Considering how much of a flop the original movie was, I'm surprised that there are hardly any fan remakes on Fanfiction.
I don't need to say how much of a flop that Thomas and the Magic Railroad was. I also don't need to tell you how much got cut out; for that, go to Sodor Island Forums, as they were one of the first sites to break the cuts. What I do need to stress is how many characters weren't even in the original script. No Edward, no engine with a number over seven, no diesels. No Troublesome Truck incidents.
What I will try to accomplish here is the creation of a complete fan version of TatMR that restores most of the uncut characters and scenes. In addition, I will also add my own elements to the story that were present during the time that the movie was in production (about Season 5). So not only will you find PT Boomer and George playing major roles in the plot, but also Donald and Douglas, Oliver and Toad, and even Skarloey as well.
Finally, I dedicate this story for all those who wish for the release of an uncut version of the movie.
Thomas and the Magic Railroad X
Chapter 1: Prequil to an Adventure
Early one spring, workmen discovered structural fatigue in the viaduct near Cronk. Sir Topham Hatt placed a speed limit on the bridge, and closed one of the two tracks to allow crews to repair the bridge. They managed to repair most of the spans, but that summer, the railway experienced an unusually large amount of vacationers to the Island of Sodor. Delays began to rack up, until finally Sir Topham Hatt was forced to reopen the second track. By this point, the middle spans were the only unrepaired section of the viaduct, so the speed restriction was lifted. But some of the engines still insist that they can feel the track shift under their wheels.
One morning, Thomas the tank engine was chuffing along the main line with Annie and Clarabelle. A VIP had chartered a special train to take him and his friends from Barrow-In-Furness to the Skarloey Railway at Covan's Gate, and had specifically requested for Thomas to pull the train.
As he approached the station, he was switched onto the right-hand track. Gordon was already in the station on the left hand track with the westbound express. Thomas could also see Duke at the head of the VIP's train to the lakeside. While Duke seemed pleased to see Thomas, Gordon was not.
"Five, six, seven, eight…." the big Doncaster counted.
"…Who do we appreciate?" Thomas finished. "Practicing your numbers Gordon? That's a good engine."
"I'm counting how many seconds late you are, Thomas," Gordon corrected. "See that sign on your platform say?"
"'North Western Railway. Really reliable and right on time. Sorry for delays during repairs, we are making this a better railway. Signed, Head of the Railway, Sir Topham Hatt.'"
"Gordon," Duke said, "I don't think that he would punish Thomas for being a few seconds late."
"But that's just it, Duke. He wasn't on time-"
"-And you're being bossy, Gordon," Thomas interrupted. "Now please excuse me. After my passengers finish unloading, I have to meet Mr. Conductor at Wellsworth Station."
"Ah," Duke responded. "Sir Topham Hat is going away on vacation, I suppose?"
"Yes. He is going to tell us later today that Mr. Conductor will act as controller until he returns."
A guard's whistle blew, signaling that it was time for the express to depart. "Personally," Gordon huffed, "I think we can take care of ourselves just fine without that man." And he pulled out of the station.
Crovan's Gate was a junction point, where the Ballahoo line diverges from the main line, as well as the terminus for the Skarloey Railway. The eastbound (right) track of the triple track line heads into the passenger station on the main line, while the westbound (left) track heads into Crovan's Gate transfer yard on the Ballahoo line. The middle track splits to allow trains to go on either line. The Skarloey line discharges passengers at the station by the main line, while goods trains continue on, crossing the main line on what is called a "diamond" to access the transfer yard.
As Gordon began to pull out of the station, Peter Sam was pulling ten cars loaded with slate past the station. He switched onto the line that would take him to the transfer yard. As he was about to cross…
"GET OUT OF MY WAY!"
A dirty brown diesel was racing up Gordon's line at a high rate of speed. Peter Sam Gasped, and quickly sped up to clear the line. He did so just in time. The diesel flew by the last slate truck with inches to spare.
"I have important business to do here, and I want to finish it, FAST!" he yelled, as he rocketed past Thomas and Duke, kicking up a cloud of dust that dirtied Thomas's shiny coat of paint. Had it not been for a quick-thinking signalman, he would have also rammed into the back of the express; instead, he was routed onto the westbound track, avoiding Gordon, but not before nearly clipping Toad, as Oliver was pulling into the transfer yards at the time with an empty train.
"Cinders and ashes!" Thomas exclaimed. "Who was that?"
"Hmmm…. I wonder…"
"What is it, Duke?" the tank engine asked.
"Lately, I've been hearing many tales from the visiting engines about a rather dingy and rude fellow by the name of Diesel 10. As one of them put it, he is called that because he is 'ten out of ten, for devious deeds, and brutal strength.' Another said that his attitude was 'a blast from the past, reminiscent of the steam-hating diesels from the mainland fifty years ago.'"
"And that was Diesel 10?"
"I don't know. What I do know is that with that fellow here, you engines need Mr. Conductor now more than ever." And he chuffed away with his special, leaving Thomas to worry about the coming days.
Meanwhile, in a faraway world across oceans of time and space, lies the tiny town of Strasburg, Pennsylvania. But it rarely goes by that name, as most people call the place Shining Time. This is based off of the Strasburg Railroad, the local tourist line that terminates there. The operation, run since the 1960s, always runs on time service between Shining Time and Paradise, with some services continuing on to Harrisburg. This gives the town something to smile about, bringing a beaming smile to their faces; hence the name, Shining Time.
Some people argue, though, that the town is called that because of the train station's resident porter, Mr. Conductor. Wearing the standard blue conductor's outfit of the British rail lines, he always manages to bring a smile to anyone who should meet him. Despite his small size (he is about nine inches tall), his presence is felt all over the station. Known for his trademark short grey ponytail and the gold dust that allows him to pop in and out of places, he is usually busy with small jobs, such as fixing Billy's model of a Nickel Plate Hudson, or feeding the plants, which he was doing right now.
While he was feeding the plants, The Rainbow Valley, which was the daily train to Harrisburg, was departing Shining Time. A young lady was waving goodbye to her boyfriend, who was on the train. As she was doing so, she was backing up towards the planter. Mr. Conductor saw her out of the corner of his eye, and quickly swung his hands in upward circles, causing the planter to magically rise just high enough to clear her head. Once she passed, Mr. Conductor stopped, and the planter returned to its original position. He tipped his cap to the lady, and went back to his gardening.
If Mr. Conductor had been watching the time, he would have realized that he was late for Thomas's train. The little blue engine was beginning to worry that Mr. Conductor was in trouble. Fortunately, Edward was there to calm him down.
"Don't worry," he said. "He probably has some business to attend to back at home." Thomas, however, was still concerned for his safety.
"You're probably right. But what if he is lost? Or what if he ran into that diesel from before? I certainly don't think that he won't stop for a human?"
"True. But remember: Mr. Conductor has his magic gold dust with him. As long as he has that, he should be fine." Thomas looked bit better after hearing that.
"Why don't you check if he's at Tidmouth?" Edward suggested. "He might have appeared there, forgetting that he was to meet you here."
"Good idea. I'll head there now." Thomas began to puff out of the station. "Oh Mr. Conductor, where are you?"
Just after Thomas had left the station, Donald appeared from behind a cut of cars. "I c'n tell ya don't really believe in what ye just told wee Thomas, Edward. Am I right?"
Edward sighed. "What was I supposed to say to him, Donald? Mr. Conductor and his family have been on time for every event since I had arrived here. This is the first time that any of them are late."
The Scottish engine looked up into the sky. "I don't know 'bout you, but I feel that something big is gonna happen while Sir Topham Hatt is away that's gonna affect the whole lot of us. I can feel it in me wheels."
"Are you sure it's not the viaduct?" Edward questioned.
"Who knows?"
A fruit fly has a very short lifespan, only about a few weeks. It lives to mate and feed on rotten food and garbage.
If you asked James, though, he would say that a fly's primary purpose was to annoy him.
One fly had been busy buzzing around James's nose for the last five minutes, and had destroyed James's patience. He tried to shoo the creature away, but when you have no arms, that is a tall order to accomplish. To make matters worse, Duck and BoCo were in the shed as well, and were enjoying every moment of James's misery.
"Sandle Fly!" he yelled to the fly. "Food fly! Shoo, fly! That's it!"
"Beg pardon, James," the Great Western engine spoke, "but I really think that you can shoo it away with steam."
"It's a shame that it isn't a bee," BoCo chuckled. "I saw a van full of Christmas ornaments in the yard today. We could have celebrated Christmas in July."
"Better still, why don't you two buzz off!" James snapped. He then saw Thomas backing up on a siding next to the sheds. Judging from the rate of speed that he was going at, it appeared that he did not notice that he was nearing the buffers at the end of the line.
"Look out, Thomas!" he warned. Thomas slowed down, but still hit the buffers hard enough to startle him.
"Botheration!" he exclaimed.
"You weren't concentrating, Thomas," the red engine scolded "Lucky for you the buffers were there."
"That's what buffers are for: to stop engines from crashing," the tank engine argued. Then, he noticed that James's wasn't steaming. "What are you still doing in the sheds, James?"
"I'm feeling a little blue," he moaned. "Which isn't so hot when you're red." Duck and BoCo eyed him suspiciously. "…Alright, alright! I was naughty!"
"James refused to take some coal trucks to the mine," the diesel explained. "He said that such work was for dirty little tank engines such as Percy or Oliver."
"Sir Topham Hatt ordered firelighter to put out James's fire," Duck finished, "and leave him in the sheds for the rest of the day."
"He told me to think about all the ways I can be really useful," James added.
'He's just trying to make this a better railway for steam engines," Thomas said. "Sir Topham Hatt said that tat the harder we work, the less we need diesels to help. No offense, BoCo."
"None taken. I must admit that I appall at the thought of what my brethren on the mainland think ab….out….steam…."
"Oh boy," Duck gasped.
"What's wrong?" questioned Thomas. He then saw what they were looking at. The diesel had been just behind the shed wall all this time, and had just pulled into view on the track right next to Thomas.
"Help YOU?" the diesel scoffed, then laughed manically.
"You'll always need help!" he continued. "Because steam engines are cowardly, cranky, worn out hunks of metal who couldn't hurt a fly."
"No we're not!" James retorted. The fly still buzzed around him.
"Yes you are!"
"Aren't!
"Are!"
SMACK!
The fly was no longer buzzing around James, because Sir Topham Hatt crushed it with his bare hands. He had been in the shed the entire time, and had herd everything.
"Quiet!" he exclaimed. "I should expect better manners from my current and possible future engines."
"Beg pardon, Sir, but did you say future?"
"You're quite right, Duck. While I'm away, Mr. Conductor, who is apparently late, will be evaluating Number 10 and two other diesels for possible purchase. Which reminds me," he turned to Diesel 10. "Where are Number 77528 and Number 36343?"
"The stationmaster at Knapford needed the two at the harbor, Sir," he explained. "Apparently, a large shipment of fish had arrived, and needed to be taken for tonight's Flying Kipper."
"Excellent! Now I expect to hear you treat the visitors well while I'm away. BoCo, show Number 10 around the yards. Thomas, continue to search for Mr. Conductor. Duck, get a train ready for Number 10 to take. James…carry on."
"Yes sir," the four groaned. Sir Topham Hatt left, while BoCo ran off to the yards.
"Since you guys are goners anyway," Diesel Ten began, "I'll let you in on something. My real reason here is not to operate under Mr. Fatt Hatt. I'm looking for a lost steam engine. If I can find her, I'll scrap her, then dominate all of you; and then, you'll be nothing but useless scrap!" He then followed after BoCo.
"Big bully!" James yelled.
"Don't worry," Thomas assured. "We're really useful engines. We won't let him dominate over us, and neither will Mr. Conductor." He gasped. "Oh no! I still have to find him! I'm off to fetch him now!" And Thomas hurried off on his search, leaving James to sulk in the sheds with Duck.
"This day just couldn't get any worse. Am I right, Duck?"
Duck wasn't paying attention to James. He was too focused on something that Diesel 10 had let slip.
"What lost engine?" he asked to no one in particular.
For Your Information…
While the viaduct in the movie has no specific location, I put as the same one as on the main line, where Gordon once lost his dome.
Like the viaduct, the track arrangements at Crovans Gate are fanmade.
I'm using the George Carlin version of Mr. Conductor, not the Alec Baldwin version.
There are references to the episodes James goes Buzz Buzz and Make Someone Happy.
So Diesel 10 and his friends have arrived. What trouble will they cause on the Island of Sodor? Who else will come into prominence as the story progresses? And what other changes have I made to the plot. Only one way to find out, and that's to review and stay tuned!
Also, check out my other stories, Deliverance from Evil and The Pokemon World Series.