Spiteful Gesture

Based on the story by MainlandStudios

[The scene opens with a panoramic shot of Maple Station as the town can be seen in the background]

[In the foreground; Emily is on the left platform with her coaches waiting for passengers to board the train. Such passengers include; Pongo, Perdita, Pepper, Freckles, Mordecai, Rigby, Pearl, Amethyst, Garnet, and Aladdin]

[Opposite on the right platform; Gordon rushes by with the Express for Evergreen while on the platform, the Heeler family are sitting on a bench. Also, in the background of the station yard, Edward is resting in the shed]

[Bingo and Chilli are looking at the schedule while Bandit is resting his arms behind his back. He then looks over at Bluey and notices her reading a book she brought along]

Bandit: Nice read there, kiddo?

Bluey: Huh? Oh yeah, it's a very good book…but, I'm curious about this picture.

Bandit: Picture? Of what?

Bluey: This one.

[Bluey shows her father the first illustration of "The Three Railway Engines", depicting six engines in a shed. Bluey points to each engine as she speaks]

Bluey: I know this one's Edward on the left, Gordon's next to him, and I think that's Henry on the right…but who are these three?

[Bandit takes a closer look at the picture, focusing on three random engines in between the aforementioned trio; two blue and one red]

Bandit: …Huh, ya' know, I don't think I know who those are. Are they named in the book?

Bluey: No, I don't think they're in any of the others. I wonder who they are…

[At that moment, Bingo and Chilli walk up to the blue heelers]

Chilli: Alright, the next train's due out in half an hour, so we'll be here for a while.

Bluey: Hmmm…mum?

Chilli: Yes?

Bluey: Do you think there's someone who might know the mystery to this picture?

Chilli: Mystery?

Bandit: She wants to know who these three randos are in this book.

Chilli: I see…well, I don't know, Bluey, maybe it's just a creative choice. Nothing much to it.

Bingo: Wait! I've got an idea!

Bluey: What is it, Bingo?

Bingo: Why don't we ask him?

[Bingo points through the station's open corridor, right at Edward in the shed, still dozing peacefully]

Bluey: Oh, yeah! Can we, mum?! Please?!

Chilli: Okay, you two, but only if he wants to. Please don't disturb him.

Bluey: Don't worry, we won't. C'mon, Bingo!

[Bingo giggles as she runs after her sister]

Chilli: And don't be too long! We have a connection coming soon!

Bandit: Aaaaaaaaah…I'm sure it won't take long, who knows, I might get somethin' outta the old chooch. Ya' comin'?

Chilli: …Well, of course I'm not gettin' left out of your shenanigans.

[The adult heelers follow their children as the scene cuts to Edward snoozing, a gentle "hmmmmm…choooooo" emitting from him before he smacks his lips and sighs, his eyes still closed]

Edward: Aaaaaaah…nearly time to get the next train ready…

Bluey: [off-screen] Hi, Edward!

[Edward slightly jumps at this and his eyes open at once]

Edward: SNK! Guh-uh, what?! Wha…oh, it's just you, Bluey. And hello to you too, Bingo.

Bluey: Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up.

Edward: Oh, never mind, ma' dear. I was waking up anyway…is there something I can help you with?

Bingo: Bluey wanted to ask you a question about a book.

Edward: Is that so? Well, I'm good at giving answers.

Bluey: It's about this picture in your first book…

[Bluey opens the book to the first illustration]

Bluey: Who are these engines next to you, Gordon, and Henry?

Edward: Oh, those engines? Why, it's been a long time since I thought of them…well, back in those days, we had engines on trial to see if they would become part of the railway.

Bingo: Ooooooooh.

Edward: As for those three engines…well, let's just say, the reason they weren't seen again is because they were very rude. Not just to me, but to everyone else…it's a bit of a tale, if you're interested.

Bluey: Oh, yes, please!

[Edward smiles at this]

Edward: Well, in that case, the story begins long ago…you see, it was just after I had pulled my passenger train in ages…

[We transition back in time to the 1920s with the aesthetic of the 1980s to fit with the first model season of the original show. Edward comes onto the scene passing by the pond runby with a set of green and cream coaches]

"It had been a few weeks since I had come out of the shed and put back into regular service. As such, I was now working on the mainline, with the engines giving their support…for the most part."

[Transition to Edward going through a tunnel, passing by Henry on the opposite line with the green engine in his old shape]

[Transition to Edward crossing over the viaduct, and finally passing by Tidmouth Sheds]

[Inside are four tender engines; Gordon looking as lofty as ever at the far right end of the shed, panning to the left side are three other engines, a blue NER Class S3, a blue LB&SCR K Class, and a red GCR Class 8K. To fit in with the rest of the cast, their designs have been simplified to give off the appearance of being in the model series.

[The leading blue engine in particular looks disdainfully in Edward's direction while the other blue engine sneers, and the red engine looks smug]

"Gordon was a given since he considered me old and slow. But there were three others; 98462, 87546, and 63635. Of them all, 98462 was the worst. He never seemed to know when enough was enough. 85746 was…for lack of better terms, a bootlicker to him while 63635 usually liked seeing the drama unfold."

98462: Look at him swagger about…disgusting.

87546: Yeah, what an old geezer, am I right?

63635: You're never right.

87546: Hey!

98462: Oh, shut up, both of you!

Bluey: [V.O.] So they didn't have names?

Edward: [V.O.] No, only numbers. As I was saying, one evening, I returned home after taking my last passenger run of the day.

[The scene transitions to nightfall as the engines have settled into their respective births; Gordon, 98462, Henry, Thomas, and Edward backing into the berth on the far left]

98462: Hmmmm…you finally managed to make it out of the station. I've never known an engine be so useless, Edward. I'm sure we'll be hearing a lot of complaints from the passengers tomorrow. I'm almost certain you were running late all day.

[Henry and Thomas glare at the blue engine, but Edward brushes it off]

Edward: Actually, we were right on time. I'm happy to be feeling useful again. The passengers seem to agree.

98462: I…well, you…you…bah!

"I knew that if I didn't let his words bother me, he'd quit on the spot. And so he did."

[From the works shed nearby, 87546 and 63635 watch on as the former scowls]

87546: Useless old relic…

63635: You're not that young either.

87546: Shut your piehole this instant.

[And so the engines go to sleep on that note]

[Transition to the next morning at the Knapford Station. Edward is once again pulling the coaches from the day before while on the opposite platform to his left, 98462 is coupled to the express coaches. In the background on the right side of the station, 63635 is pulling a goods train]

"With my new position, the Fat Director had extended the timeline to run later into the evening. This meant that I would be running the island's mainline passenger services, alongside Gordon and 98462."

[98462 leaves the station after Edward with a lofty expression before it transitions to Elsbridge Station as Gordon departs from the middle platform, with Edward stopped to his right]

"Fortunately, I ran the loop line so I only saw the two at the junction."

[Transition to Edward climbing up Gordon's Hill, looking more weary than before]

"But it wasn't long before I began to feel tired. It was either the trains were getting heavy, or that my age was starting to show."

[As Edward crests the top of the hill, 87546 passes by in the opposite direction with a rake of orange coaches. He sneers in Edward's direction and hisses steam at him]

[Transition to Edward shunting in the yards at Knapford as a concerned Henry watches on. He pulls up to the blue engine as a truck passes by the camera]

Henry: Can I be of any help? I'm a little worried, you look rather tired.

Edward: [pants] No…no, no…I'm fine, just…need to catch my breath is all…besides…you have your own trains to manage. We can't upset the Fat Director's timetable.

[On that note, Edward goes back to shunting, leaving Henry looking just as concerned as before. But as we pan across the station, 98462 watches Edward from behind the wall separated from the shunting yards]

98462: Hmmmmm…interesting…

[At that moment, 87546 rolls alongside the bigger blue engine]

87546: Scheming, eh?

98462: Better, I've a plan to "lighten the load" for our dear little Edward…so this is what we'll do…

[As the scene pans away from the two blue engines, 63635 pulls into the station at Platform One, eyeing the other two keenly]

[Transition to the next morning as Edward pulls into the station to collect his coaches]

Edward: That's odd…there's no coaches anywhere…hmmm, Thomas must have woken up late again. Maybe if I just-

[At that moment, a loud whistle breaks Edward away from his thoughts as he looks on in shock to see 98462 backing into the station with K2's coaches, along with his own coaches at the front]

98462: [snootily] No need to fret. I'll be taking your train today. After all, we can't upset the Fat Director's timetable, least of all with an engine in your condition.

[At that moment, the guard's whistle blows and 98462 cackles out of the station, whooshing loudly as 87546 passes through on Platform Five, unable to contain his own laughter]

Edward: I…oh…

[At that moment, Thomas comes into the station, having seen the debacle. He glares at the two bigger blue engines before turning to Edward]

Thomas: You shouldn't let them treat you like that, Edward! Not even Gordon does this far. You should tell the Fat Director that-

Edward: It's not worth it, Thomas…

[On that note, Edward solemnly leaves the station as Thomas watches on sympathetically]

Bingo: [V.O.] They really did that to you?

Edward: [V.O.] I'm afraid so, and it didn't stop there.

[Transition to 98462 giving a haughty whistle at Edward on the right side of the shed, a line of trucks behind the Class S3]

"98462 in particular continued to taunt me any chance he got and kept taking my work. If that wasn't enough, 87546 would be right by his side to put me down."

[87546 shunts a set of old coaches into the works shed, hissing steam in Edward's direction]

"It didn't help that I developed steaming issues one day."

[Transition to a goods train passing by Knapford, with a blink and you miss cameo from the Marklin Engine at the head of the train as Edward is parked in a siding, looking rather unwell]

[Cut to Gordon and 98462 sitting on Platforms One and Two respectively with their rakes of coaches]

98462: What did I tell you? A pathetic excuse for an engine. The only thing he's useful for is getting in the way.

[At that moment, Thomas clanks crossly into the station with a row of coaches next to Henry, glaring at 98462]

Thomas: Edward helped build these rails you're standing on! Without him, none of us would be standing here, including y-!

98462: Oh, stuff it, you little rodent! The only thing better than Old Iron's departure is an annoying tank engine's mouth being bolted shut!

[On that note, the blue engine huffs lordly out of the station. Gordon looks over at Thomas and Henry]

Gordon: …Just to make it clear, I'm not associated with him.

[87546 passes by from Platform Four]

87546: I am!

Henry: No one asked!

[Cut to 63635 passing by the station from the shunting yard, rolling his eyes]

63635: I'm surrounded by idiots.

[Cut to Edward looking pensive]

"It was at that time I decided to take a stand against 98462, only how I was going to do it…"

[Transition to the next morning at the sheds as Edward backs down onto his coaches]

"I had decided to get up earlier than usual to make it to the platform before 98462. I thought the yard was empty and that I had beaten him."

[Edward looks from left to right, and then smiles to himself at the thought of victory…right until 98462 pulls up next to him on the left side with a fierce look in his eye]

98462: And just what do you think you're doing?!

Edward: …Collecting my coaches for my passenger train.

98462: I don't think so. You're going to sit in the sheds and wait to be sent away. Or even more, scrapped.

87546: Did someone say scrap?

[87546 suddenly pulls up on Edward's right side]

98462: I ask you to back down.

Edward: I…hooooo, dear…

[Edward begins to slowly move away from the coaches]

?: And just what do you think you are doing?

[Edward suddenly stops and looks back to see the Fat Director approaching 98462 and 87546 with a stern expression]

98462: Collecting the coaches for my train, sir.

TFD: Is that so? Because what I just saw was anything but. I will not stand for this behavior! Given what fellow workers have said about your treatment towards other engines. Furthermore, I've had many complaints from the passengers about your rough riding, treatment of the coaches, and being taken to the wrong stations.

98462: I…um…well, sir, that is-

TFD: I'm not in the mood to hear your excuses! Engines on my railway work hard and help others, something that neither of you two have demonstrated.

87546: What the-ME?! What have I done?!

TFD: You've been just as horrible and I will not stand for your nasty attitudes. Having brought both of you on trial has proven to me that neither of you is fit to work on my railway! You shall both go back to the Mainland tonight, but until then, return to the shed and stay there.

[Neither 98462 or 87546 can muster up a response so they steam off to the sheds without another word]

98462: [muttering] This is humiliating…

87546: [whining] It's not fair…

[At that moment, 63635 passes by the sheds with a pair of coaches. Seeing the frustrated and miserable expressions on the two blue engines, he smirks to himself]

63635: Hmmhmm, plebeians…

[Cut back to the Fat Director approaching Edward and stopping in front of him]

TFD: You are one of my engines, Edward. And you must understand this; you might not think so, but you are not alone on this railway. If you need to talk, or have any other problems, you must come and see me right away. Understand?

Edward: [smiles] Why thank you, sir…I wonder how you found out…

[Edward looks to his right and sees Thomas and Henry sitting by the depot, smiling at him]

Edward: Aaaaah…

TFD: Now, you have a train to pull. Afterwards, I'd like to have a nice long rest.

Edward: Oh, thank you ever so much, sir!

[On that note, Edward once again backs down on the coaches and sets off to start his journey. Transition to him passing by the sheds where 98462 and 87546 are sulking while Gordon watches from the far left unamused]

"From that day on, I felt my position on the railway secured. After 98462 and 87546 were sent away, things were more peaceful…of course, there was the whole affair with Gordon, but I'm sure you know all about that."

[Transition to present day as Edward wraps up the tale]

Bluey: Oooooooh, so that's why they're not in the other books…I never knew that.

Bandit: …Huh, that was more informative than I thought.

Bingo: So that explains the picture…

Bluey: What happened to them after they left?

Edward: That…I'm not so sure…we never heard from them again after that. Though, given what happened on the mainland during the 60s…I can only assume…

Bluey: Oh…

Edward: Yes…I do know that 63635 stayed a little longer than the other two, right up until Henry came back from his overhaul. Who knows what happened, perhaps they were scrapped, or perhaps they were preserved…all I know is I'm glad to be where I am now…

Chilli: Well, no one can say you don't deserve it.

[At that moment, a whistle can be heard in the background as the camera cuts to Henry stopping at the right platform with three red and cream coaches while James passes by on the left platform with three red coaches]

Chilli: Ah, that's our train, c'mon, everyone.

Bluey: Coming! Thanks for the story, Edward!

[Bluey and Bingo rush off to their parents as Edward chuckles]

Edward: You're welcome, Bluey…[sighs]...it feels nice to reminisce on times gone by…makes me feel like a young engine again…

[At that moment, Thomas backs down into the shed next to Edward]

Thomas: Were you telling stories again, old man?

Edward: Maybe…we do have quite a bit to share, even outside of the books.

Thomas: Hmmhmm, too right there.

Edward: Right then, I'd better get my train ready…

[On that note, Thomas watches Edward depart from the shed as Henry steams away from the platform, a recreation of the original ending cue of the first two seasons plays over the final scene before fading to black]

Character Guide:

Edward, Thomas, Henry, Gordon, James, Emily, Sir Topham Hatt, 98462, 87546, 63635 (The Red Engine) - Thomas and Friends / The Railway Series

Bluey Heeler, Bingo Heeler, Bandit Heeler, Chilli Heeler - Bluey

Aladdin - Aladdin (1992)

Amethyst, Pearl, Garnet - Steven Universe

Mordecai, Rigby - Regular Show

Pongo, Perdita, Pepper, Freckles - 101 Dalmatians (1961)