Thomas and Friends: a New Generation

by The Blue EM2

Chapter 7-Hands up High

The train in front of them got closer and closer. It continously blasted its horn as it approached. "OUT OF THE WAY! PASSENGERS INCOMING!"

Izzy put Porter into forward gear as Sunny desperately tried to get Salty moving. As she moved the power handle, Salty's engine coughed, then spluttered, then stopped completely.

"No no no no no! This couldn't happen at a worse moment!"

Porter's brakes had finally released, and he began to shift both his own weight and the weight of the diesel engine attached to him. "This is incredibly heavy!" he groaned, gradually sliding forward.

The screeching of brakes approached them from the near distance as the diesel got closer and closer.

Izzy looked behind her to see that the passenger train, whilst slowing down, may not be able to stop in time. "All or nothing, Porter!" she called.

"Move, you piece of junk!" Porter said loudly. He had moved off just in time. The passenger train screeched to a complete stop in front of them, the diesel looking at them with a look of annoyance. There was a gap of only a few inches between them and the buffers.

"What were you doing, you blithering idiots?" he snapped. "Don't you know this platform is for passenger and priority traffic only?"

He was a fairly short diesel. He had two bogies with a short frame connecting them, and was painted dark blue with the British Railways 'arrows of indecision' on his bodywork. His front ends were entirely yellow, apart from bands of black paint around the windows and grey roof paint. He bore the number 33021, and two nameplates were attached. These read Captain Charles and were set with silver text and lining on red backing.

Sunny got off Salty's footplate to speak. "We're sorry," she said. "We had no idea this was an active line, and didn't know a passenger train was coming."

The door of Captain Charles' cab opened, and a young woman stepped out. She had whitish skin combined with piercing blue eyes. Atop her head sat a rather spectacular updo of hair, in the colours purple and light blue. At this moment in time she wore black boots, grey slacks, a greyish blue long sleeved shirt, and a dark blue parka jacket on top of that.

"I'll take it from here, Charles," she said, and walked towards the duo. "So, what brings you two to the Isle of Purbeck?"

"Wait, you're not mad?" Izzy said.

"What does getting mad achieve?" the girl replied. "Accidents happen. You gotta dust yourself down, and chalk it up to experience. What matters is we learn from them." She extended her hand. "Zipp Storm."

"Sunny Starscout," Sunny replied, and shook the hand. "I must admit I've never met a person called Zipp before!"

"It's a nickname," Zipp replied. "It's really Zara, but frankly I don't like the name."

Moments later, Argyle returned. "We should be good to go," he said. "Swanage is a few miles that... way..."

He trailed off when he saw the passenger train sat in the platform, with several passengers leaning out of the windows and asking to find out what was going on.

"What happened here?"

"These nincompoops are sitting in the platform!" Charles complained. "Can't they see we have a railway to run?"

"We can always move out of your way," Salty suggested. "We can let you move off your train and run round, and we can couple to the back and ride down to Swanage."

"That seems sensible," Zipp said. "You guys had best get moving if we're gonna leave on time."

Luckily, the highly complex runround move was finished by the time they had to depart. Izzy dampened Porter's fire down, and with Salty's brakes released the highly strange train could at last move off. Charles groaned and roared as he shifted the cargo down the line. "I really should do less manual labour. Officers don't work, after all."

The others had decided to ride with Zipp in the cab, who was able to maintain a conversation with them despite focusing on driving down the hill. "So, what brings you to Dorset?" she asked. "And with engines no less?"

"Oh, holiday," Argyle said quickly. "We're from Cornwall, and fancied visiting a new part of the world."

"That's nice," Zipp said. "Are these your kids?"

"No," Argyle replied. "Only Sunny's mine. Izzy is a family friend of ours."

Charles suddenly chimed in. "Pipp is elsewhere, and the line is quiet. Still, could be worse."

---

After some time travelling, and some extensive shunting required to get the engines attached to the rear to a safe position, Charles and his train pulled to a stop in the station at Swanage. "Home sweet home! We've arrived at last!"

Zipp secured the train in place before stepping out onto the platform. "Welcome to Swanage," she said. "It's home to myself and the engines of the Swanage Railway, as well as my other family members and... other things."

Izzy spoke up next. "Do you have any siblings?"

Zipp indicated in the direction of a nearby field. A distinct noise was coming from the viscinity, with the sound of rather generic synth pop designed to be as innofensive as possible, and by logical extension rather bland.

"So put your hands up high
'Cause we're feeling all right! (Hey!)
Every day is awesome in Swa- Nage Bay!
So put your hands up, put your hands up! (Hey!)

"Everything is gonna be OK!"

"Nah, nah, hey/
Down in the bay!
Nah, nah, hey! (Woo!)
It's gonna be OK!" (Yeah!)

Zipp shrugged her shoulders. "Lyrics could do with some work. Wordsetting was never Pipp's strong suit, but she's too full of herself to realise."

"Pipp?"

"That's her name," Zipp continued. "Her full name is Philippa, but she goes by Pipp as it takes less time to say. I don't really share much in common with her."

Sunny could sense that their relationship was strained, but had no chance to continue the conversation as another figure appeared on the platform. The figure was a much older woman who had pinkish skin and bluish hair that seemed to be greying in places. The group had difficulty establishing her age. She could have been forty or fifty.

She was currently wearing a purple suit with some wing embellishments on it.

"Ah, Zipp, there you are!" she said. "And you've brought friends as well!"

"Hey mom," Zipp replied. "I need to go park Charles and his coaches before finishing up for the day."

"Go ahead!" the woman said. She then turned her attention to the new group. "Elizabeth Haven, General Manager of the Swanage Railway. I was already notified of your unusual arrival earlier. May I ask your names?"

"Argyle Starshine."

"Sunny Starscout."

"Izzy Moonbow." Izzy then bowed. "Most grand and excellent salutations your excellentness."

Haven shrugged. "Interesting. The two engines you brought with you can stay here for now."

"Is it possible if your engineers could take a look at the Class 07?" Sunny asked. "His engine's not in the best of shape."

"A sentient engine," Haven said. "Well, that's five. We have three. And of course! We can take a look at the engine and get him better than new!"

The song in the background had changed to another piece of generic synth pop.

"Isn't she sounding marvellous?" Haven smiled. "Pipp really is a marvellous musician. I couldn't ask for a better daughter."

This only seemed to be corroborating what Zipp had said earlier. Presumably this was the source of much of the tension between the two siblings.

Haven then went on. "Now then, I imagine that you three are pretty hungry. Luckily, I know a place that would be perfect for fixing your hunger. The Bridge Street Cafe does a superb evening menu, but I do warn you that there is a dress code." She looked at the two girls. "You both look to be about Pipp's size, so you can borrow some of her spare dresses for the evening. I trust you can provide a suit, Argyle?"

"Does a boilersuit count?"

"Unfortunately, no. This is not the Trackside Bar, after all. But I think my husband will let you borrow one of his." She snapped her fingers. "I just need to get locked up here, and then we can be on our way!"

Sunny looked to Izzy. "Something's not quite right here. She's being way too friendly to us."

"Maybe she just likes having guests!" Izzy replied.

Zipp then appeared, walking up the platform having finished dealing with the coaches. "What's cookin'?" she asked. "How was mom?"

"Oh, lovely," Argyle said. "She's invited us out to dinner. I imagine you may be wanted to."

"Huh, I'm cool with that," Zipp replied. "I often cook for myself, but it can be nice to relax after a long day on the rails. Where did they say?"

"Bridge Street Cafe, wherever that is," Sunny said.

The colour drained from Zipp's face as she heard that. "Oh no."

Author's Note:

33021 Captain Charles is a real locomotive, namely an example allocated to Cheddleton on the Churnet Valley Railway in Staffordshire (well worth a visit in my opinion). Charles' personality and character in this story are modelled on former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, or rather the persona he uses whilst presenting both Top Gear and The Grand Tour.

This piece of fanart was the inspiration for the appearance of Zipp Storm in this story.

In the next chapter, prepare to get your gumbo out and collect your Charleston, as we dive back into history!

Comments

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

11422792
What kind of quadbike is Hitch driving anyway?

[The Blue EM2]

11422804
Something along the lines of the Yamaha Kodiak. Having said that, the Mongoose from the Halo franchise was foremost in my mind when writing this.

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

11422924
Huh, that’s cool.

[The Blue EM2]

11422925
They're surprisingly popular with smaller training units.

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

"What were you doing, you blithering idiots?" he snapped. "Don't you know this platform is for passenger and priority traffic only?"

Great, an engine too puffed up in his radiator, that’s all the group needs.

"A sentient engine," Haven said. "Well, that's five. We have three. And of course! We can take a look at the engine and get him better than new!"

Three? I thought there’d be only 2.

The colour drained from Zipp's face as she heard that. "Oh no."

That’s not a good sign.

[Thomlight Sparkle 1]

11422928
Makes sense.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Izzy put Porter into forward gear as Sunny desperately tried to get Salty moving. As she moved the power handle, Salty's engine coughed, then spluttered, then stopped completely.

Shit! They're screwed!

"Move, you piece of junk!" Porter said loudly. He had moved off just in time. The passenger train screeched to a complete stop in front of them, the diesel looking at them with a look of annoyance. There was a gap of only a few inches between them and the buffers.

That was too close of a collision.

"What does getting mad achieve?" the girl replied. "Accidents happen. You gotta dust yourself down, and chalk it up to experience. What matters is we learn from them." She extended her hand. "Zipp Storm."

Thx for understanding Zipp. And is why she's my fav G5 character.

"It's a nickname," Zipp replied. "It's really Zara, but frankly I don't like the name."

Kinda like the fact she hates being called zephyrina storm.

Zipp secured the train in place before stepping out onto the platform. "Welcome to Swanage," she said. "It's home to myself and the engines of the Swanage Railway, as well as my other family members and... other things."

I happen to know someone who visited it recently.

"That's her name," Zipp continued. "Her full name is Philippa, but she goes by Pipp as it takes less time to say. I don't really share much in common with her."

Ngl, I originally thought they weren't sisters when they were first revealed prior to the G5 movie. But surprisingly they are. Used to it now but a little hard to believe still.

"A sentient engine," Haven said. "Well, that's five. We have three. And of course! We can take a look at the engine and get him better than new!"

fine*
Also, thx mama.

Haven then went on. "Now then, I imagine that you three are pretty hungry. Luckily, I know a place that would be perfect for fixing your hunger. The Bridge Street Cafe does a superb evening menu, but I do warn you that there is a dress code." She looked at the two girls. "You both look to be about Pipp's size, so you can borrow some of her spare dresses for the evening. I trust you can provide a suit, Argyle?"

I must say, I'm liking her attitude compared to how she was in the movie.

"Unfortunately, no. This is not the Trackside Bar, after all. But I think my husband will let you borrow one of his." She snapped her fingers. "I just need to get locked up here, and then we can be on our way!"

I wonder who her husband might be.

The colour drained from Zipp's face as she heard that. "Oh no."

Ok then, maybe we should be worried if Zipp is worried, right?