James and the Diesel Engines (SpartanPrime101 Rewrite) – Chapter 1
Before I do or say anything else, I want to give praise and glory to God Almighty. Lord, I thank you for being with me and for guiding me over the past few months. Thank you for giving me the strength to acknowledge and battle the demons that resided in my soul. Thank you for the wonderful people in my life, including my family and mentors. Thank you!
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Disclaimer: I don't own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. If I did, it would be just like the old-style episodes that aired before the CGI episodes – when they actually cared about making a story that was enjoyable for everyone.
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Story 1: Old Stuck-Up:
The Fat Controller preferred steam engines on his railway. But he found diesels useful because they could pull coaches as well as trucks. "You're versatile," he would say to them. "Real mixed-traffic engines."
Boco and Bear were proud of this, but James was not impressed. He liked these two diesels, and got along well with Daisy, who worked on Thomas' branch line, but he treated all others with deep suspicion. "Diesels don't use coal and water," he would say darkly. "How can you trust an engine who isn't normal in his habits?"
Visiting diesels sometimes boasted about how special they were: some of the diesels were civil enough, but others were rude and treated the engines with great disdain and mockery. Usually, Boco and Bear had to spend the next day soothing ruffled feelings. More often than not, this rudeness deterred the Fat Controller from purchasing diesels to help on the main line and around the harbour yard.
One day, two diesels arrived from the Other Railway on the mainland. One of them, a standard BR blue and yellow Class 45, was a particularly naughty diesel. He glared at the passing steam engines with disdain as he and the other diesel rolled down the line. Later that evening, the two diesels arrived at the engine shed near the big station. When they found they were to share the shed with steam engines, the Class 45 stopped outside in disgust, and refused to go any further.
"Why on earth does this Railway's Controller keep such out-of-date objects?" he growled rudely. "Dirty, smoky, slow things. Ugh!" And he shuddered delicately.
The other diesel, a green and yellow Class 40, glanced around the shed and the yard. "Well, it's not like the railway back home," he admitted, "but it's certainly better than others. At least everything is clean and organized."
"That's hardly the point, D261," the first diesel snapped. "On our railway, steam engines are kept strictly in their place and not allowed on the main line without permission. As is rightfully so, if I do say so myself."
Boco, who was showing the diesels around, finally lost patience. "Stay outside then if you're so proud about it," he said crossly. "I'm going to join my friends." The diesel just snorted, and said no more.
Later, D261 pulled up alongside the shed. "I'm sorry for my associate's unruly behavior," he apologized to the engines. "Not all diesels share his feelings towards steam engines. My former driver once worked with a steam engine, and made sure to explain just how useful you lot all were in your own way."
"Haven't we met you before?" asked Henry. "I remember a diesel who came here years ago that looked just like you. He came in here boasting of how we were out of date, only to get a bowler hat sucked into his air intake."
"Ah, you mean my brother, D4711," chuckled D261. "Yes, he was always a boastful one, even towards other diesels. I won't lie about not feeling some amusement about his predicament. Rest assured that I don't share his attitude, or that of my colleague over there. So long as we all do our work without fuss, you shan't have any issues from me."
"Well, I hope it's cold tonight and he can't start in the morning," snorted James. "At least someone might want to preserve us. Who'd need him? Old Stuck-Up!" The sound of an indignant diesel echoed through the yard, though the engines hardly took any notice.
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The engines were glad when morning came. They all went to fetch their trains as early as they could: the Fat Controller had asked D261 if he would help with preparing the return trains for himself and Old Stuck-Up. D261 was happy to help, and so the other diesel was left alone. "That's better," he purred to himself. "How can an engine rest with all that hissing and clanking? Especially with that turncoat D261's blasted 'whistling'."
The cleaning equipment and fuel supply were in the part of the shed which Boco and Bear shared. Some had been set out for D261 the night before, but had been stored away when the engines all left to work. Old Stuck-up was so full of self-importance that he had forgotten he would need cleaning and refueling before he and D261 went home.
It was getting late when he remembered. "If I go in now while the shed is empty," he said to himself, "no-one would know I've been." And with that, he scuttled forward quickly towards the shed. Too quickly. The rails where Bear and Boco had stood were oily and when he tried to stop, he couldn't.
"Brakeblocks and buffers, I'm slipping!" he wailed, as his wheels locked and slithered on the oily rails. He shut his eyes as, with a despairing whoop of horror, he crashed into the wall at the end of the Shed. A pair of rail gang workers jumped in surprise as the diesel's front suddenly broke through the shed wall, stopping just inches from their maintenance lorry parked behind the shed berth.
The diesel was not too badly damaged, but a dreadful draught came through the hole in the wall. The gang workers certainly gave the diesel grief for startling them, and creating more work for them to do. The diesel didn't say anything. He just wallowed in disgrace.
When the other engines all came home, they heard the story from Douglas, who had cleared up the mess. "Ho, ho, ho," chortled Henry. "Old Stuck-Up came unstuck, did he? I say Boco, what is it the Fat Controller called you and Bear?"
"Versatile," chuckled Boco, "but that isn't what he called Stuck-Up. I couldn't hear all he said, but I didn't think it sounded very polite."
"No, it wasn't," smirked D261. "If anything, I'd say that my colleague was wishing someone else had 'stuck up' for him." This earned a chuckle from the other engines, though James just glared at him in deep suspicion.
I dare not say more, otherwise I'll spoil the next story.
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Hey there, everyone. This is SpartanPrime101 bringing you another adaptation/rewrite of one of Christopher Awdry's stories. This time, it's about the story book, "James and the Diesel Engines". Quite short and not to different from the original version thus far. However, I found that, for the most part, there wasn't much interaction between James and the diesel engines mentioned in this book, save for the Works Diesel in the last story.
Now, in the Railway Series book about Stepney the Bluebell Engine, the visiting diesel went by the number D4711, whilst he was given the name/number D261 in the Model series. For this rewrite, I decided to make them two separate diesels, with D261 being much more benevolent than in the model series.
Also, D261's class had a tendency to 'whistle' when their engines were cooling down, hence their nickname 'whistlers'.
Until next time, please read and review.