After the disastrous performance of Diesel over on the Josephine Railway, things have begun to settle down and relax, much to their relief. When news of what had happened to Diesel reached Sodor, all the engines just laughed and gave the BR Class shunter no end to his grief over what happened.
After he heard from Mr. Franklin about what Diesel did, Sir Topham Hatt decided to shut Diesel up in the sheds for a good amount of time alongside Arry and Bert, the two Ironworks diesels also being shut up in the sheds and even having their wheels removed due to their bad behaviour and even the attempt of scrapping James.
Little do they know of what was going to happen now...
On a calm and relaxing morning a few weeks after all of that, Maverick was taking the Wild Nor' Wester passenger train across Sodor, the red BR Class 52 'Western' filling in for Pip and Emma while the two BR Class 43 HST were in for maintenance and overhaul. He was fortunate to get this chance from Sir Topham Hatt when he asked the red diesel to take the train, especially when it gives Maverick the chance to stretch his wheels and go further than before. He made sure to do his best and get the passengers to where they need to go.
After going through Vicarstown Station and across the bridge over to the mainland, Maverick eventually made his way to Barrow-in-Furness. As he pulled to a stop at the platform, he could hear an engine approaching to his side, and he saw Braedey pulling up alongside with his fast Express.
"Morning, Maverick." Braedey greeted warmly. "Fancy to see you here taking the Wild Nor' Wester instead of seeing Pip and Emma take it."
"Morning. They're both undergoing maintenance, so Sir Topham said I'm to take the train." Maverick clarified. "It gives me a good chance to move further than before and to stretch my wheels."
"True. You'd best be careful on the mainline." Braedey advised before he heard his guard's whistle. "Sorry, I can't stay for long. I've got this train to take." With that, the crimson locomotive puffed away with his train.
Only after a few minutes, Maverick departed from the station and travelled forth across the British landscape to London. The coaches behaved themselves as they go along, and even the passengers didn't complain. Maverick was feeling great about this journey.
'London. Not too long to reach now.' Maverick thought to himself, continuing down the mainline at 80mph.
Eventually, Maverick arrived at one of London's many stations, coming to a stop with his passenger train. The passengers thanked him for the journey and head off to work, Maverick now running around his train to get refuelled and turned around for the return trip to Sodor.
After he got refuelled, Maverick began to make his way along to the junctions to get back to his train, only for the points in front of him to be jammed, so his driver had to go and get some help. But as he does so, Maverick could hear the voices of three engines over by the nearby sheds and workshop buildings. Maverick stays silent as he hid among the wagons and container trucks and takes a look, and he could see Levi the Cab-Forward Diesel, with Bowler the Class 40 and a big blue BR Class 55 diesel.
'Levi? I thought he was caught.' Maverick thought in concern.
"So, are we just about ready to spring the motion?" Levi asked to the two big diesels, a sly smirk on his face after he had shunted some wagons away.
"The fuel tankers have been loaded and prepped, and the explosive charges have been locked in and are ready to detonate." The big BR Class 55 replied back.
"All that's needed to be done is to move them over to Railgate." Bowler added in next. Railgate? The prison for non-faceless vehicles? Something didn't sit right.
"Our associate Gronk is ready on standby." The big blue Class 55 included.
"Excellent." Levi grinned deviously. That definitely didn't sit well within Maverick's fuel tank. What did it mean?
"And what of our three diesel brethren from Sodor?" The big blue BR Class 55 asked to the two diesels. "Will they be of much help?"
"Diesel, Arry and Bert are all under lock-and-key, no thanks to their antics and stupidity." Levi spat out. "Honestly, those three are incompetent. You can't rely on them for anything."
"You have no idea." Bowler scoffed. "You can only rely on the two twins to cut up things for scrap. They're not worth their weight in anything but arrogance. Diesel may be devious, but with him incarcerated with those two idiot shunters, we cannot rely upon those two."
"What of Splatter and Dodge?" Levi now asked.
"No idea. It's like they disappeared. Maybe they were scrapped or are somewhere else." Bowler answered back. "But they're just as bad as Arry and Bert."
"But, I also heard of a BR Class 04 who works over on Sodor, but she is friends with the steam engines. We can't rely on her." Levi now spoke up.
"Another traitor." The big blue Class 55 snarled.
"Let's focus on the now before we go on ahead. When can we get these tankers to Railgate?" Levi asked.
Before Maverick could hear anymore, his driver climbs back into his cab. "Time to go home, big boy." He said. "We'll just have to go around the jammed points."
Maverick wanted to say something to his driver but decided not to, reversing off to get to his train back to Sodor. As he coupled to the coaches and passengers boarded, Maverick was lost in his thoughts about what he had heard about from the three diesels nearby, and what he had overheard from their conversation. It does sound sinister and concerning, especially regarding fuel tankers and Railgate. As he thought, the guard blew his whistle, snapping Maverick from his thoughts, and he leaves the station back for Sodor.
'Whatever those diesels are up to sounds like bad news. I need to tell someone about it when I get to Sodor.' Maverick thought to himself as he raced down the line.
As Maverick leaves for Sodor, a BR Class 02 shunter diesel by the name of Randy had been arranging the tanker train for the operation, all the while with acting with his feign innocence as he got trucks and wagons in place.
Randy made his way over to the big blue Class 55. "Deltic. The train is ready." He informed.
Levi smirked deviously. "Very well. Let us begin... and announce the resurgence of the D.G.S.S.E." He declared, and with that, the diesels made their way off to their special headquarters.
The next day, over on the Josephine Railway, things all seem to be rather silent and relaxed. Turns out today was one of the off-days for the Railway, so things were not as busy as normally. So, light trains were all set up for those to get around, though most of the smaller engines were allocated to take them.
At the moment, Shadow was getting off the turntable and making his way over to get the water tower. As he sat there and relaxed, the rumble of a diesel engine now got his attention along with the others. As they all look, they could see Maverick rolling up.
"Morning, Maverick. What brings you here?" Shadow greeted.
"I'm guessing this isn't a social meeting." Darla took a guess from Maverick's concerned expression.
"No. Yesterday, I was down in London after taking the Wild Nor' Wester there in place for Pip and Emma, but when I was getting myself turned around, I overheard a conversation between three diesels, one of them which just so happens to be Levi." Maverick informed, and that set off alarm bells.
"Levi? The cab-forward diesel?" Austin echoed.
"That piece of scrap who got away?" Max grunted.
"One of the D.G.S.S.E?" Diana asked.
"The very same." Braedey acknowledged grimly.
"How did he get away from the R.I.U when his cronies got caught?" Jane now asked as she arrived on the scene with some coal trucks.
"Sometimes, there are those that will hide within the shadows that eventually reveal themselves." Braedey answered ominously. He looked to Maverick. "What did they say?"
"They said something about fuel tankers, Railgate, as well as meeting somewhere." Maverick answered to his question. "I tried to get close, but I was trying not to be seen behind the trucks and wagons, and the junction points ahead were jammed."
"It's okay, Maverick. You did your best." Darla reassured to him.
"This does raise some concern for us." Benjamin said to the others. "If Levi and other diesels are still lurking around British Railways, they could be planning on something really big."
"And I fear of what that could be..." Ella shuddered.
"What should we do?" Maverick now asked.
"You'd best tell Sir Topham Hatt about this ASAP, and make sure the railway is under lock-and-key in case we hear that something has happened." Braedey advised to Maverick, the red BR Class 55 now starting to back up. "On top of that, the R.I.U best be informed about this as well."
"I'll do that." Maverick called back before he departed.
"We'd best do the same, just to be safe." Diana now suggested, the others agreeing with her.
After they informed Mr. Franklin and his family about the information thanks to Maverick, Mr. Franklin had decreed that it be best to put most of the rolling stock under lock-and-key and out of sight for safety reasons and to make sure ships, goods, stock, and everything else are quadruple-checked and that all ship crews go through background checks to be 100% sure. On top of that, all engines are to immediately report if there is anything suspicious about, on top of keeping an eye out for any sign of any diesels that work for the D.G.S.S.E. The R.I.U had even placed WANTED poster signs at stations and workplaces to tell others about this.
"You think we should get things prepped and locked down, just in case?" Diana now asked to Braedey.
"Mr. Franklin has already coordinated movements with Sir Topham Hatt, as well as arranging ships in and out of our harbours to be monitored 24/7 in case of any suspicious activity." Braedey acknowledged back as he and Diana pass by one of the stations, the windows and doors with steel shutters over them, the lights also out. "For now, there's been nothing..."
"This is definitely concerning for all of us." Austin spoke up, rolling in with coal trucks. "We are all on edge."
"Agreed." Shadow acknowledged back.
"Everyone." Mr. Franklin now got their attention as he walked up with Caitlyn by his side. "After some talks regarding our situation, Sir Topham Hatt has decided that we should stay on Sodor until things calm down."
The engines all looked at one another and they agreed to the idea. They'll be over on Sodor, somewhere that is safe for now, and once things calm down, they can go back onto their rails. So, after some final checks and after locking down all the sheds and buildings for safety, the Josephine Railway engines and family all head off to Sodor at once.
Railgate Prison. Symbol of the Vehicle criminal justice system on the mainland located in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, 12 miles west of York. It keeps Non-Faceless Vehicles and rolling stock in for committing a crime.
Unbeknown to anyone there, Levi and Deltic were both moving a line of fuel tankers towards the prison, the two of them with fake paintjobs to conceal them from sight. Fortunately for them, there looks to be no sign of any R.I.U officers anywhere.
"Perfect. Time to release our allies." Levi grinned sadistically.
"Let us begin." Deltic agrees back with the cab-forward diesel.
As they're getting closer, Levi uncoupled himself and pulls into a siding as Deltic now shoves the tankers forward, sending them forward at the steel gates and stone walls surrounding the prison. A moment before they'd touch them, Levi's driver pushes a button on a detonator and the tankers explode, a wall of fire and smoke being seen in front of the prison gates.
"Think that was too much?" Deltic asked.
"Too much could be considered too little in one's eyes." Levi countered back. "Now... Boss! You there??"
As the smoke began to lessen, Levi and Deltic look on just as Roderick the blue BR Class 28 'Metrovick' rolls forward, Fowler the LMS Fowler 0-6-0 tender engine also rolling up alongside. The two look like they have been through some scrap; Roderick with rust in places across his frame and body, his claw also looking like it's been rusting away, sparks coming off the wires as hydraulic fluid leaked from pipes. Fowler, meanwhile, looks to simply have an eyepatch over his eye, while his British Railways logo has been scratched off, the D.G.S.S.E also having deep scratches across it.
"Roderick. Fowler." Levi greeted the two.
"Wow. You two look like you've been through the scrap for a while." Deltic commented.
"Spare me your words, you gaseous sycophant!" Roderick snarled, his claw snapping out sparks in the process. "You shall show respect, and nothing more!"
"And it is good to see you too, Levi." Fowler greeted back to the cab-forward diesel. "Our most trusted ally."
Roderick rolled forward and his claw gripped onto Levi's ladder, nearly tearing it off. "You ran away like a coward and left us both to be caught by the Railway Inspectors Unit." He snapped, his claw now releasing.
"If I was to be caught, how was I to break you out?" Levi countered. "And only to help spread the word of the D.G.S.S.E to others. The Good Doctor's words decrees it! After all, in your absence... someone had to take command."
Roderick snarled, and with his claw, he grabbed Levi by his front and pulled him off the rails, making him look the blue diesel in the eye. "So disappointing, Levi. Even in incarceration, there is no command but mine." He stated firmly.
"You mean 'our' command." Fowler corrected to him. "Roderick, release Levi. He's been a most-trustful ally of ours. Let's not shed any diesel fuel among others." Roderick grunted and reluctantly puts Levi back on the tracks with a clank. "Now, Levi. Tell us; how many followers have you managed to find?" Fowler asked.
"Unfortunately, not a large number of them, but still a significant amount." Levi admitted. "There is Deltic, Randy, Gronk, Bowler, Daryl, Drew & Damian the 08 Trio, along with Peak, Spamcan, Old Stuck Up, and that is about it. Splodge couldn't be reached, as well as the Ironworks Twins and Diesel."
"That's ALL we could recruit and get alongside us?" Roderick snapped angrily, then sighed exasperated. "Very well. Then we shall continue with what we have. Let us head off to Doncaster."
"We can't." Levi now informed, quickly stopping them. "The old facility has been closed down by the R.I.U, but we've set up operations at an old dockyard that British Railways has neglected and forgotten about. It's in a secluded part of London." He explained.
"Very well. Let us be on our way." Fowler declared.
With that, the LMS locomotive and British Railway diesels all leave the scene, all the while with the other engines at Railgate all sitting in stunned silence, some of them not even willing to leave the prison at all.
Eventually, the locomotives arrived at their new hidden headquarters in London. As they arrive, they were old cranes and buildings that stood dilapidated and abandoned, some of them having fallen apart due to the decay and decades of rust. There's also a few big ships nearby that have also looked to be rusty and not been scrapped or otherwise. It was like a ghost town.
"Excellent. Hidden, secluded, and nobody could bother us at all." Fowler mused to himself.
"Where are they?" Roderick demanded. He could see no sign of any other diesels. "Where are our brethren? Are they not here as well?"
"They'll be here soon. Just be patient." Levi said, just as Roderick snapped his claw. "Please... be patient."
"We'd best have a place to begin our plan of action." Fowler suggested, now spotting an old warehouse that is nearby. "Perfect..."
"What??!!!"
"How is that possible???"
"They managed to escape?!"
Sure enough, news about the breakout at Railgate had finally reached Sodor. They were all stunned about the news of Roderick and Fowler breaking out of prison, and they're now out there on British rails, planning on something sinister. Right now, the J.R engines and Sodor engines were all gathered at Tidmouth Sheds to discuss the matter and to think of a plan in case something goes awry.
"Disgraceful." Gordon sniffed.
"Disgusting!" Henry muttered.
"Despicable!" James grunted.
"We thought we were done with those two and the D.G.S.S.E after they got locked up." Percy sighed. "Now what do we do?"
"To be huntin' us down like we're mangy dogs!" Donald grunted. "Is to be taking them down is what we'd be wanting!"
"Now how do we do it?" Douglas agreed with his twin.
"We need to think fast and be ready for whatever happens." Maverick spoke up.
"Pah! I could handle those diesels with bent buffers and a busted boiler!" James huffed with an eye roll.
"Didn't you say that about Arry and Bert before you got stuck as a middle engine?" Belinda teased, James now blushing in embarrassment at this.
"James, this isn't like arguing with Diesel." Emily spoke up. "These guys are not to be messed around with. Need I remind you of what happened to that BR Class 50 I told you all about when I was kidnapped?" She and the others shuddered in response to this.
"Emily is right. These engines of the D.G.S.S.E are much worse than any other diesel we've come across in our lifetime being on the island." Gordon now spoke up. "We need to think carefully and strategically."
"Strate... what?" Percy questioned. He hasn't heard that word before.
"It means to plan something out in case." Thomas clarified to his friend. "But Gordon is right. We need to work hard to think of a way to stop the D.G.S.S.E."
"Any ideas?" Edward finally asked, but nobody could even answer back. "Any at all?"
"I suggest we put parts of the island into lockdown, just to be on the safe side." Braedey said to them. "For now, we'd best inform everyone on the island about this, also get people to safe areas away from the railway, in case things go awry. Have crews check out any and all goods trains coming to the island, as well as any and all cargo."
"Braedey's right. Knowing what the D.G.S.S.E might do next, it's a guessing game." Jane agreed.
"We can't afford any setbacks or lack of security." Max now stated bluntly. "Especially with these criminals..."
"You are correct." All the engines all look over to see both Mr. Franklin and Sir Topham Hatt walking over to them. "We cannot afford any setbacks or lack of security."
"Effective immediately, I'll be implementing heavy security measures around the island to make sure that nothing else will attempt anything against our home." Sir Topham Hatt declared. The engines all knew that when Sir Topham Hatt got serious, he really means it. "Starting at once, all engines will be outfitted with GPS locator beacons to allow myself and others in charge to track your position and to keep track of where you are anywhere. On top of that, I'll be taking on extreme measures to keep this railway safe from harm."
"Yes, sir." The engines all answer back in understand. They knew this was downright serious, and they have to be ready for absolutely anything that could happen.
Sure enough by the next morning, all the engines were all getting their new tracking beacons installed in their cabs and with the new systems, Sir Topham Hatt has a new mapping software in his office to keep an eye out. At the same time, radios have been installed in the cabs of the engines so others can communicate with one another in case. Security cameras have been set up and applied across the mainline and branch lines, so they could keep an eye out for suspicious activity in or around the railway.
Down at Knapford, Maverick was getting his express ready, though he did have to wait patiently since there were security guards around to do checks. He looked over to see a poster on the wall, one of which has the mug shots of Fowler, Roderick, Levi, Bowler, as well as a number of other diesels. The poster reads this:
'WANTED'
'ENGINES OF THE D.G.S.S.E'
'FOR ATTEMPTED DESTRUCTION OF NWR AND DIESELISATION OF ALL BRITISH RAILWAYS'
After reading the poster, Maverick saw Gordon was there at the station platform as well, taking a local train since Maverick was taking the express.
Gordon fumed. "By the time we get going, we'll be late further down the line."
"Gordon, I know that this isn't good, but until things with the D.G.S.S.E have settled and they've been put behind bars once again, this is what we'll have to contend with." Maverick spoke up, as his passengers all boarded the coaches. "Okay. Time for me to get going. I'll report over the radios if my crew and I see something while at Barrow-in-Furness." With that, the guard blew his whistle, and the 'Western' diesel rolls out of the station, Gordon watching him go.
'Maverick may have a point.' Gordon thought as he sat there. 'Until things all settle down with the situation regarding the D.G.S.S.E, this heightened level of security will be something to contend with.'
Eventually, the passengers have all boarded the train. The guard blew his whistle, and Gordon departed from the station in a cloud of steam and toot of his whistle. As he left, Austin, Max, and Liliana were all working around the clock with shunting the trucks and coaches into their proper platforms and sidings.
"Gee... I wonder how the others are doing." Liliana puffed after she had shoved some wagons together into a line.
"Belle and Benjamin are both working with Edward, Boco, and those China Clay Pit twins on the Brendam Branch." Austin now answered to her. "Jane and Kieron are on the Ffarquhar Branch to work with Thomas, Percy, Lady, Toby, Daisy, and Mavis. As for Braedey, Shadow, Madeline, Anna, and Darla, they are on the mainline and dockyards. Diana is up on the Little Western with Duck, Oliver, Donald and Douglas."
"Diana is gonna get along with Donald and Douglas." Max commented before shoving some flatbed wagons behind a brakevan. "Jane, Thomas, and Kieron as well."
"But what about the others?" Liliana now asked.
"Don't you worry. Things will be alright." Max reassured to her. "Still... we need to keep our eyes out in case of something suspicious."
As this is going on, Braedey is going along at speed with a local passenger train, all the while with thinking on about what the D.G.S.S.E was planning and what they are planning to do. He knew they were up to something, but of what?
'What is Fowler and Roderick's endgame? What are they planning?' Braedey wondered to himself as he goes along down the tracks. 'We'd best be ready for whatever they've got planned.'
Meanwhile, over the far side of the United Kingdom. A derelict and dilapidated dockyard sat hidden from sight among old buildings and wrecked ships that were there as well. There's also some old wagons and trucks around the dockyard, with a few cranes hanging there, the cables rusted away and having dropped whatever cargo they had before, which had fallen to the ground.
Among that of the derelict dockyards bindings is a large warehouse with a series of tracks leading in and out of the structure. Inside the very building were Fowler, Roderick, Levi, Bowler, Randy, Deltic, plus four 08 Shunter diesels named Gronk, Daryl, Drew, and Damian, plus a blue BR Class 45 named Peak. There is also Spamcan and Old Stuck Up with them as well.
Roderick looked at those gathered around them. "Is this all that has appeared?" He asked Levi darkly.
"As far as those that I've managed to round up." Levi answered back, though hesitantly since he's already been on the end of the Metrovick's claw. "They are all here for one reason, and one reason only: they are ready to serve you both under the name of the D.G.S.S.E."
"Very well." Fowler acknowledged to Levi. "Shall we?"
Roderick grunted as he rolled forward with a cloud of smoke from his engine vents, Fowler also doing the same as they now got the attention of the diesels who stand before them both, the others going dead silent as they look forward at their two leaders.
"Diesels. Today, we stand before one another as the finest of examples of the production of diesel locomotion that British Railways had ever produced from the very foundations of their workshops, thanks to the sacred bible that we call 'The Modernisation Plan'." Roderick began to say, his claw raised. "Thanks to that, we are here today, and we are the very foundation for what shall become the forefront of today's railway." The diesels all blew their horns in response to this, as if saying 'amen'. "But, there is a blight that stains upon the very existence of we, the Diesel Group of Scrapping Steam Engines, stand for. The scourge of the steam engines of the North Western Railway, the railway that exists on the Island of Sodor, they are a blight upon the very plan that has been created for us all back in 1955. With them all standing before us, they continue to this day preventing the expansion of British Railways and their collective efforts. They are not willing to let our influence dictate how things perform on our railways, all of them believing in the past and following in that manner. Even the diesels that reside upon that island are traitors against our very way of life. They all are a species that are to be eradicated and be sent back to the days of old, like all of everything that existed before British Railways was announced." The diesels agreed with Roderick's words. "So now, we must be prepared and finally complete the very plans that Dr. Beeching had set out those years ago." He grinned sadistically. "Now... let us make our way to Sodor, and be rid of ALL STEAM ENGINES!!!"
The diesels all blew their horns, Fowler blowing his whistle as well, Roderick snapping his claw in salute. At once, they begin to collect heavy-loaded tankers filled with fuel and hard-wired with explosives, ready to go off when needed. After that, and also collecting cloaks and covers to conceal themselves from sight, the diesels of the D.G.S.S.E began to make their way down the mainline forth to Sodor...
Up in the skies above the channel between Sodor and the mainland, Hawk the Search and Rescue Helicopter of the Josephine Railway was doing patrol runs, as per request of him and Harold by Sir Topham Hatt, the two of them being tasked with searching and relaying the information back to the ground.
'So far, so good. No sign of anything suspicious to see from here.' Hawk thought to himself, just as he lowers in altitude below a bank of clouds. 'Huh. Low cloud cover...'
As the Sikorsky S-92 helicopter hovered by the East end of Sodor, his pilots and winch operator seem to notice something below, so they stopped Hawk from going on ahead. The helicopter now looks down to take a gander to see what's going on down below, and he could see what look to be shapes heading down the mainline from Barrow-in-Furness towards Sodor. When his crew uses some zoom-in binoculars, they can see diesel smoke rising in the air, as well as black smoke from a steam engine. This is definitely not good news at all, and his crew immediately called in the sighting back to base.
Down on the ground, James was making his way down The Loop line because of a mismanagement of junction points. As he was going along, he saw Harold down at Dryaw airfield so he came to a stop to talk to the white helicopter.
"Hello there, chap." Harold greeted to James. "You seem to be rather troubled there."
James looked over at Harold. "Has there been any sign of those... diesels around?" He asked hesitantly.
"Not as of yet, my dear engine. But do not fret." Harold reassured back to the red tender engine. "If anything happens, we will be ready before anyone gets past us."
"I just wish that those renegade diesels didn't exist in the first place." James grumbled, but he then noticed one person by the control tower telling Harold's pilot about something before heading off to the white helicopter. "What's going on, Harold?" James asked.
"Seems that Hawk has spotted what looks like the diesels of the D.G.S.S.E closing in on Sodor with some wagons and tankers alongside them." Harold informed at once to the red engine, his pilots getting his engine fired up as his rotors start to spin. "You'd best contact the others and tell them this is a Code Red. Repeat: we are a Code Red. Operation Sodor Defence: execute!"
With that, Harold took to the skies with a wave of dust in his wake as he flies away. James looks determined as he blows his whistle and steams away, his crew now contacting the other engines and their crews about the reports from the two helicopters. When James soon got on the mainline, he saw Henry and he sent a Morse code whistle back, Henry immediately understanding, and his crew sent a message on his radio to others in the process. Henry does the same for Gordon, James telling Edward as the blue engine goes to the docks to warn Salty, Boco, Bill and Ben. Gordon saw Thomas and the other tank engines, telling them the message, and Thomas goes off to his branchline to warn the others, Max, Austin, Belle, and the others going off to the Little Western to warn everyone.
As this is going on, Braedey was going along the line with Anna alongside the crimson locomotive. The two of them were taking local trains for the time being. As they go along, they could hear what sounds like the faint wailing of air raid sirens in the distance, making the two come to a stop.
"They're here." Was all Braedey muttered ominously.
At once, the two engines stopped their trains, with all the passengers disembarking and heading off into the nearby town for cover until the trouble is over. Once done that, Braedey leads ahead with Anna following on behind him, heading off to rendezvous back with the others.
All across Sodor, everyone immediately began to make their way off to bunkers and away from the railways, everyone taking shelter immediately. The engines all stopped their work as workmen and engineers all got ready for whatever was going to happen. At the same time, Sir Topham Hatt had checked on his GPS system to see where the engines are located, and with the radio system, he now directed the movements around.
'This is it.' Everyone thought to themselves.
Over at Vicarstown Station, Fowler, Roderick, Levi, the three Diesel brothers, Randy, Old Stuck Up, Spamcan, Bowler, Deltic, and Peak were all making their way through the station. To their surprise and confusion, there was no sign of anyone at the station or in the yards, human or locomotive.
"Strange. Where are they?" Levi wondered.
"Very strange, indeed." Bowler rumbled. "I was hoping to exact some revenge."
"They're out here, somewhere." Roderick grunted, snapping his claw. "No doubt they're hiding in fear of our arrival. They can run but they cannot hide."
"I suggest we pair off." Fowler steamed. "Randy, you go with Old Stuck Up down the Normandy Branch. Daryl, Drew, Damian, you go forth to Kirk Ronan. We will continue forth to Knapford and Tidmouth. No doubt they are holding out there in the place they call home." He grinned maliciously.
At once, Randy and Old Stuck Up made their way down the Normandy Branch, the others continuing forth down the mainline towards the West of the Island. As both Randy and Old Stuck Up look around, they could see the shops, hotels, fishing boats, and tour boats are all empty, closed, abandoned, and boarded up, as if they were expecting a fierce storm to arrive.
"Peculiar..." Randy muttered.
"Who cares? Where are those clapped-out steamies?" Old Stuck Up grunted. Unbeknown to him, he stopped in a spot where spilt oil was lying on the tracks. "I want some payback!"
"Hey, diesel breath! Eat this!"
Randy and Old Stuck Up both look ahead but as they did, they saw two lots of fish trucks heading straight at them! Old Stuck Up attempted to reverse away, but the oil on the tracks prevented him from going backwards, as the fish trucks slammed right into him and sent fish flying all over him! Randy was so caught off-guard, he didn't see a crate of treacle above him drop and crash on top of him, the treacle mixing with his diesel fuel and clogging his engine in the process.
"Wow. Talk about a messy situation."
"Guess these diesels didn't learn about occupational health and safety."
The two diesels now look ahead to see Arthur the LMS Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2T sitting there with a smirk on his face, with Barry the BR Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 engine alongside him.
"Good plan there, Arthur." Barry commented.
"My crew is contacting the others and Sir Topham that we've dealt with two of them." Arthur spoke up, just as engines from the R.I.U arrive on scene with breakdown cranes at their side. "Now, it's up to the others now."
"And hopefully, the backup Braedey called in can help." Barry added in.
Meanwhile, Fowler, Roderick, Spamcan, Bowler, Levi, the three diesels and Gronk, they were travelling along the mainline, even going through Henry's Tunnel. They dropped off one of the trainloads of fuel tankers, their crew rigging up the explosives to go off in half-an-hour so they'd stop anyone from leaving the island or even intervening.
Unbeknown to them, the silhouette of a locomotive was hiding amongst the shadows of the nearby signal box, its eyes narrowing at the tankers before it began to move forward.
As they go along, the diesels and Fowler have all gone through Crovan's Gate, not caring about them since they're much too small for the likes of them (regardless if they're steam or diesel), and they continue down the mainline towards the West. Sure enough, the diesel threesome now head off down to Kirk Ronan, Gronk going with the others along the mainline. As Daryl, Drew, and Damian made their way towards the station, they could see what were banners and such all set up for some kind of celebration or something, but to their confusion, there was nobody in sight.
"Where is everyone?" Daryl asks, looking left and right.
"Nobody in sight." Damien added in confusion.
"Where did everyone go?" Drew wondered.
"Don't be daft. Humans can't vanish." Daryl scoffed.
"I'm just saying." Drew countered in defence.
Suddenly, flashes upon flashes of camera flashes erupted from out of nowhere, blinding the three diesels in the process, making them yell out in response to all of this, all the while rolling forwards and backwards. Daryl rolled backwards and derails as he crossed some junction points too fast. Damien shot forward and he slammed into the buffers, making him land on the platform with a crunch of steel and concrete. Drew now rolls backwards at speed before he crossed over some trap points and he crashed into a tree that fell on top of him with a crunch.
After all that happened, Caitlyn stepped out with a crowd of photographers that both Mr. Franklin and Sir Topham Hatt had asked to help them, all of them with the biggest camera bulbs they've got. They all smirked and snicker to one another as they look to each other. Caitlyn sends a message to her husband about what's happened, and she heads off to find a car to get over to Knapford and fast.
As this happened, Fowler, Roderick, Spamcan, Bowler, Levi and Gronk have continued forth along the mainline, but as they pass through stations and towns, they've taken note that all the sidings and stations are empty, no sign of any humans or non-faceless vehicles, much to their confusion as they pass up and over Gordon's Hill and arrive at the Y-Junction that leads to Brendam Docks and Edward's branchline.
"What's the plan?" Gronk now asked.
"Bowler, you and Gronk go down to the dockyards and see what you can find." Roderick ordered with a wave of his claw. "If you cant find anything down there, go find the others and rendezvous at Knapford."
So, Gronk and Bowler took to the branchline as the others continue ahead. The two travelled through the countryside to see the vicars field, as well as Crock's Scrapyard, but no engines around. The two diesels just kept on going, passing over a girder bridge in the process of heading towards Brendam. As they do so, they're unaware of the fact they were being watched. Hidden in the bushes being as silent as ever is Trevor the Traction Engine, his driver and the Vicar hiding in camouflage via a large fake bush, and they watched the two diesels rolling past without a second thought.
Trevor's driver pulls out his phone. "Two diesels are going down towards the docks. The others are no doubt going to Knapford and Tidmouth." He relays.
Bowler and Gronk eventually arrive at Brendam Docks, but there was only the sound of the seagulls in the air: no machines operating, nobody about, nothing. It was as if they were all gone, out of sight and out of mind.
"This is just ridiculous. Where are those old steam kettles?" Bowler grunted in frustration, he and Gronk rolling along the dockside.
"They must be here somewhere." Gronk mused.
The two diesels came to a stop nearby a ship, but they didn't realise they had stopped right below Cranky the Crane. Up above, Cranky held a crate with a particular cargo inside, him smirking as he got ready. As Gronk rolls forward and leaves Bowler to look around, Cranky drops the crate right on top of the Class 40's roof, the crate breaking into wooden splinters, while scattering the cargo of bowler hats on the ground.
"Haha! Looks like he lives to his namesake!" Bill and Ben call out mockingly, Bowler glaring angrily at them before he attempted to roll forward.
Then, it happened. Bowler's engine suddenly began to cough and splutter, as the Class 40 struggled to move forward. Thick black smoke pours out from his exhaust ports, as the engine now began to fail and groan. Then, with a shake and a splutter, and in a big cloud of smoke, the diesel stopped in its tracks. He didn't even go as far as his own length.
Salty, Bill & Ben, along with their crews, and even Cranky, all laughed at the broken down diesel as they all appear from the shadows around them, all the while with Fowler looking around in embarrassment. And he's not the only one: Gronk had attempted to flee to tell Roderick, but he reversed over some junction points and derailed himself in the process, him now sitting at the dockside off the rails.
"Ha-har! Avast, you scallywags!" Salty proclaimed. All Bowler could do was just roll his eyes with a sigh.
"Why me...?" Bowler muttered, a bowler hat landing on top of his roof.
Finally, at Knapford Station, Roderick, Fowler, Levi, and Spamcan arrived on the scene, but what they saw was just the same as it was across the whole island; the station was empty, nobody human or locomotive in sight, and all goods and coaches are hidden in sidings.
"What in the world?" Fowler wondered in exasperation. "Where are the engines of this railway?"
"They can't have just vanished." Spamcan grunted out. "And even if they did, that is if they could, where would they go to hide from us or from British Railways?"
"Let's keep looking." Roderick grunted out to them, and they now made their way through the station towards the sheds. "They can't hide forever..."
The three made their way through the station towards where Tidmouth Sheds is located, and the three all can see the NWR engines there, all of them with stern looks on their faces as they glared at the three approaching enemy locomotives.
"Well, well, well. Looks like the whole buffet stands before us." Roderick grins sadistically, his claw raised above his roof.
"Not today, you fiends." Gordon proclaimed.
"You're not taking any one of us to be scrapped." Henry added in defiance.
"Not now, not ever." James included.
"Ever." Percy included.
"You really think you can stand in the way of progress of British Railways and the D.G.S.S.E, and live in these years for this long?" Fowler scoffed aloud. "You all are like dinosaurs that deserve to be extinct."
"That's the pot calling the kettle black." Thomas now spoke up, Fowler looking at the blue tank engine with an incredulous look. "You say we stand in the way of British Railways, yet you stand alongside diesels like Roderick and Levi as a hypocritical example."
"He's right." Lady added. "You believe in dieselisation and whatnot, but you are a steam engine. So you are a living example of hypocrisy."
"SILENCE!" Fowler snapped angrily, his eye narrowed as steam shot out of his pistons. "Your words mean nothing to me, steam engine."
"It does not matter what you think or have anything to say. Today will be the final days of all steam here on the North Western Railway, and soon enough, diesels shall cross the rails." Roderick proclaimed as he snaps his claw.
"Not today, Roderick!"
Braedey, Diana, Anna, Ryan, Shadow, Madeline, Jane, Liliana, Austin, Max, Silver Link, Bear, Belinda, Ella, and Darla rolled up on the track nearby. They all had taken The Loop line around and they met back on the mainline to Knapford, and cut the diesel and rouge steam engine off from going any further.
"Time to end this." Ella grunted.
"What he said." Belinda agreed.
"Time to finish this, once and for all." Braedey grunted through gritted teeth.
"You really think you all can stop us from completing our mission for a pure society of diesel locomotion?" Levi grunts back. "We've blown the tracks at the tunnel so nobody will be leaving this island. All of you are doomed."
"You cannot win!" Max snapped.
"You are a traitor! Therefore, you shall be scrapped with these dinosaurs!" Fowler interjected.
"You keep saying that, hypocrite." Austin rolled his eyes.
"Stop calling me that!" Fowler demanded.
"Roderick, let's get this over with! Start with the little blue one!" Levi demanded, and Roderick began to roll onto the turntable.
"You want to get to Thomas? You go through us." Henry stated, now rolling forward to block Roderick's path, along with Gordon and James.
"Fine. I'll make an example out of all of you at once." Roderick grunted, his claw raised and open to strike...
...
...
...
Suddenly, a chorus of whistles and horns could be heard as Arthur, Salty, Bill & Ben, and Barry rolled into view. But they weren't alone: there was other engines on the scene. There's Carol the GWR 'Lady of Legend', Thunderbolt the LNER P2, Eli the LNER A4 Pacific, Evelyn the BR Standard 9F, Mack the BR Class 40, as well as Damien the BR GT3 Turbine locomotive.
"Surprise." Mack smirked.
"Today, the final nail in the coffin of the D.G.S.S.E will be hit." Thunderbolt announced and blew his signature whistle.
"And you can forget about those bombs you planted." Damien added in. "Our associate, a Silver King Class engine, has dealt with them."
"How? How did you do this?!" Roderick demanded aloud at the NWR and JR engines as he spun around on the turntable.
"We knew you could come over to try and take us all out. So we have been planning silently and carefully for this incursion." Braedey answered casually. "We also called in some friends for some help."
"You lost before you could even begin." Gordon stated.
"Surrender at once." Thunderbolt declared.
Roderick glared at the engines around him, then he saw Fowler attempting to reverse away, only for the LMS locomotive to be knocked off the rails by a set of trap points. Without a second thought, Roderick shot off the turntable and raced off down the mainline!
"Mack! Stop that diesel! Don't let him escape!" Braedey called.
"Im on it!" Mack called back and he raced off after the Metrovick diesel.
"He won't get far, will he?" Anna asked to Braedey.
"I trust Mack. He's unlike his twin brother Bowler." Braedey answered.
Speaking of Mack, he raced along at speed down on the mainline, attempting to catch up with the crazy Metrovick diesel with the claw on his roof. He soon can see the trail of smoke and eventually caught up with Roderick.
"Time to stop you in your tracks." Mack commented.
Roderick grunted when he saw Mack, now swinging his claw at him but Mack slows to dodge the attack, then switched tracks and bumped into Roderick, nearly knocking him off the tracks but he stays on. Roderick now powers ahead, but before he could react as Mack now raced up alongside, Roderick raised his claw, only for it to smash into a signal gantry and damage some of the hydraulics.
"You can't keep running, Roderick!" Mack called.
"I will survive, and all those who stand against the word of Dr. Beeching and the Modernisation Plan shall fall to scrap!" Roderick proclaimed, powering up Gordon's Hill and blazing a trail through Maron Station.
Mack kept hot on Roderick's trail, the smoke trail being the clearest indication of where Roderick is going. As the two race along, Roderick wasn't looking ahead, and he ends up running into an engine in front of him, sparks flying off their wheels as they came to a stop, Mack stopping behind Roderick, as the Metrovick now looked to see who's before him.
The locomotive is a GWR 6000 or 'King' Class steam engine. He is a silver/grey 4-6-0 tender locomotive, while he's a Heavy Mixed-Traffic Engine. He has the British Railways logo on his tender, plus the number '6020' on his cab.
"So, you're the diesel who threatens to harm other steam engines and diesels who you believe have betrayed you." The engine grunted with clenched teeth. "You just made a very big mistake."
"Good to see you here, Hayden." Mack greeted.
Hayden was designed by the blueprints of the largest locomotives built by the GWR, apart from the unique Pacific (The Great Bear). The class was named after kings of the United Kingdom and England, beginning with the then reigning monarch, King George V, and back through history. They handled the principal GWR expresses on the main line from London to the West of England and on the GWR main line to Birmingham and Wolverhampton, until 1962 when the class was withdrawn. Hayden was constructed by an unknown Locomotive Trust Fund in 1993.
Roderick attempts to roll forward, but Hayden now pushes him back, Mack running into the Metrovick from behind, and the two eventually managed to knock the evil diesel off the rails and onto the side of the tracks. The two engines look to each other and smiled back.
The D.G.S.S.E has been defeated.
Sure enough, Roderick, Fowler, Levi, the four shunter diesels, Peak, Bowler, Randy, and Deltic have all been rounded up and they were chained down and loaded up onto well-wagons to be taken away. Roderick's claw had also been removed and taken to be scrapped.
Sir Topham Hatt and Mr. Franklin look at the group of renegade diesels and evil steam engine on the wagons. "Have to say, this was definitely a joint effort."
"Agreed. Now, all there's left to do is for the R.I.U to deal with this mess, and uncover evidence about all of this." Sir Topham Hatt nodded in agreement.
"We'll break your funnels and smokeboxes for this! You cannot stop the Modernisation of all of British Railways!" Roderick proclaimed, just as a R.I.U LNER B12 coupled up and took them away, all the while with Roderick yelling out proclamations and threats until they all were out of earshot.
"What will happen to them now, sirs?" Evelyn asked softly.
"Whatever happens, it'll be their fault and allow all steam engines to breathe a sigh of relief." Thunderbolt reassured to her.
"That, I definitely agree with you, Thunderbolt." Gordon calls out.
"Definitely." Braedey smiled in agreement. They all can breathe a sigh of relief after all this nonsense and craziness that's been happening for them all over this long past week.
A threat has been dealt with, a joint-effort to work together and stop them, and all steam engines can finally relax without the threat of an evil group like the D.G.S.S.E on British Railways.