Lesson #1
Written by Michael White
Diesel 10 is an engine who gives diesels a bad reputation.
"Good morning, Diesel 10!" Paxton honked.
"Out of my way!" the BR Class 42 shouted, racing past him.
He fled the DieselWorks, cackling loudly
"Oh," Paxton frowned. "Not very friendly, that one!"
He is the leader of all the diesels at the Vicarstown DieselWorks and takes great pleasure in tormenting and causing trouble for his fellow steam engines.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
Diesel 10 cackled quietly as he watched Percy line up behind James and Gordon at the water tower by Knapford. He smirked and immediately sped up, reaching his claw out towards Percy's bunker.
"Gotcha!" he shouted aloud.
"GAHHHHH!" Percy screamed, bumping suddenly into the big engines in front of him.
Gordon groaned and coughed as he jerked forward before his water tank could finish being filled up.
"Percy!" he demanded.
"Watch out, you silly little engine!" James reprimanded.
"Couldn't have put it any better myself!" Gordon added.
"Sorry, you two!" Percy apologized, blushing a little, "but I didn't mean to."
He glared over at the BR Class 42 "Warship" beside him.
"You see, Diesel 10 snuck up on me and…"
"Later, puffballs!"
Diesel 10 raced off, laughing, before Percy could finish his sentence, blowing dust all over the three engines. Gordon coughed aloud as dust spat from his face.
"I might have known!" he admitted.
"Those diesels can be nothing but trouble!" James added.
He continued to cough dust from his face, as did Percy behind him.
One evening, the engines at Tidmouth Sheds were all talking about Diesel 10.
"Is he really all that bad?" Rebecca wondered.
"Yes!" James stressed. "You should have seen him this morning at Knapford!"
"He snuck up on me at the water tower!" Percy admitted.
"And caused me to jerk forward before my tank could be filled up!" Gordon put in. "I could have been late with the express!"
"Goodness!" Rebecca gasped.
"Yes," Thomas thought, "10 out of 10 for devious deeds and brutal strength!"
"Hates all steam engines too!" Emily added.
"Nothing but trouble!" James remarked.
"Ooh," Rebecca wondered. "But surely there's good in him somehow!"
"I'm afraid not, Rebecca!" Gordon sighed.
"Rarely, at least!" Percy added.
Diesel 10 also has a claw fixed on his top that he calls "Pinchy"!
The door of Diesel 10's shed sprung open and he yawned aloud as he slowly exited the shed and onto the turntable, clenching his claw slightly.
However, the claw often tends to have a mind of its own and knock Diesel 10 on the head when he least expects it…!
"Attention, diesels!" he called aloud to all the engines across the DieselWorks. "Today is a very important day! I'm going to start it off by teaching you all the first lesson! It's called…how to sneak up on your fellow steamies!"
Diesels all around gazed as he readied his claw into position.
"First," he continued, "you build a little speed. Then, you ready your horns into position before making the element of surprise. Allow Pinchy to demonstrate!"
He started at a gradually moderate pace before he could speed up, his claw flew up and down and then…
WHAM!
"Ouch!" Diesel 10 winced, as his claw hit him on the head.
He groaned to a sudden halt.
"Doh! Pinchy!" he groaned. "I hate it when you do this!"
The other diesels laughed and murmured rather amusedly to each other.
"That was fun!" Sidney admitted.
"'Made my morning!" Paxton agreed.
"GRRRRR!" Diesel 10 groaned. "Pinchy, why do you embarrass me like this?! You know how I feel when…"
"Ahem!"
Diesel 10 gasped and looked over to see Sir Topham Hatt approaching him.
"Worthy f -, I-I-I mean…sir!"
"Good morning, Diesel 10!" Sir Topham Hatt beamed. "I think you'll be pleased to hear that I have a special assignment for you today!"
"For me, sir?" Diesel 10 wondered.
"Yes," Sir Topham Hatt went on. "It turns out that I have a dilemma on my hands with not being able to spare enough diesels to handle all the trains that go out across the Island. It seems like engines, either steam or diesel, are kept busy all the time and we could use with a bit of help!"
"Huh!" Diesel 10 thought, "well, if the Fat Hatt didn't finally…"
"Therefore," Sir Topham Hatt went on, "I have arranged for two diesels to come over from the Mainland and your job, Diesel 10, is to show them around…"
He paused impressively and coughed.
"…given that you are the one most familiar with them, of course."
Diesel 10 groaned aloud.
"And just who are these new comrades?" he wondered.
Sir Topham Hatt beamed at him.
Diesel 10 would find out soon enough; two diesels soon arrived at the entrance and stopped just outside the DieselWorks. One was purple and the other was green, and both had their names painted on their sides!
"Eh, Splatter," one wondered, "are you sure we came to the right place?"
"Quite so, Dodge!" the other one answered. "If the directions given to to us by engines at that other station called Vicarstown are correct, then we're surely at our destination!"
"Erm…I'm not sure. I'd ask somebody else!"
"No need for that!" Splatter assured him.
"Oh, I think there is!" Dodge insisted, as he started rolling towards the building.
"'Ey! Hold up!" Splatter called, toiling after him.
"Ah! Splatter! Dodge!"
Both diesels stopped in surprise as Sir Topham Hatt came walking towards them.
"You're both here! Splendid!"
"Who are you?!" Splatter wondered, looking awkwardly down at him.
"Erm, Splatter?" Dodge suggested, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh," Splatter thought, then giggled awkwardly.
"Anyway," Sir Topham Hatt went on, "thank you both for showing up promptly and directly. I have scheduled a trial run for the pair of you to see how you both fit in working on my railway!"
Splatter chuckled slightly.
"He speaks funny, don't 'e?!" he murmured.
"Ya think?!" Dodge muttered in response, looking over at his partner with confusion.
"Having said that," Sir Topham Hatt finished, "an old friend will be with you shortly! Must be off now! Good luck to the both of you!"
He turned back towards his car as Splatter and Dodge looked over at each other with confusion.
"Was that our new superintendent?" Splatter wondered.
"Obviously!" Dodge bluntly replied.
"Huh!" Splatter scoffed, raising an eyebrow, than giggled. "Well, he was funny!"
"Bigger question is…who is this old friend he speaks of?"
At that moment, a familiar face lurked from the entrance to the building. The diesels groaned when they saw who it was.
"Splodge!" Diesel 10 exclaimed. "My old friends!"
"Erm, actually, it's Splatter!"
"A-a-and Dodge!"
"Do ya think he meant that?"
"No, not really…!" Dodge dully replied with sarcasm.
"Me neither."
"Oh, brother…"
Diesel 10 seethed with impatience over the pair's banter.
"Cool it! I haven't time to say both names!"
"Mm-hmm!"
"Yeh, yeh, sure!"
"I must confess though, it's been an an awful long time. Hasn't it?"
"Factly!"
"Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah!"
Diesel 10 clenched his claw tight.
"Before you two ditched me," he snapped, "and left me to form my plans all on my own!"
"Don't take it personally!" Splatter suggested.
"We only had enough of your silly old games!" Dodge claimed.
"Yeah, yeah, and your plans never worked no matter how hard you tried!"
"Factly!"
"Factly!" Splatter added, than stopped for a split second. "Wait! Wasn't that my line?"
"How should I know?"
Diesel 10 grit his teeth and clenched his claw impatiently before operating it amongst the two diesels.
"Alright, play time's over, Splodge!" he demanded. "The Fat Hatt has instructed me to show you around! I assure you it will be just like old times!"
"Old times, sure!" Splatter muttered sarcastically, as Dodge chuckled in agreement.
Diesel 10 clenched his claw once more, catching the pair off guard, then grinned.
"Now," he continued, "it's about time I taught you both the first lesson! I promise that by the end of it, I will have gotten through to each and every one of those puffballs!"
"Hmm…" the two diesels wondered to each other.
At that, the DieselWorks manager walked up.
"Splatter and Dodge," he announced, "I would like you to start your trial run by picking up a shipment of limestone from Brendam Docks and delivering it to Dryaw Airfield!"
"Ooh," the pair wondered to each other, as the manager walked off.
"Come along, Splodge!" Diesel 10 insisted, racing past them. "I'll show you both how it's done!"
"'Ey, boss! We need to fetch our trucks first!" Dodge suggested.
"Yeah, yeah," Splatter agreed, stopping to think. "Erm…what he said!"
"Doh!" Diesel 10 winced, as he stopped right before the exit to the DieselWorks. "Make it quick!"
The two diesels quietly went about shunting some empty trucks, then followed after their old master!
Diesel 10 laughed out loud as he left, with his two hench-diesels in tow.
"Do you think the boss knows what he's doing" Splatter wondered.
"Search me!" Dodge replied.
"What does that mean?!" Splatter demanded.
"No idea," Dodge admitted.
"Quiet back there!" Diesel 10 demanded. "I'm tryna think!"
The two diesels sniggered quietly to each other.
Splatter and Dodge arrived at Brendam Docks to collect their shipment of limestone.
Splatter chuckled quietly.
"Funny place, isn't it?" he whispered to Dodge.
"I'd say!" Dodge agreed.
Diesel 10 hid behind the trucks, hoping not to be seen and make his plan obvious, but it was no use!
"Ahoy, mateys!" Salty honked.
"Hello there!" Porter whistled to Splodge.
"Grrrrrr!" Diesel 10 quietly growled.
"Errr, hi!" Splatter muttered in response.
"Hello!" Dodge added awkwardly, then giggled quietly.
"Hmmm…" Cranky thought, as he continued loading the diesels' trucks. "Strange pair of diesels those two seem like! I don't think I've seen a pair like them before!"
"Me neither!" Carly agreed, "but they do look doubly useful, don't they?"
"Hmm, I don't know," Cranky thought, looking over at Diesel 10 beside them.
"But just whoever is that engine on the line beside them?" Big Mickey wondered.
"That's Diesel 10!" Emily explained, as Big Mickey loaded up her trucks. "He has a reputation for causing trouble for steam engines all over Sodor!"
"Oh, my," Big Mickey whimpered. "That does sound rather concerning!"
"Raises my suspicions!" Cranky admitted.
"But…but…" Carly wondered.
She was caught off-guard as Cranky spoke up again!
"Good to go, you two!"
"Come on, Splodge!" Diesel 10 ordered, as he got going. "We have business to attend to!"
"Erm…it's Splatter, correctively!"
"And Dodge!"
"Cooooome!"
"Good luck, you two!" Carly shouted out, as Cranky shot them a funny look.
Splatter and Dodge got a good run at their wheels as they toiled along behind Diesel 10.
"Say," Splatter thought, chuckling slightly, "those dockyard cranes seem like a funny bunch, don't they?"
"Strange is the more the word for it!" Dodge suggested.
"Funny too!"
"Yeah, I guess!"
"What do ya mean you guess?!"
"I don't know! What else ya want me to say?"
"Nothing," Splatter murmured.
"Really? Your tone sounds validating!"
"Does not!"
Dodge chuckled.
"Oh, really?!"
Diesel 10 lost patience.
"Quit it, you two! Let's focus on the task at hand! We're almost there, so look sharp!"
The pair smiled meekly as they looked front to back at one another.
The cavalcade arrived at Dryaw Station, where Thomas was picking up passengers. Harold the Helicopter was at the airfield nearby and preparing to take off.
"Ooh, look who it is!" Dodge gazed. "The blue puffball!"
"And the ol' flopper chopper!" Splatter added, giggling.
"Alright, listen, you two!" Diesel 10 demanded. "Now, leave these trucks in that siding by the airfield!"
"Much obliged!" Splatter replied.
Thomas watched as they left the trucks in the siding nearby Harold.
"Hmm, he thought.
"Who are those two diesels?" Clarabel wondered.
"No idea," Annie admitted, "but they do look familiar! Do you know, Thomas?"
"That's Splatter and Dodge!" Thomas explained. "They used to work alongside Diesel 10! I wonder what brings them back to Sodor."
Diesel 10 watched anxiously as the stationmaster started unloading the first truck of limestone.
"What's the plan, boss?" Dodge wondered.
"Shhhh!" Diesel 10 hissed, then quietly whispered, "just wait for Harold to leave!"
At that moment, he was caught off-guard by the sound of Thomas' whistle!
"See you later, Harold!" he greeted, as he left the station with his passengers.
"Bye, Thomas!" Harold greeted in response, as he took to the air.
"What?!" Diesel 10 grunted, surging forward.
The wind from Harold's propeller blew limestone from the platform and all over Diesel 10, who coughed and spluttered furiously. Splatter and Dodge chuckled from nearby.
"I don't think he meant for to look like that!" Splatter admitted. "Do you?"
"Nah, me neither!"
"Go figure!"
"Quiet!" Diesel 10 snapped. "Now, let's just head on to the next lesson! I'll show you soon enough what it takes to be a diesel!"
As Diesel 10 spoke, Dodge's driver uncoupled him from the trucks and the pair followed Diesel 10 as he took off.
"Say, following along after him is fun after all!" Splatter admitted.
"Yeah," Dodge agreed, "I, for one, get much enjoyment out of watching his plans fail miserably!"
"Me too!" Splatter agreed.
As Splatter and Dodge proceeded onto their next line of jobs, they continued to get much amusement out of Diesel 10's plans backfiring!
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
At the Coaling Plant, Henry coughed out black smoke as he exited the coal hopper.
"Oh, dear, Henry!" Rebecca expressed with concern, as she buffered up to him. "You must have taken on some bad coal!"
Henry continued coughing fiercely as Rebecca pulled him away.
"Oh, my!" the Coaling Plant manager, and walked off with a pen and paper in hand.
The three diesels arrived in time to see everything!
"Perfect!" Diesel grinning, chuckling quietly as the manager walk off.
"Errr, boss…" Dodge demanded.
"Ermmm, where do we fill up these empty trucks with coal?" Splatter wondered.
"Yeah, you know, like we were instructed!"
"Factly!"
Diesel 10 seethed and grit his teeth!
"Attention, please!" he boomed, then smiled. "Now, the next time one of those puffballs takes on coal at that hopper, we'll know for sure that the coal's worth taking! Now would be a good time with no workmen in sight"
At that moment, he heard James' whistle and watched as the red engine chuffed under the hopper to be filled up with coal.
"Here it comes!" he grinned quietly.
The trio stood back and watched as James waited to be filled up when…
"Wait, James!"
Diesel 10 looked over in shock as the foreman ran up.
"Manager says that the coal in this hopper's all sooty and of bad quality! Poor Henry's noticed all too late! You'll have to fill up from another one, I'm afraid!"
"Bother!" James fumed, as he pulled out from under the hopper. "How will I get back in time for my next passenger train now?!"
"GrrrrrrAHHHHHH!" Diesel 10 fumed.
Diesel 10 banged his claw towards the coal chute and caused it to operate!
"Uh oh!" Splatter and Dodge murmured to each other, as they heard the coal chute operate.
Coal dust flew everywhere and all over Diesel 10!
Diesel 10 spluttered and clenched his claw up and down, as he coughed and spit coal angrily from his mouth. Splatter and Dodge chuckled as they looked at each other with amusement!
None of Diesel 10's other plans amongst the other steam engines worked either!
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Alright, you two, pay close attention!" the Warship engine ordered, as the pair had a brake coach parked by a malfunctioning signal.
"All ears, boss!"
"Yeah, yeah, all ears!"
"Quiet!" Diesel 10 snapped. "Now, Gordon will be coming down the line any second with the express! Meaning I'd like you two to back down and allow me enough space to knock that signal over!"
"Oh, right, right!" Dodge murmured.
"Sure thing!" Splatter added, as they backed down past the signal.
Diesel 10 grinned and chuckled, as he heard Gordon's whistle.
"Ready, Pinchy?!"
He surged forward and attempted to operate his claw from the side towards the tracks, but ended up stopping too far up and knocking the signal over the other side away from the tracks.
"What?!" he spluttered.
He was taken by surprise as Gordon thundered past with the express.
"Doh!" he winced.
He clenched his claw so tight that it ended up hitting him across the head.
"Oof! Pinchy!" he groaned. "I hate it when you do this!"
Splatter and Dodge chuckled.
… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … … …
"Look sharp!" Diesel 10 demanded, stopping the two diesels at a set of points. "This would be a perfect spot to cause Percy a collision with these oil drums you're carrying!"
"Erm…so boss…"
"Yeh, erm, how exactly is that going to work?" Dodge inquired.
Diesel 10 grit his teeth.
"Just move onto the points when I tell you to!"
"Oh, sure, sure!"
"Mmhmm!"
Diesel 10 sighed exasperatedly, before surging forward towards the signal box. He waited till he heard the sound of Percy's whistle before chuckling quietly.
"Assume your positions!" he ordered to the pair.
It wasn't long before after Percy passed the signalbox when he heard a creaking noise and came to a sudden halt.
"Uh oh," he wondered meekly.
"Huh?" thought Diesel 10.
Percy's driver hopped off and inspected him all over.
"One of your crank pins broke, Percy!" he revealed. "We'll have to get a mechanic over here to inspect it! I'll just ask the signalman!"
Percy sighed, dismayed.
"What?' Really? Now?!" Diesel 10 spluttered.
"Now?!" Dodge wondered.
"Come on, Dodge!" Splatter insisted, and pushed them backwards over the points.
"Wait, stop!" Diesel 10 shouted, racing back towards them.
The pair jerked to a halt.
Oil drums went flying into the air…
"Uh oh," the diesels groaned to each other, looking up.
…and landed right all over Diesel 10! He was covered all over in sticky black oil!
Diesel 10 angrily spat oil from his mouth and glared at the two diesels, who couldn't help laughing.
"Boy, he looks funny!" Splatter remarked.
"I'd say!"
Percy managed a slight chuckle as well.
At long last, the trio reached the carriage shed by Knapford Station! Diesel 10 was beyond exhausted at his trickery against the steam engines having constantly failed throughout the day!
"Next…lesson!" he panted, coming to a stop by the carriage shed.
He released his claw and allowed it to land down on his front, causing gusts of coal and limestone to flow past Splatter and Dodge.
"Phew!" Splatter groaned.
"He's in a mess!" Dodge gossiped.
Splatter chuckled.
"Maybe you should have a washdown, boss!" he suggested.
"Yeah, yeah," Dodge agreed, "that's what we do when we're tired after a long day!"
Diesel 10 glared and clenched his claw tight, catching the pair by surprise.
"Never!" he resisted. "There will be no rest until I've taught you two everything you need to know about being a diesel!"
The two diesels gasped and expressed surprised looks towards one another. At that moment, they heard a familiar bell.
"Ah-ha!" Diesel 10 sneered, "the old teapot!He's sure in for a big surprise!"
He raised his claw up high and bumped it slightly against one of the metal beams holding up the shed.
"Alright, you two, here's the plan!" he called out, aiming his claw back towards them. "When I hear you two say 'now', I will have Pinchy here bring this shed down upon the old teapot and that old henhouse of his on wheels! But first, the two of you must keep on guard and alert me when they reach the shed! Comprende?"
"Did you get all that?" Dodge murmured.
"Ermm….!" Splatter thought.
Diesel 10 clenched his claw tight as he heard Toby inch closer.
"Goooo!" he bellowed.
The two diesels reversed backwards just inches beyond the carriage shed.
"What I meant was did you understand his instructions?" he elaborated.
"Hmm…" Splatter thought, "I wonder if the word now had something to do with it!"
"Now?"
"Yes, now!" Splatter reminded him. "Unless…"
Diesel 10 growled.
"Gotcha!" he snapped, and popped his claw upward.
Diesel 10 thought that Splatter and Dodge had given him a cue and assumed that Toby had arrived.
"Whoops!"
Diesel 10 gasped as the shed came tumbling down upon down.
"Uh oh!" Splatter and Dodge murmured.
They backed away just in time. Toby rang his bell and pulled in, gasping at the commotion.
Toby had bought Henrietta back in time to see everything!
Splatter and Dodge sniggered quietly to each other, but stopped when Diesel 10 aggressively reached his claw out towards them.
"Fools! Simpletons! You dimwitted pair of imbeciles!" he harshly criticized. "What part of now did you just happen to mix up?"
The pair expressed ashamed looks at one another, as Toby and Henrietta slightly chuckled.
At the DieselWorks, Diesel 10 was a having a washdown, but he wasn't very happy about it!
"Mind my eye!" he sneered to the cleaner.
"Ooh, I don't think he's very happy about that!" Splatter thought.
"Me neither!" Dodge agreed, and chuckled slightly.
At last, Sir Topham Hatt arrived. He did not look happy!
"Diesel 10!"
The Warship engine looked over at him with shock.
"Busted!" the two diesels remarked.
"I am very disappointed in you!" Sir Topham Hatt went on. "I asked you to show Splatter and Dodge around the railway, and all you've done is cause confusion and delay everywhere you went! The platform by Dryaw's in a mess! Coal's poured all over the Depot! Signals have been knocked over, oil's spilt over the track, and now Henrietta will need a new place to sleep until the carriage shed is repaired!"
"I'm a-s-sorry, sir," Diesel 10 stammered. "But you see, my claw's been malfunctioning all day! I do think it's need of repair and…"
"No, Diesel 10!" Sir Topham Hatt boomed. "I don't want to hear any excuses! I shall see to your punishment promptly!"
Splatter and Dodge expressed surprised looks to another.
Sir Topham Hatt turned towards the two hench-diesels!
"As for you, Splatter and Dodge," he went on, "I don't account for a single thing the pair of you have accomplished all day either."
"Oh," the diesels thought, looking at each other sheepishly.
"However, the fault's not on either of you so I do think you're both in need of a second chance! Paxton shall show you around the Island and when he's not around, I'd like the both of to keep a close eye on Diesel 10 as he conforms to his punishment of being on watch until I can trust him again!"
Sir Topham Hatt eyed Diesel 10 sternly as he finished speaking.
"What?!" Diesel 10 fumed.
"Aye, aye, boss!" Splatter obeyed.
"Erm…, Splatter?" Dodge reminded.
"I-I-I mean…sir!"
"Grrrrrrr-fiddlesticks!" Diesel 10 raged.
And he accidentally knocked his claw towards the ladder against him, causing it to land on the soap bucket.
Soap suds splashed right all over Diesel 10!
Diesel 10 angrily spit soap suds from his mouth, as Sir Topham Hatt expressed a facepalm and walked away with dismay.
"You rattletraps!" Diesel 10 fumed, clenching his claw loosely.
"I don't think he meant for that!" Splatter murmured.
"Me neither!" Dodge agreed.
And so we kick off with Set 4 with a back-in-the-day dynamic delved from the theatrical flop Thomas And The Magic Railroad and Splatter and Dodge are the first returnees for this set. It was nice giving Diesel 10 the opener, especially since he took a backseat last set aside from a single one-liner, and his dynamic with his reinstated hench-diesels was a real doozy to write. As for Splatter and Dodge themselves, I had fun incorporating their characters into the series here. I am pretty sure their personalities stick out here, but I'll talk more about that in the next story. Their banter was fun to write nevertheless, as was Diesel 10's reaction to it. I felt much entertainment value with writing the scenes where Diesel 10's trickery against the steam engines constantly fail and the ending with his punishment being enforced by The Fat Controller was also fun to include. Hope you all enjoyed this story. I know I had loads of fun writing it! Be sure to leave thoughts, and come back next week to Splodge officially in the spotlight in…
All Bark, No Bite - Splatter and Dodge struggle to cooperate with one another while delivering a heavy goods train from Vicarstown to Bridlington, since Splatter insists he knows the way and defies Dodge's judgment.
Arthur Owns Up - Arthur causes an accident and Saul gets blamed for it. Arthur goes about his day pretending as if nothing happened, though the cause of delays increasingly piles guilt upon him to a point where he realizes he has a tough decision to make!
Stephen And The Mine - Stephen has the courage to do most things…perhaps with the exception of going into the Ulfstead Mine out of fear that he'll get lost again and like he did long ago! However, when Glynn becomes trapped in the mine, it's up to Stephen to overcome his fear and save him!
Marion And The Blisters - the miniature engines are annoyed by Marion's belief that they are magic and play a trick on her by pretending to grant her a wish, which backfires when Marion actually makes a discovery in the Arlesdale mines!
Be The Better Engine - Philip is often susceptible to bullying from Diesel. However, when rumors spread about Diesel and the other engines start to pick on him, Philip seizes an opportunity to get even with Diesel by jumping in on their treatment of him, unaware of how it affects Diesel himself!