James and the Diesel Engines (SpartanPrime101 Rewrite) – Chapter 4
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!
…
Disclaimer: I don't own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. If I did, I would bring back the old-style model series episodes that aired before the CGI episodes – when the engines actually looked and acted like real engines.
{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
Story 4: Engines and Egos (adapted from the story written by Richard Jordan)
The Island of Sodor was entering its winter holiday season. The engines were busy pulling trucks and passenger trains about the island, getting everything ready for the big celebrations on Christmas Day. All the stations, villages, and towns were decorated with tinsel, wreaths, and bright strings of lights that glowed beautifully against the new fallen snow. This year, there were more visitors coming to the island than ever before. More visitors meant more passenger and heavy goods trains, and a lot of coordination.
The Fat Controller realized early in the season that he needed more help with the heavy passenger traffic. The Other Railway was also busy, and it turned out there was only one engine available: a diesel.
The diesel, D261, had previously visited the island with another diesel; said diesel ended up crashing through the back of the shed, and D261 had to take him back to the Other Railway with their heavy goods train. The other engines didn't mind working with D261, and were pleased to know he was coming to help during the busy season.
I'm sorry to say, however, not all of them were pleased.
"Not again!" grumbled James one morning to the other engines. "We have enough of those stuck-up matchboxes coming our railway as it is; now, we have to share our trains with one of 'Bowler's' siblings too. Despicable!"
The other engines were cross. Even after his incident with the signal, James remained stubbornly distrusting towards diesels. Whenever a diesel would visit the island, he would glare and mutter under his breath rudely. The other engines had tried many times to make James see sense, but eventually gave up. Even Boco and Bear kept their distance when James was in a mood.
"Old Stuck-Up was a right prat, alright," admitted Henry, "but D261 wasn't too bad a bloke. And he's much more preferable than Bowler was."
"I agree," put in Duck. "They may be the same class, but at least D261 didn't swank into the yard and call us 'out of date'. And, he did make sure to keep Old Stuck-Up quiet when he took him back to the Other Railway,"
"Pah!" huffed James. "Diesels are all alike, every last one of them. They come into the yard, boasting of how they are up-to-date, only to fail and need us to come to their rescue. You can't trust those big diesels; they'll always be stuck in their ways. Well, I'll show them what it means to be a proper engine. Just you wait and see." And he puffed away, leaving the other engines to grumble in frustration.
…
D261 came the next day, albeit with some trepidation. He remembered what had happened to his colleague on their previous visit, and to his brother 'Bowler' during his visit years before. "I want to make a good impression," he spoke to his driver as he sped smoothly down the line. "I remember what happened to my brother all those years ago, back when we were all young and foolish. I want to show that I have no ill feelings towards steam engines."
"Of course," said his driver. "Don't forget, it was your brother and Old Stuck-Up who made a fool of themselves; you have nothing to be ashamed of. Just be yourself, work your hardest, and all will go well."
"I hope so," replied D261, still feeling concerned,
The Fat Controller greeted him at the big station. "Thank you for coming on such short notice. With the growth of our railway's industry and tourism, we've had more passengers this holiday season than ever before. I would like you to help with the stopping passenger service while you're here."
"Yes, sir," said D261.
"Good," said the Fat Controller. "Now, I want you to go to the junction. There, you're to pick up James' coaches to take the evening Holiday Express service."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," said D261, and he rolled away.
When he arrived at the junction, he saw James and Henry waiting with their trains. As he pulled into the station, Henry greeted him with a friendly whistle. James, however, glared at him. "I don't know why the Fat Controller needs some oily diesel like you to pull my coaches," James growled. "Especially when we proper engines would be much better suited for the task."
"Shut up, James!" said Henry, crossly. "D261 is here to help us per the Fat Controller's request. Don't forget, it was the other diesel who called us names. You can be grateful we don't have him to deal with."
"I agree," said D261. "I'm sorry to say my colleague's previous visit here did nothing to quell his attitude towards steam engines. I've tried to make him see sense, but I'm afraid he's still stuck in his ways."
"'Stuck-up' in his ways, you mean!" Henry joked. D261 laughed at this, but soon stopped upon seeing James' dark look.
"You may have fallen for his alluring, Henry," James snarled. "But I won't be outdone by some oily prat, just because some of us can't handle a bit of extra work."
D261 was hurt, and he hardly noticed Henry angry retort. James steamed away without another word.
The evening service went well. D261 made good time, and the passengers thanked him for getting them to their destination. D261, however, felt defeated. "Coming back was a mistake," he said in the shed that night. "Maybe I should just go back to the Other Railway, with the rest of my kind."
"Rubbish!" said Henry. "You did nothing wrong. Driver says you did a splendid job with the service tonight – his daughter was onboard, and she told him how grateful she was that you got her and her daughter to their destination safely."
D261 was grateful, but no less disheartened.
…
The next few evenings went much the same way, with James fuming about his coaches being pulled by a diesel. D261 kept telling himself to give it more time, but he was getting frustrated. It didn't help that James kept complaining about having to share the sheds with another diesel.
And one evening, D261 arrived at the junction station as normal. He was surprised to see that James and the coaches were nowhere to be seen. "We're right on time, and James should be too," said D261. "What's going on?"
His driver went to speak with the stationmaster. He then returned with the stationmaster, and the Fat Controller. "You just missed James," said the stationmaster. "He flew through the station without stopping. I've just received a message that he's stranded a few miles up the mainline. Please, take Sir Topham Hat to see what has happened."
"Of course, sir," said D261. The Fat Controller boarded the diesel's cab, and they raced off to the rescue. They found James sitting still on the line, looking cold and miserable. James normally stopped to take on water at the junction, and to have his snowplow checked over for any defects. But he had failed to do so, and had run dry. His snowplow had also suffered a failure, and had come off his left buffer beam. This caused him to use more water trying to keep going, and his crew had been forced to dampen his fire so he wouldn't boil dry.
The passengers were gathered around James' cab, telling him what a bed engine he was. The Fat Controller was cross too. "James, it was very reckless of you to speed past the junction," he scolded. "Not only did you run out of water, but your passengers will now miss their final connections to the evening festivities. It was fortunate that someone alerted us to what had happened, otherwise you and your passengers would've been stranded out here until the return train later tonight."
"I-I-I'm s-s-sorry, s-sir," James stammered, his face red from the cold wind.
"Why did you not stop?" the Fat Controller continued.
For a few moments, James didn't speak. He looked down at his buffers in embarrassment. "I-I didn't want to leave my coaches with that diesel anymore. sir. I thought that if I could take my coaches all the way to the-the final destination, then may-maybe, you would send him away. So, I decided to take the passengers all the way to the festivities myself."
The Fat Controller was livid.
"Not only am I disappointed in your lack of judgment," he thundered. "I am horrified that you would let your opinion of diesels get in the way of your duty to get your passengers to their destination safely. The tourism company will have to refund these passengers their tickets, and we will have to get them safely back to their homes. I am very, very disappointed with you, James."
James said nothing, and glanced down at his buffers in disgrace.
Then, the Fat Controller turned to D261. "I know it's late, but may I ask you to take these passengers back to the big station?"
"Of course, sir," said D261, determinedly. "The passengers are urgent."
And so, it was arranged. D261 traced James' route back up the mainline, and brought the passengers to the big station. There, the Fat Controller called the hospital to send a doctor to check the passengers over for colds and frostbite. A nearby Bistro provided soup and hot drinks, and a local church choir sang carols as a light snow fell down from the skies. The passengers made sure to thank D261 for getting them back safely before leaving for their homes.
For the next few weeks, D261 was busy taking the holiday passenger service up and down the mainline. He kept to time, and was always courteous towards the coaches and passengers. He was well liked by the other engines, and even made friends with Gordon and Duck.
Soon, the Christmas and New Year's crowds started dying down, and it was time for D261 to return to the Other Railway. "Thank you for your hard work," said the Fat Controller. "You've certainly been much more dependable than some of my engines," he glared towards a certain red engine, who merely lowered his eyes in shame.
"I know we've had issues with some of the last few diesels we've had here," the Fat controller continued. "However, you've proven to be a hard worker, and a valuable member of your railway. I'll be sure to send your controller my highest recommendations."
D261 was relieved. He had put his best buffer forward, had been himself, and was rewarded. He started out of the station to a chorus of friendly whistles and toots from the other engines.
"Come back to visit soon!" they called to him.
"I will," said D261, and he rolled away towards the mainland.
…
James, on the other hand, was in disgrace. The Fat Controller had given him limited privileges until he could be trusted again.
"You just can't trust those big, red steam engines," came a voice from no one in particular. "They are all alike, every last one of them. Hardly what you would call proper engines."
All James could do was close his eyes, and pretend no one else was there.
{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}
Phew! This was a heck of a chapter to write. Trying to make it my own while keeping some of the original plot and material included in the final version. Here's hoping the next chapter will turn out just as well.
Until then, please read and review.