The Rails of Sodor: Volume 1: The Three Railway Engines.

Author's Note:

Here we go with "Edward and Gordon". The only things I'll do will be adding some explanation about how Gordon came to Sodor and alternating a little bit of his background. Plus, I'll include the arrival of my "OC", Harry as well, even though he's not the main focus of the story. Other than that, not much to add, aside from giving Edward his Branch Line at the end of the story and give the other engines (i.e. Molly) a bit of lines here and there. This is all I'm going to say about it. Enjoy it.

Disclaimer:

I do not own the majority of the characters. I only own Harry and the names of the other engines, such as 87546 and Patrick. The Railway Series is owned by the Awdry family and Thomas & Friends is owned by MATTEL/Hit Entertainment.

Part Two: "Edward and Gordon". This is based on the same story written by The Rev. Wilbert V. Awdry.

Morning had come to the Island of Sodor. On Vicarstown Sheds, Edward shared the shed with Gordon, The Big Engine. Unlike Edward, who is small, but kind and helpful, Gordon was the opposite, in many ways. He was much bigger than Edward and all the other engines on the NWR. But he was stronger, yet very proud, arrogant and boastful. So much so, that he can get too big for his wheels, which is something fellow engines, like Emily, Patrick, Harry, Edward and Molly agreed. Sometimes, Henry and Harry would see that too. But deep down, Gordon can mean well, if his pride allowed it of course.

Gordon was a prototype for the Pacific LNER A1 Class designed by Sir Nigel Gresley, one of the most important steam locomotive designers in all of Britain. He was built at Doncaster Works at early 1922 and he ran all of his trials in the same place. Four months later, after running successful trials, Gordon was moved to the LNER Station of King's Cross, which was located on London. Also, he was painted in the LNER Apple green livery with white lining, a characteristic color that most of his future Pacific Class siblings and cousins would sport once they were built. As well as the other engines of the Railway, like both Molly and 98462's respective classes. But others would use black lining instead of white.

Gordon's time on London wasn't going to last for long. As one day, Sir Nigel Gresley contacted Sir Bertram Topham Hatt. Both men held a good image, mainly The Fat Director and he needed a bigger engine to pull the NWR's main passenger train called The Express. Soon, after several arrangements, the deal was made and Gordon arrived to the Island of Sodor on April 1st of 1923. But he wasn't the only engine to come in that year. The next day, the red LNER A1/A2 Thompson engine named Harry joined the Railway the next day Gordon came.

At first, Gordon came as an eager engine determined to show how reliable he can be. After settling down, the big engine was given his trial to run the express and how fast he could go. And I am pleased to say that the A0 succeeded The Fat Director's expectations by running at the speed of 100 miles per hour. He was so surprised that he gave Gordon the role of primary engine for the Express, as well as a new livery. The big engine chose to be blue with red lining, just like Edward. All the engines were very impressed with him. Except for both 98462 and 87546, who they formed a grudge against the bigger engine, as well as with Henry. But that is a very different story.

But as time went on, Gordon became very full of self-importance. So much so that he began to boast it to the other engines, especially Edward, who was always teased for his size, as well as his age. This annoyed the K2 Tender engine very much, as he found out the day after his return to service. Early that morning, Edward, Harry, Gordon, 98462, 87546, Patrick and Henry were getting prepared by their crews for their jobs of the day. As it happened, Gordon told Edward in an importantly way:

"You'd better watch me today, little Edward. As I rush through with the Wild Nor Wester at full speed. That will be a splendid sight for you."

Then his driver pulled the lever and Gordon left the shed and added:

"Goodbye little Edward! Look out for me this afternoon."

And he left out of the other engines' sight. Next, it was 98462 who headed off to the station. As the blue B-12 tender engine left, Edward thought to himself:

"I remember the early days where Gordon was young and green. He was very respectful to all of us, including me. Nowadays, he's gotten too big for his wheels."

But his thought process was ultimately cut, as his driver.

"Come on Edward. Let's go do some shunting."

"Oh right. Let's do it." Replied Edward, as he left the shed and headed towards the yard.

Edward enjoyed shunting. It was very fun for him to play with the troublesome trucks. He liked the best of all, to come quietly while they were dozing in the yard and give them a push. Once it happened, the silly trucks would bump into each other and scream:

"OH! OH! OH! Whatever is happening?"

Afterwards, Edward would give them a pull and the trucks would begrudgingly follow him. The blue had quite a productive morning by arranging and shunting trucks into their proper places. As well as preparing them for the other engines to pull them. Once he had done plenty of shunting, Edward went to the nearest water tower for a drink and a little bit of rest. As he was doing so, the foreman came and spoke to the blue engine's crew, whom then turned to him:

"Let's go Edward. Wellsworth station needs some goods over there. Let's take the train and go there."

Edward smiled and went on happily to take the train and set off to Wellsworth Station. He arrived at the station, where Patrick the Red Engine and Molly the Yellow Engine were on different sidings waiting for Edward. The two tender engines greeted kindly at their blue friend.

"Hello Edward." Molly called as she was arranging her train of vans to the harbor. "I'm happy to know that you are back in service."

"So am I." Patrick added, who was at the platform with his passenger train.

"Why thank you guys." Edward replied.

Just then, the three tender engines heard a whistle from afar.

"Can you hear it?" Molly asked.

"That doesn't sound like Gordon's. It's-" Patrick tried to finish his sentence, but it was cut off when it was Harry, the big red engine flashing by with the Wild Nor-Wester.

"Hello guys! Bye guys!" Harry called as he headed to the Hill at full speed and disappeared out of sight.

"Well, that was unexpected." Edward remarked.

"Oh yeah, I wonder what would Gordon do now that he's not pulling The Express." Molly thought.

"You don't wanna know about it." Patrick put in before he heard the Guard's whistle and added "Well, I'd better be off. See you later guys!"

And Patrick puffed away. Molly did so too as she headed off to Brenda Docks. "Well goodbye Edward!" She whistled as the yellow engine went on with her train.

"Farewell guys. See you all later." Edward replied, as he went off to do some more shunting in the yards.

Moments later, went Edward was parked on a siding, the K2 tender engine heard a familiar whistle nearby. He knew who that was.

"Well well." Edward thought with amusement, as he saw Gordon hauling a train of dirty trucks.

The A0 tender engine didn't like that at all. He was red in the face and muttered with disgust, while he was crawling down the line.

"A Goods Train. A Goods Train. A Goods Train." He said to himself as he passed the station, in which Edward was watching him.

Then, he added to his monologue:

"The shame of it. The shame of it. Oh, the shame of it!"

Edward couldn't help but laughing as he whistled at Gordon and went back to do some more work.

Meanwhile, Gordon was getting closer to Sodor's both biggest and challenging hill of them all called Maron Hill, which was located after Wellsworth Station and before the same Maron Station once the trains have passed it. The big blue engine wasn't puffing that fast at all, as he was in a sour mood for doing a job he himself hated over all. It was then that the trucks saw their chance to give Gordon trouble. They began to apply their brakes to spite him. Gordon felt the slip and he tried to go fast while he was starting to climb the hill. But it was all too late for the proud engine, who came to a stop as he moaned to himself:

"Oh, I give up."

His crew came out of the cab to see what the fuss was and his driver then scolded Gordon saying:

"Come on Gordon! You're not trying!"

"I can't do it!" Gordon replied crossly. "Those noisy trucks hold an engine back so!"

"Rubbish!" The fireman put in. "You could go 100 mph with several express coaches. But now you can't put a goods train yourself?! Really?"

"It's easier with coaches. They are clean and sensible things that come quietly. Unlike these wooden vandals on wheels!"

The trucks grumbled furiously about it. But Gordon's crew called for the Guard and told him to find an engine to help.

As Edward was getting ready to take his next train of the day, the Guard rushed down to the station and explained the crew what was going on.

"Gordon's stuck on Maron Hill. Can you help us pushing him upwards?" He asked.

"Sure we will." Edward's driver replied "Come on old boy! Let's go!"

And so Edward puffed up towards the hill where Gordon was held up. Edwards' drive put on the brakes and told Gordon's crew that they've come to help.

Gordon just snorted with disgust: "It's useless! It won't make any difference!"

"You wait and see." The K2 tender engine's driver replied.

They brought Gordon downwards and Edward buffered to the breakvan and whistled.

"I am ready!"

Gordon muttered grumpily under his breath saying: "No good."

Edward began to push and puff with all his might as they began to climb the hill.

Gordon, on the other hand, kept grumbling to himself: "I can't do it. I can't do it."

"I'll do it. I'll do it." Edward panted as he continued to give his all.

And once Gordon noticed that he was at the top of the hill, he stated to accelerate and said to himself:

"I've done it! I've done it! I've done it!"

As he rushed down the hill leaving the old engine puffed out and exhausted, and forgetting to say thank you and all.

Edward felt both sad and hurt as he saw Gordon speeding away with his train, while he made his way to Maron Station and his driver diverted him onto a nice siding and stopped him at the water tower. The fireman climbed down the cab and began to give the K2 engine a nice long drink.

Meanwhile, his driver jumped down and told Edward:

"You've done it well, old boy. I'm pleased with you. I will get my paint tomorrow and you'll receive a beautiful coat of blue with both red and yellow lining. Then, you'll be the smartest engine in the whole railway. Won't that be nice?"

"Oh yes. Thank you very much driver." Edward replied happily.

Hours later, the Fat Director heard the events and was pleased with Edward's effort and told the blue tender engine when he met him in the Sheds:

"Well Edward. I am very proud of you today and I do believe that it is best for you to have a branch line all for yourself."

Edward gasped of amazement. The other engines were surprised by this as well.

"W-Why thank you, Sir. T-Thank you so much!" Edward finally said. 98462, and 87546 were verycross, finding rather undignified for a tender to run on lines beneath them. While Harry, Patrick, Molly, Emily, Neil, Clive, Matthew and Glynn were proud of their old friend and praised him for his accomplishment. As for Henry and Gordon, they were both abashed and respectfully silent and the Fat Director told Gordon that he'd still pull Goods Trains for the remainder of the week and apologize to Edward, which of course, he did it right then.

Now Edward has a line for himself, which goes from Wellsworth, to Brendam Docks. But he's not alone. The Fat Director asked for Neil to be the station pilot and Molly and Patrick joined in to help with the goods works and passenger works. Edward enjoys doing them, as well as helping with the Shunting Yards and banking up trains up the recently named Gordon's Hill.

Sometimes, Emily, Harry, Henry and Gordon would pass by whistling to him. But as for 98462 and 87546, that's just another story in itself…

The End of Part Two.

Author's Note:

I said in my previous post about doing "The Sad Story of Henry" next. But I ultimately swapped the order of my saga, by doing a story related to the fates of 98462 and 87546. I'll call it "The End of the Line for 98462 and 87546". Then we will have the other stories that everyone knows and loves. So you know the drill right now. Oh and by the way, I would not mind any suggestions to make for the upcoming story, since it will be rather long, giving that I want to explain how their names were nullified and how they get their final comeuppance by being sent away for being nasty and rude and all.

This is all I have to say for now on.