All the engines hurried over to Barrow-in-Furness, and quickly arrived at the station. The last station on the Sodor Railway network – and the connection to the Mainland. They arrived at the station, and it's small yard.
The station has certainly decreased since the glory days of steam. But it served the town of Barrow-in-Furness well. All the engines looked around slowly, keeping any eye out for their little blue tank engine.
"Thomas? You there?" Percy peeped curiously, looking down sidings.
"Thomas, it's us. Come on out." Edward whispered, looking up and down the rails.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." Emily called out, "Oh, end of the line."
She came to a halt, causing James to bump into her tender.
"Ow! Emily!" James grunted!
Emily just scoffed, "Be careful James!"
"Oh dear...oh my...it's so quiet..." Henry whimpered, "For a...usually busy station-"
"Oh be quiet Henry." Gordon scoffed, "You worry far too m- AH!"
"OUT OF THE WAY!"
Gordon quickly came to a halt and reversed down the line – bumping into Henry as he did so. In front of them, a 8 coach train came to a halt.
"Stay on the siding!" The engine cried, "Can't you see I'm dropping off passengers!"
"He's clearly a Barrovian..." Edward muttered to himself, recognising the familiar accent in the engines voice.
"How dare you talk to me like that!?" Gordon huffed! The other engines tried to calm him down.
"And I am working! So get lost!" The train called, before quickly setting off back down the line.
"The cheek!" Gordon grunted.
"He did make a point though Gordon..." Emily called out, "Remember...we are now on a major railway network. So it will only get worse than this, Barrow is a famous terminus station remember? Normally served by the Northern Railway."
"How are you so sure?" Percy wondered.
"Barrow has always been a popular terminus station..." Edward pondered, "Meaning a train route will stop and start here. Although there are an odd few occasions where that isn't the case."
"THAT is a Northern engine?!" James chuckled, "His paintwork was hideous!"
"Oh James, you think that's bad you should see the LNER brand." Emily giggled.
"Don't you DARE-" Gordon growled.
"I wasn't talking about the OLD LNER Gordon!" Emily chuckled, "This is a new one – formerly it was the Virgin Trains East Coast, until some financial issues or whatever. But honestly – they look plain and hideous."
"...May I ask HOW you know all of this, Emily?" Henry wondered curiously, as the steamies carried on slowly down the rails.
"Remember that week last month I had to go to Knapford Sheds? Because of my broken Shed door?" Emily smirked, "Let's say there's a benefit and downside to sharing a shed with those Welsh and Irish twins – all they were argue over is how bad British Rail is and arguing which franchise is better. However poor Anastasia and Blake get a wink of sleep with them rattling is beyond me...of course I don't believe a word they say until I see it myself, but still it is quite fascinati-"
Emily was rudely cut off, bumping into Edward, who came to a sudden halt.
"...Can you lot hear that?" Edward spoke. Everyone listened – they could hear...puffing...steam?
"...That sounds like a steam engine?" Henry wondered.
"Out here?" James wondered, sarcastically.
"Thomas! Is that you?" Percy peeped!
The puffing appeared to come closer. Small puffs of steam could be seen.
"Hello?"
The mysterious engine called. None of the engines recognised that voice.
Except Edward.
"...That...sounds just like..."
Then, an engine appeared. Painted in a fine Indian Red livery. He had a tall funnel pointing up, four big wheels, and a tender behind him. On his tender, in yellow letters, were the initials 'F R'.
"Oh goodness!" The engine cried, "Is there a steam gala happening today?"
All the engines looked in shock at the engine – he looked very old fashioned.
"Gosh, my apologies." The engine chuckled, "Something must've slipped my mind..."
"Oh, no we're not here for a...gala?" Percy wondered to himself, "We're looking for an engine."
The old engine looked at them all – noticing their familiar liveries.
"Ah...you all look like Sodor engines."
"That's because we are." James announced smuggly.
"Who are you...good sir?" Henry asked, trying to be polite.
The old engine chuckled, "Oh please, none of the formalities. I may be an old gentleman, but I am just an engine like all of you." He chuckled, "My name is Raymond. The oldest standard gauge locomotive currently functioning in this blessed United Kingdom."
The engines gasped in amazement.
"Oldest standard gauge locomotive!?" Emily gasped in awe, "Wow! Just...how old exactly?"
Raymond just smiled proudly, "Why I...hmm..." He wondered to himself, "Goodness Lottie...Ah yes, I remember I'm older than 150. Hahah, however, I'm all fuzzy after that. My mathematics isn't what it use to be – I just know my date of creation was 1863 – 34 years after the creation of Stephenson's famous Rocket."
All the engines were amazed! Never had they met an engine as old as Raymond!
Edward then slowly rolled forward.
"Is...Is that...really YOU, Raymond?"
Raymond looked ahead at the wise engine and gasped.
"...Edward?"
"Wait!" Emily questioned, "You two...know each other?"
Edward chuckled to himself, "More than KNOW each other Emily."
Raymond chuckled alongside, "Why yes, we more than know each other deary. Edward and I use to work on the Furness Railway. 1896 he arrived in the yard – I have been his mentor ever since...well, until he was given a transfer to Sodor in 1915. Goodness! Haven't you changed!"
Edward blushed embarrassingly, but smiled sweetly at the sight of his old mentor.
"Such a beautiful coat you've got, and you've grown into your own engine." Raymond chuckled, "Goodness Lottie...Edith would be ever so pleased."
"Edith?" Gordon muttered.
"Who's Edith?" Henry asked.
"Uh..." Edward stuttered, trying to change the subject, "W-We're looking for our friend, Raymond. Have you seen him pass by at all?"
"Hm? What does he...oh!" Raymond gasped, "Is he a small tank engine with a number 1 on his tank?"
"Yes!" Percy answered quickly, "Yes that's him! Where is he!?"
"Goodness lad, you've missed him. He passed Barrow just gone midnight." Raymond explained, "I allowed him to shelter in my shed for a while, but he was gone without asking for directions. Gracious Lottie...he's gone quite a distance for such a small engine...poor boy..."
"Why?" James asked, "Where's he gone to now?"
"Why, he's heading towards York." Raymond said, "Just gone eastbound. Maybe...if you hurry, you could see him. If his fire hasn't held you may find him on a sidin-"
"Come on everyone!" Percy peeped, leading the parade of engines onward, "Let's go!"
"Oh goodness!" Raymond gasped, left in a cloud of steam.
Edward slowly followed his friends, not before leaving a friendly toot for his old mentor, "Sorry I couldn't stay Raymond..."
Raymond watched curiously as Edward sped off as fast as he could to join his friends. He could only worry about these Sodor engines...
"Goodness Lottie...please watch over them and may they be safe..." Raymond muttered to himself.
"I must say though, as much as I am grateful for all the wonderful people in the museum have done for me, and all the lovely comments made by the enthusiasts, I must say...nothing feels the same unless I am out there pulling a good, long train."
Thomas listened with curiosity to Duchess' stories. Whilst Thomas was being refilled with water, and given plenty more coal, the Duchess of Hamilton had began to tell him stories of her early years, many about her sisters, and her time in America before World War II started, and arriving back to Britain during the War. She would also tell stories of other famous engines of the National Railway Collection – those both in York, and in other museums around the UK.
"Wow!" Thomas gasped as he listened to her stories, "Bet you've been all around the Mainland haven't you?
"Mainlan- oh! Haha, yes I have." Duchess chuckled to herself, as she escorted Thomas out, back to the Mainline, "It is always beautiful, you never get tired of the same place. Some places are nicer than others, of course, but regardless, it's always lovely to see them."
Thomas just beamed at the famous engine, but Duchess just sighed.
"Although...I do sometimes miss the days me and my sisters would grace down the rails." She lamented, "We would glide like swans down the rails, and everyone loved to see us."
Thomas looked at her sympathetically, "You really miss them, huh?"
"Oh yes...even Sutherland and Birmingham, it has been a while since I've seen them." she sighed, "Sutherland must be having the time of her life going out there...and poor Birmingham...I understand she is cared for but...poor girl must be tired of being on display in a museum all of her life..."
Thomas just looked at her sadly.
"Gracious me...there's me talking about my sisters and our little stories..." Duchess chuckled a bit, "But...you must be heading for somewhere?"
"H-Huh?" Thomas gasped.
"...You must be heading somewhere right?" Duchess smiled, "Unless it's a special train, there's no steam engines on the UK Mainline. So you must be needing to get somewhere?"
"Oh! Yes...uh..."
Thomas was busted. He didn't know where else to go...he couldn't tell Duchess what he has done, but he doesn't want to go back to Sodor just yet...there was so much more to see!
"W-Well I...uh...I need to...I need to get a train but...I might've...diverted?" Thomas giggled nervously, obviously lying...
Duchess looked at him oddly, "Where...were you suppose to go exactly? Derby? Plymouth? Crewe?"
Crewe! Of course! Thomas remembers Crewe! He's never been there himself, but he remembered Henry went there for his special rebuild after his horrific Flying Kipper accident – he would talk endlessly about his time there. Maybe this could be Thomas' chance to go there and experience it for himself!
"Y-Yes! I need to go to Crewe!" Thomas peeped, although slightly nervous – what if Duchess saw through his lie.
Duchess just looked at Thomas. But she didn't think much of it.
"Gosh, you're well off from there..." Duchess commented, "Well...may I suggest going south until you get to Doncaster?"
"Doncaster?" Thomas wondered, the name sounded familiar...
"Yes. Head on south until you get to Doncaster. Then once you're there, get on the track that goes west, You should be able to go straight on to Crewe from there." Duchess explained, "Not the most efficient route, but it does mean you should be able to avoid the heavy traffic going towards Manchester. Also...it's the only route I can remember."
"Okay!" Thomas peeped, "Thanks for the tip Duchess!" And Thomas puffed away in a cloud of steam!
"B-Be sure to keep eye on your coal and water supply!" Duchess cried out worriedly, watching the little, blue tank engine speed out of sight.