CRWS No. 2- Gordon and the Great Race (Part 1)

The Collective Railway Series
No. 02- Gordon and the Great Race

Foreward:

Dear Readers,
    You may remember the Great Race, an animated special depicting a sort of Olympic-esque event for engines- the Great Railway Show of 1995. However, the events depicted in the animated special were not all accurate. There were was a different  engine left behind, and no unrealistic bridge jumps, ridiculously oversized crates covering up buffers and couplings or any standard gauge engines that should not have been standard gauge. However, Sodor did have some competitors at the Railway Show, including Gordon the Big Engine. He was determined to enter and steal the title of The World’s Most Famous Engine from his younger brother, the Flying Scotsman. But not everything went according to plan. These stories will tell you what actually happened to Gordon, Diesel, and the other engines of Sodor who came to the Great Railway Show. Enjoy!  –The Author


Chapter 1: Family Feuds

    Things had become very busy on the Island of Sodor. The island has seen a massive increase of holiday makers in the five years since Thomas the Tank Engine had visited York for a trip to the National Railway Museum. Not only had there been more holiday makers, but the small town of Vicarstown had expanded tremendously.

    The station had been completely rebuilt from the ground up into a station even grander looking than Greater Tidmouth or Upper Knapford. There was now an electric tramway in the town, many new houses and shops, and more. The National Railway Museum even struck a deal with The Fat Controller to build a new Museum suite right there in Vicarstown. In this museum were replicas of some of Sodor’s engines, engines currently awaiting overhaul, retired engines, and even visiting engines.

    One summer morning, Gordon the Big Engine was taking the express. He was thinking about the times he went back to the mainland for reasons other than dropping passengers off at Barrow-In-Furness. The first time was when he and some of the other mainline and branchline engines went to London for an exhibit- to prove to the people on the mainland that they weren’t just engines from story books. The second time was when a visiting engine had overturned while coming out of the yard at the engine smaller Vicarstown Station, so Gordon took his train on from Vicarstown to St. Pancras Station in London. And the third time was when Gordon took on the passengers from a failed railtour going to Carlilse. Going to the mainland beyond Barrow was always a treat for him and an adventure. Every time he went back, he saw many different new things, such as electric pantographs, locations he’d never been to and other engines, steam, diesel and electric.

    He was enjoying his thoughts of the mainland when he was interrupted by a certain cheeky tank engine who wanted to race. Thomas was rambling to himself like a sports broadcaster, but Gordon ignored him and tuned him out. He went back to his thoughts about the Mainland, and remembered his brother, the Flying Scotsman. Flying Scotsman was Gordon’s younger brother, and once visited Sodor when Gordon was feeling blue about diesels bragging about abolishing steam and taking over.

    Ever since then, Flying Scotsman had paid brief visits, but only to pick up passengers at Barrow. He often boasted to Gordon about going on railtours around the country and about being the Most Famous Engine in the World. He’d also developed a habit of jokingly referring to Gordon as the little brother. Flying Scotsman might have been younger, but Gordon was the original experimental member of their class, the LNER A1s- so he was often referred to as the A0 or the A0X after his rebuild. Flying Scotsman had long since been upgraded from a standard A1 to an A3, as had many other of their now long gone brothers and sisters.

    Next, Gordon thought about The Flying Thistle. The Flying Thistle was one of Gordon and Scotsman’s Brothers. Formerly Knight of the Thistle, The Flying Thistle was privately saved by a wealthy Scottish railway enthusiast and renamed partially to mirror Flying Scotsman. He also had visited Sodor a few times, and other engines even had thought that Gordon had been repainted in red. His paintwork was always spotless and he was very well cared for. He didn’t like racing like Gordon or Scotsman, but was a hard worker who didn’t like his paint getting too dirty.

    Lastly, Gordon thought about Spencer. Spencer was an A4, and one of Gordon’s cousins. He used to be called Silver Link, and was a former record holder for the fastest steam engine, before Mallard, Gordon’s other cousin and Spencer’s brother, broke the world record while also breaking down! Spencer and Gordon were quite competitive and often tried to outdo the other. Thinking of his relatives gave Gordon determination, and before long, he had arrived at Vicarstown.

    His passengers left their coaches and waited for the next train to the Mainland to arrive. The coaches had already been shunted into place by another engine. Thomas had just pulled into the station to drop off passengers for the local train when the two engines heard another engine’s whistle. Backing down onto the empty coaches was a familiar green engine with two tenders. It was of course, Flying Scotsman. Thomas hadn’t met Flying Scotsman when he first visited Sodor, so he was excited.

    “Hello, are you the Flying Scotsman? Driver’s told me all about you and your adventures on the mainland. I would love to go back someday. I did once a long time ago with the other famous engines on Sodor!”

    Flying Scotsman chuckled. “Oh, really? I didn’t think there were any famous engines on Sodor!” he teased. “Oh, hello, Gordon!”

    Thomas was surprised. “You know each other-“

    Gordon interjected. “YES, Thomas, we know each other. Sounds like your driver didn’t tell you that Flying Scotsman is in fact by YOUNGER brother. They call him the Most Famous Engine in the World!”

    “Yes, they do. Although, I’m a much more up-to-date build than old Gordon here, so it’s like HE’s the little brother now!” he laughed.

   Gordon scoffed. “Oh, there you go again, boasting about your rebuild! I bet next you’re going to boast about how ‘exciting things are on the mainland!’ “ mocked the big blue engine. He pretended not to care, but really did.

    “Well, not quite, brother. I wanted to tell you my news. The National Railway Museum is having its annual Great Railway Show this year, and things are different now! Now it’s been set up like those ‘Olympics’ people talk about so much every four years. Now there are going to be different events, such as shunting, being the best decorated, or what have you. I am going to be taking part in The Great Race, but I don’t think any engines from Sodor will be there!”

    Gordon gasped in shock. Thomas was very excited. “I went to the Great Railway show once, but that was before it was like this! Now I want to go again!”

    “And with any luck, you shall!” winked Flying Scotsman. “Flying Scotsman coming through!”

    As the Flying Scotsman left the platform, another engine passed and greeted him. He stopped at the platform. It was Spencer.

     “Oh Gordon, there you are! I supposed Scotsman has told you all about the Railway Show! Well, I’ve been invited too, and I’m also going to race! See you there, or not!” he chortled as he raced away.

     Gordon was red in the face and very cross. He was getting more and more jealous of the two engines. Then, another whistle sounded through the station. Much to his surprise, it was the Flying Thistle, who had just arrived with holiday makers all the way from the Highlands! Having lived in Scotland for so long, Thistle had picked up on their dialect.

    “Guid morn, Gordon! Ur ye weel? Yer coopon is th' sam coloor as mah paint!”

    Gordon’s eyes BULGED. “Don’t tell me; you’re also in the Great Race!”

    “Och, nae. nae me. Racing's nae mah hin'. Aam competin' in th' Best Decorated Competition! Got tae keep mah paint clean! Ah main gang noo. Cheerio th' noo Gordon! Wish me luck! See ye suin!”

    Flying Thistle’s friendly whistle was drowing out by the sound of Gordon’s. He’d gone redder than ever and was absolutely furious that not one or two but three of his surviving relatives were all going to the Railway Show.


    “That does it! Thomas, I must get into that show and show them all how fast and splendid I really am!” Gordon ran round his train and collected his passengers. He stormed off, still fuming. He knew that Something Must Be Done. But what?