The Sudrians: The Devious Diesel

Chances to All Engines

As Matthew was waiting in the yards, when the sounds of a diesel came slowly in, the next minute, the imposing Diesel came into the yards, sulking miserably. "So you're Diesel number 2," said Matthew, looking at the class 08 in bemusement, "there seems to be a lot of engines who come back here after being away from this railway for decades, but you're not one of them."

Diesel muttered something under his breath, Matthew ignored this. "There are some trucks that need to be shunted into some sidings over there," he said, "do that for me, would you? And make sure the brakes are off before moving them."

Diesel grumped as the war engine left the yards with a sly chuckle. After returning to service, Stephen had already chosen the real diesel, now known as Damien, to be the new yard shunter at Tidmouth, however, he was willing to give the fake Diesel a fair chance and allowed him to be on trial to be the shunter between Cronk and Killdane yards. This time, Diesel did his work without fuss, but bumped the trucks crossly whenever he had the chance. Matthew watched him do this throughout the yards with slight curiosity. He found this diesel to be most bemusing. It wasn't until the afternoon, when he was about to take his final passenger train when Gabriel came into the platform with a connecting passenger service. Both engines watched the fake Diesel scuttle around the yards.

"He's an odd one," said Gabriel plainly.

"Yeah," smirked Matthew, "he makes things interesting in the yards though."

"Interesting?" quizzed Gabriel.

"Well for starters," said Matthew, "he keeps banging the trucks and is in a right ol' grumpy mood. Secondly, he keeps calling himself Diesel, even though we know he's not the real Diesel who came in 1958, that's the other lad at Tidmouth."

"Yeah," said Gabriel, pondering over it.

The war engine looked over to the warship with a curious look on him. "Any theory as to why?" he asked.

"Maybe," said Gabriel, "but it could be that he just wants to have an identity."

"An identity?"

"Wayne told me about this a while back," said Gabriel, "he says that class 08s came in huge chunks, one of many in a crowd, none standing out. Us diesels were mainly given numbers and no names like you steam engines, and it must've been worse for the gronks when they only had a number. Perhaps when all the infamous Railway Series books came out and those 1958 events were written, that Diesel decided to have that identity so he stood out, it must've worked since Damien wasn't very open about him being the real one."

"Good theory," hummedn Matthew, "perhaps you could talk to him about? I don't think I'd be the best with the way I've been going about him today."

Gabriel gawked. "Me?" he said, "I don't think its best for me at the moment."

"Are the others still giving you the cold buffer?" asked Matthew, "listen Gabriel, if Thomas can forgive you they can too, and they should understand that you weren't in control at that time. Plus Gordon and Henry forgave Alfred for what he did!"

Gabriel huffed hesitantly. "Alfred had to rescue Henry when broken down and also rescued Gordon from a snow drift at a tunnel," he said, "do I have to rescue them from something then?"

"No... just prove you're not that engine they think you could be," said Matthew.

"I don't know how I'd speak to Diesel though," protested Gabriel, "we don't really have matching timetables."

Matthew thought about this for a good few seconds, then smiled cheekily. "Oh I've got a good idea."

***