I do not own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. They are strictly the property of both the Awdry Family and Britt Allcroft, this story is purely for entertainment and never profit.
Episode 41: Pop Goes the Diesel, Original Airdate: October 29th, 1986
It was a clear night on the Island of Sodor. Over in the Billinton house in the village of Ffarquhar, Thomas was putting Lucy to bed.
"Right now, Lucy" said Thomas as he lay his daughter down in her crib, "you ready for a story?".
"Story daddy" said Lucy happily.
"Right now, sweetie what story shall daddy tell you tonight?" Thomas asked.
Being a toddler, Lucy couldn't make full sentences yet or make up her mind. So, Thomas thought of what story to tell his young daughter, just then his friend Duck came into his mind, and he knew which story to tell.
Thomas knew that this story was going to be a difficult one to tell. Diesel had very nearly turned Gordon, Henry and James against Duck after the former had thought that Duck had deliberately made a fool out him by not telling him which trucks to pull. Eventually this had resulted in both Duck's panier crashing into a barber shop at Crosby and Diesel being sent away in disgrace.
"How about I tell you of both Uncle Duck and the devious diesel?" asked Thomas.
"Uncle Duck" said Lucy excitedly.
"Right then" said Thomas as he sat down in the chair next to Lucy's crib and began to tell his story, "it all started when Sir Topham Hatt brought a Diesel engine and its driver to the North Western Railway on trial" began Thomas.
(Story Begins)
Duck is very proud of being Great Western, he talks endlessly about it, which off course could sometimes irritate the others. But he works hard and makes everything look like clockwork, it was a splendid day. The trucks and coaches were arranged in record time and the passengers even stopped grumbling, but the others didn't like to bustle about.
"There are two ways of doing things" Duck told them, "the Great Western way or the wrong way. I'm Great Western and".
"Don't we know it" Henry, Gordon and James groaned in annoyance.
Although Gordon and James could sometimes get annoyed with Duck's constant bragging about the Great Western way, Henry however understood that Duck was just extremely proud of his heritage.
"I know that you're very proud of being Great Western Duck" Henry told him in the bunkhouse kitchen one day, "but do you always have to say it aloud?".
"Why do you think that I'm annoying everyone?" asked Duck in a worried tone of voice.
"Well Gordon and James do" said Henry, "but I promise that I'm not trying to upset you. I'm just asking why you feel the need to do so?".
"Well Henry" explained Duck, "you see my family have always worked on the Great Western Railway. We've done so since its foundation back in 1833 and we even helped to build it".
"Really now that's interesting" replied Henry.
"So, you understand why I'm so proud of my Great Western heritage" finished Duck, "I don't mean to be annoying though.
"Don't Duck" replied Henry, "I'm sure that if you tell Gordon and James they probably understand".
"Well I hope so" replied Duck, "you do know how they can be sometimes".
"True but at least there's me, Edward, Thomas, Lady, Percy and Toby," said Henry.
"Well you're right there Henry" replied Duck happily, "and its nice to know that you're one of them".
Just then Gordon entered the bunkhouse kitchen.
"Henry, Duck" he said.
"What's up Gordon?" asked Duck.
"Come into the shed" said Gordon, "Sir Topham Hatt brought a new driver to the North Western Railway".
"A new driver," said Duck.
"This should be interesting" agreed Henry.
Henry and Duck both got up from their chairs and followed Gordon into the sheds where Sir Topham Hatt, James and Percy were waiting. Sure enough, they both saw a black BR Class 08 diesel shunter on the turntable outside the sheds. Once the turntable had aligned with the berth, the diesel engine backed into the shed next to Duck's pannier.
The driver, a young man in his mid-twenties, then hopped down from the cab and came up to meet them.
"Here is Daniel Darby or as he likes to be called Diesel" said Sir Topham Hatt, "I've agreed to give him a trial. He needs to learn, please teach him Duck".
With that Sir Topham Hatt then left the bunkhouse, leaving Diesel to get acquainted with the other drivers.
"Good morning" purred Diesel in an oily voice, "pleased to meet you Duck".
"You know me?" asked Duck as he shook Diesel's hand in reply.
"Indeed I do" replied Diesel with a sly smile before he turned to the others, "isn't that Percy and James and Henry and Gordon too?".
"You know us?" asked Gordon incredulously.
"Indeed" replied Diesel, "word does get around on the other railway. I' am delighted to meet such famous engine drivers like yourselves".
Duck meanwhile hopped into his Pannier cab and fired her up for work.
"Come on Diesel" said Duck, "Sir Topham Hatt wants me to show you around the yard".
"Okay then Duck" said Diesel before he turned to the others, "I talk to you guys later".
Diesel then hopped into his Class 08's cab, both engine drivers then left the shed and headed off. The silly engine drivers were flattered.
"Such nice manners," said Gordon.
"Indeed Gordon" replied James, "we are pleased to have him in our yard".
But Duck had his doubts however, he felt that there was more to Diesel's character then he let on. But he couldn't figure out what it was.
"Come on" he called from his panniers cab.
Diesel's Class 08 purred after him. Soon they had arrived at Knapford Yard, the two engine drivers then briefly stopped their engines next to each other so that they could talk.
"Your worthy Fat" Diesel began to say before he was interrupted by Duck.
"Sir Topham Hatt" Duck cut Diesel off.
Diesel looked hurt.
"Your worthy Sir Topham Hatt thinks I need to learn" said Diesel, "he is mistaken".
"Oh and how so?" asked Duck.
"We diesel drivers don't need to learn" said Diesel grandly, "we know everything, we come to a yard and improve it. We are revolutionary".
"Oh" said Duck, "if you're revo-thing-a gummy, perhaps you would fetch my trucks whilst I fetch Gordon coaches".
Diesel, delighted to show off, agreed and purred away whilst Duck went to fetch Gordon his coaches for the Wild Nor' Western. After arranging the coaches behind Gordon's A1, he joined Gordon on the platform.
"I don't know about you Gordon, but I feel that something is off about Diesel," said Duck.
"And why would you say that Duck?" asked Gordon.
"It's a vibe that I get around certain people" said Duck, "and if anything, he seems rather full of himself".
"Nonsense" snorted Gordon, "he's a very polite person. You're obviously just being paranoid".
"Maybe" said Duck, "but I still have my doubts".
Just then the whistle signalling for the Wild Nor' Wester to depart.
"Oh that's me" said Gordon as he rushed over to his engines cab and hopped in, "talk to you later Duck".
"See you Gordon" said Duck.
Gordon then left Knapford station and soon disappeared into the distance, he then went over to his Pannier and hopped into its cab and headed off to see how Diesel was getting on. He arrived near the Brendam warehouse where he found Diesel trying to move some Lynton and Barnstaple open trucks and some seven plank trucks.
The trucks however were old and empty. They hadn't been touched for a long time; Diesel was finding them hard to move, his Class 08 was trying to pull them, but they wouldn't budge.
"Pull! Push!" he said, "Backwards! Forwards".
Some workmen were nearby and saw what was going on. They rushed over to Diesel who was determined to get the trucks moving.
"What are you doing?" they demanded.
"Trying to get these trucks to move" growled Diesel.
"You idiot" snapped the workmen, "they can't move".
Duck was on a siding nearby and watched the whole ordeal with interest, at last Diesel lost patience. He roared and gave a great heave, the trucks then jerked forward.
"You stupid fool" cried the workmen in shock, "you're going to".
But they didn't need to inform him. Some of the truck's breaks snapped and the gear jammed in the sleepers, the trucks coupling then snapped, sending Diesel's Class 08 flying forwards. Diesel managed to bring his engine under control.
"GGGGRRRR" growled Diesel angrily.
He recovered and brought his Class 08 to try and shunt the trucks back, but they didn't move. Duck meanwhile went quietly back to collect the other trucks; he then brought his Pannier up to Diesel's Class 08.
"Thank you for arranging these Diesel" said Duck, "must go now".
"Don't you want this lot?" asked Diesel.
"No thank you" said Duck as Diesel gulped.
"And I've taken all this trouble" he said, "why didn't you tell me?".
"You never asked" chuckled Duck, "besides you were having such fun being revo-whatever it was you said. Goodbye".
Duck then departed, leaving a growling Diesel behind. Diesel meanwhile had to help the workmen clear the mess, he hated it. To make matters even worse the workmen were singing a rude song about him.
"Trucks are waiting in the yard, tackling them with ease'll.
Show the world what I can do, gaily boast the Diesel.
In about he creeps about, like a big black weasel.
When he pulls the wrong out, Pop! Goes the Diesel".
Diesel growled angrily and after his Class 08 was coupled to the breakdown train, scuttled away to sulk in the shed.
(Story Ends)
"Eventually Diesel was going to take his back on Uncle for "supposedly" making a fool of him" said Thomas as he finished his story.
Thomas looked down and saw that Lucy was fast asleep. Smiling, Thomas leaned down and kissed his daughter on the forehead before turning off her light and leaving her bedroom, gently closing the door.
And done. This chapter was sure difficult to work, but I'm nevertheless pleased with how it turned out. Anyway as always, please be so kind as to leave a preview and as always, see you all next time.