The Sudrians: Tales from the Engines

The Slow Line (1951)

Gordon was not feeling well at all, his joints were stiff and he wasn't performing well with the express at all. "What's the matter," asked Percy, worriedly, as an inspector checked him all over.

"I presume, all that hard work from the past several years has caught up with me my dear Percy," said Gordon. 

Percy was confused. "But you just had an overhaul, just like the rest of us," he squeaked, "how can you not be well already?"

The inspector had his answer sooner than expected and he talked to the Fat Controller personally. "It's the tubing sir," he said, "they aren't up to standard needs, he can work on slower trains, but if he is to pull fast trains, he will be needing to go to the works to be retubed."

The Fat Controller shook his head glumly. "Oh dear, Gordon," he said, "Thomas is currently being finished after his own overhaul as well... deary me... Gordon you'll just have to be put on the stopping services until the works can spare you. James and Henry will manage the express until you're better."

Gordon was very disappointed. "Yes sir," he said.

Engines were built to a specific want from their railway, these can be appealing to most engines, smaller engines can handle the little tasks like running a branch line or shunting in the yard, or big engines deal with heavy, big trains. Gordon has one of the hardest tasks of all pulling a long, heavy express train across the island and then back again, all the while, trying to cope with the gradients the island gives him and keeping his speed the same. Not to mention trying to make sure he can give his passengers a smooth run they can relax in. But unlike them, sitting happily in the coaches, Gordon has to focus his all on achieving these goals, he's grown to be a natural at it, whilst other engines sometimes struggle, this is why Gordon is known to be the best at what he does. Whilst other engines who take do good runs, they don't meet the same standards Gordon does.

This might be because the general mindset is that the express trains are the most prestigious trains to take and when other engines other than proper express engines take it, they see it as more of a chance to look like immaculate beasts pulling a glorious train of coaches behind them.

This was probably why James and Henry were thrilled to hear they were to take turns in pulling the express in Gordon's absence. It had been too long since they both pulled the express and were eager to show how fast and glamorous they could be when taking the train. The big engine watched with disproval at the station as James reversed into the station, backing down onto the express coaches with a giant grin on his face. "My brand new paintwork would look fitting with these new dears," he bragged proudly.

"Yes, but those new dears are just... not things," grumbled Gordon, "the express is not a simple task anymore little James, are you sure you able to handle it?"

"Of course, I can-!" protested James, "this will be just as easy as the first time I pull-"

A loud bang came suddenly, as James bumped into the coaches.

"James you idiot!" Gordon yelled, "you've reversed into the express coaches!"

James blushed bright red at his paintwork as Henry laughed from nearby, seeing everything as Gordon shouted at the red engine. "I'm really sorry, I didn't notice! Genuinely, that was an accident!"

It was lucky for James the express was due out a minute after he was coupled and he started off as quickly as he dared. "Don't puff off James," called out Gordon, as the red engine quickly moved over the points and out onto the mainline, "James. James!"

Gordon groaned as the brake coach disappeared around the corner. He then looked back at the coaches he had behind him, they were the new Mark 1 carriages, all of these coaches were being sent around the country to different regions to be used as the new standard design. The Fat Controller had only agreed that a few would only come to their region and would only be used on the mainline. Gordon found them very intriguing and hadn't used them yet, but despite the circumstances, he was looking forward to using them.