//------------------------------//
// Domeless Engines 
// Story: Thomas and Friends: The Retold Adventures 
// by The Blue EM2 
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It was an important day at Tidmouth sheds, and everybody was excited. People bustled about, trains rolled back and forth, and everywhere you looked, things were happening. On the depot, Duck was just being warmed up and prepared to go to the yard. Apple Bloom was busy making some last minute checks, such as ensuring there was enough oil in the lubricators, and that the machinery was cleaned.

"Well!" the Pannier Tank said, looking around him as his fire simmered nicely. "I wonder what's going on out there? Everybody seems to be very excited!"

"Ah honestly don't know Duck," Apple Bloom replied, as she refilled his sanders and set about polishing his dome. The dome had got a little mucky, and as a result the young girl was keen to ensure that Duck was clean and well kept. "Ah heard somethin' about a visitor, but Ah know not ta listen ta rumours."

Duck smiled. "Now that's the way to do it!" he laughed. "If it is a visitor, I wonder who it could be? Somebody from the mainland?"

Now it was Apple Bloom's turn to smile. "That'd be sweet! Ah've never met a famous person before!" She hopped down from the running board, went over to Duck's cab, and checked the controls and pressure gauges. "Good. We're ready ta go when you are, Duck!"

"Right you are Ma'am!" Duck replied.

Apple Bloom frowned. "Y'all can just call me Apple Bloom," she replied. "It's what everybody else calls me, and Ah don't mind it." She released Duck's brakes, and once the turntable was aligned, the pair set off into the yard, where whatever they were looking for was waiting.

When they arrived at the yard, Duck's jaw dropped in amazement. "Well, I'll be!" he exclaimed, his eyes aglow with wonder. "If it isn't the most famous Great Western engine of all!"

The engine was long, and had four leading wheels, as well as four driving wheels. It had inside frames, which meant that the cylinders and driving wheels were hidden from view, and not only that, it had a magnificent brass dome, like that Duck bore upon his boiler. It also had a low tender, and the frames were painted red, with a green boiler lined in red and yellow. And the tender bore the letters G W R, in formal, flowery lettering, as well as the cabsides having the number 3440. Upon his footplate stood a man with white skin and blue hair, with a blue moustache set in a handlebar configuration. In addition, he wore a grey suit complete with monocle, traditional pocket watch, watch chain, a blue tie, and a waistcoat, as well as a bowler hat. He looked as if he had stepped straight out of the Edwardian age, and he certainly sounded it.

"Why, hello there!" he called over. "Look Truro, it's another Great Western engine!"

The engine, whos nameplate was now visible, was none other than City of Truro. He smiled as he spoke. "Montague?" he asked. "I remember you from Paddington!"

"I couldn't forget!" Duck smiled. "It was such an honour marshalling your coaches for you, and I'll never forget seeing you depart on that trip."

Truro laughed. "That was a lovely trip," he said. "Who's the girl on your footplate? Is she your driver?"

Apple Bloom leaned out. "Howdy Mr. City of Truro!" she called. "Ah'm Abigail. But you can call me Apple Bloom!"

Truro smiled. "A lovely name," he observed. "This man here is my driver. His name is Francis Paul, but most people call him Fancy Pants for some reason. They think he's a snob (which he really isn't)."

Just then, Gordon rolled through, spoiling the moment. "A lot of fuss about nothing, if you ask me!" he shouted. "Go back to the LNER museum where you belong!" And he sped off into the distance before anybody could say anything else.

Fancy Pants rolled his eyes. "And I thought the Castles were bad," he sighed. "Are all Pacifics really that snooty?"

Duck smiled. "You know, the Spam Cans aren't that bad. I once met one called Rebecca who lives at a place called Swanage, down on the South Coast."

"Ah, I miss the Heart of Wessex line," Truro smiled. "I must do a railtour over it some day. But enough of that! We shall talk, for I imagine we have much to catch up on."

Fancy Pants nodded his head. "Miss Apple Bloom, would you care for tea and cake at the Knapford station buffet? I hear that Mrs Allgood does a superb Victoria sponge!"



They spoke for many hours, but the next day Truro and Fancy Pants had to leave for Swindon, on the mainland. Gordon was pleased for him to go. "Good riddance!" he snapped, shattering the optimistic mood. "Talking all night; who is he anyway?"

Duck looked very offended. "That was City of Truro," he replied. "And he's famous?"

"As famous as me?" Gordon asked.

"Even more famous!" Apple Bloom declared confidently. "He was the first engine to go faster than one hundred miles an hour! Before Gresley even designed ya!"

"Oh please!" Rainbow Dash snorted. "That would require that engine to use more steam than the boiler could produce. The first engine that conclusively did one hundred miles an hour was 2750 Papyrus, an LNER engine, may I remind you?"

"And a cousin of mine!" Gordon added. "Besides, he doesn't have a dome. No respectable engine lacks a dome; I can tell you that as a fact. And one hundred! Pah! I could do that in my sleep!" And he wheeshed away.

Apple Bloom looked at Duck. "But Ah thought Truro had a top feed?" she asked.



Later that day, Duck and Apple Bloom went to Wellsworth, where Edward and Applejack were waiting.

"Howdy sugarcube!" Applejack called. "Ah heard all from that Fancy Pants fella how nice you were ta him."

"And City of Truro offered to help me out in the yard when there were too many trucks for me!" Edward exclaimed. "Wasn't he nice, Applejack?"

"Yup, sure was." Applejack then noticed the look on Duck's face. "Somethin' wron', Duck?" Duck then told her what Gordon had said. "Now then, y'all," she said, "Ah wouldn't trust a word of what Gordon says. He just blows a load of hot air about and talks nonsense about stuff he knows nothin' about. Well, phooey to him!"

"Look!" Apple Bloom called. "Here he comes now!"

Sure enough, a three cylinder beat echoed out of the distance, and Gordon raced through on a ten coach train bound for Vicarstown. "He can do it, I can do it! He can do it, I can do it!" he chanted, as he roared through, his coaches rattling and roaring as he flew along. In a moment, he was gone.

Applejack looked over. "Wasn't he goin' a bit fast?"

Duck snorted with laughter. "He'll knock himself to bits!" he exclaimed.



Meanwhile, Rainbow Dash was trying to keep Gordon under control. "Steady!" she called. "We're not running a race!"

"We are then!" Gordon snorted, but little did he know that a certain key part on his boiler, which helped to regulate water flow, was starting to come loose. At last, he reached the big viaduct which spanned a valley, where the wind blew fiercely. And it was here that all fell apart, as his dome cover tore loose and flew into the valley below.

"Well, isn't that ironic?" Rainbow Dash asked. As they arrived at Vicarstown, crowds of people and trucks turned out and laughed at Gordon's misfortune. On the run home, Gordon wanted to stop to look for the dome cover, but there was no time. However, Rainbow Dash promised to fit a new one tomorrow. At the shed, all the engines sat there, watching, and Gordon's humiliation was complete.

"Never trust domeless engines!" said a Cornish voice. "They aren't respectable."

Gordon was in no doubt as to who the voice belonged to.