Western Champion

by The Blue EM2

The Shed Yields Wonders...

It was now the afternoon, and the boys gathered outside in order to get ready to go. The old shed sat down near the railway lines, opposite the roundhouse where the bulk of the engines were kept, and sat generally on its own. The structure hadn't been opened in years, and Pip, Rumble, and Button were ready to go exploring.

"Now then," Pip started, looking at his friends. "Have we got everything we need?"

Button looked at his list. "One obvious problem comes to mind. How are we going to get in if the doors are shut? And not only that, aren't we technically trespassing here? I thought the shed was off limits for a reason!"

Rumble looked down. "Should we have thought of that? It really throws a spanner into the works if that is the case. At least Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle-"

"As well as Cozy Glow," Pip mentioned, pointing out the often forgotten 4th Crusader.

"At least Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Cozy Glow," Rumble corrected himself, then continued, "had the advantage that the shed they were looking around in was on unclaimed property that wasn't owned by anybody. This shed is property of the California Coast Railroad. How are we gonna get in without trespassing?"

Pip smiled. "You forget my father works for the California Coast Railroad, and I've already dealt with that problem. Remember the phone call I went to make? That was contacting him to open the place up for us. Not to mention we work for the Railroad too, and as such will have access permits.

Rumble facepalmed. "I'd totally forgotten about that! Shows what use I am."

"There's no need to beat yourself up about it," Button answered, putting his paperwork down and slinging his backpack onto his back. "Anybody can remember or forget something. Though I'm not sure if we find this engine, or any engine for that matter, I don't think we'll be able to run it through the school hall!"

"We'll cross that bride when we come to it, OK?" Pip replied. "Until then, shall we be on our way? I think we have an engine to potentially find."

The others didn't argue, and they headed off down the road... only for Apple Bloom to suddenly emerge from the doors behind them to see them walking off.

"Pip! Pip!" she called, but it was no use. He had already got a considerable distance away with his friends, and they were out of audio range. She sighed. "Ah sugarcubes. Ah was wonderin' if he wanted help with this whole 'findin' an engine' thin', but Ah suppose it'll have ta wait."

Scootaloo appeared behind her. "I suppose it will, Alice," she sniggered. "Found any rabbit holes lately?"

Apple Bloom looked at her with a blank expression. "What?" she asked.

"You look like Alice, from Alice in Wonderland!"

Apple Bloom turned red. "You mock me one more time about mah outfit and you'll regret it!" She then headed off for her streetcar stop.

Scootaloo shrugged. "Just saying," she said, before she noticed Sweetie Belle staring at her. "What?"

---

It rapidly transpired that choosing to walk through town may not have been the smartest of idea due to the heat. The sun beat down upon the streets, making things very hot indeed. The streets were not air conditioned, that not being at all practical, but the streetcars were, and this made the boys feel very silly indeed.

"Why didn't we catch a streetcar?" Rumble asked. "It would have been quicker, and we wouldn't be as hot!"

"This way, we don't get detected," Pip explained. "We don't want somebody beating us to it, do we?"

"I think we'd have noticed if somebody beat us to a great big shed!" Button said. "It's not as if you can just pick a shd up with its contents and carry it somewhere else, can you?"

"Fair point," Pip sighed, "but we're commited now, and we have to see this walk out. It's not much farther anyway. Look!" and he pointed to a large building in the distance. "That's the roundhouse, which tells me that the shed we are looking for is not too far away!"

"Ah!" Button called "There it is! Over there!"

"Where?" Pip asked. "Where is it?"

"The one with the diesel shunter parked in front of it," Rumble said dryly. Before them was a single road shed with brick walls and an arched roof. Along the walls were small, tall windows, arched at the top, with a gentle curve to round off the design, and it was split into 8 individual sections to make it easier to maintain. The back wall was facing away from them, and the doors were shut. In the cab of the diesel shunter sat a man wearing the uniform of the California Coast Railroad. He had brown skin and hair, and had green eyes. He also had a gentle smile on his face as he leaned out of the cab window and sounded the horn.

"Hello Pip!" he called.

"Hi dad!" Pip called back. "So, is it in there?"

Mr Squeak shrugged. "I don't know. I wanted to wait until you three got here, so we could open her up together and take a look inside as a team. Always have the responsible adult, but give the glory to the child."

"Thanks sir," Button replied, and headed toward the shed door with his friends. They quickly pulled on the door, and with an effort, they swung the first one open.

"Wow," Rumble said. "It isn't locked. That's odd."

"It's like somebody's invited us to go and take a look inside!" Pip said, before going for the other door. Again, the three friends worked together to try and get the door opened up. Again, it swung open surprisingly easily, and when they saw what was inside their jaws dropped.

"So it is true," Rumble said. Before them sat a diesel, with a squat, awkwardly angled front end that was coloured yellow. It had a headcode box mounted on the front end as well, and tall windows that were supported by a plate extending forward from the top of the roof, giving the appearance of a flat cap.

"Well, this is the engine all right," Button said. "I just wonder what it is?"

"Shall we pull it into the light?" Pip suggested. "Can we pull it out?" he called to his father.

"Got it, I'll just back the shunter up!" he called. He changed the gear lever to setting one, and moved the reverser lever to reverse (aptly enough). The Class 03 was different to most shunters used on the California Coast Railroad, as it used a manual gearbox rather than an automatic transmission. This made the speed a lot easier to regulate, but it meant drivers had to be weary with the gearbox and not damage it, as these locos lacked the synchromesh systems that most drivers took for granted. He opened the throttle, and the diesel began to back up very slowly, so slowly, in fact, it seemed to only be doing one mile an hour. The locomotive rolled back gently, and rolled into the other engine, gently coming to a stop in front of it. "Pip, hook up the couplings, will you?" he asked.

"Got it dad!" Pip called, and grabbed the link chain to connect the shunter to this other mystery diesel. There was a clunk as the chain was connected, and Pip tightened the link to ensure that the engine ran smoothly forward without any frustrating clunks. He gave a thumbs up. "Ready to move!" he called, and then stepped back from the train.

"Right away!" Mr Squeak answered, and opened the throttle. The engine roared in response, rapidly reaching an incredibly high pitched note as it pulled the other engine forward with a rattle and a jolt. The whole lot began to move, slowly at first, but gradually with more power, until the entire set was rolling forward calmly and smoothly. The engine slowly emerge from the place that had been its home for so long, until it sat there, stopped entirely, and basking in the sunlight. Those assembled gasped in amazement.

It was long, and painted red. The engine, as previously described, had rather severe front ends with yellow ends, and vertical windows. There were three windows in the sides of the engine body, allowing the engine to be seen, and engine vents to release heat, as well as exhaust pipes set into the roof for the same purpose, and to allow waste gasses to leave the combustion chamber. Each bogie (of which there were two) had six wheels, and on the side sat a single nameplate.

Western Champion.

"How did a Western get out here?" Pip asked.

"Western?" Button asked.

"British Railways Class 52," Mr Squeak said. "I remember these as a boy, in the West Country. They were powerful, fast, and made a heavenly noise from their Maybach engines."

"Well, if the Crusaders could restore a steam engine, we can restore a diesel," Rumble said.

"If you can figure out how to repair a hydraulic engine," Pip pointed out. "These things work completely differently to how the electrics we are used to work!"

"Maybe," Rumble nodded, "but I think I know somebody who does have the knowledge."

Author's Note:

Well, the big reveal! The BR Hydraulics have always been a personal favourite design of mine, and to include it in a story was an obvious choice for me.

Who do you think is the knowledgeable person?

Comments

[Booster Spice]

"I think we'd have noticed if somebody beat us to a great big shed!" Button said. "It's not as if you can just pick a shd up with its contents and carry it somewhere else, can you?"

Oh no. Air Pirates.

Hmm, diesel Hydraulic? I thought that was related to automatic transmission with the torque converter, but where the two half turbines are seperated by hydraulic transmission lines? I know you can have buffers and accumulators, but they are extremely low capacity due to how the system works.

Thats why I had a look at ways of designing variable geared hydraulics back in university. Essentially a hydraulic ADC to DAC lifting jack with variable ratio, but flow rates instead of straight pressure. Four valves on each side gives (2^4)^2 or 256 ratios, with some overlaps and redundancies. Was origionally considered for robotics and prostheses.

I think I also tried finding any implementation where the hydraulics were used to replace crankshafts and conrods in a diesel engine, so you had the diesel engine head, valves, pistons etc, but the pistons directly acted on hydraulic fluid, for varying stroke, ratios etc?

[The Blue EM2]

9839070
I doubt an aircraft could even move a Class 52 in one piece!

[Booster Spice]

9839071

Im pretty sure the An225 can lift the Big Boy?

[The Blue EM2]

9839076
It could carry the weight of one, but obviously in pieces.

But there aren't many of those around.

[JimmyHook19]

Who do you think is the knowledgeable person?

I'm so bad at guessing >_<

[The Blue EM2]

9839522
OK then. In other news, what did you think of this chapter?

[JimmyHook19]

9839527
Noice =3

[The Blue EM2]

9839533
Indeed. Great to pull a legendary diesel out of storage (at least in this story).

[ninjanaut1000]

Question, saw this, was interested but noticed it has a massive load of sequels tied to it. Are they required reading to understand this specific story?

[The Blue EM2]

9840083
I allude to some of them briefly, but they are not compulsory reading for understanding the story.