James and the Express
Gordon and Henry would not stop talking. Although James was now in the good books of Sir Toppham Hatt, the other engines (barring Thomas and Edward) would talk of nothing but bootlaces when they were given the chance. It was supremely irritating, as Gordon went on about it yet again.
“Remember the time they had to use one to get you out of trouble James?” they would ask mockingly.
“Well,” James retaliated, “I believe you got shut up in tunnels or stuck on hills.”
It didn’t work, as Gordon simply went on. “You talk far too much James,” he said pompously, completely failing to spot the irony. “A big engine like me has plenty to talk about, rather than simply spouting large quantities of hot air. Sir Toppham Hatt thinks me important; it’s not a tough decision, though I have to confess, it’s hard to find a better engine for the express!”
“That’s the wrong era of the show, Gordon,” Henry told him.
“Henry, stop breaking the fourth wall!” Gordon snapped. “When I’m not around, the express needs two engines. Think of that! I’ve pulled expresses for decades, and not ONCE have I lost my way.”
James snickered. Being steam engines, they had no control over where they went. That was determined entirely by the points. It seemed Gordon had forgotten in his moment of pride.
The next morning, the engine crews arrived in order to ready the engines for work. Plumes of smoke soon began to rise above the depot and through the smoke hoods and the wonderful smell of Welsh anthracite flowed like wine through the air. For any railway enthusiast, it was heavenly. This was why Sodor was a popular tourist spot, being one of the last places on earth to use steam engines in regular revenue earning service.
Gordon was still boasting. “Wake up James!” he boomed. “It’s nearly time for the express. What are you doing? Odd jobs?” He stopped. “Well, we all have to begin somewhere.”
Just then, the deck of the turntable moved into position, and Rarity opened James’ regulator to get him to the yard to pick up the coaches. “Oh, please spare me any more of his prideful babbling,” she said annoyed.
The coaches that had been allocated for the express had been freshly repainted into a cream and green livery, and had been polished until you could see your reflection in the paintwork. James gently backed them into the platform and stopped slowly in order not to bump them.
“We’re going away! We’re going away!” the coaches sang.
“I wish I was going as well,” James said sadly, as he thought of what could be. “I wish I could pull the express and fly along the line.” He was moved to a siding at the side of the station, whilst Gordon backed down onto his coaches and came to a smooth stop. Whilst Gordon was being coupled, Rainbow Dash pocked her head out of the cab and chatted with Rarity.
“So, how’s it been?” she asked.
“Well,” Rarity replied, “we finally got those silly trucks in order, and I’m proud to say that they behave now.”
“I heard about that,” Rainbow Dash added. “You two did a good job.”
James smiled at the complement, before a loud whistle interrupted his thoughts.
Sir Toppham Hatt was on the express, and the guard’s whistle went. Rainbow Dash pulled her head back into the cab, and opened the regulator. Gordon rolled down the line, wheeshing and blowing steam, loud barks of steam and smoke roaring into the air and letting all know who was pulling the train.
“See you tomorrow James!” Gordon called, as he picked up speed and vanished into the distance. James watched the entire way, and then sighed.
“Well, time to clear this yard,” he said, and set off. He started by moving vans into the correct sidings, before collecting a rake of suburban coaches for the next train, the all stations stopping service to Vicarstown. He backed these into platform 4. Knapford station had five platforms; three of these were through platforms, with trains being able to run nonstop to Tidmouth through them. The other two were bay platforms, in which trains terminated on their long journeys from far away.
A few hours later, a quiet puffing noise could be heard, of an engine trying to move with minimal effort. Just in front of them, with a long face and trying to enter the station from the Vicarstown end, was Gordon, who was trying desperately hard not to be spotted. He came to a stop and let off steam, sighing.
“Hello Gordon!” called James.
“Is it tomorrow?” Rarity asked.
“No,” Gordon sighed. “It’s all wrong, I tell you.”
Rainbow Dash decided to explain. “The signalman at Crovan’s Gate hadn’t read the diagram properly, and as a result sent us over the Ballahoo diversion line. We were then sent through the loop at Vicarstown and back here.”
“That sounds awful,” Rarity replied.
“Tell me about it!” Rainbow Dash replied. “It was NOT 20% cool in any sense or form.”
Gordon moaned. “Oh, the indignity.”
Sir Toppham Hatt stepped off the train, rather annoyed. All the passengers had swarmed toward the ticket office like angry bees. “WE WANT OUY MONEY BACK!” shouted one.
“THIS IS WORSE THAN SOUTHERN RAIL!” shouted another.
“THIS IS A BAD RAILWAY!” cried one and all.
Sir Toppham Hatt jumped on a luggage trolley and blew a guards’ whistle. “Alright, quieten down everyone,” he said. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but we will find you another train and get you to your destination.”
He went over to James. “According to Rainbow Dash, Gordon needs some maintenance. Could you do the run for us?”
“Yes sir!” he cried.
“Well, we’d be honoured sir,” Rarity replied. “I’ll have James at the front in ten seconds flat!”
Rainbow Dash growled in the cab. “Just get on with it,” she said, moving Gordon off the train and into a siding. James, in the meantime, was coupled onto the front of the express, and they set off in good time.
“Come on, come on!” he called to the coaches.
“You’re pulling us well, you’re pulling us well!” they replied, as they zoomed along the line toward the town of Vicarstown. Bridges and station flashed by, the passengers cheered, and steam poured from James’ funnel as he produced a wonderful sound of a two-cylinder beat. They arrived on time, and everybody thanked James and Rarity for a splendid run down the line.
“Good work James!” said Sir Toppham Hatt. “Fancy taking the express a couple of times?”
“Thank you sir! I won’t let you down sir!” James replied.
Back at Tidmouth, Rarity and James ran in to see Gordon and Rainbow Dash shunting.
“Hello!” Gordon called. “I’m teaching these trucks manners. You did a good job with those coaches, I hear?”
“It’s a nice change of pace in the yard,” Rainbow Dash admitted. “A bit more relaxed, without any hustle and bustle.”
Gordon and James are now good friends. James sometimes takes the express so Gordon can rest, and in return Gordon has remained quiet about bootlaces!
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That was rough, but now, time to stab the keyboard with some honest points here.
One-The stories have promise, but are weighed back by the inaccuracies shown in here.
In "Thomas and Gordon"-you mention BR MK1 coaches, which didn't come into service until 1951 and the story is set in 1924, which means they'd have been using either the LMS P1/P3 express coaches, Teak Express coaches, Maunsell Express coaches or Collett/Churchward express coaches with the odd LMS P1/P2 suburban coaches, GCR Barnums, Caledonian 6 wheelers (Branch lines), Caledonian 45ft NC coaching stock (Main line locals), Caledonian Grampians (Luxury express coaches due to them being six axled coaches). So the BR MK1s utilized would not have even been invented (Sodor follows real world timelines, being a sort of realistic fictional story setting)
In the same story, you mentioned the engines had in cab radios. That wouldn't have come in until after the USA Tanks came to the Southern Railway following the end of WWII, and even then, it'd be limited to being used around Southampton Docks and in the 70s and until the various colliery/industrial railways were shut down due to lack of traffic or loss of traffic. In cab radios became a mainstay on the mainline in the late 60's early 70's. I repeat the year of 1924 to make the point that radios wouldn't have been a thing in railways.
In this latest chapter, you mention Southern Rail which wouldn't have come into existence until 2001 and we're in 1925.
The immersion is broken when you start to realize all the inaccuracies are being used to try and fill a slot in the actual writings. These were good until these reared their head and it kind of puts me off reading it. I do want to keep reading.
Also, a point of slight contention-you had James say that he didn't know who'd put wooden brake blocks on a steam engine. James was built at a time when "Heavy" goods trains was at most...eight wagons and a brake van. Plus wood was an abundant material to say the least. In fact, the Terriers had wooden brake blocks themselves (check out the SLIPS episode of the terriers here-The shop to grab the episode itself.
Hopefully this helped a bit. I believe that you can use the MK1's, Radios, Modern Railway companies and practices as the years move that way. I don't believe they really add anything early on in the years of the North Western Railway.
10030203
I think it's more set in a "year zero" rather than any specific time period.
10030203
These stories are set in the present day, not in the original time period of the books. If they were, there would be no female engine drivers, as that was a male dominated profession at the time.
I am aware that MK1s did not exist when Awdry started writing.
10030228
It's contemporary.
Heh, in the words of Kirin doing this particular comment when quoting on my stories:
10060347
I thought that would be a funny way to bring the two eras of the show together.
Wait, what era are they referring about?
Was, that supposed to be a reference to bwba as Rebecca became the second express engine?
Huh, always wondered what kind of coal they used other than welsh, and I also thought Anthracite was only used for engines built for the reading railroad and central railroad of New Jersey. I'm no coal expert but I did want to point that out.
How is the good old southern worse compared to Sodor?
quieten isn't a word.
11319061
Something to do with Dr. Seuss rhyming and lazy writing; at least they remained portrayed as actual trains
11360517
Yes. The Sharon Miller era (curiously, Miller would go on to voice the Queen in the series).
11319061
The second bit is a direct quote from the original book. Gordon is referencing the ending of Edward, Gordon, and Henry, where Edward and Henry pulled the Express together.
I always felt the wrap-up for that episode/story seemed off. Gordon being OK with freight work...
11523222
Strictly speaking, it's just some light shunting.