[Don't mind me. I'm just a line bump]

Cats and Controls

Written by TheRedJinty and Broa Island

Based off the Steven Universe episode "Cat Fingers" by Kat Morris

Isle of Sodor: 1924

It was a cold, but sunny afternoon. Preston had been parked on a siding outside Tidmouth Station while his driver went to the station café for lunch. Although Preston was one of the more professional engines on the NWR, he was feeling rather restless that day and was eager to get moving again. Now, Sentient vehicles could move on their own, but considering the fact that none of them had opposable thumbs, moving without a human crew would practically be suicide.

Preston was becoming impatient. "Where is he?" he wondered, "I'm glad I don't need cafés, that place looks packed!"

Just then, the door of the station office flung open and a black cat darted out onto the platform, followed by a lanky figure.

"Go on, shoo! I'm trying to work!" the stationmaster said.

"Oh, come on Lars," said a porter, "he's just a stray. Do you have a problem with cats?"

"I don't have a problem with cats, but I have a problem with the ones that make a mess of my office when I'm trying to work!" grumbled the stationmaster, shutting the door behind him.

"Excuse me, but what was all that?" Preston's fireman enquired. The porter rolled his eyes.

"Just Lars being a grump again. He's annoyed about a stray cat that's been hanging around the station lately. Some of the lads and I call him Lion."

"Odd name," murmured Preston, "but fitting. He is a cat after all." It was then that Lion nuzzled the porter's leg, who picked up the feline.

"Sometimes he causes trouble when he runs around on his own, I'm afraid. He just seems to go wherever the little rascal wants."

The porter carefully set Lion back down on the ground. As he scurried away, the cat stopped and stared at Preston. The D1 looked down at Lion, "At least you don't have to wait for a driver, my friend," he chuckled.

As the porter returned to work, Preston's driver came out of the café at last, saying goodbye to the refreshment lady as he returned to his engine. With both driver and fireman accounted for, Preston puffed away. But I'm sorry to say that the idea of roaming alone clouded his smokebox.

Later that day, Henry was taken ill, and Preston was called in to take his evening passenger service. He met Thomas at the junction.

"Hey kid," he asked, "have you ever wondered what it would be like to run crewless? Like… full time?"

Thomas was shocked, "Absolutely not! I've gone crewless a few times, but only when shunting! I'll never dream of going on the main line without my driver, do you have a death wish or something?!" Before Thomas could add that he meant no offense, the guard blew his whistle and the E2 hurried out of the station, Annie and Clarabel clattering along behind him.

Preston was rather insulted by Thomas' 'death wish' comment. "What does he know?" he muttered as he pulled out of the station. "I'll show him. I'll show him."

Thankfully, some form of common sense was able to cling onto Preston's smokebox the next day. He was given several opportunities to leave his driver and fireman behind, but he resisted the urge to do so every single time. However, said urge was growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment. His driver and fireman could sense something was up with their engine, as did the other engines.

"What the fuzz is up with Preston?" observed Ruby.

It was Thomas who answered the Aspinall. "He's suddenly got this obsession about running crewless full time."

"Well, it's his funeral," Cecil put in. For once in their lives, Thomas and Ruby had to agree with the NER S3.

That night was when it happened. Preston's driver had once again stopped his engine at Tidmouth, and both he and the fireman walked off to the café to pick up dinner. Preston sighed; he knew this meant a long chat with the refreshment lady. He was drowsy from a hard day's work and felt his eyelids get heavier and heavier. Finally, the tank engine drifted off to sleep.

Unbeknownst to Preston, Lion was walking about on the platform, looking for a spot to sleep. Curiously, he peered into Preston's cab. He'd never seen a room like this before. The feline hopped inside to investigate. It was a chilly night, and it was rather warm inside. Content with this new room, Lion snuggled himself up by the pile of coals from the bunker.

At last, Preston's crew returned. "Alright old boy, time to head home," said the driver.

Preston just opened a sleepy eye and yawned.

Preston began to make his way to Tidmouth Sheds. Lion was awoken by the jolt and the noise, but it was too late now. He didn't mind though, after all, the cab was better than under a bench on the cold platform. Lion stayed put. Because of his dark fur, neither the driver nor fireman noticed him by the coals.

Preston backed into the berth between Gordon and Yang (the latter snoring loudly as usual), and after his driver had left, both engine and stowaway drifted off to sleep once again.

Early next morning, the firelighter came and began building Preston's fire. Preston was still asleep. Now, Sentient steam engines could start and put out their own fires, but firelighters were still needed to give them that extra kick in the hours of the early morning. He was ready to put a few lumps of coal into the firebox. He picked up the shovel and scooped some up. The top lump opened its eyes and hissed at him!

The firelighter nearly jumped out of his skin! In doing so, his arm knocked Preston's regulator wide open. Lion leapt out of the cab and darted out of the shed.

"Strays…" muttered the firelighter and went back to work... but he never closed the regulator.

It was dawn when Preston awoke, now making plenty of steam. The glow of the morning sun illuminated through the shed.

The turntable was directed at Preston's berth, which continued onto the track which led to the main line. The D1 didn't notice anything out of the ordinary as he rolled onto the turntable. He heard the sound footsteps crushing the gravel by the shed.

"Morning Harry," Preston said to his driver, "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday. I was just in a bit of a bad-"

"PRESTON?!"

Preston looked to the direction of the cry, which was now followed by frantic shouts. There, staring at the brown tank engine, was his crew!

It was then that Preston realized that he couldn't stop, and he was heading straight towards the main line!

"Well shit," said Preston in a monotone voice.

Preston whistled long and loud, the noise knocked the other engines out of their slumber. At first, they were utterly livid to be woken up so early, but once they got a grip on the situation at hand, they couldn't be cross. Preston tried everything he could to try and stop himself, but as his regulator wasn't in neutral, all of his efforts were in vain!

"SET THE TRAP POINTS!" Preston's driver screamed at the signal box! Inside the box, there was a groaning sound followed by a loud CRACK!

The signalman came out onto the box's balcony. "Hey, uh boss, funny story, the leaver broke," he said, the remnants of a broken points switch in hand! The driver and fireman's jaws dropped!

Preston rolled helplessly towards the main line. "Help!" he called, "Someone stop me! Help!" There were no trains in sight, but the D1 knew that this wouldn't be the case for long. Even if it was deserted, once Preston made it onto the main line, he'd be doomed! The frighten tank engine shut his eyes tightly!

Suddenly, Preston felt the steam to his cylinders stop and his brakes come on. With a deafening WHOOSH!, he stopped just clear of the main line!

Preston was very relieved, but also rather confused. "H- How did I…?"

"It's a good thing I was coming to visit the sheds this morning," boomed a familiar voice. Preston, his driver, and his fireman were surprised to see the Fat Director climb down from Preston's footplate. "I saw that little excursion of yours and came running," explained Sir Topham Hatt. "What happened here today couldn't have been your fault Preston, but I hope you've learned how important you crew really is, even to a Sentient like you."

"Yes sir…" sighed Preston, who was quite shaken-up by the whole affair.

The cause of the trap points' failure was found to be a stiff leaver and the fact that the signalman didn't know his own strength. The firelighter, while also not to blame for the incident, was given two months of community service for his carelessness. Most of the engines gave Preston their sympathy, but as usual, 98462 and 87546 thought it a great joke.

Thomas didn't give Preston any grief unlike 98462 and 87546, but he didn't give him sympathy either. "Don't say I didn't warn you," the E2 said to the D1 the first time they met after the runaway.

Lion still hangs around the station, and sometimes Preston still envies his freedom... but from that day to this, Preston has never talked about going "driverless" again!

Decades later, Thomas would get his comeuppance for his unsympathetic behavior, involving a careless cleaner and a stationmaster's house. But I think you already know the story.