front was dented, and his entire body laid on a flatbed. "Isn't it obvious?" he replied, "you'll be remained in a siding and will be waiting there until we find a good enough time to take you to the scrappers."

Caitlin gasped, as Connor's pupils became dots within his eyes. "We are... we will be scrapped?"

"That is correct," replied the inspector, not looking liked he cared in the slightest. "Good day you two."

And the men walked off without thinking about the engine's fate one bit.

*

Connor and Caitlin were taken to another part of the western region and shunted into a siding without second thought. Both engines remained there, Caitlin at the back, facing the buffers, whilst Connor on a flatbed looking forwards. Both engines watched engines rush by them with trains of coaches or trucks. None of those engines bared to look at them, a few months after they put in the siding, some men came and put tarpaulins on them. Both couldn't see the outside world now and all they can do is sleep and stare into the darkness.

But what seemed like years, Connor and Caitlin then felt the tarpaulins being pulled off them. And there, standing in front of them was a man in a well-dressed suit. He seemed formal and must've been important, right behind him were a few other men all in similar outfits to the other well-dressed man.

"Hullo there," smiled the well-dressed man to Connor, who looked very confused. "You must be Connor correct?"

"Well, um... yes sir," replied Connor, a little startled.

"That's good them," chortled the well-dressed, "thought I would never find you with how well hidden you were!"

The other men all chuckled as well Connor only gave an awkward chuckle too. "Excuse me sir," he said, "but who are you?"

The well-dressed man paused for a second, then smiled. "Oh yes, where are my manners? I, am the Duke of Norramby. Sir Richard Robert Norramby!"

Connor was a bit stunned by this, why was a man this high up here? Surely, he hadn't come to see him and Caitlin. But the next line answered that question almost on the spot. "And these men, as well as I, are your new owners!"

Connor was surprised. "New owners?" he quizzed.

"Indeed," chuckled the Duke.

"But why?"

"We have founded a new trust," explained the Duke, "the British and American Trust so to speak, where we find any engine who's both related to the USA and UK."

Connor was a little stunned at this. "So, me and Caitlin won't be scrapped?" he asked.

"Not in the slightest," smiled the Duke, "you're special, unique and it would be a shame for us to let you and Caitlin be scrapped after some faults that seem easy enough to fix!"

Whilst the Duke was explaining the details to Connor, the streamlined engine couldn't help but smile. He and Caitlin were now safe, and they would be running again.

*

Toby smiled as Connor ended his story. "That was, indeed, interesting!" he grinned.

"Well... thank you," Connor replied.

"Very interesting indeed," agreed Gordon, "I hope Caitlin was glad to be safe as well, and how long were you in there anyways?"

"Oh, we in that siding for about five years roughly, the Duke of Norramby only just got us once he heard about us from a friend and took us to Sydane where we were restored, we then came here for the final stage of our restoration and to be tested here as well, and as you can see, it's been a success!"

"Oh, it certainly has!" chuckled Boco, "you two have been wonderful with helping us and we all hope you do well with your trains to the other islands."

Connor grinned. "Thank you very much," he said, "you all have been too kind to me and Caitlin."

"Well we aren't like James," mused Oliver and Henry and Gordon laughed.

Toby smiled and once he was refilled, he rang his bell goodbye and left the engines for his return trip to Ffarquahar. He had a good story to tell the others tonight.

*

A few weeks later, James return and Connor and Caitlin were soon happily speeding along their routes to the different islands next to the United Kingdom. Both engines stay at Vicarstown for the night and head next day and would not return until tomorrow, but the engines didn't mind, they manage to talk to them at the station or yards when they're there. James does not feel like they're a threat now and all three are now good friends.

Connor and Caitlin are very please, about having people they can trust to run them now and love their new friends who make them feel like they actually belong on their rails.