Edward relaxed in Number 2's tender as he lazily flipped through the newspaper. Braked at Lower Suddery he waited patiently for the Guard's whistle that would allow him to begin his two o'clock up the branchline. While an article about dieselization held his rapt attention, he couldn't help but lift his head as he heard the familiar 'brep brep' of the bus service arrive at the platform's edge.
Edward was about to return to his article when his friend Bertie emerged from the cab of his bus seething in every movement. The short man kicked a stray can on the ground directly in the direction of the railbeds, the aluminum pinged off a sleeper and twirled elegantly into the thrush on the opposite side of the line. Edward folded his paper and took out his blue handkerchief as he walked over toward the man, dabbing his forehead from the accumulating condensation from the unusually hot late autumn sun.
"That's still technically littering Bertie."
Bertie spun on the spot, fists clenched for combat until he realized who had approached. Tension leaving his body, his shoulders sagged giving the demeanor of sheer defeat.
"Oh. Hi Edward. Going alright?"
"Better than you by the looks of it. What's going on?"
Bertie put his fingers to his temples and took a deep breath before massaging his migraine's pressure points.
"Where do I even begin? Our depot foreman is so cheap that we can't upkeep our vehicles, yet he expects us to compete with the railway rather than work with it. Not to mention offering no overtime. I'm tired, Edward. We've had three drivers quit this week and most of my union is talking about going on strike. I'm just trying to pay my bills, but the extra routes are running me ragged."
Bertie had paced through the entirety of his speech, his gestures becoming more manic with each about-face. Edward sympathized and put out a forceful but kind hand to Bertie's shoulder and stymied his panicked momentum.
"I heard on the radio yesterday that there was a breakdown on the coast, I never imagined how extenuating the circumstances were. How can I help? What can I do to support you?"
"Have a spare tenner to help me pay for my electricity?"
"How about a sandwich from the station cafe?"
"Better than nothing." Bertie grinned feebly as Edward threw and arm around his shoulder and marched him to the platform.
Gordon yawned contently as he pulled Number 4 smoothly to a standstill at Knapford's Platform 1. Getting the signal from the guard he stepped off the footplate into the large domed station, stretching to the sky as he heard every vertebrae in the spine crack from the tension being ebbed out. He instinctively looked to the large mounted clock on the support column before hearing a familiar voice call to him.
"Goodness Gordon you sure are early!"
Sir Topham Hatt stepped from the doorway of his office and met Gordon in a hearty handshake.
"We made good time, sir. No less from the express."
"Yes indeed. Both you and Rebecca have been a major draw for the railway. A job well done."
Gordon allowed himself a prideful smile as he felt his chest swell in triumph.
"Gordon I did wonder, considering there's a few minutes before your next departure, might I have a word with you in my office?"
The tone remained friendly, but the wording alone was enough for Gordon's blood to run cold at the expectation. Mentally shaking himself, he responded quickly.
"Of course sir. Lead the way."
Percy circled Number 6 in its berth at Tidmouth sheds. He was doing his initial inspections before setting off for his late day jobs and was hearing a faint hiss that seemed unfamiliar. Getting down on all fours, he peered up into the chassis of the saddle tank.
"Lose something Percy?"
A loud 'thunk' echoed through the shed as Percy wapped his head against the side rod in surprise.
"OOOOooOOOoh." He wailed, clutching the sore spot, tears brimming in his eyes from the impact.
"Gracious Percy, I'm sorry! I thought you knew I was here!"
As Percy's vision was restored, he looked up at the blurred outline of what could only be Thomas. Number 1 was the only other engine in the sheds so it made sense he would be here too.
"I didn't see you when I came in! I thought I was alone!"
"What were you doing…?"
"I'm not on trial here!" Percy roared as he propped himself on one of the drive wheels to stand. "I heard a hissing noise and was just trying to see where it was coming from!"
He rubbed the growing lump on his head as Thomas chuckled lightly.
"Percy, that must have been me using the air compressor. I was cleaning out Number 1's smokebox!"
"Well you could have told me!"
"I didn't see you either!"
"Well… then… I guess…"
"I guess we both need hearing aids." Thomas joked, getting a slight smile from his friend.
"Thomas, why are you at the sheds so late anyway?"
Thomas scratched his cheek as puzzlement filled his face.
"I thought The Controller told you? I'm helping with the goods trains tonight. The Kipper is due and since…. Well you know… someone had to take it…."
Both fell silent as the elephant in the room became harder to ignore.
"Maybe I'll see you while I'm delivering the mail!" Percy changed the subject.
"That'd be a treat. It's strange running at night. The quiet, the darkness. So different from a day on the railway."
"That's partly why I like it. It's as if I'm in a completely different world. Just me and Number 6 exploring the world."
The two hyped each other up for their evening adventures as the late afternoon sun began to wane.
"Have a seat Gordon."
Gordon sat in the leather bound, carved chair reserved for visitors of Sir Topham Hatt. The man himself resuming his spot behind his dark elegant desk.
"I won't waste your time, so please forgive my blunt intrusion."
Gordon waved it off as he retained eye contact with The controller.
"It is undeniable that we are in a predicament. Since the loss of our predominant heavy goods engine we've been diverting multiple engines at a time to cover the work. This has been detrimental to our productivity on the industry end of things and something has to change."
Gordon's heart sank. He had found complete euphoria in his new express dynamic only to have it ripped away from him again. His shoulders fell as he sighed a reluctant, "I know sir."
"So that's why I wanted to gauge your feelings on trialing another diesel on the island. A newly overhauled Diesel-electric has been listed for purchasing and I'm tempted to give it a try. However I don't want to disrespect our team and hope that they'll see the gesture for the help that it's meant to be."
Gordon sat bemused. His emotions turbulent as he reprocessed the information and rescinded the projection that he was being demoted. His confusion was evident on his face as Sir Topham Hatt prompted him again.
"Gordon, do you think it will be received well?"
Gordon blinked several times before chewing his tongue in thought, picking his words carefully.
"What I think sir… Is that we should arrange a chance for the new driver of the Diesel to meet the team. The… problem… last time wasn't so much the Class 08 itself, but the individual trialing it."
"So if I give you all a chance to gauge the personality of the diesel's operator then we could proceed without revolt?"
"I believe so sir." Gordon replied in earnest, but something seemed off. He chose to address it.
"Sir, you could just go ahead with the purchase yourself. You ARE The Controller after all. Why take into account our opinions?"
Sir Topham Hatt folded his hands across his desk and sighed wearily as he locked his gaze on Gordon.
"Because I value my employees. Between us alone, I'm having a terrible time negotiating terms with the Bussing services director. I dislike meeting at the depot, the descent present from his staff is unsettling. I hope my own crew never sees me the way they see him. That is my honest reasoning Gordon."
Gordons was in awe of The Controller. He never viewed Sir Topham Hatt as a threat, but always an authority figure first and a friend second. The respect he held for the Railway's owner before him filled him with pride all over again.
"While I can't speak for everyone sir, I would like to tell you that your consideration means the world to us."
"I know."
"Yeh shunted it too hard!"
"I didnae! You were too close to the back of the traihn!"
The Scottish twins shouted furiously at one another as they scrambled to catch the stream of leaking salt by hand.
Rosie sat on the bay platform at the docks in utter shock. Unable to believe what she had just witnessed.
Both Engines 9 and 10, from opposite ends of a long train of salt wagons, backed down at full speed without any communication between their drivers. As if synchronized, the tenders of each smashed into the wagons, putting so much pressure on the middle wagon that the wheel frame buckled and popped open the loading gate. This caused the entirety of the salty contents inside to come flooding out onto the exposed dockside, ruining the product as a whole. Yet, each twin had come running to the avalanche of salt and was now attempting to shovel the granules back into the wagon. Of course it all just continued to spill out.
Rosie knew she could easily go help. Just close the gate. That's all it would take to stop the pouring salt from escaping. Yet there was something transfixing about watching these two men manically throwing raw salt to no avail.
"I wish I didnae even have a twin!"
"Meh too! 'Cause then I wouldnae have to bother with yeh!"
Rosie caught her tongue between her teeth as she tried to hold in her laughter. The mountain of salt growing exponentially by the minute.
Exposition and shenanigans galore! It feels nice to have a new trajectory for a story to tell. Hoping to ensure every character gets to have some spotlight in these first chapters as I flesh out my plot points.
Thank you so much to Kudo Yuichi, FurryFoxFires, and Scrubb1910 for their continued commentary on my stories. Writing for an audience is incredibly fun and y'all are so uplifting and encouraging. In the words of Gordon, "It means the world."
As Always thank you so so much for reading. -REN