☁ Steamies vs. Diesels ☁: January 2013

Pros: The songs, the story, further development of Paxton & Victor, Diesels being involved heavily.
Cons: Narrow gauge engines are boring characters.

It was a busy day on the Island of Sodor. At the Blue Mountain Quarry the narrow gauge engines were working hard. Paxton the Diesel was taking slate loaded from Rusty the Narrow Gauge Diesel and Owen the Incline Engine to Brendam Docks. Paxton stopped; a keystone from Blondin Bridge fell on the tracks ahead of him. (6 broken bridges in 7 movies!)

The alarm sounded as Rheneas the narrow gauge steam engine could not stop in time and so he sped over the bridge as it started to collapse, scratching himself up as he went through a tunnel. The narrow gauge engines laughed in excitement that Rheneas had safely made it past the danger.

Down below Paxton asked if someone could help him, as the bridge had collapsed on to him, derailing him and damaging him.

On Thomas’ Branch Line, Thomas was having fun with Annie and Clarabel. Annie and Clarabel warned Thomas to stop ahead. Thomas said he always did, but Annie and Clarabel said that Thomas only stops because they tell him to. As they stopped, Sir Topham Hatt came around the bend in a track inspection car named Winston. Hatt was clearly a very bad driver.

Hatt told Thomas that Paxton had been damaged and that Thomas would take his place after delivering his passengers and that afterwards Toby would take over on Thomas’ Branch Line.
Emily took Paxton to the Dieselworks. She felt very bad for him, but Paxton underplayed the damage. Thomas came by and said hello. Paxton told Thomas to be careful, but Thomas was already far away, being in a hurry. Thomas arrived at the Blue Mountain Quarry saw what had happened to the bridge. Rheneas told Thomas he needed a new coat of paint.

Cue the Working Together Music Video. Great stuff!

Way up into the mountain
Hear the rumble and chuff
Wheels grinding and growling
and funnels puff
Got to, got to work harder
shift that slate
Got to, got to go faster
Can't be late

Here we come, up the hill
There we go, what a thrill
1, 2, 3, 4... Working together
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling.

Clanking into the coupling
cargo ready to roll
Wheels whizzing and whirring
pull that load
Working through to the sunset
every day
Trying hard to be useful
Hey, Hey, Hey!

Here we come, up the hill
There we go, what a thrill
1, 2, 3, 4... Working together
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling.
Working together

Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling.
Working together

Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and Pushing, heaving and hauling.
Working together

Thomas hear a rattle from inside the tunnel. A small green engine came out one tunnel and in to another. Thomas said hello, but the engine said nothing. Thomas asked Sir Handel the narrow gauge steam engine. Sir Handel said it was probably a runaway truck. Thomas asked Skarloey the narrow gauge steam engine. Skarloey said he was busy and did not know. Thomas saw the little green engine again. Thomas said hello again to no reply. Thomas asked Rusty. Rusty said he thought it was a mountain goat. Thomas asked Merrick the Sleepy Crane who said he did not know and that it was his nap time. Thomas asked Owen, he said the mountain was full of little engines.

Thomas saw the engine again! He hurried away, but Thomas chased him. The engine accidentally got blocked by the other narrow gauge engines, who called him Luke. Thomas confronted Skarloey, Peter Sam, and the others. Skarloey told Thomas that Luke hides in the Blue Mountain Quarry because he did something bad and if he was found he would be sent away from the Island of Sodor forever. Thomas asked what Luke did, but Skarloey would not tell him and swore him to secrecy.

That night Thomas asked his friends, the Steam Team, at Tidmouth Sheds, what could get an engine send away. Percy talked about when he crashed and got sticky jam all over himself and Sir Topham Hatt. It made Hatt very cross. Henry said that was an accident and what he did was far worse. Henry told about the time he did not want his new paint to get wet when it was raining and stayed in a tunnel and refused to come out. Sir Topham Hatt was very cross walled him up in the tunnel for 1 month as punishment. Thomas talked about when he chuffed past a danger sign and fell into a mine. Emily agreed that it was bad. James mentioned that Diesel had lost the Jobi wood in the sea (See Misty Island Rescue) and Emily noted not even that got him sent away.

The next day Rheneas was talking about he needed a new coat of paint. Thomas pulled up and told the narrow gauge engines that none of his friends thought there was anything that would get an engine sent away forever. Skarloey was shocked and asked if Thomas had told others about Luke. Thomas confirmed he had not and that he was just trying to help Luke and wanted to be his friend.

Skarloey backed up as Rocky swung a boulder in his direction. Thomas tooted and whistled, catching both of their attention and stopped a very bad accident from happening. Rocky apologized and Skarloey thanked Thomas and called him a good friend. All the engines smiled, including Luke, who chuffed up to Thomas. Luke asked Thomas to be his friend. Thomas agreed.

Cue a new Working Together music video. Great stuff!

Way up into the mountain
Hear the rumble and chuff
Wheels grinding and growling
and funnels puff
Got to, got to work harder
shift that slate
Got to, got to go faster
Can't be late

Here we come, up the hill
There we go, what a thrill
1, 2, 3, 4... Working together
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling.

Clanking into the coupling
cargo ready to roll
Wheels whizzing and whirring
pull that load
Working through to the sunset
every day
Trying hard to be useful
Hey, Hey, Hey!

Here we come, up the hill
There we go, what a thrill
1, 2, 3, 4... Working together
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling.

Working together
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and pushing, heaving and hauling.

Working together
Rocking and rolling, lifting and loading
Blue Mountain Quarry
Pulling and Pushing, heaving and hauling.
Working together

Winston honked and Luke chuffed away. Sir Topham Hatt and Mr. Percival, the narrow gauge controller (or Thin Controller) arrived to tell Thomas that Paxton was fixed and would take over. Thomas was to go back to his branch line.

Thomas told Luke goodbye and asked why he hides. Luke told him as Paxton pulled up and overheard.

Luke told Thomas that he was loaded on to a ship to Sodor and was very excited. There on the ship was a yellow engine who spoke a language he could not understand. There was a storm but they arrived at Brendam Docks. The dock men wanted to take off the yellow engine first, but Luke begged to be taken off first. So the dock men took Luke and Luke knocked the yellow engine in to the sea.

Luke was sent to the Steamworks to be fixed and heard the storm for a long time. He heard that the yellow engine was in the sea for a long time and was rusted badly. They yellow engine was never heard from again, so he must have been sent to the Smelter’s yard at the Ironworks. Luke admitted that if had just waited his turn, he would have never caused the death of the yellow engine!

Thomas assured Luke that this was a long time ago. Luke was sure that if other engines found out, they would tell Mr. Percival, who would tell Sir Topham Hatt, the standard gauge controller (or Fat Controller), who would have him sent away from causing this trouble and death.

Skarloey came up to Paxton and urged him to get working. Luke realized that Paxton had heard everything and ran away. Thomas asked what Paxton was doing there. Paxton told Thomas he was there to do his job, taking slate from the Blue Mountain Quarry to Brendam Docks.

Thomas returned to his branch line the next day. Thomas was busy thinking about Luke and missed a red signal to stop. Annie and Clarabel made him stop and return to the signal. Toby chuffed up and Thomas asked him to take Annie and Clarabel, even though Toby was very busy. Toby, Annie, and Clarabel asked Thomas questions, but he just chuffed off in silence.

Thomas had an idea. Maybe he could find the yellow engine after all. Thomas looked at Knapford Station, the Shunting Yards, all the coastal tracks, and even at the rubbish dump, but he found no yellow engine. He asked Edward who suggested the Dieselworks. Edward asked him why, but Thomas chuffed off without answering. At the Dieselworks Thomas looked and found no yellow engine. However he saw Paxton telling Diesel about how Luke had pushed a yellow engine in to the sea and how the yellow engine was never seen from again!

Diesel told Paxton he was right to tell him. They did not want an engine on their island that was impatient and self-centered, pushing other engines in to the sea. He could knock one of them in to the sea next. Diesel said they would tell the Fat Controller who would tell the Thin Controller and get Luke taken away from their Island of Sodor forever. Thomas gasped loudly and chuffed away. Diesel saw him and told Paxton that they must go wherever Thomas was going, as Thomas was a tricky tank engine. Diesel and Paxton chuffed off.

Thomas decided to go ask Cranky the Crane at Brendam Docks. Cranky said the yellow engine had a broken light and that he could not understand him. Diesel pulled up. Thomas asked what he was doing there. Diesel asked Cranky where Sir Topham Hatt was. Cranky was tired of questions. Thomas had an idea and sped off. James asked Thomas where he was going, he told him he was going to the Steamworks. James asked why, but Thomas sped off without answering him either!
At the Steamworks, Thomas ignored Kevin’s hello and rushed up to Victor and asked about the yellow engine. Victor told him that it was him. Victor told Thomas it was a long time ago and that Victor had never spoken of this.

Victor was yellow with green wheels when he came from Cuba. It was a long journey. They stopped along the way and another engine was loaded. Luke was loaded shortly before the storm broke the chains holding him down. Victor told Luke he had a problem, but Luke ignored him, since he did not speak Spanish.

Victor protested Luke’s cries to be taken off first, but it was in vain. Luke was loaded and swung around, hitting Victor’s light and knocking him in to the sea. The storm was bad for many days so he became covered in moss and when he could be taken out, he was taken to the Steamworks, where he started to learn English. His first word was red, which he spoke when the workmen asked what color of paint he wanted to be repainted with. A bright new color for his bright new life on Sodor!

Thomas thanked Victor and took off, ignoring Victor’s questions and Kevin’s goodbye. Thomas took off to the Blue Mountain Quarry. He saw Diesel up ahead speaking to the Fat Controller, Sir Topham Hatt. He told Hatt how Paxton had told him all about it and how Luke was hiding in the hills. Diesel was scared that he was a danger to all of the engines. Hatt told Diesel that he doesn't know what he is talking about and to shunt Mavis to the Dieselworks for repair. Mavis thanked Diesel and told him he is very kind and useful. Hatt told Paxton to stop following Diesel about and go to work at the Blue Mountain Quarry.

Thomas realized he too should be working his branch line, but he chuffed off to the Blue Mountain Quarry. James said hello as Thomas approached, but Thomas told him he had no time. James said that for a tank engine, he could be quite fast.

At the quarry, Rheneas was telling Skarloey that he had been bumped again and needed to be repainted. Skarloey told him to be more careful. Thomas pulled up and asked for Luke. Luke pulled up. Thomas told him that he spoke to Victor about him. All the narrow gauge engines were cross and chuffed away, except for Luke, who stayed put, and Rusty, who continued to work.

All of a sudden Diesel pulled up with Paxton. He asked if this was Luke, who pushes engines in to the sea? Thomas told them not to listen to Diesel. The narrow gauge engines told him to go away and to go to work on his branch line. Thomas felt bad.

Diesel told Thomas that the Controllers were going to straighten this all out. Thomas asked Rocky to put Thomas on Owen’s platform so he could go up the incline to where the narrow gauge steam engines were hiding. Thomas said Thomas was too heavy, but tried and pulled him to the top.
Diesel yelled to Luke that they knew what he did, that what he did was bad, and that he would need to leave Sodor forever! Thomas again told Luke not to listen to Diesel.

Diesel told Paxton to go get Sir Topham Hatt. Thomas told him to ignore Diesel and to go get Victor instead. Paxton was confused. Diesel told him to just go.

When Thomas got to the top he found that his wheels were too wide for the narrow gauge tracks. He ended up following the track to a ledge where he hung off. Luke raced up to Thomas. Diesel was scared and yelled to Thomas. Diesel thought Luke would push Thomas off just like he had pushed the yellow engine in to the sea!

Luke told Thomas not to worry, that he would pull Thomas back to Owen. Amazingly, Luke, the tiny engine was successful and did exactly as he promised. The narrow gauge engines whistled, honked, & cheered. But once Thomas was on Owen, he went down the incline, pulling Luke with him. Luckily, everyone was okay.

Suddenly all the engines heard the honking of Winston with a cross Fat Controller and Thin Controller. Sir Topham Hatt was cross with Thomas was not working his branch line as he was told to do. Mr. Percival told Rocky to bring Thomas and Luke down from the loading platform.

Diesel told the controllers about Luke and how he had knocked a yellow engine in to the sea. He also told them that Thomas had been hiding him at the Blue Mountain Quarry! All of a sudden Paxton pulled up with Victor. Hatt asked what Victor was doing here. Victor said he came to meet an engine he had not seen in a long time, Luke. Victor told Luke what had happened. Victor forgave him and told him it was not his fault. Victor invited Luke to come visit him at the Steamworks. Rheneas mentioned he would like to be repainted. Mr. Percival welcomed Luke to his railway and introduced himself.

Sir Topham Hatt told Diesel that it seem he did not have the full story before he caused confusion and delay. He told Diesel that what really happened is what really matters. Diesel agreed and blushed. Hatt said that today was a happy day for Mr. Percival and the narrow gauge engines. Hatt also said that he was proud of Thomas, so he would forgive him this time for not working his branch line. Thomas thanked him. Hatt told Percival that they should both be very proud of all of their engines, old and new. They agreed that their engines were all Very useful Engines! The engines whistled and honked in agreement.

Cue the Blue Mountain Mystery music video. Good stuff!

Everyday down in the quarry
work, work, work so hard
Haul that load, careful don't hurry
everyone plays a part
But deep inside the old tunnels
someone hides away
Too scared to come out and see us
and too scared to say his name.

Come on, sing along!
Blue Mountain Mystery
Blue Mountain Mystery
The secret in the hills!

All the narrow gauge engines
decide to tell a friend
about the little green engine
from start, to very end
So Thomas wants to be useful
give Luke a helping hand
to find that old yellow engine
get the answer if he can.

Come on, sing along!
Blue Mountain Mystery
Blue Mountain Mystery
The secret in the hills!

A few days later Thomas pulled up to the Steamworks and Victor & Luke came out. He told Thomas that he had found the yellow engine that he was looking for. Thomas was confused. Out chuffed the once orange Rheneas,who finally had gotten his new coat of paint, a yellow coat of paint! All the engines laughed.

Cue a new Blue Mountain Mystery music video. Good stuff!

Everyday down in the quarry
work, work, work so hard
Haul that load, careful don't hurry
everyone plays a part
But deep inside the old tunnels
someone hides away
Too scared to come out and see us
and too scared to say his name.

Come on, sing along!
Blue Mountain Mystery
Blue Mountain Mystery
The secret in the hills!

All the narrow gauge engines
decide to tell a friend
about the little green engine
from start, to very end
So Thomas wants to be useful
give Luke a helping hand
to find that old yellow engine
get the answer if he can.

Come on, sing along!
Blue Mountain Mystery
Blue Mountain Mystery
The secret in the hills!

The End.

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King of the Railway ???

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Blue Mountain Mystery ☁☁☁