The Sudrians: The Archive Collection

The Eight Famous Engines

~1956~

When returning from the big station, I would expect a nice sunny evening where I could just talk to the other engines.

But I could name a thousand reasons on why I wasn't surprised to find the three mainline engines, Gordon, Henry and James, all arguing at the sheds.

"What are you boiler aching about now?" I quizzed, as I backed into the shed.

"The Fat Controller has said that eight engines are coming from different regions of British Railways and all of the 'core' North Western engines will have to be here."

"I don't get why seven," grumbled James quietly to himself. "I mean, we've got Duck apart of the railway and not!"

Henry smirked. "Toby," he spoke plainly.

James looked at me. "What about Toby?" he asked, "he is the number seven and he's a tram engine, yeah and he can't even

Gordon rolled his eyes whilst Henry laughed. I turned around on the turntable next to the sheds and soon went into my birth. Ava was at the other end of the mainline, she was to work an all nighter, whilst Peter was held up on the mainland.

So it was just me, and the three big engines. Until the sound of puffing was heard. Suddenly, Reginald came out of nowhere, followed by an LMS Ivatt 2-6-0.

Both came to a rattling stop right in front of the sheds. Henry groaned and Gordon watched with a raised brow.

"Ha! Told you I was faster!" beamed Reginald triumphantly.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up," muttered the Ivatt under his breath.

"Ah Gordon, Henry, James and waddler!"

"Duck," I murmured under my breath.

"It is so good to see you again!" cried Reginald, either ignoring me, or just not listening. "Last time I was here... well let's not mention it shall we."

"Yes," agreed Gordon, "never."

"...Okay, now I want to know!" said the Ivatt.

"Who's this?" asked James.

"This is Leo," replied Reginald, "but don't take any notice of him, he's quite irrelevant."

"Oi!"

Just then, another whistle was heard and a BR standard class four tank engine came in view. Followed by a grimy Southern Q1 who was pulling along a Great Western pannier tank engine.

All three stopped either next to Leo or Reginald.

The BR standard didn't say anything, whilst the Southern Q1 just looked around the sheds, his face looking like he was bored to help. The shunter unfastened the coupling and the pannier engine went around and puffed up next to the Q1. Just then, a jinty and a pug engine came into the yards too, both looking like they've been having hard days of working in their careers.

"What is all this?" I questioned.

"Weren't you even listening a few minutes ago?" replied James.

"Well..." I said, rethinking over what the three mainline engines had said to me before.

Then the familiar sounds of whistles came with the usually bell, and Thomas, Percy and Toby came into the yards. Edward soon coming in a while later, the last engine to arrive for the announcement.

***

Whistles were all heard from all corners of the sheds. Thomas, Percy and Toby now in the engine births too, the British Railway engines were all lined up outside the sheds.