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Chapter 4: The Great Railway Show

The day of the Railway Show was soon approaching. By now, The Fat Controller had picked at least engine for each category and gathered them at the Steamworks. Axel of course followed as he needed to get to the mainland after being stranded. Phillip was to be in the Shunting Competition-for a little shunter he was slightly faster than others and outlasted Stafford and his electric battery. Murdoch was competing in the Strength Competition. Paxton had been repainted into a crimson red, and was to join 4 other shunters from the mainland to arrange trucks for the competitions. James and Emily, with golden swirling patterns now painted on them, were in the Decorated Engine Competition, but in two different divisions. James was in the Young Engines Division, and Emily was in the Old Engines competition. Stephen and Lady, the Crovan’s Gate shunter and former Wellsworth and Suddery engine, were also competing in the Old Engines division. Lady had been rebuilt slightly with an ornate funnel and dome, and given a new coat of paint. She was representing Sodor in the competition, while Stephen and Emily were representing England and Scotland respectively.

The Fat Controller had debated with himself on whether to take his recently-acquired Class 76 or one of his Class 86’s from the Peel Godred Branch for the HST/Electric Race. The engine had no name, but it did have a number- 86253. Now it was time for Gordon’s grand unveiling; his streamlined casing had been finished and he had been through steam tests the night before. The tarpaulin was lifted; the other engines were at a loss for words. Gordon looked fantastic- like a completely different engine. He felt splendid too, and left off steam proudly.

“For this race, I shall be known as: The Shooting Star!” he beamed proudly.

Diesel laughed. “You look more like the Galloping Sausage to me!!”

Gordon took offense to this; not only because that was the Hush Hush’s less flattering nickname, but also one Diesel had used to describe Gordon years before.

“Alright, alright, settle down, everyone.” Boomed The Fat Controller. It’s about time we all got going. The event starts in a few days, and it’s all the way in Bridlington Goods yard. So we’ll need to be there at least a day before the actual events even start. I’ve decided that some of the engines not competing will be allowed to watch the events for themselves. Not you, Diesel. You have to stay here until we come back from the Show.”

“Yes, Sir.” Sighed Diesel.

Thomas, Henry and Percy, Donald and Douglas, and even Hank were among the few engines not participating that were chosen to attend. Thomas was disappointed that he wasn’t chosen for any of the events, but he knew his limits and was happy to watch his friends do their best. The clock struck 11, and the cavalcade set of to the mainland. The trip there was largely uneventful. After a couple days of travelling, Team Sodor finally arrived at Bridlington Goods Yard. Phillip got over excited and wanted to check out the whole yard, but didn’t pay attention to where he was going, and bumped into another engine. It was Vinnie.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing, shorty?! Watch where you’re going!”

Phillip scuttled away to rejoin the other engines, and was careful not to bump into anyone else that night. But the next morning, he got over excited again; the Railway Show was about to begin. He happened to bump into Vinnie again, and this time, Vinnie got even crosser.

“I said watch it, shortstack! Oooh, now you’re gonna get it!”

Vinnie started to chase after Phillip, who had scuttled away as quickly as he could.

Meanwhile, Paxton and the other shunters were preparing the trucks for the strength competition. Each contestant was to pull 10 fully loaded flatbeds of bricks. Paxton was just shunting the last truck when he heard a voice.

“OW!” called the voice. It sounded like it was in front of him.

“Who said that?” wondered Paxton.

“Down here, you dunderheaded diesel!” called the voice. Paxton looked down. This flatbed was talking. Its face was bruised, and it had a single brick attached to a chain loosely mounted above it.

Paxton was surprised. “Oh! I’m sorry, Mr. Truck! I didn’t mean to hurt you!”

The truck sighed. “You’re one of few who’ve ever said that. Most times engines just biff and bash me. See these bruises? These aren’t just from them. If anyone shunts me hard enough, Brick here falls off his perch and hits me in the face.”

Paxton felt sorry for the flatbed. “I’m sorry you’ve been treated so poorly. My name’s Paxton, and one of my friends is competing. Do you have a name?”

“I’m Flat Top. And that brick up there is, well, Brick. It’s my favorite Brick and I always keep it with me on this chain. Listen, Paxton, can you do me a favour or two?”

“I’m listening.”

“Save me. Please. One of your own, in this competition, you said? Just ask him not to biff me hard. Then, once all this is over, I want out of here. I’m tired of other engines treating me poorly just because I’m a truck. We’ve got thoughts and feelings too, you know! I need a new place to stay; where are you from?”

“I’m from the Island of Sodor! Don’t worry, Flat Top. I’ll tell the Fat Controller all about this. I’ll do my best to get you away from here and safe and sound on the island.”

“Thanks, Paxton. Oh, and while you’re at, it, I’ve got a little brother of sorts over in the shunting competition. His name’s Topper and he’s a conflat. You’ll know him when you see him. He’s a bit taller than the rest.”

“I’ll do what I can.” Promised Paxton.

Meanwhile, Vinnie had backed poor Phillip into a corner. Gordon, though he had difficulty seeing, could see that something wasn’t right, and chuffed straight over to them. He whistled loudly.

“You there! The one with the American Football Mask! Back off. Leave that poor little shunter alone. He’s young and fairly new to our team. He may be a bit absent minded at times, but he’s a diligent worker with a big heart and determination. He is…my friend!” he boomed at Vinnie. Vinnie grumbled and backed off towards the strength competition.

Phillip was relieved. “Thank you, Gordon. That was too close.”

Gordon smiled. “I won’t tolerate mistreatment of any engine; even from other engines. I shall be telling the judges about this.”

And he did just that. Afterwards, Gordon moved his way over to the other side of the yard where the competitors for the Steam Race were beginning to gather. He sidled up to Flying Scotsman and whistled loudly. “Hello there, LITTLE brother.” He teased.

Scotsman was astounded. “Gordon?! What on earth is that around you??”

“That,” boasted Gordon, “is my temporary streamlined casing! I got the idea after Thomas suggested HE be streamlined!”

The two engines laughed. “A streamlined tank engine! How silly. I must say, I’m impressed with the casing. Is it supposed to look like the Hush-Hush?” Scotsman was very knowledgeable about the many engines of the LNER.

“Exactly! Though the unstreamlined P2’s were also part of the inspiration. With this casing, I’m determined to win this race!” Gordon jerked forward to show off a little, but the hatch to cover his face during the race suddenly swung down and hit him. “Ow! My nose!”

Scotsman guffawed. “Looks like there’s still a few kinks to work out! Well, good luck, little brother!” Scotsman’s smoke deflectors shone in the sunlight as he steamed off.

At last, it was time for the Great Railway Show to begin. The crowd cheered and whistled as the announcer took the stage.

“Welcome, you fans of steam, welcome you fans of speed! Welcome, one and all, to this year’s Great Railway Show, sponsored by the National Railway Museum of York! Only here will you find the mightiest locomotives from all over the world, competing in feats of strength, speed, and skill! Allow me to Introduce you to this year’s contenders!

“Our first event of the Great Railway Show is the Strength Test! Here, our 5 contenders for the event are each given 10 fully loaded flatbeds of bricks. Whomever pulls the trucks the farthest and most easily all the way to the finish line on the other side of the yard will be declared the winner of the event. Let’s meet this year’s contenders!”

A giant screen then turned on, showing each contender in a CGI render. It also displayed their stats, their country’s flag, their basis, wheel configuration, etc.

“And here is Vinnie of North America! A rough-and-tough Canadian-American engine, Vinnie was privately preserved and extensively rebuilt for the British loading gauge. He’s a tough one, ladies and gentleman, and specializes in hauling heavy passenger and goods trains. He’s a fast one too; some say he’s like an American Football player! Just look at those handrails; it looks almost like a helmet! He’ll need a hard head and a strong pull to try and win this, folks, but will he succeed? Let’s hear it again for Vinnie of North America!

“And here, is The Garratt of Australia! Garratt is not just the name of the kind of steam engine this is, but here it’s also actually the collective nickname of the three parts of this engine- that’s right! The water tank, boiler and tender all have names and personalities! Will and Cole, the tank and tender, are tough as nails, but Brady the Boiler keeps the two in line. Together, they make up one of the strongest steam engines in all of Australia! Will their teamwork be enough to pull them through and win the Strength Competition? You’ll just have to wait and see, folks! Let’s hear it again for the Garratt of Australia!

“And here is Murdoch of Sodor! Murdoch is one of the last steam engines built by British Railways before modernization ended the era of mainline steam on the Mainland! He’s a gentle giant, folks, but he can pull trucks with the best of them. Word has it that he once pulled more than 40 fully loaded trucks from Sodor to the Mainland without stopping! What an amazing feat for this big engine. Will his legacy be enough to move to first place? We’ll find out soon! Let’s hear it again for Murdoch of Sodor!

“And here is Hiro of Japan! Built originally for narrow gauge railways, Hiro started his career with streamlining, but not for passengers- he was built for shunting and fast goods trains! Now he’s been rebuilt to the standard build of his Class, the JNR D51, and for the British loading gauge! Hiro once was abandoned when spare parts couldn’t be afforded, but when he was rediscovered, he was lovingly restored on Sodor and has been working with them and the mainland ever since! He has a private branch line back at home specially built for standard gauge engines, and works his hardest whenever he returns there. Will the Master of the Railway dominate this challenge? Let’s hear it again for Hiro of Japan!

“And here Gator of Colombia! Otherwise known as Gerald, this engine is a multi-cultured machine, ladies and gentlemen! He was built in England, tested in Belgium, survived the harsh conditions of Colombia, then rescued and brought to Sodor! He’s a master of several languages as a result, and now has gone back to Colombia where he runs his own branchline and a colliery! Gator has proven to be a resourceful, brave and strong engine for his size, but can he hold his own in the competition? You’ll find out soon enough! Let’s hear it again for Gator of Colombia!”

Just then, one of the judges came up to the announcer with Gordon’s report on Vinnie, and their decision about it.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it seems there’s been a last-minute change in the line-up. It’s been reported that Vinnie of North America has been spiteful to other contestants in the railway show, so he has been dropped from the competition! But fret not, folks! This sort of issue was foreseen, and another engine has arrived to take his place, and here he is! Welcome, to Sam of North America! WOW! What an enormous engine! Sam is a Blue Ridge articulated engine from the United States, and known for his sheer size and strength. He was privately preserved, unsurprisingly, and extensively rebuilt and downsized for use here in Great Britain! He recently went to Sodor to help complete the construction of the National Railway Museum’s new branch in Lower Vicarstown, and has been good friends with the engines ever since. Will this mighty locomotive come out on top?! We’ll find out soon enough! Let’s hear it again for Sam of North America!

“And now, it’s time to get this show on the road! Good luck to all the contenders in the Strength Challenge! Are you ready?! 5…4…3…2…1…HEAVE HO!!!”

It wasn’t too difficult of a challenge for the 5 engines, only pulling 5 trucks, but given the size of the yard, it had to be so. Even so, some engines pulled them much more quickly and easily. Sam was ahead quite easily given his size, but The Garratt wasn’t far behind. Hiro and Murdoch were neck and neck for 3rd, but Hiro managed to pull ahead, leaving Murdoch behind. Gator was the smallest of the engines in the competition and not nearly as strong, but being in 5th didn’t bother him. He was just glad to be part of the Great Railway Show and see his friends from Sodor again.

“And the winner of the strength competition is…SAM OF NORTH AMERICA!!! Congratulations, Sam! In 2nd place is The Garratt of Australia!! Hiro, the Master of the Railway, has drawn ahead to third! In 4th place is Murdoch of Sodor, leaving Gator placed at 5th. A fine effort for all our competitors. Let’s give them all three cheers!”

While the crowded cheered for the engines, Murdoch and Flat Top were uncoupled, and chuffed away into a siding where other engines from Sodor and The Fat Controller were watching the events from. They all agreed it was best to take Flat Top back to Sodor, and guaranteed him that the engines of the Little Western would take good care of the Great Western flatbed. The other competitors were uncoupled from their trucks and moved into other sidings to watch the rest of the show, and Paxton and the other diesels shunted their trucks out of the way, and started preparations for the upcoming Shunting Competition.

“Now we move on to the next event, or should I say, events, of this year’s Great Railway Show- The Best Decorated Engine contest! We’ve divided this contest into Junior and Senior categories, quite literally! The Junior competition is for ‘newer’ steam engines while the Senior competition is for our oldest participants! Let’s meet them now!

"Our first contender for the Junior competition is Ashima of India! Also known as the Queen of Nilgiri, she’s a narrow gauge rack railway engine, and as such has been placed on a flatbed behind one of our other contestants. Ashima is beautifully painted, and also quite good at shunting! She’s a kindhearted young engine who always encourages her friends to do their best work and be themselves! What a sweetheart! And such remarkable paintwork! Will those stunning patterns and colours be enough for her to climb to the top? Let’s hear it again for Ashima, the Queen of Nilgiri!

"And here is Yong Bao of China! What a fantastic looking engine, folks. Yong Bao’s name means ‘brave treasure’, and he’s a hero on his railway at home! He prevented what would have been a very nasty accident and saved his 100 passengers that day! As a reward, he was given that name, and painted in China’s luckiest colors. And just look at the decoration on his funnel and tender! This engine is a tiger, ladies and gentlemen! Will the treasured hero’s luck play a role in this competition? Let’s hear it again, folks, for Yong Bao, The Brave Treasure of China!

"And here is James of Sodor! James is a splendid red fellow, and an experimental mixed traffic engine. He can pull passengers and goods very easily, and is very proud of his paintwork. Many years ago he was painted black, and after a nasty accident, painted red and he’s stayed that way ever since. Now he’s bearing some extra gold designs on him, making him look even more fabulous. But will a little extra paint go a long way? Let’s hear it again for James of Sodor!

"And here is The Flying Thistle of Scotland! Formerly Knight of the Thistle, this relative of some of our contenders in the upcoming Great Race event was privately purchased by a Scottish enthusiast, and given a new name to reflect the legacy of Flying Scotsman and the beautiful thistles of Scotland. He works hard and doesn’t like being dirty, so his owners take good care of him to keep him perfectly polished. But can he hold a candle to the other contestants? Let’s hear it again for The Flying Thistle of Scotland!

"And here is Frieda of Germany! What a beautiful engine! She’s both fast with her streamlining, and strong, capable of pulling long lines of heavy trucks! Unlike many German steam engines, she’s painted in a light Prussian blue, and her red wheels compliment this livery quite nicely! She’s a tough nut to crack and not one to be trifled with, but will her paintwork be enough to win the Junior competition? Let’s hear it again for Frieda of Germany!

"And now, let’s meet the contestants of the Senior division! And here is Stephenson’s Rocket!! This is no joke, folks; the original Rocket was bought from the London Museum of Science about thirty years ago, and painstakingly restored not just cosmetically, but to a fully operable condition, and with a new hybrid shape and a whistle to boot! Stephen, as he is called now, may not be considered fast these days, but he’s still one of the most famous engines ever built, and quite good looking in his old age! He currently resides on the Island of Sodor, but for the competition, he is representing England! Let’s hear it again for Stephenson’s Rocket!

"And here is Emily of Scotland! Another current resident of Sodor, the sole Stirling Single and member of the National Railway Museum is a remarkable old engine, and now redecorated with flashy golden swirling designs much like those seen on James. She’s known as one of the most beautiful looking engines on the Island, and she’s quite the clever girl, too! She may come off as pushy to some, but she’s a strong-willed engine who looks out for her friends. She even saved a Great Western engine who had been stuck at a crossing and prevented a nasty accident! What a great friend indeed! Let’s hear it again for Emily of Scotland!

"Now for a contender in the Senior division who’s actually representing Sodor. Meet the Lady of Wellsworth and Suddery! Before the North Western Railway came to be, she worked on the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway as a shunter and was preserved afterwards. Lady’s been to the Americas and back by unconventional means, and started her career as the Holden 101 of the Great Western Railway, saved by a Mr. Tich who brought her to Sodor and rebuilt her. She’s been modified again for the events here, with ornate Victorian styled dome and funnel, and a golden smokebox too! Will this charming old Lady bring home the gold? Let’s hear it again for the Lady of Wellsworth and Suddery!

"And here is Gina of Italy! She’s one of the oldest operating engines in her country, and pulls both passengers and goods with relative ease! She’s a phenomenal shunter who can hold her own with the best of them, but is also quite distinctive looking and considered a stylish old engine. Just look at those unique headlamps. I’ve never seen anything quite like them in my life, folks. Will this tough Italian girl shunt the competition away? Let’s hear it again folks, for Gina of Italy!

"And here, is Rajiv, the Fairy Queen! Hailing from the opposite side of India, Rajiv is the oldest operating steam locomotive in the entire world, and certified for railtours on their mainline! Rajiv is a hijra; meaning built as male and identifying as female; this is considered neither male nor female in India’s culture- rather, Rajiv is considered as a third gender option, which is officially recognized by their government and given protection despite outcry from conservatives! Something the rest of the world ought to consider for human rights in the future, folks! Rajiv is also hailed as a royal engine in India, and has a massive fanbase not just there but from across the globe! Will the Fairy Queen rule the Senior Division? Sit tight, ladies and gentlemen, and give it up for Rajiv, The Fairy Queen!

"Now, then, here's how this competition will work. These engines will parade around the yard for five minutes, and you, the audience members, will vote for your favourite engine using the devices we handed out to you earlier! Our panel of judges will then tally up the votes and decide the winners based on those poll results! There will be a five minute voting session for each division’s parade. On my mark, ladies and gentlemen, prep your voting devices because the senior division’s parade will begin...now!”

After both parades had concluded, the judges handed in their results to the announcer.

"The judges appear to have made their decisions! In fifth place...Gina of Italy! In fourth...Emily of Scotland! And in third...Stephen’s Rocket! We’re down to just two competitors now, ladies and gentlemen: The Lady of Wellsworth and Suddery, and Rajiv, the Fairy Queen! Who will be crowned the victor?!”

The announcer paused for suspense, and a drumroll sounded.

“And the winner of the Senior Division is…Rajiv, the Fairy Queen! Congratulations, Rajiv!! And well done to all of our senior engines! And now for the winner of the Junior Division! In fifth place, The Flying Thistle! In fourth, James of Sodor! In third...Frieda of Germany! And now we’re down to our final two: Yong Bao, the Brave Treasure of China, and Ashima, the Queen of Nilgiri! Two amazing looking engines, but which one did our audience say is the Best Decorated?”

Another dramatic pause and drumroll.

“The winner of the Junior Division is…Yong Bao of China! Congratulations, Yong Bao!! That was a close competition, ladies and gentlemen, but we’d like to extend our most heartfelt thank yous to all the engines who participated!”

James was most disappointed and frustrated, but soon forgot to be cross when the other engines complimented him and told him “Well done!” Emily and Stephen buffered up to him and gave him some more encouragement as they approached the sidings.

“Buck up, young James! I thought you looked stunning with those fancy swirling designs painted on you!”

“Aye,” continued Emily. “An' dornt forget- ye didne gie lest place- in fact, ye beat Gordon's coosin! 'at in an' ay itself is an achievement- he wasnae e'en decorated, only polished!”

Hearing this lifted James’ spirits further. “Hey, you’re right! And if I can’t beat Gordon in a race, I can beat him in looking good! I just beat his other brother!”

As the engines moved into the sidings, the next competition was about to begin, and the contestants lined up as the announcer spoke.

“And now for main event of this years Railway Show: the Great Race! In previous years we had electric engines mixed with steam and diesel, and have recently taken fans’ feedback into consideration, and separated the electrics into a new separate racing category where they will compete with each other and with High Speed Trains. First up is the Steam Race. Let’s meet our contenders!

“Our first contender is Axel of Belgium! Axel is the last of his class and quite a star in Belgium! He’s fast, he’s good looking, and charming to boot! Just listen to those screams, he’s like a movie star! He’s also a master of several languages including Dutch and German. What an amazing engine! That’s Belgian streamlining at its finest folks, this engine was built for speed! Axel is a lean mean racing machine, and has captured the hearts of many enthusiasts from around the world! Will he race into first place? Let’s hear it again for Axel of Belgium!

“And here is Sir Malcolm of Australia! One of two of his class left, this amazing engine is capable of heavy goods and passenger traffic all while travelling at high speeds with his streamlined body. Sir Malcolm is a polite and sophisticated engine, but back in the day he was used as a wartime engine, and painted with a menacing looking shark design! He does certainly resemble one even now! Will this Whispering Giant steam swimmingly ahead of the rest of them? Let’s give another round of applause to Sir Malcolm of Australia!

“And here is Spencer of Boxford, England! Spencer is a former record holder, folks. In his earlier days, he was known as Silver Link, and held the speed record of 112 miles per hour; a record that stood unchallenged until his brother Mallard broke it at 125- while also breaking down! Like many engines here, he was privately preserved many years ago, escaping the cruel fate of scrap. Now he works as a private engine for the Duke and Duchess of Boxford, who happen to have a summer home on Sodor. He’s also the cousin of our next two contenders. Will there be tension in the family? Wait and see! Let’s hear it again for Spencer of Boxford, England!

“And here is The Flying Scotsman! Also known as the Most Famous Engine in the World, he gets his name from the passenger express service he took from London to Edinburgh, Scotland! He doesn’t fly, and he’s not Scottish! But that doesn’t stop him! He’s also the first engine to officially go 100 miles per hour! It also says here that he’s Spencer and Mallard’s cousin, and Gordon and Flying Thistle's brother! Sir Nigel Gresley sure was a top-notch designer! Let’s hear it again for the one and only Flying Scotsman!

“And here is Gordon, the Shooting Star! Sodor’s own LNER A1, or A0X, rather, as he was the original member of the class, is now clad in a streamlined casing just for the occasion, giving him looks reminiscent of the legendary Hush Hush! He’s the fastest engine on the Island and pulls their express. He’s a record holder in his own right, and aims to beat his brother and cousin at their own game! Will his fancy new looks be enough to show them what he’s made of? Let’s hear it again for Gordon, The Shooting Star!”

The crowd roared, and as the engines pulled up to the starting line, they all glanced at each other. Axel winked at his friend, Gordon. “Best of luck, Gordon, mon ami.”

Flying Scotsman winked too, and joking wished Gordon luck. “Good luck, ‘little brother!’ “

Gordon was cross at this. “For the last time, I’m the older one! Just because you’re an A3 and I’m the A0 doesn’t make you older! It doesn’t change a thi- OW! Watch it!!!” snapped Gordon as a workman closed the flap to his casing. Gordon’s voice was now muffled, and he could only see a little bit out of a small opening cut into the flap at his request. He didn’t like the idea of racing blind.

Flying Scotsman also smiled at Spencer and chuckled.

“And good luck to you too, Silver Link! Don’t go breaking yourself to outdo Mallard now!”

Spencer huffed. “It’s Spencer now, you buffoon. Just you wait; I’ll take that precious ‘Most Famous Engine’ title from you in a flash of silver!”

Sir Malcom had had enough.

“Oi! Enough arguing, you three. Let’s just have a go at this, and may the best engine win!” He flashed a pointed and toothy smile.

At last, it was time for the race to begin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the Steam Race is about to begin. Engines, are you ready? On your marks, get set, and GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! And they’re off! Mind you folks, steam engines don’t start up quickly, so give them a bit to get up to speed!”

After a few minutes, all 5 contestants had built up enough steam and gained speed.

“The engines are making extraordinary progress! Spencer is not quite up to speed yet still, trailing in last. Let’s hope he’s not got a leaky tank! Sir Malcolm seems to be trying hard to jump from 4th, but Axel is slightly faster in 3rd! Flying Scotsman and Shooting Star Gordon are neck and neck, ladies and gentlemen! A sibling rivalry like none other before!”

As they raced along, Flying Scotsman noticed something odd about Gordon. He heard a rattling noise coming from somewhere on Gordon’s casing. This made him worried.

“Gordon, are you feeling alright?”

Though his voice was muffled, Flying Scotsman was still able to make out what Gordon’s retort was. Gordon was so full of himself that he started to sing proudly!

“HA! Flying Scotsman, just stop whining! There’s no other engine I won’t be outshining!

Too late, I’ve got a date! Streamlining!
Whoosh! The Shooting Star is coming through!

Whoosh! Give up, there’s nothing you can do!
Whoosh! Cause all you’ll ever see of me

Will be a shining streak of racing blue!
My clouds today all have a silver lining

I’ll see my bossy brother get some undermining
Cause I’m the cream, The best in steam,

Streamlining! Oh…”

Just then, Gordon felt something strange. His pressure rose, and he started to feel slightly hotter. What he didn’t realize was that his safety valve had loosened up from rough riding, and had now rocketed off! This did not go unnoticed by the camera crew and workmen along the line.

“Oh! What’s this then? I’ve just been informed that during the race, Gordon’s safety valve not only loosened, but lifted OFF! A workman has just found it by the rails now. This is could spell danger for the Shooting Star, and it looks like it’s already starting to affect him! He seems to be rattling along uneasily; his face presumably going red underneath his streamlining!”

And he was. But he was too bent on beating his brother that he foolishly pressed onward and continued singing.

“Whoosh! The Shooting Star is coming through...! Whoosh! Give up, there’s nothing you can do...!” he sang, starting to feel a pain in his boiler.

Flying Scotsman noticed Gordon was riding rougher and rattling. He was frightened about Gordon’s safety.

“Gordon, stop! Stop! Drop your fire! If you don’t, you’re going to explode and kill us all!”

The announcer recapped the scene for the audience.

“Flying Scotsman appears very alarmed, folks, and rightly so! It seems his crew have told Gordon’s to drop out!

Gordon couldn’t hear Flying Scotsman. Despite the temperature, he tried to keep singing to himself. But not for long.

“Whoosh! Cause all you’ll see of me...Will be-AAAAAHHHH!!!!! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Ow, ow ow, owwww!!! OHHH!!! Get me out of here!!!!” he screamed, as his crew dropped his fire and slammed on the brakes.

Everyone gasped in shock at the turn of events, even the announcer was stunned.

“And there it is! Gordon’s fire has just been dropped and his steam shut off. He’s ground to a halt. It’s all over for this poor engine. Flying Scotsman has stopped and reversed to bring his older brother to the finish line. Now that’s brotherly love if I do say so myself.”

As Gordon sat there in the sun, seething in pain, his muffled voice could still be heard from behind the smokebox door of his casing.

“Get me out, get me out!!!!” Gordon bellowed from underneath his casing.

As Flying Scotsman reversed onto the other line to help Gordon to the finish line, his driver removed the flap on Gordon’s casing.

“Oh….the indignity…” Gordon sighed. He’d never felt so foolish and embarrassed in his life.

“Come on, little brother. Let’s get you back to the finish line.” said the Flying Scotsman as his driver coupled the two engines up. Then they set off slowly.

Meanwhile, the rest of the race was teeming with high speed antics, and the announcer had resumed giving the play-by-play.

“In the meantime, all the other engines are far ahead now; Sir Malcolm has managed to draw into third place, with Axel and Spencer hitting their top speeds. Now THESE two rivals are neck and neck for first place! Spencer has the upper hand, but hitting the absolute top speed for his class is a dangerous and reckless act, so he appears to be sticking to his old Silver Jubilee guns! Good strategy! Axel’s class is only slightly slower than that legendary speed, but can he break through his limits without damaging himself like Mallard?”

The silver engine glared at Axel, then gave him a smug smile. Axel, with a look of determination on his face, let off steam and winked.

“Au Revoir, Spencer!”

Suddenly, he started to pull ahead of Spencer, while Spencer slowed down slightly. The crowd went wild.

“He’s done it; he’s broken his limits and drawn ahead, and…..FINISH!!! The winner is the Limit Breaker Axel of Belgium! Spencer has lost his gumption, ladies and gentlemen, and has dropped to third, with Sir Malcolm beating him to the finish line. Poor Spencer’s looking dejecting crossing in third now.”

Meanwhile, in the distance, Flying Scotsman and Gordon were puffing along, having a heart to heart, or rather, a buffer to buffer, so to speak.

“Ohhh, Flying Scotsman, I’m dreadfully sorry. I was just so confident in my strategy and set on finally getting some recognition outside of Sodor, that I just went mad. I didn’t even realize what had happened until it was too late. You know I can’t hear or see much inside this wretched box of a streamlined casing. I think I probably would have been better off coming here as myself instead of trying to be something I’m clearly not.”

Flying Scotsman smiled. “It’s ok, Gordon. We all get puffed up sometimes; I know you're typically very proud of me but this time you let a little bit of jealousy get to your smokebox. But look on the bright side. You’re okay! Your crew stopped you before it was too late, no one is hurt, apart from you and your pride somewhat, and you’re owning up to your mistakes and apologising! Just what I wanted to see from you. I’m proud of you, BIG brother. Now then, let’s finish this race together! Flying ScotsMEN, AWAY!”

“Aha, here comes Flying Scotsman with Gordon the Shooting Star in tow. Seems they’ve been taking it easy along the line and having a lovely chat. Now Scotsman’s broken out in a burst of speed so that the two engines can finish the race together! Well done, Flying Scotsman and Gordon! You’re both still legendary engines!”

After passing the finish line, Gordon limped into the siding, feeling better but still ashamed. But he was soon joined by the other contestants, who comforted and congratulated him. Now, the next half of the race was about to begin.

“Now, we move on to our next event, the Electric and HST Race. These engines are some of the best around and the most modern engines in the Railway Show. Let’s meet them now.

“And here is Étienne of France! Étienne is quite a remarkable engine, ladies and gentlemen, a true French legend and a gentleman to boot. In 1955, he set a world speed record, clocking in at a whopping 200 miles per hour! And that was long before France had their TGV’s they are known for today! When we spoke to Étienne earlier today, he had this to say: 'I’m just here to make new friends, and if I happen to win, then Vive La France!' He’s also quite fascinated with people and the world beyond the railway tracks. Will this inquisitive and polite record holder rocket his way to first place? Let’s hear it again for Étienne of France!

“And here is Phillipa and Emma of the UK! A ‘flying banana’ as they’re affectionately called, Pip, as she’s better known as, with her twin Emma, is a speed demon. They’ve often shuttled people back and forth between big stations on the Mainland here, and took Gordon’s passengers home when he took on a failed DMU to Carlisle! Sir Topham is quite impressed with them, and perhaps one day will make them part of his enormous fleet of engines. Emma is rarely separated from her twin, and as such will be trailing behind her unpowered, giving moral support to her twin. So let’s give a round of applause to Pip and Emma!

“And here is Settebello of Italy! Setebello is a large and very famous old high speed electric engine, and the last of his kind. His name means ‘Beautiful Number Seven’, and his continued service to the people of Italy have earned him his own fanbase. Will this lucky old engine blow the competition away? Let’s hear it again, folks, for Settebello of Italy!

“And here is No. 86253 of Sodor! Don’t let the number fool you, folks, this engine is actually a surplus engine from the mainland here, and was renumbered to this after British Railways botched up their numbering system with his class. He runs a passenger service on the only electric line on the Island of Sodor. He’s known there for his speed and efficiency, and has become one of the most beloved electric engines on the branch. Though relatively obscure to the rest of the Island and the world for that matter, this engine is anything but a slacker! Let’s hear it again for No. 86253 of Sodor!

“Oh dear, ladies and gentlemen! It appears our fifth contestant is missing- oh, now here he is, just in the nick of time! Meet the Prince of Wales! Another UK representative, he is a member of the short-lived Advanced Passenger Train Class, which were designed to be the standard HSTs of the Mainline, but testing proved difficult, and he was preserved privately after the tests ended. He’s a force to be reckoned with, his speed rivaling that of Pip and Emma, but his design allows him to travel even faster than them! He has a habit of running a little behind schedule, but he’s got an iron will and a charming personality to back him up. Like with Pip, Prince here has a twin trailing behind him unpowered for this race as a sort of moral support- City of Milton Keynes- or just Milton for short! I've been told that his owner is continuing development of their various features, so perhaps one day we'll be able to see even more of this dynamic duo. This race will serve as another test run for them. Will these experimental engines prove their worth in the competition? We’ll see about that, folks. Let’s hear it again for the Prince of Wales and City of Milton Keynes!

“Are you ready? Start your engines! On your marks, get set, GOOOOO!!!!!!! And they’re off like rockets! Our eyes in the sky are even having some trouble keeping up! This race will be over sooner than you’ll see it coming, folks! It appears the Class 86 from Sodor is in last; not quite built for speed I reckon, but he doesn’t seem to mind at all and appears happy to have even been invited! In 4th is The Beautiful Number Seven, Settebello; looking glorious in the afternoon sunlight! Pip and Prince of Wales are neck and neck for second, going at their top speeds, but it looks like Prince of Wales may be having some of those technical difficulties...

“And without any problems at all, up ahead in first is Étienne! He’s got that look of sheer determination on his mustachioed face, friends! There’s no question who the winner of this electrified race will be! Oop, and there it is! The winner is Étienne of France! Pip has surprisingly slipped to third, allowing the experimental Prince of Wales to take second! A successful little test run, I'd say! Best of luck on your continued testing and development, lads! The Class 86 still looking non-chalant in the rear; neither he not Settebello seem to be bothered by the faster competitors. Good sportsmanship from them both; just enjoy yourselves! Thank you all for competing!”

The crowd went wild over Étienne’s win. Étienne smiled. Overwhelmed with joy, nostalgia and melancholy, he laughed heartily, and whispered something to himself as tears of these feelings rolled down his face.

“I..no, WE. WE did it, Avi. Together…we have won ze competition. Vive La France. Vive... La Avignon.”

“And now, we move onto our final event, folks: The Shunting Competition! Here’s how it works: each engine has to shunt the trucks into groups as quickly and efficiently as they can to form a goods train. This competition is point-based. Engines will get 5 points per truck shunted into a group, and 5 per matching truck. They lose 5 points if they bump a truck hard. If a group of three trucks is perfectly matched, that engine will received a bonus 5 points! If the trucks are mixed, there will be less bonus points earned. Then after forming their 3 groups of trucks, they must form a full train. Adding a brakevan or back engine is worth an extra 5 points. To avoid any sort of accidents, engines will go one at a time. One of our contestants however is broad-gauged, so, to accommodate him and his companion, we’ve done the maths and have laid down special dual gauge rails for them in the yard, and imported trucks from their homelands for their respective trains. That companion engine, by the way, is another broad gauged engine; and he's the contestant's brother! Now, let’s go meet our contenders!

“Representing Sodor, here is Phillip of North America! A Pennsylvanian Boxcab shunter, he was imported and heavily modified to work in the British Isles and acquired by the North Western Railway. He’s an eager beaver of an engine, and easy to excite. He loves the idea of racing, even though he’s a diesel shunter. This engine is filled with determination, folks, and that’s what drives him forward and has earned him the title of being the best diesel shunter on the island today. Gordon found him annoying at first, but he has since mellowed and become more attentive- a contributing factor to his new title. Can this little boxcab win one for Sodor? Let’s hear it again for Phillip of Sodor!

“And here is Raul of Brazil! Don’t let his shape fool you folks; he’s no diesel, but a steam shunter! Raul is one of three triplets of Sentinel Shunters in Brazil; of which two remain. He and his brother are two of the only steam shunters in Brazil still in industrial use and not yet preserved; an unusual circumstance! Conditions in Brazil are not quite ideal and preservation is apparently uncommon, but he works incredibly hard and is considered a champion among Sentinels! He’s been given a complete tuneup for the competition today, folks, and will be competing over on the broad gauge setup across the way! His twin brother, Alex, otherwise known as Sportacus, will be setting the stage for his twin by dispersing the trucks around the yard for him to arrange. Let’s hear it again, folks, for Raul and Alex of Brazil!

“And here is Joyce of Croydon, England! A distant cousin of Raul, Joyce here has had a unique life. She’s one member of a class of two twin-engined sentinels, and neither engine looks alike! Joyce had worked mainly in a gasworks, and rarely got to meet her smaller Radstock cousins. After they met the cutter’s torch, she took on the nickname of one of them, Logan, and attempted to disguise herself as him on a trip to Sodor in remembrance of him. After her identity crisis, she decided the best way to remember old Logan was to let him go and be herself again. Not many engines can say they’ve had an experience like hers! Let’s hear it again, folks, for Joyce of Croydon, England!

“And here is Ivan of Russia! Bearing the new colors of the Russian Federation flag, Ivan here has quite the backstory, ladies and gentlemen! He, together with his brother Misha, are two-of-a-kind standard gauge exports of their class, which are normally broad-gauged and exported to other Baltic countries! The two of them worked in and around Berlin during and after the cold war, and were recently preserved by particular enthusiast! He’s quite the character, ladies and gentlemen. He may look intimidating but he’s quite the comedian and knows how to put both people and trucks in a good mood! He’s very strong, and has set records for the quickest shunting in his part of the world! It also says here that a staggered 9,400 members of his class were mass produced! WOW! That’s almost 9 times more the Class 08 here in England! Can he set a new record here in England? You’ll just have to wait for it! We've arranged for his twin Misha to be his personal shunter and back engine for the competition; these two are as thick as thieves! Let's hear it again for Ivan and Misha of Russia!

“And here is Carlos of Mexico! Built in America and raised in Mexico, Carlos was originally built as a narrow gauge engine working for a copper company before being purchased by another company and regauged to standard. He was out of service for quite some time, but in recent years was restored to working order and has appeared at each Railway Show Competition ever since! Will this plucky tender engine shunt his way to victory? Find out soon folks, and give a round of applause for Carlos of Mexico!

“This is it, ladies, gentlemen, engines, coaches and even trucks! Are you readyyyy?! On your marks, get set...go!!!!”

Being broad gauged, Raul and Alex went first, and were sadly the slowest with both the setup and the actual shunting. Despite his careful shunting, he was not very organised, and mixed up his trucks out of habit.

Due to the slow process of the broad gauged engines' shunting, the judges allowed for the standard gauged engines to start, so next up was Ivan. He was very excited to show off his skills. Whilst Alex and Raul had been moving the trucks about in their part of the yard, Misha had already set up the trucks for his twin in the standard gauged part of the yard . Ivan's engine roared to life loudly, and the Russo-German shunter began his work.

“VZZZZZZZZZZZZ YADADADADA VRRRRRRRRRR!!!! AHAHAHA!!!” he laughed heartily, imitating the sounds of his own engines starting up as he started away.

“Go, go go, давай!” he shouted, eager. Not only was Ivan a bit fast for a diesel shunter, but he was also clever. He knew just what to do to try and maximize his score, and began to organize his trucks.

“Engineer, move machine up!” He buffered up to a tanker and brought it over to another, then brought the third one over to the pair.

“Да, dis vill vork.” he noted. He was quite confident as he started on the new group of trucks.

“Incomiiiiing!!!!!” he yelled as he made his way over to a flatbed. He buffered up to the flatbed gently as he sang happily to himself. Soon enough, he had another pair of trucks.

"Хорошо!" he exclaimed, as he went to collect the last flatbed. “I poot dis here!” Soon all three flatbeds were grouped.

The last trucks were the vans. Instead of doing one at a time quickly though, this time, Ivan decided to start wrapping things up, and collected all three trucks one after the other instead of bringing two trucks to the first separately.

“VE MUST POOSH!! GET ON POINT!!” he shouted, as he shunted the vans behind the tankers, and then the flatbeds in front. He moved to the back of the train, and looked over at his brother who had dispersed the trucks throughout the yard.

“Move gear forward! COME TO POINT!!” he shouted. Misha laughed, pleased with his twin's work. He did as he was asked, and soon both engines were coupled to the train. Ivan felt proud of himself.

“I FEEL ALIIIIIIVE!!!!” And with that, Ivan had completed his challenge. He then sidled up by Phillip, smiling, but not maliciously. “Let this be lesson for you, little engine.” he whispered.

Up next was Joyce. Joyce was just about as organized as Ivan but not as fast, but she was much faster than her cousins from Brazil. Phillip was overeager and accidentally bumped several trucks, and was less organised than even Raul. He had already forgotten Ivan's lesson. Carlos was more careful and had fewer bumps; some bumps were because of his cowcatcher, but that was unavoidable. Eventually all 3 engines had finished, and it was time for the judges to tally up the results.

“We have the results, ladies and gentlemen! In 5th place is Phillip of Sodor. In 4th we have Raul of Brazil. In 3rd is Carlos of Mexico. We’re down to the final two, ladies and gentlemen. Who will come out on top: Joyce of Croydon, England or Ivan of Russia! …and the winner of the shunting competition is…Ivan of Russia, with a perfect score of 100 points! This puts Joyce of Croydon at 2nd. And with that, I must bring this year’s Great Railway Show to a close. Congratulations to all the winners, and well done to all of our participants. Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages, thank you for watching, and good night!”

In the end, none of Sodor’s engines, even those representing their countries of origin, won a first place medal. This left many of them disappointed.

“Cheer up, you lot!” boomed Stephen to his downcast friends. “Let’s not forget- this are all games. It’s not about winning or losing, or trophies and medals- those are just silly materialistic things. What matters is that we are invited to such an important event and participated. We did our best- and that’s ok! And everyone’s best is different! Didn’t you all enjoy yourselves? Barring any sort of, ahem, mishaps.” Gordon and Phillip felt embarrassed.

“Anyway, my point is that this was a once in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of this event, and we should be proud of ourselves for making it this far! Let’s hear it for Team Sodor!”

A chorus of whistles and horns arose from the engines. The international engines looked over at the team. “Three Cheers for Team Sodor!” bellowed Axel, and soon, every engine from every country joined in the chorus, barring Rajiv and Ashima, who simply cheered.

This made the engines’ day. The Fat Controller then thanked the folks in charge of the event and the international engines personally as he collected the medals his engines had earned. “And, to close things out, all participants are welcome on Sodor any time! And if we have need of extra help on the island, now we know just who to look for.”

It was now time for Team Sodor to head home. Gordon bid his brothers farewell for now, and said goodbye to Axel. Phillip and Paxton collected Flat Top and Topper to take back to The Little Western. The Fat Controller was most impressed with Prince and Milton’s second place finish, and made a small addition to his note on Pip and Emma in his book. ”Look into upgrading Wild Nor’ Wester to HST ^( or ATP) in future.” he jotted down.

Before the engines left, Donald and Douglas noticed something in the crowd of visiting engines. Behind the Bridlington Shunters, they could see a large and unusual tank engine, slinking away. They hadn’t noticed him too much during the events, but now he stuck out like a sore thumb. They were suspicious at first, but soon forgot about it. At last, Team Sodor left Bridlington Yard. While the odds were not in their favor that day, they left knowing that when it comes down to it, games and events are all about enjoying yourselves and not about winning.

Description
Chapter 4: The Great Railway Show

The day of the Railway Show was soon approaching. By now, The Fat Controller had picked at least engine for each category and gathered them at the Steamworks. Axel of course followed as he needed to get to the mainland after being stranded. Phillip was to be in the Shunting Competition-for a little shunter he was slightly faster than others and outlasted Stafford and his electric battery. Murdoch was competing in the Strength Competition. Paxton had been repainted into a crimson red, and was to join 4 other shunters from the mainland to arrange trucks for the competitions. James and Emily, with golden swirling patterns now painted on them, were in the Decorated Engine Competition, but in two different divisions. James was in the Young Engines Division, and Emily was in the Old Engines competition. Stephen and Lady, the Crovan’s Gate shunter and former Wellsworth and Suddery engine, were also competing in the Old Engines division. Lady had been rebuilt slightly with an ornate funnel and dome, and given a new coat of paint. She was representing Sodor in the competition, while Stephen and Emily were representing England and Scotland respectively.

The Fat Controller had debated with himself on whether to take his recently-acquired Class 76 or one of his Class 86’s from the Peel Godred Branch for the HST/Electric Race. The engine had no name, but it did have a number- 86253. Now it was time for Gordon’s grand unveiling; his streamlined casing had been finished and he had been through steam tests the night before. The tarpaulin was lifted; the other engines were at a loss for words. Gordon looked fantastic- like a completely different engine. He felt splendid too, and left off steam proudly.

“For this race, I shall be known as: The Shooting Star!” he beamed proudly.

Diesel laughed. “You look more like the Galloping Sausage to me!!”

Gordon took offense to this; not only because that was the Hush Hush’s less flattering nickname, but also one Diesel had used to describe Gordon years before.

“Alright, alright, settle down, everyone.” Boomed The Fat Controller. It’s about time we all got going. The event starts in a few days, and it’s all the way in Bridlington Goods yard. So we’ll need to be there at least a day before the actual events even start. I’ve decided that some of the engines not competing will be allowed to watch the events for themselves. Not you, Diesel. You have to stay here until we come back from the Show.”

“Yes, Sir.” Sighed Diesel.

Thomas, Henry and Percy, Donald and Douglas, and even Hank were among the few engines not participating that were chosen to attend. Thomas was disappointed that he wasn’t chosen for any of the events, but he knew his limits and was happy to watch his friends do their best. The clock struck 11, and the cavalcade set of to the mainland. The trip there was largely uneventful. After a couple days of travelling, Team Sodor finally arrived at Bridlington Goods Yard. Phillip got over excited and wanted to check out the whole yard, but didn’t pay attention to where he was going, and bumped into another engine. It was Vinnie.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing, shorty?! Watch where you’re going!”

Phillip scuttled away to rejoin the other engines, and was careful not to bump into anyone else that night. But the next morning, he got over excited again; the Railway Show was about to begin. He happened to bump into Vinnie again, and this time, Vinnie got even crosser.

“I said watch it, shortstack! Oooh, now you’re gonna get it!”

Vinnie started to chase after Phillip, who had scuttled away as quickly as he could.

Meanwhile, Paxton and the other shunters were preparing the trucks for the strength competition. Each contestant was to pull 10 fully loaded flatbeds of bricks. Paxton was just shunting the last truck when he heard a voice.

“OW!” called the voice. It sounded like it was in front of him.

“Who said that?” wondered Paxton.

“Down here, you dunderheaded diesel!” called the voice. Paxton looked down. This flatbed was talking. Its face was bruised, and it had a single brick attached to a chain loosely mounted above it.

Paxton was surprised. “Oh! I’m sorry, Mr. Truck! I didn’t mean to hurt you!”

The truck sighed. “You’re one of few who’ve ever said that. Most times engines just biff and bash me. See these bruises? These aren’t just from them. If anyone shunts me hard enough, Brick here falls off his perch and hits me in the face.”

Paxton felt sorry for the flatbed. “I’m sorry you’ve been treated so poorly. My name’s Paxton, and one of my friends is competing. Do you have a name?”

“I’m Flat Top. And that brick up there is, well, Brick. It’s my favorite Brick and I always keep it with me on this chain. Listen, Paxton, can you do me a favour or two?”

“I’m listening.”

“Save me. Please. One of your own, in this competition, you said? Just ask him not to biff me hard. Then, once all this is over, I want out of here. I’m tired of other engines treating me poorly just because I’m a truck. We’ve got thoughts and feelings too, you know! I need a new place to stay; where are you from?”

“I’m from the Island of Sodor! Don’t worry, Flat Top. I’ll tell the Fat Controller all about this. I’ll do my best to get you away from here and safe and sound on the island.”

“Thanks, Paxton. Oh, and while you’re at, it, I’ve got a little brother of sorts over in the shunting competition. His name’s Topper and he’s a conflat. You’ll know him when you see him. He’s a bit taller than the rest.”

“I’ll do what I can.” Promised Paxton.

Meanwhile, Vinnie had backed poor Phillip into a corner. Gordon, though he had difficulty seeing, could see that something wasn’t right, and chuffed straight over to them. He whistled loudly.

“You there! The one with the American Football Mask! Back off. Leave that poor little shunter alone. He’s young and fairly new to our team. He may be a bit absent minded at times, but he’s a diligent worker with a big heart and determination. He is…my friend!” he boomed at Vinnie. Vinnie grumbled and backed off towards the strength competition.

Phillip was relieved. “Thank you, Gordon. That was too close.”

Gordon smiled. “I won’t tolerate mistreatment of any engine; even from other engines. I shall be telling the judges about this.”

And he did just that. Afterwards, Gordon moved his way over to the other side of the yard where the competitors for the Steam Race were beginning to gather. He sidled up to Flying Scotsman and whistled loudly. “Hello there, LITTLE brother.” He teased.

Scotsman was astounded. “Gordon?! What on earth is that around you??”

“That,” boasted Gordon, “is my temporary streamlined casing! I got the idea after Thomas suggested HE be streamlined!”

The two engines laughed. “A streamlined tank engine! How silly. I must say, I’m impressed with the casing. Is it supposed to look like the Hush-Hush?” Scotsman was very knowledgeable about the many engines of the LNER.

“Exactly! Though the unstreamlined P2’s were also part of the inspiration. With this casing, I’m determined to win this race!” Gordon jerked forward to show off a little, but the hatch to cover his face during the race suddenly swung down and hit him. “Ow! My nose!”

Scotsman guffawed. “Looks like there’s still a few kinks to work out! Well, good luck, little brother!” Scotsman’s smoke deflectors shone in the sunlight as he steamed off.

At last, it was time for the Great Railway Show to begin. The crowd cheered and whistled as the announcer took the stage.

“Welcome, you fans of steam, welcome you fans of speed! Welcome, one and all, to this year’s Great Railway Show, sponsored by the National Railway Museum of York! Only here will you find the mightiest locomotives from all over the world, competing in feats of strength, speed, and skill! Allow me to Introduce you to this year’s contenders!

“Our first event of the Great Railway Show is the Strength Test! Here, our 5 contenders for the event are each given 10 fully loaded flatbeds of bricks. Whomever pulls the trucks the farthest and most easily all the way to the finish line on the other side of the yard will be declared the winner of the event. Let’s meet this year’s contenders!”

A giant screen then turned on, showing each contender in a CGI render. It also displayed their stats, their country’s flag, their basis, wheel configuration, etc.

“And here is Vinnie of North America! A rough-and-tough Canadian-American engine, Vinnie was privately preserved and extensively rebuilt for the British loading gauge. He’s a tough one, ladies and gentleman, and specializes in hauling heavy passenger and goods trains. He’s a fast one too; some say he’s like an American Football player! Just look at those handrails; it looks almost like a helmet! He’ll need a hard head and a strong pull to try and win this, folks, but will he succeed? Let’s hear it again for Vinnie of North America!

“And here, is The Garratt of Australia! Garratt is not just the name of the kind of steam engine this is, but here it’s also actually the collective nickname of the three parts of this engine- that’s right! The water tank, boiler and tender all have names and personalities! Will and Cole, the tank and tender, are tough as nails, but Brady the Boiler keeps the two in line. Together, they make up one of the strongest steam engines in all of Australia! Will their teamwork be enough to pull them through and win the Strength Competition? You’ll just have to wait and see, folks! Let’s hear it again for the Garratt of Australia!

“And here is Murdoch of Sodor! Murdoch is one of the last steam engines built by British Railways before modernization ended the era of mainline steam on the Mainland! He’s a gentle giant, folks, but he can pull trucks with the best of them. Word has it that he once pulled more than 40 fully loaded trucks from Sodor to the Mainland without stopping! What an amazing feat for this big engine. Will his legacy be enough to move to first place? We’ll find out soon! Let’s hear it again for Murdoch of Sodor!

“And here is Hiro of Japan! Built originally for narrow gauge railways, Hiro started his career with streamlining, but not for passengers- he was built for shunting and fast goods trains! Now he’s been rebuilt to the standard build of his Class, the JNR D51, and for the British loading gauge! Hiro once was abandoned when spare parts couldn’t be afforded, but when he was rediscovered, he was lovingly restored on Sodor and has been working with them and the mainland ever since! He has a private branch line back at home specially built for standard gauge engines, and works his hardest whenever he returns there. Will the Master of the Railway dominate this challenge? Let’s hear it again for Hiro of Japan!

“And here Gator of Colombia! Otherwise known as Gerald, this engine is a multi-cultured machine, ladies and gentlemen! He was built in England, tested in Belgium, survived the harsh conditions of Colombia, then rescued and brought to Sodor! He’s a master of several languages as a result, and now has gone back to Colombia where he runs his own branchline and a colliery! Gator has proven to be a resourceful, brave and strong engine for his size, but can he hold his own in the competition? You’ll find out soon enough! Let’s hear it again for Gator of Colombia!”

Just then, one of the judges came up to the announcer with Gordon’s report on Vinnie, and their decision about it.

“Ladies and gentlemen, it seems there’s been a last-minute change in the line-up. It’s been reported that Vinnie of North America has been spiteful to other contestants in the railway show, so he has been dropped from the competition! But fret not, folks! This sort of issue was foreseen, and another engine has arrived to take his place, and here he is! Welcome, to Sam of North America! WOW! What an enormous engine! Sam is a Blue Ridge articulated engine from the United States, and known for his sheer size and strength. He was privately preserved, unsurprisingly, and extensively rebuilt and downsized for use here in Great Britain! He recently went to Sodor to help complete the construction of the National Railway Museum’s new branch in Lower Vicarstown, and has been good friends with the engines ever since. Will this mighty locomotive come out on top?! We’ll find out soon enough! Let’s hear it again for Sam of North America!

“And now, it’s time to get this show on the road! Good luck to all the contenders in the Strength Challenge! Are you ready?! 5…4…3…2…1…HEAVE HO!!!”

It wasn’t too difficult of a challenge for the 5 engines, only pulling 5 trucks, but given the size of the yard, it had to be so. Even so, some engines pulled them much more quickly and easily. Sam was ahead quite easily given his size, but The Garratt wasn’t far behind. Hiro and Murdoch were neck and neck for 3rd, but Hiro managed to pull ahead, leaving Murdoch behind. Gator was the smallest of the engines in the competition and not nearly as strong, but being in 5th didn’t bother him. He was just glad to be part of the Great Railway Show and see his friends from Sodor again.

“And the winner of the strength competition is…SAM OF NORTH AMERICA!!! Congratulations, Sam! In 2nd place is The Garratt of Australia!! Hiro, the Master of the Railway, has drawn ahead to third! In 4th place is Murdoch of Sodor, leaving Gator placed at 5th. A fine effort for all our competitors. Let’s give them all three cheers!”

While the crowded cheered for the engines, Murdoch and Flat Top were uncoupled, and chuffed away into a siding where other engines from Sodor and The Fat Controller were watching the events from. They all agreed it was best to take Flat Top back to Sodor, and guaranteed him that the engines of the Little Western would take good care of the Great Western flatbed. The other competitors were uncoupled from their trucks and moved into other sidings to watch the rest of the show, and Paxton and the other diesels shunted their trucks out of the way, and started preparations for the upcoming Shunting Competition.

“Now we move on to the next event, or should I say, events, of this year’s Great Railway Show- The Best Decorated Engine contest! We’ve divided this contest into Junior and Senior categories, quite literally! The Junior competition is for ‘newer’ steam engines while the Senior competition is for our oldest participants! Let’s meet them now!

"Our first contender for the Junior competition is Ashima of India! Also known as the Queen of Nilgiri, she’s a narrow gauge rack railway engine, and as such has been placed on a flatbed behind one of our other contestants. Ashima is beautifully painted, and also quite good at shunting! She’s a kindhearted young engine who always encourages her friends to do their best work and be themselves! What a sweetheart! And such remarkable paintwork! Will those stunning patterns and colours be enough for her to climb to the top? Let’s hear it again for Ashima, the Queen of Nilgiri!

"And here is Yong Bao of China! What a fantastic looking engine, folks. Yong Bao’s name means ‘brave treasure’, and he’s a hero on his railway at home! He prevented what would have been a very nasty accident and saved his 100 passengers that day! As a reward, he was given that name, and painted in China’s luckiest colors. And just look at the decoration on his funnel and tender! This engine is a tiger, ladies and gentlemen! Will the treasured hero’s luck play a role in this competition? Let’s hear it again, folks, for Yong Bao, The Brave Treasure of China!

"And here is James of Sodor! James is a splendid red fellow, and an experimental mixed traffic engine. He can pull passengers and goods very easily, and is very proud of his paintwork. Many years ago he was painted black, and after a nasty accident, painted red and he’s stayed that way ever since. Now he’s bearing some extra gold designs on him, making him look even more fabulous. But will a little extra paint go a long way? Let’s hear it again for James of Sodor!

"And here is The Flying Thistle of Scotland! Formerly Knight of the Thistle, this relative of some of our contenders in the upcoming Great Race event was privately purchased by a Scottish enthusiast, and given a new name to reflect the legacy of Flying Scotsman and the beautiful thistles of Scotland. He works hard and doesn’t like being dirty, so his owners take good care of him to keep him perfectly polished. But can he hold a candle to the other contestants? Let’s hear it again for The Flying Thistle of Scotland!

"And here is Frieda of Germany! What a beautiful engine! She’s both fast with her streamlining, and strong, capable of pulling long lines of heavy trucks! Unlike many German steam engines, she’s painted in a light Prussian blue, and her red wheels compliment this livery quite nicely! She’s a tough nut to crack and not one to be trifled with, but will her paintwork be enough to win the Junior competition? Let’s hear it again for Frieda of Germany!

"And now, let’s meet the contestants of the Senior division! And here is Stephenson’s Rocket!! This is no joke, folks; the original Rocket was bought from the London Museum of Science about thirty years ago, and painstakingly restored not just cosmetically, but to a fully operable condition, and with a new hybrid shape and a whistle to boot! Stephen, as he is called now, may not be considered fast these days, but he’s still one of the most famous engines ever built, and quite good looking in his old age! He currently resides on the Island of Sodor, but for the competition, he is representing England! Let’s hear it again for Stephenson’s Rocket!

"And here is Emily of Scotland! Another current resident of Sodor, the sole Stirling Single and member of the National Railway Museum is a remarkable old engine, and now redecorated with flashy golden swirling designs much like those seen on James. She’s known as one of the most beautiful looking engines on the Island, and she’s quite the clever girl, too! She may come off as pushy to some, but she’s a strong-willed engine who looks out for her friends. She even saved a Great Western engine who had been stuck at a crossing and prevented a nasty accident! What a great friend indeed! Let’s hear it again for Emily of Scotland!

"Now for a contender in the Senior division who’s actually representing Sodor. Meet the Lady of Wellsworth and Suddery! Before the North Western Railway came to be, she worked on the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway as a shunter and was preserved afterwards. Lady’s been to the Americas and back by unconventional means, and started her career as the Holden 101 of the Great Western Railway, saved by a Mr. Tich who brought her to Sodor and rebuilt her. She’s been modified again for the events here, with ornate Victorian styled dome and funnel, and a golden smokebox too! Will this charming old Lady bring home the gold? Let’s hear it again for the Lady of Wellsworth and Suddery!

"And here is Gina of Italy! She’s one of the oldest operating engines in her country, and pulls both passengers and goods with relative ease! She’s a phenomenal shunter who can hold her own with the best of them, but is also quite distinctive looking and considered a stylish old engine. Just look at those unique headlamps. I’ve never seen anything quite like them in my life, folks. Will this tough Italian girl shunt the competition away? Let’s hear it again folks, for Gina of Italy!

"And here, is Rajiv, the Fairy Queen! Hailing from the opposite side of India, Rajiv is the oldest operating steam locomotive in the entire world, and certified for railtours on their mainline! Rajiv is a hijra; meaning built as male and identifying as female; this is considered neither male nor female in India’s culture- rather, Rajiv is considered as a third gender option, which is officially recognized by their government and given protection despite outcry from conservatives! Something the rest of the world ought to consider for human rights in the future, folks! Rajiv is also hailed as a royal engine in India, and has a massive fanbase not just there but from across the globe! Will the Fairy Queen rule the Senior Division? Sit tight, ladies and gentlemen, and give it up for Rajiv, The Fairy Queen!

"Now, then, here's how this competition will work. These engines will parade around the yard for five minutes, and you, the audience members, will vote for your favourite engine using the devices we handed out to you earlier! Our panel of judges will then tally up the votes and decide the winners based on those poll results! There will be a five minute voting session for each division’s parade. On my mark, ladies and gentlemen, prep your voting devices because the senior division’s parade will begin...now!”

After both parades had concluded, the judges handed in their results to the announcer.

"The judges appear to have made their decisions! In fifth place...Gina of Italy! In fourth...Emily of Scotland! And in third...Stephen’s Rocket! We’re down to just two competitors now, ladies and gentlemen: The Lady of Wellsworth and Suddery, and Rajiv, the Fairy Queen! Who will be crowned the victor?!”

The announcer paused for suspense, and a drumroll sounded.

“And the winner of the Senior Division is…Rajiv, the Fairy Queen! Congratulations, Rajiv!! And well done to all of our senior engines! And now for the winner of the Junior Division! In fifth place, The Flying Thistle! In fourth, James of Sodor! In third...Frieda of Germany! And now we’re down to our final two: Yong Bao, the Brave Treasure of China, and Ashima, the Queen of Nilgiri! Two amazing looking engines, but which one did our audience say is the Best Decorated?”

Another dramatic pause and drumroll.

“The winner of the Junior Division is…Yong Bao of China! Congratulations, Yong Bao!! That was a close competition, ladies and gentlemen, but we’d like to extend our most heartfelt thank yous to all the engines who participated!”

James was most disappointed and frustrated, but soon forgot to be cross when the other engines complimented him and told him “Well done!” Emily and Stephen buffered up to him and gave him some more encouragement as they approached the sidings.

“Buck up, young James! I thought you looked stunning with those fancy swirling designs painted on you!”

“Aye,” continued Emily. “An' dornt forget- ye didne gie lest place- in fact, ye beat Gordon's coosin! 'at in an' ay itself is an achievement- he wasnae e'en decorated, only polished!”

Hearing this lifted James’ spirits further. “Hey, you’re right! And if I can’t beat Gordon in a race, I can beat him in looking good! I just beat his other brother!”

As the engines moved into the sidings, the next competition was about to begin, and the contestants lined up as the announcer spoke.

“And now for main event of this years Railway Show: the Great Race! In previous years we had electric engines mixed with steam and diesel, and have recently taken fans’ feedback into consideration, and separated the electrics into a new separate racing category where they will compete with each other and with High Speed Trains. First up is the Steam Race. Let’s meet our contenders!

“Our first contender is Axel of Belgium! Axel is the last of his class and quite a star in Belgium! He’s fast, he’s good looking, and charming to boot! Just listen to those screams, he’s like a movie star! He’s also a master of several languages including Dutch and German. What an amazing engine! That’s Belgian streamlining at its finest folks, this engine was built for speed! Axel is a lean mean racing machine, and has captured the hearts of many enthusiasts from around the world! Will he race into first place? Let’s hear it again for Axel of Belgium!

“And here is Sir Malcolm of Australia! One of two of his class left, this amazing engine is capable of heavy goods and passenger traffic all while travelling at high speeds with his streamlined body. Sir Malcolm is a polite and sophisticated engine, but back in the day he was used as a wartime engine, and painted with a menacing looking shark design! He does certainly resemble one even now! Will this Whispering Giant steam swimmingly ahead of the rest of them? Let’s give another round of applause to Sir Malcolm of Australia!

“And here is Spencer of Boxford, England! Spencer is a former record holder, folks. In his earlier days, he was known as Silver Link, and held the speed record of 112 miles per hour; a record that stood unchallenged until his brother Mallard broke it at 125- while also breaking down! Like many engines here, he was privately preserved many years ago, escaping the cruel fate of scrap. Now he works as a private engine for the Duke and Duchess of Boxford, who happen to have a summer home on Sodor. He’s also the cousin of our next two contenders. Will there be tension in the family? Wait and see! Let’s hear it again for Spencer of Boxford, England!

“And here is The Flying Scotsman! Also known as the Most Famous Engine in the World, he gets his name from the passenger express service he took from London to Edinburgh, Scotland! He doesn’t fly, and he’s not Scottish! But that doesn’t stop him! He’s also the first engine to officially go 100 miles per hour! It also says here that he’s Spencer and Mallard’s cousin, and Gordon and Flying Thistle's brother! Sir Nigel Gresley sure was a top-notch designer! Let’s hear it again for the one and only Flying Scotsman!

“And here is Gordon, the Shooting Star! Sodor’s own LNER A1, or A0X, rather, as he was the original member of the class, is now clad in a streamlined casing just for the occasion, giving him looks reminiscent of the legendary Hush Hush! He’s the fastest engine on the Island and pulls their express. He’s a record holder in his own right, and aims to beat his brother and cousin at their own game! Will his fancy new looks be enough to show them what he’s made of? Let’s hear it again for Gordon, The Shooting Star!”

The crowd roared, and as the engines pulled up to the starting line, they all glanced at each other. Axel winked at his friend, Gordon. “Best of luck, Gordon, mon ami.”

Flying Scotsman winked too, and joking wished Gordon luck. “Good luck, ‘little brother!’ “

Gordon was cross at this. “For the last time, I’m the older one! Just because you’re an A3 and I’m the A0 doesn’t make you older! It doesn’t change a thi- OW! Watch it!!!” snapped Gordon as a workman closed the flap to his casing. Gordon’s voice was now muffled, and he could only see a little bit out of a small opening cut into the flap at his request. He didn’t like the idea of racing blind.

Flying Scotsman also smiled at Spencer and chuckled.

“And good luck to you too, Silver Link! Don’t go breaking yourself to outdo Mallard now!”

Spencer huffed. “It’s Spencer now, you buffoon. Just you wait; I’ll take that precious ‘Most Famous Engine’ title from you in a flash of silver!”

Sir Malcom had had enough.

“Oi! Enough arguing, you three. Let’s just have a go at this, and may the best engine win!” He flashed a pointed and toothy smile.

At last, it was time for the race to begin.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the Steam Race is about to begin. Engines, are you ready? On your marks, get set, and GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! And they’re off! Mind you folks, steam engines don’t start up quickly, so give them a bit to get up to speed!”

After a few minutes, all 5 contestants had built up enough steam and gained speed.

“The engines are making extraordinary progress! Spencer is not quite up to speed yet still, trailing in last. Let’s hope he’s not got a leaky tank! Sir Malcolm seems to be trying hard to jump from 4th, but Axel is slightly faster in 3rd! Flying Scotsman and Shooting Star Gordon are neck and neck, ladies and gentlemen! A sibling rivalry like none other before!”

As they raced along, Flying Scotsman noticed something odd about Gordon. He heard a rattling noise coming from somewhere on Gordon’s casing. This made him worried.

“Gordon, are you feeling alright?”

Though his voice was muffled, Flying Scotsman was still able to make out what Gordon’s retort was. Gordon was so full of himself that he started to sing proudly!

“HA! Flying Scotsman, just stop whining! There’s no other engine I won’t be outshining!

Too late, I’ve got a date! Streamlining!
Whoosh! The Shooting Star is coming through!

Whoosh! Give up, there’s nothing you can do!
Whoosh! Cause all you’ll ever see of me

Will be a shining streak of racing blue!
My clouds today all have a silver lining

I’ll see my bossy brother get some undermining
Cause I’m the cream, The best in steam,

Streamlining! Oh…”

Just then, Gordon felt something strange. His pressure rose, and he started to feel slightly hotter. What he didn’t realize was that his safety valve had loosened up from rough riding, and had now rocketed off! This did not go unnoticed by the camera crew and workmen along the line.

“Oh! What’s this then? I’ve just been informed that during the race, Gordon’s safety valve not only loosened, but lifted OFF! A workman has just found it by the rails now. This is could spell danger for the Shooting Star, and it looks like it’s already starting to affect him! He seems to be rattling along uneasily; his face presumably going red underneath his streamlining!”

And he was. But he was too bent on beating his brother that he foolishly pressed onward and continued singing.

“Whoosh! The Shooting Star is coming through...! Whoosh! Give up, there’s nothing you can do...!” he sang, starting to feel a pain in his boiler.

Flying Scotsman noticed Gordon was riding rougher and rattling. He was frightened about Gordon’s safety.

“Gordon, stop! Stop! Drop your fire! If you don’t, you’re going to explode and kill us all!”

The announcer recapped the scene for the audience.

“Flying Scotsman appears very alarmed, folks, and rightly so! It seems his crew have told Gordon’s to drop out!

Gordon couldn’t hear Flying Scotsman. Despite the temperature, he tried to keep singing to himself. But not for long.

“Whoosh! Cause all you’ll see of me...Will be-AAAAAHHHH!!!!! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Ow, ow ow, owwww!!! OHHH!!! Get me out of here!!!!” he screamed, as his crew dropped his fire and slammed on the brakes.

Everyone gasped in shock at the turn of events, even the announcer was stunned.

“And there it is! Gordon’s fire has just been dropped and his steam shut off. He’s ground to a halt. It’s all over for this poor engine. Flying Scotsman has stopped and reversed to bring his older brother to the finish line. Now that’s brotherly love if I do say so myself.”

As Gordon sat there in the sun, seething in pain, his muffled voice could still be heard from behind the smokebox door of his casing.

“Get me out, get me out!!!!” Gordon bellowed from underneath his casing.

As Flying Scotsman reversed onto the other line to help Gordon to the finish line, his driver removed the flap on Gordon’s casing.

“Oh….the indignity…” Gordon sighed. He’d never felt so foolish and embarrassed in his life.

“Come on, little brother. Let’s get you back to the finish line.” said the Flying Scotsman as his driver coupled the two engines up. Then they set off slowly.

Meanwhile, the rest of the race was teeming with high speed antics, and the announcer had resumed giving the play-by-play.

“In the meantime, all the other engines are far ahead now; Sir Malcolm has managed to draw into third place, with Axel and Spencer hitting their top speeds. Now THESE two rivals are neck and neck for first place! Spencer has the upper hand, but hitting the absolute top speed for his class is a dangerous and reckless act, so he appears to be sticking to his old Silver Jubilee guns! Good strategy! Axel’s class is only slightly slower than that legendary speed, but can he break through his limits without damaging himself like Mallard?”

The silver engine glared at Axel, then gave him a smug smile. Axel, with a look of determination on his face, let off steam and winked.

“Au Revoir, Spencer!”

Suddenly, he started to pull ahead of Spencer, while Spencer slowed down slightly. The crowd went wild.

“He’s done it; he’s broken his limits and drawn ahead, and…..FINISH!!! The winner is the Limit Breaker Axel of Belgium! Spencer has lost his gumption, ladies and gentlemen, and has dropped to third, with Sir Malcolm beating him to the finish line. Poor Spencer’s looking dejecting crossing in third now.”

Meanwhile, in the distance, Flying Scotsman and Gordon were puffing along, having a heart to heart, or rather, a buffer to buffer, so to speak.

“Ohhh, Flying Scotsman, I’m dreadfully sorry. I was just so confident in my strategy and set on finally getting some recognition outside of Sodor, that I just went mad. I didn’t even realize what had happened until it was too late. You know I can’t hear or see much inside this wretched box of a streamlined casing. I think I probably would have been better off coming here as myself instead of trying to be something I’m clearly not.”

Flying Scotsman smiled. “It’s ok, Gordon. We all get puffed up sometimes; I know you're typically very proud of me but this time you let a little bit of jealousy get to your smokebox. But look on the bright side. You’re okay! Your crew stopped you before it was too late, no one is hurt, apart from you and your pride somewhat, and you’re owning up to your mistakes and apologising! Just what I wanted to see from you. I’m proud of you, BIG brother. Now then, let’s finish this race together! Flying ScotsMEN, AWAY!”

“Aha, here comes Flying Scotsman with Gordon the Shooting Star in tow. Seems they’ve been taking it easy along the line and having a lovely chat. Now Scotsman’s broken out in a burst of speed so that the two engines can finish the race together! Well done, Flying Scotsman and Gordon! You’re both still legendary engines!”

After passing the finish line, Gordon limped into the siding, feeling better but still ashamed. But he was soon joined by the other contestants, who comforted and congratulated him. Now, the next half of the race was about to begin.

“Now, we move on to our next event, the Electric and HST Race. These engines are some of the best around and the most modern engines in the Railway Show. Let’s meet them now.

“And here is Étienne of France! Étienne is quite a remarkable engine, ladies and gentlemen, a true French legend and a gentleman to boot. In 1955, he set a world speed record, clocking in at a whopping 200 miles per hour! And that was long before France had their TGV’s they are known for today! When we spoke to Étienne earlier today, he had this to say: 'I’m just here to make new friends, and if I happen to win, then Vive La France!' He’s also quite fascinated with people and the world beyond the railway tracks. Will this inquisitive and polite record holder rocket his way to first place? Let’s hear it again for Étienne of France!

“And here is Phillipa and Emma of the UK! A ‘flying banana’ as they’re affectionately called, Pip, as she’s better known as, with her twin Emma, is a speed demon. They’ve often shuttled people back and forth between big stations on the Mainland here, and took Gordon’s passengers home when he took on a failed DMU to Carlisle! Sir Topham is quite impressed with them, and perhaps one day will make them part of his enormous fleet of engines. Emma is rarely separated from her twin, and as such will be trailing behind her unpowered, giving moral support to her twin. So let’s give a round of applause to Pip and Emma!

“And here is Settebello of Italy! Setebello is a large and very famous old high speed electric engine, and the last of his kind. His name means ‘Beautiful Number Seven’, and his continued service to the people of Italy have earned him his own fanbase. Will this lucky old engine blow the competition away? Let’s hear it again, folks, for Settebello of Italy!

“And here is No. 86253 of Sodor! Don’t let the number fool you, folks, this engine is actually a surplus engine from the mainland here, and was renumbered to this after British Railways botched up their numbering system with his class. He runs a passenger service on the only electric line on the Island of Sodor. He’s known there for his speed and efficiency, and has become one of the most beloved electric engines on the branch. Though relatively obscure to the rest of the Island and the world for that matter, this engine is anything but a slacker! Let’s hear it again for No. 86253 of Sodor!

“Oh dear, ladies and gentlemen! It appears our fifth contestant is missing- oh, now here he is, just in the nick of time! Meet the Prince of Wales! Another UK representative, he is a member of the short-lived Advanced Passenger Train Class, which were designed to be the standard HSTs of the Mainline, but testing proved difficult, and he was preserved privately after the tests ended. He’s a force to be reckoned with, his speed rivaling that of Pip and Emma, but his design allows him to travel even faster than them! He has a habit of running a little behind schedule, but he’s got an iron will and a charming personality to back him up. Like with Pip, Prince here has a twin trailing behind him unpowered for this race as a sort of moral support- City of Milton Keynes- or just Milton for short! I've been told that his owner is continuing development of their various features, so perhaps one day we'll be able to see even more of this dynamic duo. This race will serve as another test run for them. Will these experimental engines prove their worth in the competition? We’ll see about that, folks. Let’s hear it again for the Prince of Wales and City of Milton Keynes!

“Are you ready? Start your engines! On your marks, get set, GOOOOO!!!!!!! And they’re off like rockets! Our eyes in the sky are even having some trouble keeping up! This race will be over sooner than you’ll see it coming, folks! It appears the Class 86 from Sodor is in last; not quite built for speed I reckon, but he doesn’t seem to mind at all and appears happy to have even been invited! In 4th is The Beautiful Number Seven, Settebello; looking glorious in the afternoon sunlight! Pip and Prince of Wales are neck and neck for second, going at their top speeds, but it looks like Prince of Wales may be having some of those technical difficulties...

“And without any problems at all, up ahead in first is Étienne! He’s got that look of sheer determination on his mustachioed face, friends! There’s no question who the winner of this electrified race will be! Oop, and there it is! The winner is Étienne of France! Pip has surprisingly slipped to third, allowing the experimental Prince of Wales to take second! A successful little test run, I'd say! Best of luck on your continued testing and development, lads! The Class 86 still looking non-chalant in the rear; neither he not Settebello seem to be bothered by the faster competitors. Good sportsmanship from them both; just enjoy yourselves! Thank you all for competing!”

The crowd went wild over Étienne’s win. Étienne smiled. Overwhelmed with joy, nostalgia and melancholy, he laughed heartily, and whispered something to himself as tears of these feelings rolled down his face.

“I..no, WE. WE did it, Avi. Together…we have won ze competition. Vive La France. Vive... La Avignon.”

“And now, we move onto our final event, folks: The Shunting Competition! Here’s how it works: each engine has to shunt the trucks into groups as quickly and efficiently as they can to form a goods train. This competition is point-based. Engines will get 5 points per truck shunted into a group, and 5 per matching truck. They lose 5 points if they bump a truck hard. If a group of three trucks is perfectly matched, that engine will received a bonus 5 points! If the trucks are mixed, there will be less bonus points earned. Then after forming their 3 groups of trucks, they must form a full train. Adding a brakevan or back engine is worth an extra 5 points. To avoid any sort of accidents, engines will go one at a time. One of our contestants however is broad-gauged, so, to accommodate him and his companion, we’ve done the maths and have laid down special dual gauge rails for them in the yard, and imported trucks from their homelands for their respective trains. That companion engine, by the way, is another broad gauged engine; and he's the contestant's brother! Now, let’s go meet our contenders!

“Representing Sodor, here is Phillip of North America! A Pennsylvanian Boxcab shunter, he was imported and heavily modified to work in the British Isles and acquired by the North Western Railway. He’s an eager beaver of an engine, and easy to excite. He loves the idea of racing, even though he’s a diesel shunter. This engine is filled with determination, folks, and that’s what drives him forward and has earned him the title of being the best diesel shunter on the island today. Gordon found him annoying at first, but he has since mellowed and become more attentive- a contributing factor to his new title. Can this little boxcab win one for Sodor? Let’s hear it again for Phillip of Sodor!

“And here is Raul of Brazil! Don’t let his shape fool you folks; he’s no diesel, but a steam shunter! Raul is one of three triplets of Sentinel Shunters in Brazil; of which two remain. He and his brother are two of the only steam shunters in Brazil still in industrial use and not yet preserved; an unusual circumstance! Conditions in Brazil are not quite ideal and preservation is apparently uncommon, but he works incredibly hard and is considered a champion among Sentinels! He’s been given a complete tuneup for the competition today, folks, and will be competing over on the broad gauge setup across the way! His twin brother, Alex, otherwise known as Sportacus, will be setting the stage for his twin by dispersing the trucks around the yard for him to arrange. Let’s hear it again, folks, for Raul and Alex of Brazil!

“And here is Joyce of Croydon, England! A distant cousin of Raul, Joyce here has had a unique life. She’s one member of a class of two twin-engined sentinels, and neither engine looks alike! Joyce had worked mainly in a gasworks, and rarely got to meet her smaller Radstock cousins. After they met the cutter’s torch, she took on the nickname of one of them, Logan, and attempted to disguise herself as him on a trip to Sodor in remembrance of him. After her identity crisis, she decided the best way to remember old Logan was to let him go and be herself again. Not many engines can say they’ve had an experience like hers! Let’s hear it again, folks, for Joyce of Croydon, England!

“And here is Ivan of Russia! Bearing the new colors of the Russian Federation flag, Ivan here has quite the backstory, ladies and gentlemen! He, together with his brother Misha, are two-of-a-kind standard gauge exports of their class, which are normally broad-gauged and exported to other Baltic countries! The two of them worked in and around Berlin during and after the cold war, and were recently preserved by particular enthusiast! He’s quite the character, ladies and gentlemen. He may look intimidating but he’s quite the comedian and knows how to put both people and trucks in a good mood! He’s very strong, and has set records for the quickest shunting in his part of the world! It also says here that a staggered 9,400 members of his class were mass produced! WOW! That’s almost 9 times more the Class 08 here in England! Can he set a new record here in England? You’ll just have to wait for it! We've arranged for his twin Misha to be his personal shunter and back engine for the competition; these two are as thick as thieves! Let's hear it again for Ivan and Misha of Russia!

“And here is Carlos of Mexico! Built in America and raised in Mexico, Carlos was originally built as a narrow gauge engine working for a copper company before being purchased by another company and regauged to standard. He was out of service for quite some time, but in recent years was restored to working order and has appeared at each Railway Show Competition ever since! Will this plucky tender engine shunt his way to victory? Find out soon folks, and give a round of applause for Carlos of Mexico!

“This is it, ladies, gentlemen, engines, coaches and even trucks! Are you readyyyy?! On your marks, get set...go!!!!”

Being broad gauged, Raul and Alex went first, and were sadly the slowest with both the setup and the actual shunting. Despite his careful shunting, he was not very organised, and mixed up his trucks out of habit.

Due to the slow process of the broad gauged engines' shunting, the judges allowed for the standard gauged engines to start, so next up was Ivan. He was very excited to show off his skills. Whilst Alex and Raul had been moving the trucks about in their part of the yard, Misha had already set up the trucks for his twin in the standard gauged part of the yard . Ivan's engine roared to life loudly, and the Russo-German shunter began his work.

“VZZZZZZZZZZZZ YADADADADA VRRRRRRRRRR!!!! AHAHAHA!!!” he laughed heartily, imitating the sounds of his own engines starting up as he started away.

“Go, go go, давай!” he shouted, eager. Not only was Ivan a bit fast for a diesel shunter, but he was also clever. He knew just what to do to try and maximize his score, and began to organize his trucks.

“Engineer, move machine up!” He buffered up to a tanker and brought it over to another, then brought the third one over to the pair.

“Да, dis vill vork.” he noted. He was quite confident as he started on the new group of trucks.

“Incomiiiiing!!!!!” he yelled as he made his way over to a flatbed. He buffered up to the flatbed gently as he sang happily to himself. Soon enough, he had another pair of trucks.

"Хорошо!" he exclaimed, as he went to collect the last flatbed. “I poot dis here!” Soon all three flatbeds were grouped.

The last trucks were the vans. Instead of doing one at a time quickly though, this time, Ivan decided to start wrapping things up, and collected all three trucks one after the other instead of bringing two trucks to the first separately.

“VE MUST POOSH!! GET ON POINT!!” he shouted, as he shunted the vans behind the tankers, and then the flatbeds in front. He moved to the back of the train, and looked over at his brother who had dispersed the trucks throughout the yard.

“Move gear forward! COME TO POINT!!” he shouted. Misha laughed, pleased with his twin's work. He did as he was asked, and soon both engines were coupled to the train. Ivan felt proud of himself.

“I FEEL ALIIIIIIVE!!!!” And with that, Ivan had completed his challenge. He then sidled up by Phillip, smiling, but not maliciously. “Let this be lesson for you, little engine.” he whispered.

Up next was Joyce. Joyce was just about as organized as Ivan but not as fast, but she was much faster than her cousins from Brazil. Phillip was overeager and accidentally bumped several trucks, and was less organised than even Raul. He had already forgotten Ivan's lesson. Carlos was more careful and had fewer bumps; some bumps were because of his cowcatcher, but that was unavoidable. Eventually all 3 engines had finished, and it was time for the judges to tally up the results.

“We have the results, ladies and gentlemen! In 5th place is Phillip of Sodor. In 4th we have Raul of Brazil. In 3rd is Carlos of Mexico. We’re down to the final two, ladies and gentlemen. Who will come out on top: Joyce of Croydon, England or Ivan of Russia! …and the winner of the shunting competition is…Ivan of Russia, with a perfect score of 100 points! This puts Joyce of Croydon at 2nd. And with that, I must bring this year’s Great Railway Show to a close. Congratulations to all the winners, and well done to all of our participants. Ladies and gentlemen and children of all ages, thank you for watching, and good night!”

In the end, none of Sodor’s engines, even those representing their countries of origin, won a first place medal. This left many of them disappointed.

“Cheer up, you lot!” boomed Stephen to his downcast friends. “Let’s not forget- this are all games. It’s not about winning or losing, or trophies and medals- those are just silly materialistic things. What matters is that we are invited to such an important event and participated. We did our best- and that’s ok! And everyone’s best is different! Didn’t you all enjoy yourselves? Barring any sort of, ahem, mishaps.” Gordon and Phillip felt embarrassed.

“Anyway, my point is that this was a once in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of this event, and we should be proud of ourselves for making it this far! Let’s hear it for Team Sodor!”

A chorus of whistles and horns arose from the engines. The international engines looked over at the team. “Three Cheers for Team Sodor!” bellowed Axel, and soon, every engine from every country joined in the chorus, barring Rajiv and Ashima, who simply cheered.

This made the engines’ day. The Fat Controller then thanked the folks in charge of the event and the international engines personally as he collected the medals his engines had earned. “And, to close things out, all participants are welcome on Sodor any time! And if we have need of extra help on the island, now we know just who to look for.”

It was now time for Team Sodor to head home. Gordon bid his brothers farewell for now, and said goodbye to Axel. Phillip and Paxton collected Flat Top and Topper to take back to The Little Western. The Fat Controller was most impressed with Prince and Milton’s second place finish, and made a small addition to his note on Pip and Emma in his book. ”Look into upgrading Wild Nor’ Wester to HST ^( or ATP) in future.” he jotted down.

Before the engines left, Donald and Douglas noticed something in the crowd of visiting engines. Behind the Bridlington Shunters, they could see a large and unusual tank engine, slinking away. They hadn’t noticed him too much during the events, but now he stuck out like a sore thumb. They were suspicious at first, but soon forgot about it. At last, Team Sodor left Bridlington Yard. While the odds were not in their favor that day, they left knowing that when it comes down to it, games and events are all about enjoying yourselves and not about winning.