The Lake District National Park. A region and national park in Cumbria in Northwest England. In this area, which measures only about 48 by 64 kilometres, there are 180 fells of more than 609 metres in altitude, one of which is 978-metre Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. The 1,343-square-kilometre Lake District National Park includes some of the country's largest lakes, its tallest peak, and some of its loveliest scenery in the region. A popular vacation destination, it's known for its glacial ribbon lakes, rugged fell mountains and historic literary associations. Market towns such as Kendal, Ambleside and Keswick on scenic Derwentwater, are all bases for exploring the area and home to traditional inns, galleries of local art and outdoor equipment shops.
But, what others don't know about this area, was that there's a special railway hidden within the valley of this beautiful district, one where old locomotives of an era long passed, but are under special circumstances, so they are free from the scrapyards and cutter's torches, and they perform tasks like they do during the time of steam across the country of the United Kingdom.
This railway was known as the Josephine Railway. The railway is under the protection and care of a family who shared a passion for antique locomotives and machinery, and they'll go to lengths to make sure they are in preservation and even under operation.
In the early hours of the morning, the sun rising above the horizon, there was a steam engine parked up next to a nearby water tower not far from the roundhouse, topping up his boiler and water tank in his tender for the day's work. He breathed a sigh, looking to the rising sun as it rolled along the hills in the distance.
This engine goes by the name of Braedey. He is a GWR 4900 Class 4-6-0 tender engine from the Great Western Railway. He is painted in crimson red with golden highlights and lining, while having blue eyes and fair skin. He has the GWR crest on his tender, with the words 'Great Western' in yellow writing on either side of the crest, and he has metallic black wheels and rods.
Custom-built for mix-traffic railway operations, Braedey can take both trucks and passengers, but he doesn't boast about his strength or speed. He could go as fast as the Flying Scotsman, but he's limited. He doesn't mind this, since he's always on time, even if a minute or two late. For his goods work, he is cautious whenever it's delicate loads, and with anything heavy, he hauls it with all the strength he's got, even if he bursts a piston in the process. Braedey is a friendly and peaceful engine to be around, and he could spend hours talking to anyone, if it's regarding something interesting or if it's regarding about work. However, he will assert his authority in case of turmoil and something goes wrong, and he'd even risk his own boiler and firebox for his friends, regardless if they're machine or human.
"It is days like these that makes me remember how fortunate myself and the others are to have a home like this." Braedey spoke philosophical about the beauty in the daylight. "We are fortunate to have a controller and good men and women around us who appreciate us railway locomotives, and what we have done for the world around us." He added on, a hiss of steam coming from his pistons.
Once his tanks were filled, Braedey and his crew began to make their way down to the marshalling yard, where the coaches were kept. He saw his regular passenger service coaches, which were only two of them, and painted the same colour as his paintwork. He switched onto the tracks they were on, and coupled up to them. Once done so, Braedey began to make his way along the line to the station, which was a few moments away from the sheds.
The station has a neat design, with two platforms either side of the double track, while there's a set of points for the engines to divert into to allow another train to go by. There's also a third middle line between the two lines, so a fast train could go by without having to stop at the station. The station is made of wood, brick, concrete, and steel, all melded together to form the outer and inner walls of the station building, with an open-lattice structure bridge that goes up-and-over the rails and platforms, allowing access for passengers to reach either platform. The station also had a plaque that was on the fence and hanging down from the roof, the sign reading 'Marion', for it being the station's name, in honour of the first controller's beloved wife.
Braedey sat by the platform, waiting patiently for the passengers to arrive. Sure, he was about 5-10 minutes early, but he thought it be best to get ready while it was early in the day. As he sat and waited, his crew checked him over to make sure he didn't have anything wrong before they were on their way. As this happened, Braedey looked ahead to see an engine chuffing up to the opposite platform, coming to a stop with a hiss of steam.
"Morning, Liliana. Nice morning we're having to start the day, isn't it?" Braedey greeted to the engine, who was pulling up to the opposite platform.
Liliana is a North Eastern Railway (NER) Class H 0-4-0T tank engine, classified as Class Y7, built by the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), a class of 0-4-0T steam locomotives designed for shunting. She is painted in N.E.R light green, with red traction rods, while she has grass green eyes, tiny red lips, and a gentle fair-skinned face. She's small for an engine her size, like a city car compared to a truck.
Introduced in 1888 by Thomas W. Worsdell, six Class H engines were built in 1888. The simple, bare design easily navigates the tight curves and poor quality track which they ran on. The H Class tank engines proved so successful, the NER ordered a further ten in 1891, three in 1897, and five more were ordered by the LNER in 1923. Locomotives operating at Tyne Dock were altered to take shunting poles on each corner of the loco, giving the ability to pull a wagon on an adjacent line. Coal was carried in side bunkers incorporated into the side tanks. The absence of a rear bunker and the small size of the cab provided the driver with a clear view of the buffer bar when reversing onto a train. The H Class shared their simple domeless boiler design with the H1 (J78) and H2 (J79) classes. The locos were originally fitted with dumb buffers, but these were changed for small round buffers during the 1930s, some also gaining vacuum brakes during this period; only hand and steam brakes were fitted when built.
Liliana was a recently-built tank engine from the work sheds here on the railway, for she was of a project to bring back more of the H Class locomotives, and also show off the Class Y7's. She's utilised as being an inspection engine to make sure the rails are in top order and without breaks or warping metal, and with her small size and low weight, Liliana doesn't cause too much stress on the tracks. Plus, her small size allows her switch between tracks quickly and efficiently, as well as shunt small trains about, although she doesn't do this often.
"It is indeed a great morning, Braedey." Liliana replied with a smile on her face. She then remembered something. "Oh, I needed to remind you; please be careful on the section of track leading by the lakeside. There's some sections where the foundations are undermined, but it's been strengthened with large rocks and concrete."
"Okay. Thanks for that warning. I guess I'm on the left for today instead of the right line." Braedey shrugged, or at best a shrug an engine can do. "Anything else you need to tell me?" He asked.
"Actually, the coal mines are doing some blasting inside the tunnels. Max is down there to help out." Liliana added in.
"Ah, that little plucker of a diesel. Always caring about us." Braedey sighed. He then heard the sound of an approaching vehicle, him and Liliana looking to the station carpark to see a tour bus starting to drive up. "Well, looks like it's showtime." He announced.
Sure enough, a number of tourists began to exit the bus, and after paying for tickets, walked up to the platform. Once they caught sight of Liliana and Braedey at the platform, a majority of them began to take their pictures, the engines smiling gently to the people on the platform. Liliana gave a toot of her whistle, and she puffed away to collect more water.
"Get in quickly, please. We mustn't be late." Braedey said to the tourists kindly. The tourists all understood immediately, and they climbed onboard the coaches. "All aboard!" Braedey announced, blowing his whistle loudly, and he steamed out of the station.
Barrow-in-Furness is a town in western England. The North Western Railway has had running powers into Barrow Central station since an agreement with the LMS Railway in 1925. For "through" trains, NWR engines are detached and BR, "Other Railway", engines take over. Since 1925, the North Western Railway has also had a shed, turntable and servicing facility here. There is also a joint goods yard for exchange traffic. Barrow Central is the local station though now just called Barrow. However, it has a line running to the Isle of Walney and the Island of Sodor.
At this station, services running to and from the iconic island known as Sodor stop at this station to unload their trains and/or collect passengers to take on their return trip back to the island. The Wild Nor' Wester, a fast express train, regularly travels from Knapford and Barrow-in-Furness.
Down by the marshalling yard nearby the station, a small tank engine was pulling up with a line of trucks behind it, parking up the trucks, and steamed over to the nearby water tower to fill up for the journey back to the Lake District National Park.
The engine goes by the name of Austin. Austin is an Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST tank locomotive in a grassy green with white lining across the cab and boiler, as well as the letters 'W.S.T' on the side tanks. He has fair skin, with him having clean teeth, and green eyes that somewhat matches his paint scheme.
Austin's type of engine was constructed by the 'Andrew Barclay Sons & Co.', a builder of steam and later fireless and diesel locomotives. The company's history dates to foundation of an engineering workshop in 1840 in Kilmarnock, Scotland. Soon enough, after a period of operation, the company was acquired by the Hunslet group in 1972, and renamed Hunslet-Barclay; in 2007, the company changed hands after bankruptcy, becoming Brush-Barclay as part of the FKI Group. In 2011, Brush Traction and Brush-Barclay were acquired from FKI by Wabtec - as of 2012, the company still operates in Kilmarnock providing rail engineering services as Wabtec Rail Scotland.
Austin, despite his small stature and size, has some phenomenal strength and power behind him that would put Diesel engines his size to shame, and leave big engines watching on in bewilderment. His strength comes from within, for he shows no worry about what he can push, pull, haul or shunt. Austin can push or haul up to 10 express coaches, as well as a whole fish train without any strain on his joints. He can also tell if something is amiss with a train, and make sure everything is right before it goes out onto the mainline. He's good friends with Braedey, as well as other fellow steam engines, along with a few diesels, but those who don't treat others with respect, he stays clear of them, and doesn't speak to them.
Austin cooled down, releasing steam from his pistons. "Okay. That was a bit of a journey, but someone had to do it." He sighed. "Well, I'd better get ready for home, and see the others soon." He looked over to see a set of empty trucks. He switched tracks, and he reversed to them, coupling to the trucks, and he prepared to get ready to leave.
Just as he was about to leave, he could hear the sound of an approaching engine, accompanied with a deep whistle. He looked over, and to his surprise, he could see a LMS Stanier 8F 2-8-0 steam engine pulling in with a heavy goods train. The engine is in black with red lining, and the number 15 in yellow on the tender.
"Hello." Austin greeted. "Man, I never thought I'd ever see a Stanier 8F still in steam to this day." He commented, looking at the powerful tender engine pulling up next to him.
"Well, thank you very much." The Stanier 8F replied calmly, a smile on his face. "The name is Peter. What's yours?" He asked.
"I'm Austin." The tough green tank engine replied back. "Just dropped off some coal trucks for your railway, and I'm gonna be taking these empties back to my line."
Peter looked to Austin curiously. "You don't live on Sodor?" He asked. "I don't think I've seen you around there, or at all."
"No. My home is the Josephine Railway, in the Lake District National Park, a few miles away from here." Austin clarified to the big tender engine. "My railway also has steam and other engines there, and we handle things easily on our own. It's a haven for steam engines." He added with a shrug.
"I see. Well, it's been nice to talk to you." Peter said to him, now uncoupled from his heavy goods. "Hope we get to talk to one another soon." With that, the Stanier 8F puffed away to the nearby turntable, while Austin headed off down the line away from Barrow-in-Furness with his empty coal train.
'Man, that Stanier 8F was pretty friendly.' Austin commented mentally, now going through a green signal and crossing a small bridge. 'Maybe I can do this trip tomorrow, and see him again.' Austin smiled to himself, now chugging along at his own pace.
Back at the Lake District National Park, down on the Josephine Railway, Liliana was resting her wheels nearby the water tower and coal bunkers to top up, after she had taken a small tourist train up to the lake and back. She breathed a sigh to herself, while taking the time to relax before she could get back to work.
As she relaxed, Liliana could hear the sound of a diesel engine rumbling, and it was approaching. She looked over to the country rail-line, and she could see one of her friends pulling up with a line of coal trucks behind him, as well as a four-wheel flatbed coupled up to his front. This engine goes by the name of Max.
Max is a British Railways Class 02 0-4-0, built by the Yorkshire Engine Company in 1960. His paint scheme is in B.R dark green with the crest of B.R on the sides of his cab, while around his face was in hazard black/yellow stripes. He is one of only 8 shunters of his class that are preserved and still running in the world.
Max's class of engine were put for service in areas of restricted loading gauge and curvature such as docks. They had the door to the cab at the rear, with a railed veranda behind the cab; this feature was very unusual on British Rail locomotives although was used on many Yorkshire Engine Co. designs and was/is normal in North American practice. The engine is a Rolls-Royce C6NFL176 6-cylinder in-line, connected to a Rolls-Royce series 10,000 3-stage twin-disc torque converter, and a manually operated YEC reduction and reversing final drive gearbox. The engine and transmission are mounted at an angle of 30 to the horizontal to allow the overall length and height of the locomotive to be reduced. Unlike most earlier British Rail shunters, the Class 02s were built with train vacuum brakes. Their wheel base of 6ft enables the class to negotiate curves of as little as 60ft radius. The Class 02 diesels were withdrawn from service between the years 1970 and 1975. Max is a close relative to D2860, who does shunting work at the National Railway Museum in York.
Max is a busy shunter, always keeping his eye on his work, making sure all is right and in the correct place and position. He can be a little blunt, but he means well to others. He even gives friendly advice to others when they need it. He works mostly at the dockyards and marshalling yards to sort out the trucks and coaches, so he's rarely seen taking a goods or passenger train. Despite that, he pops by down at the sheds in the evening to have a friendly chat with the other engines.
"Hey, Max. What's up?" Liliana spoke to the shunter, just as he pulled up next to her.
"Oh, same old, same old. Just brought in a line of coal trucks from the mines for Austin to take to Barrow-in-Furness." Max replied back. "Although, one of the coal chutes wasn't working properly. It could take a bit for it to be fixed and working again."
"Well, good for you to tell me for later." Liliana thanked to Max. "I'll get some crews ready to get on repairing that after they get back from lunch break."
"Thanks, Lili." Max acknowledged, then he began to shunt the coal trucks out of the way for Austin to take them on their way.
At that moment, Austin and Braedey arrived back at the main shunting yard, the GWR 4900 pulling up at the platform, with the small green tank engine arriving with his empty coal trucks. Max and Austin gave a toot of their whistle and horn, and they began to head off down the line; Max taking the empty coal trucks to the coal mines, with Austin taking the full coal trucks down to Barrow-in-Furness.
"Those two, you can put them in any working environment around the world, and they can sort it out like it's on the back of their buffers." Braedey commented to Liliana, who giggled in agreement. "So, has there been news of Kieron or anyone coming in for tonight?" He asked.
"Well, not that I know so far." Liliana admitted. "I think it might be Shadow popping by tonight."
"Okay. At least they're a lot better than Mr. Terrible Turbine over there." Braedey remarked, looking over to a part of the sheds, Liliana looking over as well, and they scowled at who was there.
There, parked next to the sheds and filling up on fuel, was Croghan. He gave a grunt and growl at the two steam engines, while he waited for his tank to be filled, so he could be on his way.
Croghan is a prototype mainline gas turbine 4-6-0 locomotive known as the GT3 (Gas Turbine 3), built by the company English Electric at their Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Willows during 1961, in order to to investigate the use of its gas turbines in rail traction applications. He's painted in a chocolate brown colour scheme, with the shape of a square diesel locomotive, except with the 4-6-0 wheel configuration similar to a steam engine. The tender he has is a tanker to carry the fuel to power his engine.
Croghan was designed by English Electric engineer J.O.P. Hughes in a project that started in the early 1950s. Externally, he resembled a steam tender locomotive, but, in Croghan's case, the tender carries kerosene fuel. The designer stated the use of a traditional chassis arrangement and mechanical transmission was to avoid complicating the prototype with (at the time of its conception) relatively untried technologies with regard to bogie assemblies and electrical transmission. Sadly, despite returning favourable performances on longer runs requiring sustained power outputs, the prototype nature of Croghan would require further investigation and development into a configuration, which would have matched the convenience of the new double ended diesel/electric locomotives then being built. Neither English Electric or British Railways were prepared to fund this work, as at the same time, both were already heavily committed to the diesel/electric concept, with English Electric in particular fully engaged in manufacturing diesel/electric locomotives of many types Upon completion of the test runs, Croghan was returned to English Electric at Vulcan Foundry at the end of 1962 and stored there.
Croghan has a deep hatred for any steam locomotives that he sees as inferior to him, because he has a superiority complex. He even hates diesel locomotives, just because he says they're noisy, ugly, very slow and useless, and that they're dirty. Croghan claims to be the revolution of all rail transportation, even though he's the ONLY version of his kind of locomotive EVER to exist. He would take any chance to derail anyone's opportunity, or even delay them in any possible manner, and he will make sure to make himself the icon of railway traction.
"Just you wait, you clapped-out, rusty, weak steam kettles." Croghan grumbled, just as his fuel tanks were finished filling up, and he started up his turbine engine, which whirred with a whine. "The revolution will happen before you know it's begun, and I'll lead the revolution to the future." He declared, and with a rumble and a roar of his engine, he rolled out of the yards, leaving two steamed locomotives.
"That overgrown chocolate bar on wheels! Why I oughta..." Liliana grumbled.
"Forget it, Lili. He's not worth it." Braedey said to her, Liliana stopping herself. "The time will come, and he'll get his comeuppance."
Liliana sighed to herself. Braedey did raise a good point. "Okay. I'm gonna go and take the workmen to the coal mines. That coal chute isn't going to fix itself." She said, and she headed to the yards to pick up her workman's train.
"Well, I'd better switch out these coaches for the new ones Mr. Franklin bought us." Braedey commented, just as he was uncoupled from the train. "Right. Now, let's get to work." With that, he began to do some shunting about the yard to pass the time.
Soon, the day's work had ended, and it was nightfall. The engines had returned back to their sheds. The sheds the engines all reside within has eight berths for the engines to sleep inside of, the entire structure made of bricks with metal corrugated rooftops, each berth with vents to allow smoke and steam to exit the building.
Braedey looked over to Liliana, Max, and Austin, the four of them replacing and cooling themselves down in their berths in the shed. The nights and mornings were the times that the four liked, since they could chat and talk to one another, explain about how their day went, and what they've got for tomorrow and in the morning.
"Max, you were right about that coal chute not working." Liliana said to the little diesel, the latter now looking shiny and clean after his hose-down. "The main generator needed an overhaul badly, as well as the main conveyor belt. It was about to break apart." She added on.
"Well, that machine has been there ever since... how long has it been there?" Max asked innocently.
"Since 1972." Braedey clarified for Max.
"1972?" Austin echoed, realising something. "Wait... That was at the same time when Mr. Franklin and his entire family officially opened the Josephine Railway to the public." He said to the GWR 4900.
"That is correct, Austin." Braedey replied, smiling. "Your memory never ceases to amaze me any day." He complimented to the green locomotive.
"That, I can agree with." The four engines looked over to one of the berths next to them, and they could see an engine backing up into the berth, coming to a stop with a hiss. "Sounds like you all are having a great time this evening."
The engine goes by the name of Shadow. He is a LNER (London & North Eastern Railway) Class V4 2-6-2 locomotive. His class of engine was designed by the Sir Nigel Gresley for mix-traffic use. It was Gresley's last design for the LNER before he died in 1941. Shadow is painted in LNER deep royal blue, with red and yellow lining along the boiler, pistons, and tender, a brass dome on top of his boiler, with the number 25 on his buffer and both sides of his cab, the letters 'N.E.R' painted onto his tender, and sporting black wheels.
The V4s had similarities in their appearance and mechanical layout to that of the V2 "Green Arrow" Class. The V2s, introduced some years before, were large and heavy locomotives, with very limited route availability. The V4 was a lightweight alternative, suitable for use over the whole of the LNER network. Two locomotives were built at the LNER's Doncaster Works in 1941. The first engine, 3401 Bantam Cock, had a scaled-down version of the Gresley Pacific boiler with a grate area of 27.5sq ft. Its tractive effort of 27,000lbs was produced by boiler pressure of 250psi, and three cylinders of 15" diameter. The second locomotive, 3402, incorporated a fully welded steel firebox and a single thermic syphon for water circulation. It was not named, but known unofficially as"Bantam Hen". The type was tried on the Great Eastern section of the LNER, and was well received, more power than the existing B17 locomotives and better riding qualities. It was anticipated that more would be produced, but after the death of Nigel Gresley, and his succession by Edward Thompson, no more were built. Instead, the LNER Thompson Class B1 was adopted as the LNER's standard mixed-traffic locomotive.
Shadow was a recently constructed locomotive, for he had been built from the original blueprints and design drawing from Nigel Gresley himself, and he was built by the same people in the National Railway Museum in York, who worked on restoration of Flying Scotsman, the greatest steam engine in the world. Shadow had spent some time at the museum with other engines like that of the A4 Pacific Mallard, as well as a GNR Stirling Single, evenDominion of Canada; another A4 Pacific, and a few other engines and rolling stock while being restored and built. It took some time, but he was fully built and after trail runs, he was 100% ready for action. After a while in the museum, he was purchased by a wealthy businessman to have him on a heritage railway not far from the city of Glasgow, where Shadow met Kieron and other fellow engines, and he's been there as his new home ever since.
"Evening, Shadow. How was your journey?" Braedey asked to Shadow.
"It had taken me almost the whole day with trying to get onto the right tracks to get here to your railway." Shadow sighed. "There were so many diesels I've had to go by and pass, and they weren't too happy for that. I had to use any rail-lines to get here." He breathed a sigh. "I'm lucky some diesels were fortunate to help out an engine like me to try from one place to another." He added.
Braedey gestured to Max. "Yeah. Max is a prime example of that." The shunter diesel smiled in response to this, and looked to the LNER locomotive.
"He's right." Max agreed.
"Well, before I got here, it sounded like you all have had a busy day today." Shadow commented to the other engines.
"Well, all but one." Liliana admitted, looking over to a part of the shed.
The other engines looked over in the direction of where Liliana was looking, and they understood in what she meant. There, sitting in the far berth of the sheds, was their friend, Diana, who was being very quiet and timid.
Diana is a Caledonian Railway 812 Class 0-6-0 tender engine. She is painted in Caledonian Railway royal blue with the letters 'C' and 'R', as well as the crest of the railway company painted on her tender, while she has white skin, small pink lips, and gentle violet-colour eyes.
Diana, along with the rest of her 812 and 652 Classes were designed by John F. McIntosh for the Caledonian Railway, and introduced in 1899. They had the same boiler type as the 721 "Dunalastair" Class 4-4-0s. Diana's class of engine were nicknamed "Jumbos" and they could reach speeds of up to 55 miles per hour. Seventeen were fitted with the Westinghouse air brakes for passenger train working. All 96 passed to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway at the 1923 grouping. Only three, 17567, 17598 and 17610, had been withdrawn by the time of nationalisation in 1948. The last locomotive in service was not withdrawn until 1963.
Diana is a quiet yet very timid steam engine, but she wasn't like this before. In her past, back during the 1920's or 1930's, while working in Scotland, she had confidence and pride within her, and she would always have her fellow Caledonians to help her out. When she was sent over to London to do light freight and passenger work. But, she felt rather small compared to many of the engines there, and she didn't really feel confident about herself. Throughout her time in London, she had been harassed by the bigger engines from the LNER and the LMS, saying she was weak and inferior compared to them, and they'd ridicule her, even if she made a mistake like bumping a little too rough with the passenger coaches. Because of this, Diana became hesitant with taking passenger trains out, and sometimes, she couldn't leave the sheds in fear of being harassed by others. So, she was sent back to her railway because of this. Diana was severely punished by her owner; she was kept in the marshalling yard, not allowed to venture out onto the mainline. Eventually, by the 12 August 1968, which was the last day of steam-powered service in the U.K, Diana was locked away in the shed when the line was closed, and the other engines were sold off to collectors and other railways, leaving her behind and alone in the old shed. It was only until the Summer of 1995, when Diana was found by Mr. Franklin, and she was purchased off the landowner, taking her to the Lake District National Park to be part of the Josephine Railway.
"She still hasn't gotten over her anxiety or anything like that?" Shadow asked to Braedey and the others, looking to Diana's form.
"No. No matter what we can do, ever since she's been on this railway, we can't get her to leave the sheds, let alone get her to toot her whistle." Austin replied back to him. "No thanks to Croghan, visiting diesels and steam engines, and their rude and uncaring behaviour."
"Even when I sit next to her to try and help her out, she won't leave the sheds." Liliana added in.
"I just hope you guys can help Diana get her confidence back." Shadow said to them.
"Well, I guess we should head off to bed. We've got another busy day tomorrow." Braedey suggested.
With that, the engines soon began to fall asleep, the lights going out in the sheds, the engine crews now leaving the area for home, as silence began to blanket the valley around them, with the stars twinkling in the skies above, the moon shining down on them.