The Island of Sodor and the Josephine Railway has had their fair share of visitors and famous celebrities. Some of those include City of Truro, Flying Scotsman, Stepney the Bluebell Engine, even Queen Elizabeth herself on occasion. It is considered an honour by the engines and personnel to have such celebrities on their railways.
One morning, Sir Topham Hatt was in his office looking through some paperwork. So far, everything has been working around the clock with little to no issue. He was finalising some papers, just as the telephone rang. He now answered the phone to hear who's on the other end of the line.
"Hello. Sir Topham Hatt speaking." The Fat Controller began. "Well, nice to hear from you, Mr. Lefever. What would be the pleasure of calling me?" He asked. He then listened to the individual on the end of the line, nodding a few times. "I see. Oh, is that so? Well, this is a surprise. Is she ready to run? Hasn't had the chance to stretch her wheels? Oh, of course. That would be a good idea. This sounds like a good opportunity, and at the right time." Sir Topham nodded. "Very well. I shall get preparations ready for her arrival. Understood. Goodbye."
With that, Sir Topham puts down the phone, and he exited the office. As he does so, he saw some posters being put up, which spoke of Allicia Botti, a world-famous Italian opera singer, and the poster says she was coming over to Sodor for a concert event soon.
'Yes... this could be a good event for her when she arrives.' Sir Topham thought to himself with a nod.
Gordon soon arrived with his Express. He noticed the Fat Controller with his pondering expression on. "Sir, what might be on your mind?" He asked curiously.
"Oh, I have just had a phone call coming out from the Strasburg Rail Road, with the manager asking if one of their newly-built engines could come over for a trial run on Sodor." Sir Topham explained to the blue LNER A1.
"I see. Do you know what the engine will be?" Gordon asked.
"Honestly, I have no idea, Gordon." Sir Topham replied. "She'll be arriving at Brendam Docks in a few days time from Halifax, Nova Scotia."
Gordon showed a smile. "Very well. This will be exciting for the others to hear about." With that, Gordon departed the station to get turned around and refuel.
As he arrived at the sheds, he saw Henry and James were also there, along with Emily and Thomas. Braedey was also with them, having been asked to assist with the influx of incoming passengers, and he was obliged to help out.
"Everyone, I've just heard something rather interesting from Sir Topham Hatt." Gordon explained to the other engines.
"Oh?" James mused. "What did he say?"
"Something good, Gordon?" Braedey questioned.
"He says a new engine is coming to Sodor from the United States." Gordon informed to them all. "And in good time, too. Who knows? Maybe she will be here when Allicia Botti also arrives for her concert."
"Allicia Botti... Oh, is she that opera singer whose posters are about at the stations?" Braedey asked in curiosity. "Is she that good?"
"Of course." Thomas answered. "She is the best."
"Gordon, did you say this engine is a 'she'?" Emily questioned. "And where does she come from?"
"Sir Topham Hatt said that she was built and comes from the Strasburg Rail Road of the United States." Gordon answered. "She will be here on trial."
"Did Sir Topham say when this engine will arrive?" James asked curiously.
"He said she'll arrive in a few days, but he wasn't clear as to when she will arrive." Gordon replied after being turned around. Once done that, he looked to Thomas. "I suggest you go get my coaches, Thomas." Thomas rolled his eyes and he then puffed away to Knapford.
"Gordon, I know you can be a bit full of yourself, but sometimes, you sound like a bit of a hard-nosed police officer." Braedey commented, Henry and James both laughing and Emily giggling. Gordon huffed and he puffed off grandly to the station. "Honestly, he can be so prideful." Braedey muttered.
"'Prideful' is an understatement." James laughed heartily.
"He's always even like that, even after all these years." Henry sighed with a roll of his eyes. "Well, we'd best be on our way to work."
"I agree." Braedey agreed.
The other engines agreed with them, and they all soon puffed out of the sheds to go forth with their work. All the while, they would tell the others about the new arrival coming to Sodor, which got the other engines excited over it, and they were more than ready to meet the new engine when she arrives.
A few days pass by, and everyone was more excited than ever about the new engine arriving on the island. They had managed to get their work done faster than before and with no complaints from the passengers or the trucks, much to the surprise of Sir Topham Hatt. Still, he was very impressed by his engines and how well they have worked, and soon prepared for when the new engine arrives.
A few days later, a cargo ship from America eventually arrived. Cranky the crane was now unloading some cargo from the ship's hold, then he was instructed to pick up something covered in a black tarpaulin. He was very delicate with whatever was underneath the tarp, and it was loaded onto a well-wagon on Henry's mixed goods train. Once that happened, chains were lashed around the object under the tarpaulin, and the goods train was eventually underway when the green engine arrived to take it on its way.
Thomas had noticed this, along with Braedey and Percy, the two tank engines both watching the goods leaving but looked at the tarp-covered object as the mixed goods left the docks.
"Do you think that might be the new engine?" Percy asked to Braedey and Thomas as the former shunted some tanker trucks into alignment.
"Possibly. I didn't see the shape of the engine, so I've no clue what it could be." Thomas commented back to his friend. He looked to Braedey. "Do you have a clue?"
"Not sure yet. Best we leave it to speculation before we find out the truth." Braedey replied to the blue tank engine, now departing the yards with his mixed goods.
Throughout the day, other engines had taken notice of the unusual cargo on Henry's train as it travelled along the mainline through the landscape of Sodor. Some of the engines began to make comments and small talk about what the engine could be, whether it be a steam locomotive or diesel, maybe even an electrical engine. Some were speculating that this engine is famous or a common locomotive, or even a new build of sorts. Still, they all have to wait patiently for when the engine finally reveals herself to them.
A few days later, Braedey and Thomas were both heading over to Knapford. Sir Topham Hatt had called the two of them in for something important to tell them. They made their way over to the big station, and to their surprise, they saw a beautiful locomotive sitting by the platform.
This engine is a custom-built GNR Stirling Single 4-2-2 steam locomotive. She is a very elegant and beautiful locomotive with a soft and curvaceous shape, a tapering funnel with a silver cap on top, a domeless boiler with a chrome safety valve bonnet, a silvery running board with silver front and rear buffers, a large single pair of driving wheels that have chrome traction rods, and a blue livery with whitish-blue lining across her form, her wheels also painted in blue to match her colour scheme.
Her most distinctive features are her 8ft driving wheels, plus two pairs of cylinders (one pair on outside and one pair inside) to provide extra power and speed, custom sanders for her driving wheels, super-strong brakes and she has a custom-built superheated boiler with multiple tubes to produce extra heat and boiler pressure to get to reach speeds of up to 70mph (112km/h), and with a tractive effort of 43,462lbf (193.33kN). She has a 2,500 imp gal (11,000L; 3,000 US gal) water capacity, and can carry up to 50 tonnes of coal in her tender. Thanks to her four-cylinder design, she could have either the interior or exterior cylinders closed off, leaving her able to run on only two cylinders rather than four, in case of a cylinder issue or to run more efficiently.
"Braedey, Thomas. I'd like to introduce you to Ella." Sir Topham Hatt introduced the two engines to the new locomotive.
Braedey shows a gentle smile to Ella. "Nice to meet you. I'm Braedey, from the Josephine Railway." He greeted. "The tank engine alongside me is Thomas."
"Hello, Ella." Thomas greeted happily.
Ella showed a tiny smile on her angelic face. "H-Hello." She greeted back with a small stutter.
"Braedey, I would like you to show Ella the ways to take a local train." Sir Topham Hatt said to the crimson red locomotive. "This will be her first time in operation."
This got Braedey's attention. "Really? This will be her very first time in revenue service?" He asked.
"Y-Yes." Ella replied softly. "This will be... the first time I take passengers... at all." She admitted. "I've never done something like this before."
Braedey now looked to Ella. "Very well. Let's go to the carriage yard, and we'll start with something small like local trains." He said to her, he and Ella now puffing out of the station.
Sir Topham now looks over to Thomas. "Now, Thomas. Ella will be very new when it comes to shunting trucks later, so I would like you to show her what to do."
Thomas showed a smile. "I'll do my best, sir." He replied, and he steamed away to go to his branch line.
Over at the carriage yard, Braedey and Ella had arrived to collect their coaches. The former looked to see two Express coaches, and the yard manager said one of them will have to take that train.
"Okay. Ella, you have to be very careful when it comes to buffering up to the coaches. You need to be slow and gentle." Braedey explains to Ella. He demonstrates this by slowly reversing up to the coaches behind him, and gently buffered up to them. "There. Now you try." He said to Ella.
Ella looked back at the coaches behind her, and she began to slowly reverse towards them. She slowly puffs backwards, being mindful of her distance, and she ever so gently buffered up to the coaches. Braedey was very impressed, though curious about Ella. Once they were coupled up, the two engines head off back to Knapford to collect the passengers. When they arrived at the station, passengers on the platforms were all rather surprised to see Ella. They commented that she looked very smart and clean, though Ella felt a little intimidated by the amount of people around her.
"You'll be taking this train as far as Maron Station. It's just beyond Gordon's Hill, the big hill past Wellsworth." Braedey said to Ella. "Best you increase speed after you go depart from Wellsworth. You don't want to get stuck on that hill."
"I understand. I'll do my best." Ella replied back softly, now looking down at her buffers with uncertainty in her eyes.
Soon, the guard on Ella's train blew his whistle. The blue GNR Stirling Single was a little surprised, and she began to puff out of the station. Braedey watched her go, though he was concerned about her as he departs from the station with his passenger train.
Ella travelled along the mainline at speed, enjoying the calm peace and serene atmosphere around her. It was very enjoyable, and she couldn't help but smile softly.
"This is very nice. Never thought this island would be so pleasant." Ella said to herself as she goes along, with other engines passing by.
"We might have to pick up the pace, girl. We're falling a little behind schedule." Ella's driver informed. "Don't want the passengers to get angry."
Ella sighed internally, now feeling her regulator and reverser veins adjusted to increase speed. She felt her pistons whirring internally and externally, and she goes along at a higher speed. Eventually, she arrived down at Crosby Station just a minute behind. She waited for the passengers to disembark, and she soon left the station to continue forth. Ella eventually arrived at Wellsworth Station. As she sat there, now awaiting for her to depart, she saw Edward arriving on the other line from the Brendam Branch.
"Hello there, I'm Edward." The old blue engine greeted to Ella. "You must be the new engine."
"Y-Yes. Nice to meet you too, Edward." Ella answered back to Edward. "I'm Ella."
"It's alright if you're nervous and anxious. It happens to most engines who are new." Edward reassured to her.
"Well... I just don't want to mess up. This is my first time taking any train at all." Ella pointed out to Edward. "I just don't want to make a mess out of myself."
"You need not to worry, my dear. You should know that a number of us on this island have had a number of incidents over the years." Edward reassured to Ella. "Even I have had some incidents, including one where my crank-pin snapped, damaging my wheel splasher and running plate. So, I had my side rods removed. Fortunately, I was able to get to the station and bring my passengers home."
Ella was very impressed and intrigued by this story from Edward. Before she could ask anymore, the guard for her train blew his whistle, and she puffed away, Edward watching her leave. He was curious about her.
Back with Ella, she powered her way along the mainline at speed, eventually climbing up Gordon's Hill with little to no issue at all, and she coasts along down the other side. She made good time as she travelled along, now coming to a slow and gentle stop at Maron Station. As she sat and waited to be turned around, passengers commented to her she did very well for her first day, and Ella smiled gently back to the passengers at their kind words.
"Oh, wow." Ella was surprised by this voice, and she looked over to see James by the water tower. "I heard that a new engine was arriving, but I didn't expect you."
Ella was confused. "What? What do you mean?"
James snickered then looked serious. "Well, if you think you can take over my place as the shiniest engine on Sodor, then you're mistaken."
Ella now realised something. "Wait. You're that James engine, aren't you? The one who had to have bootlaces to repair a brake pipe, crashed on his first day, got spun about on a turntable, ran into some oil tankers, nearly had a tree fall on him, went on strike, and was named 'Rusty-Red-Scrap-Iron' by Diesel's lies?" She questioned, and James' blushing embarrassed face answered it. "Yeah, that was a guess. Good day."
With that, Ella puffed away to take the next train back to Knapford, now leaving James embarrassed and steaming to himself.
Throughout the day, Ella had gotten the handle of taking goods and passengers, and she got to meet the other engines there, learning who they are thanks to her knowledge of the Railway Series books. She did bring up some moments to others to try and remember who the others engines were, much to their ire but they tolerated this. Ella soon made close friends with most of the engines, and she began to slowly feel better.
That afternoon, Ella was down at the sheds with Thomas, Gordon, Henry, Lady, and Edward, and she was telling them about her day.
"Sounds like you're doing rather well for your first day." Gordon complimented. "Though still needs some work."
"I mean, I'm new to pulling trains so I've still got a lot of work to do." Ella admitted to the others. "I just hope I do a good job."
"If you don't mind me asking, but what is your story?" Henry now asked to Ella.
Ella soon began to explain about her story to everyone. She is a newly-constructed locomotive originally from the United States, built by a locomotive preservation group on the Strasburg Rail Road. She was originally set up for a Cinderella train ride at DisneyLand, which included her own rake of coaches designed to look like Cinderella's carriage to travel around the theme park and to entertain the crowds and the kids. However, the plan for that attraction had fallen through, and Ella was disappointed by the news. However, she got the chance to take small trains around the railroad, getting the chance to stretch her wheels.
"I'm really sorry about that." Thomas apologised.
"It's not your fault, Thomas." Ella reassured. "Things just happen, and they're out of our control."
Just rhen, Sir Topham Hatt arrived. "Engines. The opera concert for Allicia Botti will be underway tonight. Now, each of you will have some jobs to do before the concert begins. Gordon, you are to collect the guests from Vicarstown and other stations to take them to Callan Castle for the event."
"Of course." Gordon whistled, and he puffed away to collect the coaches.
"Lady, best you get the coaches." Sir Topham advised.
"I'm on it, sir." Lady acknowledged, and she quickly chuffed away to the shunting yards.
"Edward, you will go collect passengers and catering goods on the Brendam Branch, and bring them forth to Tidmouth." Sir Topham said to the blue mix-traffic engine. "Henry will take care of your mixed goods."
"Understood, sir." Edward replied, he and Henry now leaving the sheds.
"What about Thomas and myself, sir?" Ella now asked.
"Ella, you'll be taking the special train for Allicia Botti to Callan Castle." Sir Topham informed to her, Ella taken aback by this. "I have heard good things from many of my engines about you, and I believe that you will do very well. She'll be arriving at Vicarstown after Gordon has taken his passengers to Callan." Sir Topham now looked to Thomas. "And I need you, Thomas, to collect the fireworks from the docks." He added, and he left.
Thomas whistled and puffed away to go to Brendam. Ella watched him depart, emotions flowing through her boiler. This was something very big for her, and she had been trusted to do this. She took a deep breath and sighed, now slowly puffing out of the sheds to go down the mainline.
Ella made her way to the shunting yards, where she now collected her coaches for the journey across the island to Vicarstown. It'll be a long journey for her, but she was more than ready to deal with it. Once she got the coaches, Ella puffed off down the mainline, going on forth to Vicarstown. Ella continued on forth down the line, chugging along at her own pace but she still kept to time. She passed by some of the engines, and she'll whistle to them, others whistling back in response. Ella soon arrived at a junction, where she spotted Diesel.
Diesel gave the new engine a dirty look. "And who are you? A new steam engine?" He mused.
"Y-Yes. I'm Ella. You must be Diesel." Ella took a guess.
"Why, yes." Diesel oiled with a sly smirk. "And where are you going? Maybe I can provide you some directions to wherever you're going."
Ella eyed the BR Class 08 shunter, remembering the mischievous antics and tricks of Diesel's from his debut in the Railway Series books. "If you are going to try any one of your tricks on me..." She began.
A whistle cuts through the air, cutting off Ella as a familiar crimson locomotive steams into view. Braedey looked over to Ella, showing a friendly smile, then he gave a darkened glare at Diesel.
"Diesel, report to the Vicarstown yards and remain there until you're called to another location." Braedey spoke sharply at Diesel. "Orders from Sir Topham Hatt himself." He eyed them lack shunter diesel as he now rolled away with a grumble of his engine. Braedey then turned to Ella. "You'd best be on your way and quickly."
Ella understood with a smile, and she quickly puffed away with her coaches behind her. She had to make up for some lost time and get to Vicarstown swiftly.
Ella luckily arrived at Vicarstown Station as the sun was starting to set. She pulled into the platform with her coaches, then she uncoupled herself, get turned around and take on water for the trip to Callan Castle. Once she got turned around, she took notice of the opera singer she's to pick up and take her to the hall.
Allicia Botti usually wore a cream coloured dress-coat, with black fur trim, over a blue dress, with a black hat and pearl necklace.
"Excuse me. Are you my transport to Callan Castle?" The opera singer asked to the blue locomotive.
"Uh, yes. I am Ella." The GNR locomotive answered timidly as she backed down into the coaches and got coupled up. "I'm... I'm to take you... to the concert."
Allicia Botti smiled gently at the locomotive, even patting her buffer for comfort. "It's alright if you are nervous about doing this. It happens to everyone."
Ella smiled sheepishly, just as the opera singer entered one of the coaches. Once done so, Ella began to steam out of Vicarstown to head forth to Callan Castle at once. Ella was very determined to get her job done and without delay, and she was not going to let Sir Topham Hatt down. Ella charged onwards without delay, heading forth towards Callan. She goes along at a reasonable speed and pace, passing by green signals as she goes forth through Crovan's Gate and carries onwards. Soon, she turned off the mainline, heading forth towards the castle. As she arrived, the other engines blew their whistles in cheer as she pulls up into the station and platform, coming to a gentle stop, just as fireworks go off in the skies above.
Sir Topham Hatt walked up to Ella with a smile. "Well done, dear Ella. You have arrived on time and without delay." He congratulated to her, just as Allicia Botti now stepped out of the coaches. "After your performance, I'm sure your owner would be proud."
'I don't think so.' Ella thought to herself, now watching as the Fat Controller walked the opera singer towards the castle, the lights shining on. 'At least I did it.'
Thomas smiled happily to Ella. "Well done." He said.
"You have done well." Lady agreed.
"Not bad for a new engine." Gordon remarked.
"Great performance from you." Henry included.
"You have done well." Toby agreed.
"Thanks so much..." Ella said softly.
Sure enough, the concert was underway, and all of the engines enjoyed listening to the sound of Allicia Botti's opera vocalisations, the music echoing all around the area. Everyone was listening on with smiles on their faces, but all the while, Ella sat in silence as she looks down at her buffers, thinking about what could happen soon...
A few days later, Ella was sitting by Tidmouth sheds with the other locomotives, all of them getting fired up and ready to go for their daytime jobs. Ella, however, she was concerned about what'll happen to her next, since her loan to the N.W.R has now expired.
Soon enough, Sir Topham Hatt arrived at the sheds. He stepped out of his car and walked over to Ella. "My dear Ella, I'm afraid it is time for you to be sent back to the United States. I cannot afford to let you stay-"
"Please, Sir." Ella spoke out, Sir Topham and the other engines looking on in surprise. "Please don't send me back home."
"Why is that so?" Henry questioned.
"Yeah. Why don't you want to go home?" Gordon quizzed. "I thought you'd want to."
"Well... ever since I had been built, the diesel shunters and big diesels on the Strasburg Rail Road would mock me because of how small I am compared to them, on top of me being a female." Ella began to explain to the others, then she shuddered. "They all just ridiculed me and called me some horrid names. My manager even made snappy comments at me, and he'd always put me in the back of the sheds to not be seen. He'd even say I was a mistake to have me built. He threatened me before I was shipped out. He said that if I ever come back to the USA... he'd send me off for scrap." Ella now felt like she might cry.
The other engines were shocked and they felt bad for what Ella had gone through. Sir Topham Hatt now had to consider the circumstances of Ella's situation, and he now had to think about what to do. He walked back to his car to make a call. A few moments pass by, the other engines looking on in trepidation, then later, Sir Topham stepped out of his car to walk back over to Ella.
"Ella, I have some great news for you." Sir Topham said to the blue locomotive. "I've made some calls, and it seems that Mr. Franklin of the Josephine Railway is looking for a unique engine to be part of his fleet. He has told me to tell you that you are now part of his railway and he's made a purchase of you from your old owner."
Ella was in shock and surprise. She was saved from her old owner, saved from being sent to scrap, and she'll still be in service? The engines of the N.W.R all blew their whistles in chorus and celebration for Ella, the blue GNR engine now smiling with happy tears in her eyes. She never felt so happy before in her life.
"Thank you..." Was all Ella could muster from herself.
About a day later, Mr. Franklin came over to Sodor to see the newest addition to his railway fleet. He said he had heard a lot of good words from Sir Topham about Ella, and he wished to include her on his railway. Ella was too happy to say anything, so she blew her whistle in excitement. After a quick inspection of her parts, Ella was given a clean bill of health, and after a chorus of whistles of the engines of the North Western Railway, both she and Mr. Franklin soon left for the Josephine Railway.
When she arrived on the J.R, Ella was then greeted to friendly smiles and whistles to her, and she was now given the Josephine Railway insignia on her tender. Ella was allocated to take charters and passenger trains around the Lake District. She soon got along with those like Jane, Diana, Liliana, Jonson, Kieron, even Braedey and the other male engines. She was even shown the many sights all around the railway, and Ella could not be happier about where she was anymore.
Ella the Beautiful Engine is now an official member of the Josephine Railway, and she couldn't be prouder.