A TALE OF TWO RAILCARS

Based upon "Engine of the Future" by Andrew Brenner

Adapted by Zack Wanzer and Rachel Ravens

One summer afternoon, Dennis was pulling into Crovan's Gate station with some trucks from Vicarstown. Sir Handel was on the narrow gauge platform with Gertrude and Millicent.

"Just in time, Dennis." Sir Handel had a slight smirk on his face. "For a moment, I thought you overslept again."

"If not for Connor whooshing past my shed, I would have gotten a proper rest," Dennis grunted.

"Sounds lak he's keepin' ye in check." Duncan came up with some trucks of his own. Before Dennis could say anything else, something long and silver whooshed right through the station, taking everyone by surprise!

"Grease and oil!" exclaimed Dennis. "Who was that?!"

"I don't know," said Millicent. "Maybe it was a plane without wings."

"Oh, don't be silly, sis," Gertrude remarked. "Whoever heard of a plane like that?"

Further up the main line, Caitlin was passing through Maron station with a train of visitors to Ulfstead Castle.

"Nothing like a good run to stretch my wheels!" she grinned. She whistled to Gordon as he passed in the opposite direction. Suddenly, both engines saw something else whoosh by!

"Whoa!" they cried.

"What in the Great Railway's name was that?" asked Gordon.

"I'm not sure," said Caitlin. "Whatever it was, it was heading for Ulfstead."

At the Ulfstead Estate Railway, Millie was waiting for Caitlin to bring her passengers for a tour around the castle.

"Bonjour, Ca… oh," she trailed off in surprise. "You are not Caitlin."

Instead of the fuschia streamlined engine, the arrival in question was painted silver with a two-tone blue strip beneath his windows and a thin blue stripe above them. He also had four blue wheels and on the sides of his cab were a pair of blue nameplates reading "Hugo" in white. Perhaps the most unusual feature of Hugo was that he had a giant propeller on his back.

"Great Scott!" exclaimed Sir Robert Norramby as he walked up to the new arrival. "Hello there… Hugo. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Guten tag, sir," Hugo replied. "I am a vail zeppelin. My driver has been thinking you vould like to see me."

"Franz!" cried the Earl; out of Hugo's cab stepped a man in a white suit with blond hair, a gray vest, brown gloves and goggles on his head. "Oh, hello! What a surprise." The two men smiled as they hugged.

"You know each other, sir?" asked Millie.

The Earl nodded. "I met Franz on my travels to Germany."

"Ho ho! Indeed, ve have," said Franz. "I just knew you vould like meeting Hugo. I heard vun of his friends came to Sodor long ago."

"Oh, ja," said Hugo. "Marklin said she had a lot of friends here… but I don't vemember hearing about a tank engine of your description."

"Oh, zat's not really surprising," said Millie. "I was far off from ze main line, where Marklin was working at ze time; Edward told me."

While the two engines were talking, Caitlin had finally steamed into the station when she noticed Hugo.

"Hey, were you that big silver thing that sped past me and Gordon on the main line?" she asked.

"Ja, zat vus me," said Hugo. "Sorry if I surprised you back zere." He and Caitlin quickly introduced themselves to each other; the latter's passengers were surprised to see the former, having never seen an engine like Hugo before.

"Is it okay if we took a ride on you?" asked one of them.

"Of course," smiled Hugo. "Hop aboard."

"I wouldn't mind taking a spin myself," said the Earl. "Millie, I'll be back soon. Any questions, you and Stephen ask the groundskeeper."

"Velcome aboard, old friend," smiled Franz. He hopped back into Hugo's cab as the Earl and passengers boarded Hugo.

"No doubt this will spread like wildfire," said Caitlin to herself.

And it did.

"An engine with a propeller on his back?" James was asking. "How could he even pull trucks or coaches?"

"Who knows?" wondered Connor. "I mean, even Caitlin and I can pull rolling stock despite not having any front couplings."

"A propeller?" asked Philip, rolling in with some trucks. "Are you sure Hugo's not a plane?"

"You're starting to sound like Millicent," muttered James. "But yes, he's got one on his back."

"Oh, wow!" exclaimed Philip. "Wait, is that actually safe for passengers?"

"Now you mention it," said Henry, "that is a safety concern…"

Just then, the engines heard a tooting noise, and Hugo pulled into the station.

"Now, what's going on out– oh! Oh my!" cried Sir Topham Hatt. "Uh… my hat! Where's my hat?!" Just then, he heard a barking noise, and a little Dalmatian puppy had grabbed onto it.

"Dolly, no!" Bridget snapped, trying to get Dolly to stay still. "Sorry, dad!"

"Oh, Dolly!" Sir Topham Hatt chuckled, retrieving his hat again from the puppy. "That's not a frisbee, you know." He turned to his daughter. "It's alright, Bridget. No harm done."

"Sorry about your hat, sir," Hugo called. "Zat happens sometimes when I pull into stations."

"So I noticed," remarked Sir Topham Hatt. "You must be this Hugo I've heard about. I must say, I wasn't expecting an engine like you to show up on the railway."

"Oh, I'm a vail zeppelin, sir," explained Hugo. "I vus sent here on loan from Germany to help with ze summer rush."

"There's a lot of passengers going up to Harwick beach at this time of year," said Sir Topham Hatt. "If you don't mind helping Ryan and Daisy, that would be great."

"Oh, ja, sir!" beamed Hugo. "No trouble at all."

"Mind how you go with Daisy," warned Connor. "She could be trouble."

Soon, Hugo had stopped at Arlesburgh junction to pick up some passengers.

"Wow!" called one of the passengers. "This engine looks really cool!"

"Last one aboard is a rotten egg!" called a child to his sister.

Hugo blushed shyly. "Er… danke, everyone." Just then, Daisy the diesel railcar rolled in. She was surprised when she caught sight of the rail zeppelin.

"A-another diesel railcar?!" she cried.

"'Vail zeppelin', actually," corrected Hugo. "You vouldn't happen to be zis 'Daisy' I heard about?"

"That's moi, alright," said Daisy. "I thought that I was the only engine here who could take passengers without a coach."

"Vell, now you can have a partner in zat vegard," said Hugo. "Vouldn't zat be fun?" He meant this genuinely, but Daisy secretly thought that Hugo was out to replace her. Without another word, she rolled away, much to his surprise and confusion.

"Vus it something I said…?"

That night, Daisy was still upset about Hugo.

"I don't believe this!" she fumed. "Barely on this branch line for a year and now I'm being replaced!"

"Replaced?" asked Ryan. "Whatever for, Daisy?"

"By that… diesel railcar with the propeller!"

"You mean Hugo?" asked Ryan. "Come now, Daisy. He's not out to replace you. He's just here to lend a buffer with the passengers."

"Easy for you to say, Ryan," sniffed Daisy. "These days, steam engines are being preserved left and right. Now… it seems we diesels are falling to the wayside. Stephen said that once the age of steam came, the horses weren't used for the railways anymore. And… it's happening all over again!"

Just then, the two engines could see Hugo rolling up to the sheds.

"Guten abend, Vyan und Daisy," he greeted. "Is it alvight vith everyvun if I slept here for ze night?"

"You can sleep in my berth for the night," Ryan offered. "I'm helping Percy and Oliver with the mail tonight. Thomas is doing odd jobs for Amanda while she's on overhaul."

"Danke, Ryan," smiled Hugo. As Ryan steamed away, Daisy just rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I'll show him…" she grunted to herself. "I'll prove I'm not worth replacing! I'm the only diesel railcar on the island!"

The following morning, Daisy was the first to wake up. She quickly headed to Arlesburgh to pick up her passengers.

"Got to show him, got to show him…" muttered Daisy.

"Show who? Me?" asked Bert, as he came up with his own train. "Okay, what is it you need to show me?"

"Not you, Bert," snorted Daisy. "It's that Hugo; there's room for only one railcar on Sodor, and that's moi."

"Well, Donald did tell me about Selina and Kyle from the Peel Godred branch," Bert said. "So, isn't there already more than one railcar?"

"They're an electric multiple unit," insisted Daisy. "That's different. Besides, they're confined to one branch line. I can go on any line I need to!"

Once her passengers were on board, Daisy flounced away.

"Well… suit yourself," shrugged Bert.

Daisy kept good timing as she took her passengers to their destinations. However, her driver was beginning to grow concerned about her rushing about.

"We haven't stopped for fuel all morning, Daisy," he cautioned. "At your next stop, I'd advise you to do so."

"My tanks are fine," she said quickly. "Don't fuss. You're starting to sound like Ryan."

"Don't say I didn't warn you…" muttered the driver.

On another run to Harwick beach, Daisy still hadn't let up. And unfortunately, she started to slow down.

"Ugh!" she groaned. "Come on! Harwick beach isn't that far away…"

And without fully realizing what happened, Daisy ground to a halt.

"Oh, what a catastrophe!" cried Daisy. "Why me?!"

"Weel, that's a way tae git stuck," chuckled a voice. Daisy glanced over to see Donald with a goods train.

"It's not funny, Donald!" Daisy retorted. "My passengers are stranded and I'm out of fuel."

"An' whose fault is 'at, then?" smirked Donald. He steamed away, hoping to tell the other Little Western engines about the mishap.

"Ugh…" moaned Daisy. "Isn't anyone going to help moi?"

"I'll phone for help," sighed Sally – Lily and Patch's daughter – as she rushed back to the nearest phone box.

Down at the Arlesburgh Maritime Museum, Ryan and Hugo were having a rest.

"Don't worry about Daisy, Hugo," said Ryan. "Deep down, she really is a good sort."

"It's hard to see zat," sighed Hugo, "with ze way she keeps on snapping und muttering things about me."

"You have to forgive her," said a third voice; Hugo looked around in surprise. "She's only been on the branch for about a year."

"Uh… Vyan…" Hugo blinked. "I think I'm going crazy because… zat museum building is talking to me!"

Ryan just laughed. "No, Hugo. It's not the building; it's an engine inside the building."

"That's correct," said the other voice. "My name's Tim; I'm a former Mid-Sodor engine."

"Veally?" gasped Hugo. "Vhat's 'Mid-Sodor'?"

"Well, it's a railway that ran long before the Arlesdale Railway did," said Tim. "I was there in 1914. It was… not a good time."

"I know vhat you mean," sighed Hugo. "My first driver vus telling me zat–"

Before Hugo could explain any further, the harbormaster came running up to him.

"Daisy's run out of fuel," he explained. "Could you go and rescue her passengers, Hugo?"

"Of course I can," Hugo replied. "Vyan, I'll need your help to vescue Daisy."

"I'm on it," the purple engine smiled. "Tim, we'll be right back!"

"You always are," he chuckled.

Meanwhile, Daisy was still feeling rather sorry for herself.

"Oh, now Hugo will definitely replace me on the branch line…" she sighed to herself. "He didn't run out of fuel like me."

"Veplace you?!"

Daisy glanced up in shock. "Er… yes…" she trailed. "I mean, with that propeller of yours, you go really fast, Hugo. And the passengers really like you. You're really modern and up-to-date…"

"'Modern?' 'Up-to-date'? Me?!" gasped Hugo; then he started laughing. "Oh, nein, nein, nein, Daisy. I vus built in 1929. Vell before your time, I'm sure."

Daisy looked at Hugo with a gobsmacked expression. "Some of the steam engines on the island weren't even built before that year," she gasped. "I didn't know diesel technology was around as early as the 1920s."

"Indeed it vus," said Hugo. "Und, even if I did come to 'veplace' you… I vouldn't be much good on ze branch line. My propeller can cause a stir if I come into stations too quickly, und I can't pull coaches or trucks."

"I… I didn't think of that," gasped Daisy. "I'm… I'm really sorry for misjudging you, Hugo."

"It's alvight, Daisy," replied Hugo. "Ve can let zis fall behind us. Now… how about ve get you vefueled so ve can take ze passengers down ze branch together?"

Daisy grinned. "Of course, Hugo!"

For the rest of the summer, Daisy really enjoyed having Hugo around.

"Double the passengers, double the fun," she giggled.

"Vait for me!" called Hugo as he sped down the track. Donald and Duck traded bemused glances.

"I thought you said she didn't like having Hugo around," Duck blinked.

"Search me," was all Donald could say. Hugo came into Arlesburgh Maritime Museum so fast, he forgot to turn his propeller off.

"Oh dear; sorry, everyvun!" he cried. He quickly did so, but not before a poster went flying onto his cab door.

"Hmm…" Franz got out to show Hugo the poster. "Vhat do you suppose zis is…"

"Ze Great Vailway Show…" Hugo read in astonishment. "Und it's coming to ze United Kingdom…"

THE END?

Author's Comments

Has it been over a year since we last did a rewrite on any episode from Series 17-21? Wow! Given the amount of focus that went into doing a redux of the classic series, as well as Between the Lines: Set 2, this subsection of the SeventyVerse seems to have been pushed to the sidelines. But I'm hoping that we'll get back to doing standalone rewrites like these soon in the near future, just to mix things up. Anyway, Engine of the Future, possibly one of the more frustrating episodes out of Series 20; it's pretty ironic how fans call it the peak of the Brenner era, yet it was the season where Andrew Brenner's writing (not counting the Arlesdale trilogy; they're adaptations) was at its worst. And this episode was where the "engines fear about the worst case scenario" storyline reached its nadir, not helping was that it was coupled with the "newbie gets ostracized and has to prove themselves" storyline, and with Hugo being one of the worst written characters of the show, it makes for a miserable viewing experience. It's a shame, because Hugo, what with his unique design, could've been a great character. Instead, he disappeared after Series 20, making his presence feel pointless. Not this time around, for we're actually going to do something with him in the SeventyVerse, however brief it'll be. Pairing Hugo with Daisy felt like a more sensible option given that she'd be more likely to feel threatened about being replaced, only to turn out that Hugo is actually older than her, which I think makes for a nice little reversal. Plus, the ending hints at a rewrite of a certain special I've been meaning to do for a while.

Next up: The Great Railway Show!