A/N Duncan's the next narrow-gauge death, I decided. Duncan's somewhat of a narrow-gauge Gordon to me, rude and grumpy, but still has friends.
Thomas was shunting another engine to the Steamworks and saw his narrow-gauge friends gathered there.
Duncan's controller and crew came out of the Steamworks. His crew sniffed and sobbed into handkerchiefs.
Mr. Percival pulled out a handkerchief himself and, wiping his eyes, said, "Duncan's died from being very ill."
The narrow-gauge engines and Thomas began to cry at this news. The narrow-gauge engines buffer pressed amongst themselves. Edward, who was collecting some engine parts to take to the scrapyard, gave Thomas a buffer press as well. Their drivers also comforted the crying engines.
Thomas, sobbing and sniffling, gave a tearful speech as his driver pressed a cloth to his eyes.
The tank engine said in a shaky, sob-filled voice, "D-Duncan w-was v-very gr-grumpy a-and r-rude, b-but h-he h-had a-a g-good h-heart. H-He w-was a-a R-Really U-Useful E-Engine. H-He's g-gone t-to Th-The B-Big R-Railway I-In th-the Sk-Sky. W-We sh-shall m-miss h-him a-and th-that's a-all r-right, b-but w-we m-must c-caryy o-on a-and b-be R-Really U-Useful E-Engines.". He sobbed and sobbed until his emotions were spent.
The Skarloey Railway was closed to allow the little engines time to grieve and have a memorial service for Duncan. Thomas was also allowed to go, with Edward going just to buffer press. Thomas and his narrow-gauge friends, especially the more emotional ones, shed a great many tears with their respective drivers comforting them.
The railway reopened and Chris replaced Duncan. He was quiet, very practical, always willing to help in those sorts of ways and very cheeky. He often sang as he worked. His old railway was dieselizing, so when he heard about Sodor, a steam haven if you were a Really Useful Engine, he wanted to come. The first time he shed big tears, his driver told him why his eyes were watery and said "There, there Chris. Let it all out." as he dried his tears with a cloth.
Chris found friends on his new railway as he went on with his Sodor engine life.
A/N Respect my Thomasverse.