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#caomhnóir
hazel-of-sodor · 5 months
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5 till Midnight
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Samantha was almost asleep when she heard it, the soft chuffs of an engine rolling down the line. She sat up with a frown, no train was supposed to be running that night. Nicole groaned beside her as she got up and walked to the front door, peering through the curtains.
"What is it?" Nicole asked sleepily as she joined her.
"Who do you think?" She said wryly, opening the door to reveal their engine scowling at her snowplow groggily.
Samantha walked up to the No.1, "Not that I'm not happy to see you Cass, but is there a reason you're at our apartment at 5 till midnight?"
"On Christmas Eve no less," Nicole muttered grouchily.
"Sorry," the tank engine winced, stretching sleepily, "but the Lady is calling me, and you said to let you know when I need help..." She trailed off hesitantly.
"I did," Samantha said, wiping her face tiredly, "it's better than you going off alone."
"Thank you." Cassandra sounded distinctly relieved. 
Nicole climbed into the cab grumbling, while Samantha looked over their engine, She was less familiar with Cassandra than Thomas, for all they were the same engine. 
"Who are we helping? She asked as she checked the lubricator's oil levels.
"An engine from the North." Cassandra answered simply, "Due to...ah...mishaps, She's having to stop her run to repair her brake lines. Her train is essential and cannot be late, so we're running the part she needs to her."
"Hmm... and where is the part?"
"One of my spares should work for the night."
Samantha snorts, "I've never understood you keeping spare brake parts in your toolbox.
"I'm not giving James the satisfaction."
Samantha laughed, "Wasn't that over fifty years ago, when will you all let the bootlace incident go?"
"When someone else makes that mistake, and by the Lady it won't be me."
***
Soon they were running down the line smoothly, Cassandra humming softly as they rolled into the Hackenbeck Tunnel.
When they exited the tunnel, Samantha was expecting to see the cutting with Mrs.Kindley's house sitting above it. Instead, they emerged into a small town she had not seen before, nestled at the base of a mountain.
The two tracks ran down the middle of the street, and when she glanced back they had seeming come from a road tunnel. On the line opposite of them, a long American passenger train stood, with large blue and red coaches towering over Casandra.
The tank engine rolled slowly alongside, seemingly unbothered by where they were, whistling softly to the children waving from the windows of the coaches.
They pulled alongside the massive engine at the head, a massive 2-8-4 Berkshire with the number 1225 on her cab sides, who for all her size looked like a kicked puppy 
"Need a bootlace, Noelle?"
The Berkshire immediately perked up, "Cassandra! What are you doing here?"
"Your controller asked the Lady for help and she sent me."
Noelle blinked, "How did the boss know?"
A young woman, slightly older than Samantha walked up, her hair tucked into an American conductor's uniform.
"The boss always knows." She said with amusement. "How else would he make his lists?"
"Are we going to ignore the fact we're not on Sodor anymore?" Nicole interjected, "Last I checked the Hackenbeck tunnel didn't lead to...where are we?"
"New Haven, Pennsylvania." Noelle's driver answered leaning out of her cab. "Don't worry you get used to it."
"I seriously hope not," Nicole grumbled as she climbed down, toolbox in hand.
Samantha shook her head and followed her firewoman.
*** 
The repairs progressed quickly, and Noelle soon set off again, her whistle echoing in the distance as she raced away. Samantha and Nicole climbed into Cassandra's cab and reversed back into the tunnel, emerging back at Hackenbeck. They ran down the line quietly, the old sounds the hum of the rails beneath Cassandra and her puffing. Finally, Cassandra stopped outside their apartment, with an exhausted sigh.
Samantha looked at her concern, "Are you going to make it back to the sheds?"
Before the engine could answer a bell was heard and Toby rounded the corner.
"Need a tow, Cassandra?" The trams asked.
"Please." Cassandra yawned.
They bid their farewells and Toby pulled Cassandra back to the sheds.
Nicole glanced at the clock as she shed their coats.
"Our clock is broken."
Samantha glanced towards the clock, which still read 5 till midnight.
"We'll deal with it in the morning."
Together the two made their way to bed, ready for sleep and Christmas morning.
A/N:Hello Loves! I threw this together for a Christmas Special. Yes the American Express train is exactly who you think it is, and her crew are the kids from its movie, all grown up. It has been alluded to Thomas occasionally presenting Fem in my headcanon posts, but this is the first time Cassandra has actually appeared in a fic. I haven't 100% decided if this fic is strictly canon in my AU, but for now it is. Love Y'all and Merry Christmas! Hazel of Sodor.
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suizokukans · 1 year
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for julius
your  name: Amaris Caomhnóir
your age:  Unknown honestly.
your perfect date:  A picnic in your garden at sunset
make out in private or in public?:  in private if you truly wish to
do you like to cuddle?: always, especially with you.
tell me something about you: I really love the smell of roses, especially right after they bloom
why do you want to be my valentine?: well for one we're married and two, i'm in love with you in a way that is indescribable with words.
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     “Goodness, you were always going to be my Valentine my dear~ I simply could not enjoy this holiday without you by my side. A picnic in the garden does sound absolutely lovely though - perhaps we’ll get the chance to see some flowers start to bloom!” 
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
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Day 23-Greater than Yourself
Traintober 2023
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Day 23-Big World
Greater than Yourself
Samantha sprinted down the street, running desperately for Nicole's place. Behind her, she heard the jaguar-like growl of the thing behind her.
She risked looking and saw it leap out from behind the corner, its frames bending and arching like a jungle cat. It was a sports car...or had once been in the 30s. Now it was a twisted creature of hate and metal.
She swore and pushed herself faster, cursing that Nicole's apartment was so far from any rail lines.
She heard the animalistic growl of the car's engine grow louder as it approached, the streetlights flickering out as it raced down the street after her.
She saw Nicole glance out her window, drawn by the noise before racing to the door.
Samantha finally reached the stairs to the apartment, scrambling up them as she heard Nicole unlocking the door. 
She slammed into the door, Nicole pulling from the other side...but it didn't move.
The car slowed, stalking forward, its engine revving in a harsh mockery of a laugh.
Nicole beat on the door, attempting to batter it down, but her attacks bounced off. The car reached the bottom of the stairs, waiting. Samantha could see Nicole's neighbors had been drawn by the noises, and all were struggling to open their doors, but like Nicole's their doors refused to move.
The car laughed again. Samantha closed her eyes, they were too far from any rail lines, she would never make it to the Ffarquhar sheds, but she had to try
"Nicole, I'm sorry"
Her firewoman stopped beating at her door to glare at her, "Samantha don't you dar..."
Samantha dove over the car, hitting the ground with a roll and coming up running.
She heard the car growl almost approvingly as it spun its tires, whirling around to pursue her. As she heard it approach she dove to the side, its bumper barely missing her as it swerved trying to hit her, frost spreading across her skin from the proximity. She rolled as the car turned towards her. She made the mistake of glancing towards Nicole, who was screaming as she beat at her door. The car took advantage of her distraction and lunged. Samantha rolled desperately...
SLAM! Crunch.
The street was suddenly bathed in golden light and the car yowled in pain.
Samantha looked up to see the impossible sight of her engine shaking the car like a dog with a rat, its rear fender caught in his jaws. She scrambled for the safety of Thomas's cab as the fender ripped free of the car with a screech, turning to golden dust between his teeth.
"Don't you dare touch my driver." 
Caomhnóir's voice shook with rage. Gold light shone from his lamps with burning intensity.
The car flinched back from the light, its metal melting in its heat, before roaring in defiance, shaking the stones of the street loose.
Caomhnóir let out a screaming whistle in return. But it wasn't his whistle. This whistle was much higher and shriller. The car's roar had shaken the street, the whistle shook the sky.
The car was sent flying back from the force, tumbling fender over hood.
Across the island and beyond engines awoke, shaken from their sleep by Caomhnóir's battlecry.
Samantha couldn't prevent the shudder that ripped through her when she realized Thomas had called upon the Lady's whistle, and she had answered.
The creature was struggling back to its wheels when the tank engine spoke.
"I would run if I were you."  He said, menace dripping from every word. "If I catch you, there won't be enough left of you to die."
The car locked its gaze with the golden eyes of the tank engine before giving a sharp nod, preparing to pounce.
Samantha felt Thomas tense beneath her, ready to meet the foe head-on. Golden light spilled from his cab, melting the frost from her shoulders.
The creature leaped...only to be caught.
The creature shrieked in surprise, twisting to see what had caught it.
From the ground, shadows stretched in long sinuous tendrils, cutting through Caomhnóir's golden light to wrap crushingly around the sports car's frame.
Slowly, but surely, the tendrils dragged the car towards where they reached, a puddle of shadow darker than the darkest night. The car twisted, shrieked, and bit at the tendrils, but to no avail.
Finally, as its rear wheels began to dip into the shadow as if it was liquid, it looked towards its foe.
Thomas glared, "Be grateful."  He said, "They will be more merciful than I would have been."
The car was dragged under with one last screech of defiance.
***
Far away on the Uman and Din Railway
The car broke through the ground, spitting out shadows as the tendrils withdrew. It rose to its wheels growling, only to freeze at the sight before it.
A Great Western 47xx towered above it, shadow tendrils drifting in the air around it like a mane of shadowfire. While they would have been enough to make such a beast pause, the car could see the truth.
For once something could see the truth of the beast towering before them, towering with the mountains behind it, a thousand thousand tendrils whipping around it, some thin and sharp enough to cut paint from metal without scratching it, others larger around than the engines alongside it. More teeth than those of every creature to ever live grinned at the car in predatory hunger. Eyes, countless eyes watched their prey from every angle.
"Well little beast," the being uttered, "did you truly think Caomhnóir so powerless?"
Its voice rang from a thousand angles, threatening to rip the car from the ground on which it stood from the meer force of its voice alone. 
"Did you think there were none greater than yourself that would answer his call?"
The car trembled under the presence of the being before it.
The titan leaned forward, grinning eagerly, "Know this little beast. I was not the only one to answer his call, merely the swiftest. Be grateful I was the one to reach you instead of the Lady."
The car whimpered under the onslaught of her attention.
The former 47xx's grin sharped, and she lunged.
***
Samantha was slow to leave the safety of Thomas's cab. Even when she heard Nicole nearly rip her door from its hinges in opening it when the creature's grip disappeared, she could only sit and try to control her panicked breathing. Nicole scrambled up into the cab, wrapping her arms around Samantha even before she stopped moving. 
"Don't you dare do that again."
Samantha clung to her firewoman, "I told you that your apartment was too far from the tracks," she tried to joke weakly, but Nicole just nodded, "First thing this weekend I'm finding a place by the line. I can't go through that again."
"Agreed," Thomas chimed in.
Samatha's eyes widened as she realized no one had checked on him, she scrambled down from the cab and began examining him.
Thomas huffed fondly, "I'm fine driver, physically. It'll be a while before I can sleep though."
"You're telling me," Nicole grumbled, but her hand was rubbing Thomas's side as she said it.
As other people began coming out of their houses, Samantha remembered the elephant in the room, or rather, the tank engine on the street.
Thomas stood in the middle of the street, when she looked down she saw the stone pavers had been pushed aside, revealing worn rails underneath.
"How are you here?" Nicole asked from beside her.
"The tramway used to run through here to reach the quarries," Thomas said, glancing down at the street. "The line was closed in favor of the new route in the fifties."
Nicole gave him an unimpressed look, "I know that. I also know those rails were pulled up, and multiple buildings stand where the line used to go. How did you get here."
"The land remembers the line," Thomas said defensively, "I asked the Lady for her aid in reaching you."
Samatha was the first to realize what her engine wasn't saying.
"You have no idea how to get back do you?"
The tank engine sagged embarrassedly, "No...I didn't think about it till after I had reached you."
Taking pity on her engine, she kissed his cheek, "Thank you. I have no idea how we’ll get you out, but thanks for saving me."
"I'd happily do it again." He said softly.
***
The next morning on the Uman and Din...
Freda and Gwyn were having a pleasant morning until they came within earshot of the sheds. A horrendous screeching and crunching could be heard. Freda sighed and increased her pace, wondering what her engine had gotten into this time.
She walked around the corner to find Screech happily chewing on a mangled Mercedes. Causing it to squeal horribly. The car was pinned with her tendrils, leaving the eldritch engine free to peel off pieces of metal at her leisure.
Freda glanced over to Abbey, the star class watching with vindictive enjoyment.
"Just what did the car do?"
"It tried to attack Caomhnóir's driver." The express engine said grimly.
Freda turned to glare at the car. Screech politely pausing so the car could focus on the glare.
"You've missed the trunk," Freda said flatly.
Riiiipppppp
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
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Day 25-RMS Aquitania
Traintober 2023
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Day 25-Distress Signal
RMS Aquitania 
Aquitania tried to struggle against the tugboats, but her fires were long gone out. She had managed to get out a quick distress call before they shut off her wireless, she had little hope anyone would answer. Her owners had told her she was being sold to American owners, instead she was being dragged to Scotland for scrap. 
Even with her boiler cold, her size meant the tugs had to strain to maintain control of the liner. 
'I served them for thirty-five years,' she thought bitterly, 'but I'm not even worth the trouble of trying to sell me.'
She desperately used the last of the steam she had hidden away to blast her whistles a final time, the sound echoing mournfully through the fog.
"Stop with all that!" The lead tugboat snapped. "No one is coming. We made sure Mauretania was in New York. Anyone who would care is across the Atlantic, by the time they got word it will be too late." He growled with grim satisfaction.
The blast of a Liner's horn in close proximity proved him wrong.
Had the tug been less assured of his control of the situation, he may have noticed the other ships approach through the fog. As it was, distracted as he had been by Aquitania's struggles, he only had time to see a massive prow cut through the fog and bowl him under as the liner charged through the tugboats' ranks. Even when rebuilt, the distinctive lines of an Olympic class were unmistakable.
The great liner disappeared into the fog, blasting her whistles challengingly. The remaining tugs whirled to face the direction she had gone. This was their second mistake.
They were caught completely off guard when Olympic herself slammed through their lines from Aquitania's starboard side at full steam, her prow slicing the lines, her wake threatening to swamp the smaller tugs. 
Before the tugs could recover, the youngest sister appeared from port and expertly threw her line, taking Aquitania under tow.
The tugboats went to pursue, only for Olympic and the first ship, who could only be Tina, to cut them off, crossing in an x behind Aquitania's stern.
"Sorry it took so long!" Britannic called back. "We thought we waiting for Tina, but she was already steaming for you."
"I thought she was mid-refit?" Aquitania called back
Brit snorted, "Like that was gonna stop her."
The mentioned liner pulled alongside, and sure enough, Aquitania could now see her superstructure was stripped bare.
"How's it going Aqua?" The flagship yelled, beaming with the flush of battle.
"I've told you not to call me that," Aquitania groaned. She couldn't stop her smile, however, "Better now thanks to you three."
Olympic upon her other side, "Got that out of your system?" She teased Tina.
"No, but it'll do."
Olympic muttered something about battle-crazed little sisters while Brit laughed ahead.
"How did you know I needed help?" Aquitania asked.
"Maura got a signal through, relayed from ship to ship from New York'" Olympic explained.
"Caomhnóir found me at the drydock," Tina added.
"Caomhnóir?" Aquitania asked, "But I'm not an engine!"
"The Lady warned him as a favor to the Siren." Brit chimed in.
Aquitania froze, "...the Siren?"
Tina smirked, "Lusitania may not have been allowed to intervene directly, but your sister didn't let that stop her."
A/N: Some Context-Yes all three Olympic class liners are alive and well in the 50s, in service with the Sodor Star Line. As for Lusitania, she did sionk during the war, but rather than dying out right she was offered the position of The Siren, the Gaurdian spirit of the Atlantic. Essentially she serves a very simular role to Caomhnóir but for ships, and she doesn't have a true physical form anymore.
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
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Hi hazel! Ive finished my model of Caomhnóir, after a visit to my own railway, the GSR!
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Sorry about the dodgy picture quality, my room doesnt have the best lighting. Ill be posting about my models in the near future on my sideblog, rexs-models
Look at da lad! Fun fact, as a kid I had this ceramic "thomas" but the blue and red were flipped, like this!
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
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So so how did the others find out about Thomas being Caomhnóir I know Toby covered for him, but what about the others? Did they also cover for him? Or did they just caught him in the act?
That depends on the engine. I've never wrote down specifics but an overview- Edward knew before Thomas got the title, as Thomas had hid engines on his Branchline, Gordon and Henry would have been aware around the same time as Thomas got his branchline, as any engines sneaking in from the mainland would have gone through them. James would have found out eventually, once he'd been on Sodor long enough for the others to trust him.
Percy didn't know for a long time. He was pilot at Tidmouth, so the opposite end of the railway from any engines sneaking in. His memory problems at the time (explained here) meant he didn't put it together. In 1955 he moved to the Ffarquhar Branch, where he was brought into the secret (Thomas had thought he had know before this , as he had unknowingly covered for him several times!).
Toby is explained in Gaurdian.
In 1955 the Modernization Plan is introduced, Duck is brought in on the secret because they need every engine they can to help.
Donald and Douglas know because Thomas was prepared to hide them if Sir Topham Hatt decided not to keep one or both of them.
Oliver was hidden by Thomas until his purchase from British Rails officially went through (with Charles Hatt's knowledge/permission).
Emily is No.12 in my AU, but she has that number from her previous railway and was there alongside Edward and Thomas in 1915.
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hazel-of-sodor · 2 years
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Day 21-Stranger:Stranger in my own body
Day 21-Stanger
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Stranger in my body
October 1974
She came to with a start, breathing heavily. That was a weird nightmare.
"Calm yourself Clarke, it was just a....nightmare?"
Her eyes darted around the strange shed. She was in a brick built shed with strange engines on either side of her. The doors in front of her were bolted shut and her driver and fireman were no were to be seen. Worst of all, her body felt wrong. The shapes and curves were all wrong.
She felt the walls closing in on her, her vision blurred, and she couldn't breathe. 
"....arke, can you hear me Clarke? There's a good engine. Just focus on my voice, you're safe here. No-one here wants you hurt. It's alright, just listen to my voice."
Clarke focused on the voice, forcing everything else out. 
"That's it, focus on breathing slowly, I count, just focus on following my count. 1...2...3...4...5..."
She slowly calmed and her vision cleared, her breathing settled into a slow pattern. A blue sidetank was the one talking to her, counting slowly to ten, again and again.
Once she felt she was back in control of herself she took a shaky breath. "Thank you."
"Anytime, Clarke"
"Where am I? Who are these engines? and..."
"How do I know you?"
"Yeah."
The sidetank looked sad but unsurprised. "You're in the FFarquhar sheds, on the branch line of the same name. Welcome to the North Western Railway. The tram beside you is Toby, our number seven. He manages the trains to the FFarquhar quarries. I'm Thomas, the number one, and I'm in charge of our branchline. As for how I know you...this isn't the first time we've met."
"But I don't remember you!" She said in distress.
"You wouldn't" the tank engine sounded grieved. He sighed, "It's best if I start from the beginning. Years ago our railway bought a new pilot for our main station. We were in desperate need of a pilot, so our controller was forced to go to a workshop of ill-repute to find an engine. He found a new smart four wheeled saddle tank and named him Percy. The engine quickly proved himself and was given the number six. He was a hard worker and at first everything seemed fine. He could be forgetful at times, but with a good crew that was barely an issue. Eventually the work grew too heavy for him, and he was transferred to help with the goods work on our branch."
The engine paused thoughtfully. "It was honestly no-one's fault that, up to that point, no one had realized something was wrong with Percy. Physically he was sound, and the mainline engines spent the day running across the island. They honesty weren't around him enough to notice that the problem was more than forgetfulness. We changed crews around a lot during this time, so they never had a chance to notice either. But it was different on the branchline. We tried to get to know him, but he rarely spoke about his time before the North Western, and what he did tell us was often contradictory. It took a few years, but finally one night he admitted what we had begun to suspect. He hadn't told us, because He didn't know."
Clarke had a sinking feeling in her boiler.
"He wasn't a new engine, far from it, but a rebuilt one. Something had gone wrong during his rebuild at the workshop, and it messed up his memories. He never remembered much, and almost never the same things. Number seven and I promised to remember for him. Everytime he remembered something, he would tell us, and we slowly pieced his past together. But there was a problem, we couldn't find records of any engine that fit his memories." Thomas paused and looked at the grounds.
"It was then I began to have suspicions. Suspicions I never told anyone, even when they were proven one night when Percy didn't wake up from a nightmare."
"I did." The words were like lead on her tongue.
There was a terrible kindness in the blue engine's eyes. "Yes. Percy can't access his memories because..."
"They're not his." a tear slipped down her cheek no, Percy's cheek.
"Percy was new, in that he hadn't existed until the rebuild. Parts from at least eight engines went into his construction.
"How many of us have woken up?"
"Including you? Three. From what I can tell, his frames are yours."
"And the cylinders..." She could feel them. They weren't in the right place, but they were hers. 
"How many times have we had this conversation?" 
"Since the night we first met? This is the sixth time. You never remember them."
Tears ran freely down her face. "So I'm stuck, a stranger in my own body."
"No."
She looked up at the vehemence in Thomas's tone. "I will not leave an engine to such a fate. You say the frames and cylinders are yours?"
She focused. "The siderods are familiar, but not the same as I had."
The tank engine nodded, "They were probably modified to fit." He looked at her seriously. "There is enough of you left that, even in an occupied body, you still shine through. If your parts were used on an unsteamed engine..."
"I might have my body back!"
"It wouldn't be your old body," he cautioned, "we can't risk modifying your parts. It's already a risky attempt. Plus we don't know what you were originally. It would be our best guess, but you would have to wait for overhaul to have any chances to be made."
"I was built by Hudson and Clarke and my tanks were more squared off than his...beyond that I don't remember. It never seemed important."
"That's more than I knew before," he looked thoughtful," everytime you wake up you remember more. It bodes well for you being rebuilt."
"And Percy...he won't object? These have been his parts for years."
"If anything, he'll be pushing to be overhauled early. He is a good engine , one of the best." The words were spoken with a soft pride in his friend.
"The only reason I haven't told him yet is we agreed to let you wake up one more time, to be sure we got all your parts."
"The others that woke up?" She asked. "What will happen to them?"
"They seem to grow weaker each time. Either your parts being removed will make them stronger...or they will be at rest."
Clarke was growing tired. Thomas noticed, "Don't worry. We'll have this fixed before the next time you wake up. I swear it." Comforted by his promise, she let herself drift off to sleep.
--------
Percy awoke, he was oddly tired despite having slept all night. As he blinked awake, he noticed Thomas, no Caomhnóir, waiting outside his berth. "We need to talk."
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
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Hi Hazel! So, im currently working on a spare bachmann thomas body i had lying around, and I've decided it make it a sort of my own rendition of the Caomhnóir, after a visit to my own railway. (The railway is called the GSR, Galant State Rail, of Galant Island which is a fictional island of the coast of australia) Would you like to see it when its done?
Of course! Im honored you would model an engine after my stories! For reference or anyone intersted, Thomas canonically looks like this in the Guardian AU.
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He's a modifed NER E1/LNER J72
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I know thats not to everyones taste, so I rarely mention it in storys so people can imagine their version of Thomas in his place, be that CGI, Model series, headcanon, or RWS Accurate.
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I wanna draw a realistic tvs Thomas at some point, but I need blueprints for the models (preferably season 5 condition.)
The main motif for Caomhnóir is Gold. The Lady shines through him, so his brass fittings, number one, ect aren't yellow, their gold. A subtle difference. When active, his lamps, fire, and eyes glow golden, and his brass fittings and number one shine.
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hazel-of-sodor · 2 years
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Day 14-Rest in pieces:Not Again
Day 14-rest in pieces
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Not again
November 1939
Midlothian was sobbing. "Not again, not again, not again.." She begged, tears streaming down her face as the scrapyard worked prepped his equipment. She couldn't go through this again.
"Please." she begged, "I was supposed to be preserved. It's the only reason they put me back together." 
As the worker lit the torch, the yard manager took a pull from his pipe. "How tragic." He said carelessly. "Unfortunately, Britain needs metal far more than we need another old..."
CLANG
The sound of a shovel denting around the back of his head echoed through the yard.
He dropped like a sack of mail.
Behind him stood a woman with long dark hair in all back holding the dented shovel.
"Great job Mrs.Alice! I wouldn't want to cross you." The yard worker said, extinguishing the cutting torch.
"You don't think I hit him too hard?" Alice asked as she nudged the unmoving manager with her foot.
The worker pulled out a cigarette. "If you messed up his head it can only be an improvement." He muttered around the cigarette as he lit it, walking to open the gates.
"Please no, please no, please Lady no."
Mrs.Alice turned towards the still panicking locomotive, "Midlothian dear?"
"I can't go through that again. I won't. I can't."
Alice pursed her lips, and walked up to the poor engine. She carefully climbed up onto the running board.
"Please, I was saved, I can't..."
Alice reached out gently and brushed away the engine's tears, whispering soothingly to the atlantic.
Slowly Midlothian's eyes refocused, "Mrs...Mrs.Alice?"
"It's alright my dear, we've come to save you."
"They said they needed metal more than me." The engine hiccuped.
Mrs.Alice's eyes hardened, "They are fools," she hissed, "and we won't let that happen."
"Promise?"
"Always, my dear," she gently stroked the engine's cheek, "Barnabas wishes he could be here, but he's providing our alibi."
The gates swung open and several other women Midlothian recognized walked in, followed by a small tank engine.
He was painted all black except for a small gold one painted on his bunker. He had six small wheels, a short stumpy boiler, a short stumpy dome, and a short stumpy funnel.
The engine was pushing several trucks full of scrap metal. As they eyes met she saw gold flash over his green eyes.
"Caomhnóir," she breathed disbelievingly, hope slowly dawning in her eyes.
"Hello Midlothian," he smiled sadly at her, "the Lady sent me as soon as the decision was made, but it took me far longer than I hoped to reach you."
He pushed the trucks into the siding beside her before uncoupling and running back to the switch.
"I'll miss you my dear." Mrs.Alice said solemnly. "We'll come see you as soon as its safe."
She climbed down as the tank engine rolled forward and gently buffered up.
"Caomhnóir?" 
"Yes Mrs.Alice?"
"Please keep her safe.
"Fear not Mrs.Alice, the Lady will not stand to see an engine scrapped twice. Had I not been able to reach her, she would have intervened directly. She may not be able to save every engine, but she will ensure that afterwards they find rest."
The small engine smiled at Midlothian, "Are you ready to go home?"
"Please."
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
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Day 16-Too Late
Traintober 2023
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Day 16-Purpose
Too Late
James was the one to find him. Thomas was hidden among the disused wagons behind Tidmouth. It didn't surprise James that none of the others had found him. Most tended to forget this part of the yard existed. James only knew because this was one of the spots he went to when everything became too much. As it had become for Caomhnóir.
The tank engine's fire had long gone out, his soot covering slowly washing away under the rain. Tear tracks covered his cheeks, but he was utterly unmoving. He had never looked so small to James as he did right then. Thomas had an energy that swelled past his frames, always moving, never still for longer than a second at a time. When he was upset it was easy to forget he wasn't as big as the main line engines. As Caomhnóir...there was a reason the likes of Flying Scotsman listened when he spoke. But right now? James just saw a little engine, bending under the weight placed on his frames.
James silently rolled to a stop in front of the tank engine, his crew walking away, leaving the two engines alone. For a long time, they remained in silence, James just letting him cry.
"I was too late." Caomhnóir finally whispered, his voice rough from crying. "She was already gone when we arrived."
James had no idea who he was talking about, but he could certainly guess at their fate.
"You can't save everyone." He reminded gently.
Caomhnóir's laugh was bitter and broken, "Everyone? Right now I'm failing to save anyone."
Well, that was enough of that.
"So you did dump that goods train on me last week for no reason."
Thomas looked up, confused, "No, I was..."
"And you had Henry sabotage the kipper the week before that for nothing."
"Of course not! I..."
"And Gordon derailed at Barrow completely by accident last month."
Thomas fell silent.
James raised an eyebrow, "Well? Did you or did you not need cover for engines sneaking in three times in a month?"
Thomas sighed, "I did...but it was not enough."
"No its not..and it never will be." James sighed, allowing his own grief to slip through. "But we can either accept that and help you save who we can, or let them take our kin unopposed."
"There's just so many." Caomhnóir sounded lost. "When I realized she was gone I grabbed who I could but..."
He was quiet for a long moment, " I moved as fast as I could but...." He looked helplessly up at James, "How do I tell Gordon Pretty Polly''s gone."
Oh. Well, that explained it.
"You don't," James said. "I will."
Thomas looked up to protest but James pressed their buffers together. "You have enough on your frames without this."
Thomas shook, "she wasn't supposed to be withdrawn yet. We had a plan, but suddenly they withdrew her, and by the time I got there..."
James took a deep breathe to steady himself, "it's still not your fault." He pushed on before the little engine could protest. "By all accounts, you made a sudden mad dash across the entire country undetected to try to save her. If you failed, then it was because there was no way to succeed, not because you failed in any way."
"I ran out of coal on the way back." Thomas admitted, "The midnight goods had to sneak me in."
Well, that explained why his fire was out.
"That only proves you did everything you could."
***
11 years later.
Thomas was resting at Tidmouth when he heard Gordon's whistle, joined by his siblings. He opened his eyes, expecting to see Gordon, Northern, and Scotsman.
Instead, a fourth engine was in front of him, the three expected Gresley's smirking on either side of her.
She, somehow was an A3 Pacific in BR Express Passenger Blue with the number 60061 on her buffer beam.
"I never got to thank you for trying to save me."
"POLLY?!?!?"
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hazel-of-sodor · 6 months
Note
What's the weirdest thing that Caomhnóir (or any other engine like Scotsman or the Sudrians) did when they went out to save engines?
pretending to not know each other/ be different engines. I actually talked about this in one of our A03 convos, but the 60s and 70s saw the Sodor engines visiting heritage railways to promote preservation.
During this many Sodor engines encountered 'Cassandra' a female LNER J72 painted in worn unlined BR Black...with extened sidetanks and splashers.
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resulting in many conversations like this-
"Thomas? How are you here?"
"Hello! I'm Cassandra!"
"...Thomas I know its you. You literally just got painted black. We're 200 miles from Sodor. How."
"Who is Thomas? Is he a friend of yours? Besides, Thomas is a boy's name, I'm a Girl." *smiles like an innocent angel*
"...We're talking about this once we're back on Sodor. Now what do you need?
Unintentionally this created a railway preservation cyrptid/myth. You see 'Cassandra' was seen by countless railfans, and appears in the background of many photos at the time. Sometime in the 80s Railfans began trying to search for 'Cassanda', as it was she had appeared to survive well into the 70s, but no information could be found on her. Which number shes was, who owned her, withdrawl dates, she was a complete mystery.
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hazel-of-sodor · 4 months
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Presenting the LBSCR A1/A1x terriers! in 30 liveries.
Here is a list of the liveries and locos. They will be listed left to right, top to bottom.
1. Stepney in 1960s preservation/RWS condition IEG
-preserved irl
2. Kemptown in Original IEG (or close to it)
-She was sold to a colliery and preserved in the 70s
3. Martello in Southern Olive
-preserved irl
4. Abigail (Wandle) in AF&JR Blue
- @angryskarloey 's OC, see their fics for info
5. Freshwater in FYN Green
-preserved irl
6. Deptford in NER Green
-sold to a factory, survived the factory being bombed in 1915, was sold to the NER to replace a 'destroyed' E1 (Thomas in my AU), sold to the NWR in 1923
7. Minories in NWR Blue
-sold to the NWR in 1933
8. Carisbrooke in Southern Machalite
-bought for a Musuem in 1959
9. Nicola (Piccadilly) in AFJR Blue
-See @angryskarloey
10. Beulah in DWR Black, 2-4-0 condition
-purchased by the DWR in 1934, expirementally rebuilt back into a 2-4-0
11. Thomas (fictional addition) in NWR (rebuilt) Blue
-fictional addition to the class, just to have Thomas as a terrier
12. Cheapside in LB&SCR Umber with white lining
-purchased in 1951 at scrap price by Suddery Rail Museum after withdrawl due to broken crank axle, restored and serves as pilot at musuem. Livery was proven to be historically inaccurate, but She prefers it, so was allowed to keep it.
13. Brighton Works in Brighton Pilot livery
-Stolen by Caomhnóir in 1963, later restored by the Bluebell
14. Portishead in GWR Shirtbutton Green
-disappeared from Swindon in 1950, reappeared at the KESR in 1978
15. Ashted in WC&PR Green
-sold into industry, bounced around the NCB till the 80s, then purchased by the KESR in 1976
16. Fenchurch in LBSCR Umber
-Preserved irl
17. Bodiam (Popular) in KESR Blue 18. Sutton in Worn Grey
-Preserved irl
19. Waddon in SE&CR condition post-war Green
-Preserved irl
20. Boxhill in LBSCR 2-4-0 Condition IEG
-Preserved irl
21. Whitechappel in BR Lined Black
-Preserved irl
22. Clapham in LSWR Mint
-bought for spares for Kemptown. Purchased alongside kemptown and rebuilt in the 80s
23. Knowle in Southern Black
-Preserved irl
24. Newport in Isle of Wight Central Railway Red
-Preserved irl
25. Leadenhall in New Haven Harbor Co.
-purchased by the New Haven Harbor Co. to work alongside Fenchurch. Preserved direct from British Railways in 1962
26. Millwall In DWR rebuilt condition
Purchased by the DWR in 1934. Due to her boiler being little better than scrap condition, she was fited with a DWR D1 type boiler.
27. Zephyr (Wapping) in streamlined condition
-striped for parts to repair Popular in 1938, but her frames were saved by an eccentric Railway director, who loved the terriers. Rebuilt as his personal engine and given cosmetic streamlining, she was purchased from BR following his retirement, was stored in a dedicated room in his home until his death in the 80s, when she was donated to the Bluebell as per his will.
28. Earlswood in DWR 0-4-2 condition
-purchased by the DWR in 1949, experimentally rebuilt as an 0-4-2
29. Tooting in C&HR Blue
-Purchased by the C&HR in 1901 for service on a coastal branchline, which she still runs to this day.
30. Brixton in Caledonian Blue
-sold to a colliery in 1935, purchased by the Caledonian preservation Society in 64 to serve as a shunter in their works.
*collapses*
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hazel-of-sodor · 4 months
Text
What's Lost is Found
Ch.19 Embrace
Other Stories
Other Chapters
Tendrils shot forward and the younger 47xx yelped as she was dragged clear off the rails and into her older sister's embrace, her crew diving to safety. The Uman crews just laughed as they helped them up.
"I thought you scrapped." Screech rumbled, tears of midnight black falling onto her runningboard with an acidic sizzle.
Tyto laughed unbelievingly, "You thought I was scrapped. We saw you scrapped!!"
"They didn't do a good enough job."
"Obviously." Tyto laughed, joyful tears were streaming down her face. "We thought you were gone forever."
Abbey was the first to catch on. "We?" She asked.
"Oh right!" Tyto smiled up at Screech. "Yes, Flying Scotsman rescued me and Eagle, along with several other Westerners from Cashmoore's, before taking us to Caomhnóir."
"Caomhnóir... Is real?" Enid asked, not quite daring to hope.
"Yep!" Tyto chirped, "he's good too. Scotsman was only able to give him a few hours notice but he had places for all of us."
Screech reluctantly set her back down onto the rails in front of her, although she didn't let go yet.
"Eagle and I are North Western engines now." She said proudly. "Our controller has already announced he doesn't plan to follow the modernization plan."
"The Other Railway can't be happy about that," Becca observed.
3219 snorted, "They really aren't, but the island has a history of home rule, and the Suddery council is backing Sir Topham Hatt."
"You are safe then?" Screech asked softly.
"As safe as we can be," Tyto said happily.
"Then I am content."
 "Sir Topham Hatt is trying to get another of our siblings, but the Other Railway is being stubborn," Tyto explained.
"Same with us." Enid chimed in, "We've been trying to buy more engines for months, but we're blocked at every turn."
Tyto frowned, "We'll tell the others so they can pass it on to Caomhnóir, he may be able to help."
"Why not tell him yourself?" Blaidd asked curiously.
"I'm not sure which engine he is," Tyto admitted. "...or even if they are a he. Some of the others I've met said they were saved by a female engine. Honestly, it might be multiple engines."
"You didn't see them?" Enid said disappointedly.
"Only for a moment," Tyto explained, "and even then I'm not certain. I was barely awake when they directed Duck, a 57xx that's friends with Caomhnóir, to take me and Tyto to the works. Besides it's better if I don't know."
"You can't give away their identity if you don't know it." Una guessed. 
"Exactly." Tyto nodded grimly, "the Other Railway is desperate to catch them. None of us that were put back into service know who they are at first. I think a few have since found out, but they feign ignorance either way."
3219 nodded, "One of the Other Railway's inspectors was almost killed last month. He tried to set a trap for them but almost got crushed. If Thomas had not been there..."
"Thomas?" Screech asked with a frown, the name was oddly familiar.
"Our No.1," Tyto explained, "Tiny little tank engine, like smaller than a 1400 small. He's got a little branchline running up into the hills. Cheeky to everyone, but a good sort with an almost Western work ethic."
"Ah," Screech said in realization, "My driver used to read some books about him to their daughter."
Tyto snorted, "Don't mention those to him. He had an accident a few years back when a cleaner fiddled with his controls. He ended up stuck in a house and needed his buffer beam and runningboard rebuilt. For some reason the author of those books wrote it like the whole thing was Thomas's fault."
"I take it he's not the author's biggest fan," Abbey said with a grin.
2319 laughed, "Apparently he wouldn't speak to him for a month after that. In any case, he barely snatched the inspector out of the way in time. The Fat Controller was furious."
"Fat Controller?" Miss Morgan asked.
"Sir Topham Hatt." Tyto clarified, "Apparently the engines called his dad that and it passed to him when he took over."
She frowned, "he really was angry at that incident. The North Western hasn't had a human death on the railway in decades and that was almost ruined by the inspector."
"You said human deaths," Screech noted.
"Trucks," Tyto and 2319 said in unison.
"Ah."
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
Text
Day 28-Home Now
Traintober 2023
Other Stories
Day 28-Which Way Now
Home Now
Oliver sat in the sidings, listening as the sounds of footsteps grew closer.
"What are we gonna do now Mr. Oliver?" Toad whispered.
Oliver didn't know. He was out of coal and water, and talking to Douglas had used the last of his steam.  He couldn't whistle, much less move. He was about to tell his driver and fireman to run when he heard the chuffing of a steam engine, too small to be Douglas
The footsteps stopped as the engine approached. Oliver could barely make out the sounds of conversation.
For a moment all was quiet, then the footsteps resumed their approach, the chuffing of the engine right behind.
The trucks in front of him were pulled away, exposing the trio and their crew.
For a moment nothing moved, then a tall figure stepped into view, he wore a black three-piece suit with a purple undershirt. In his hand was a cane and on his head was an old-fashioned top hat.
"So," Sir Charles Topham Hatt began, "You're the engine the other railway has been raising such a fuss over."
Oliver tensed, but before he could retort the engine he'd heard before rolled up behind the Fat Controller, he was a small 0-6-0 in the North Western's blue and red stripes. 
Caomhnóir's eyes shone golden as he smiled at the stunned crew.
The Fat Controller smiled smugly, "I have been looking for another Steam Engine to help on my railway, would you and your crew be interested?"
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
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Day 7-Fire
Traintober 2023
Other Stories
Day 7-Refreshment
Fire
Emily groaned as she pulled into the siding. The snack shop's siding overlooked the river, with Kirk Ronan Harbor in the distance. Scarlet smirked at her sister, "Tourist season is easy? You're just out of shape?" 
Emily glared at her little sister.
On the other side of Scarlet, Molly laughed quietly at the sibling's bickering.
"If you must know," the emerald engine said, "they added four more coaches to my train."
A waitress came out on roller skates, bringing Scarlet her drink, a pink lemonade, and Molly a coconut slushie before taking Emily's order.
"Coffee, light cream, and sugar if you please."
As the waitress rolled off, Scarlet shook her head, "I don't know how you can drink coffee in this heat."
Emily snorted, "We run off of steam. Everything they make here is cooler than our boilers...except the "Molly" wings."
Both sisters looked over to where the yellow 4-4-0 was innocently sipping her slushie.
"They're not that bad," she finally said.
"They made Henry cry last week," Emily said dryly.
"He's a sensitive engine?" Molly offered weakly. "Besides, Thomas can eat them."
 "Caomhnóir has the Lady's protection," Scarlett snorted.
"And more bravery than sense," Emily interjected.
"Gordon ate them?"
Emily snickered, "Molly you really should know Gordon's poker face by now, he ran the water tower at Kellstrope dry after he left."
The yellow engine sagged sadly.
As the waitress brought her coffee, Emily suddenly had a wonderful, awful idea.
"Say, Scarlet hasn't tried them has she?"
Her sister shot a betrayed/panicked look at her before swinging to meet Molly's large hopeful eyes.
Emily smirked as she sipped her coffee.
Excellent.
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hazel-of-sodor · 7 months
Text
Day 6-Summons
Traintober
Other Stories
Day 6-Special Letter
Summons
Gordon, Northern, and Scotsman met at Cronk station near midnight as the letters had asked. "Why do you think Caomhnóir called us here brother?" Northern asked. Her newly restored LNER Blue paint shone in the yard lights.
"And why by letter?" Scotsman asked.
"I don't know," Gordon said. "He normally would have asked for us in person. I wanted to introduce him to both of you."
"Because you three draw too much attention as is."
The three large pacifics all jumped as the tank engine suddenly spoke. Thomas rolled out of a shadowed siding, he appeared to be covered in soot, black from footplate to funnel.
"What happened to you?" Northern asked in concern.
The tank engine chuckled, "Nothing that won't wash off later. It's almost too easy to sneak away when everyone is looking for a blue tank engine." He smiled at the three lner engines, "It is good to finally meet you Northern, and good to see you again as well Scotsman."
"So you are here as Caomhnóir, then," Gordon said once they had returned the tank engine's greetings.
Thomas shifted anxiously, "Yes, but not in the way you're used to." He hesitated, "Now that British Railways is letting up the search for engines, it's time I let others know about some of the engines I've hidden. That way if any were to happen to me..."
"They wouldn't be lost," Scotsman finished quietly.
"Yes." Caomhnóir sagged and for a moment his true exhaustion shone through, "I have no idea if this is the right decision...but I can't keep putting it off."
"Are you alright?" Gordon asked concernedly.
The tank engine gave a mirthless chuckle, "It's been a long few years." He glanced nervously up at the blue engine, "please don't hate me?"
Gordon frowned in confusion, "I can honestly say I can think of nothing you can reveal to us to make me hate you. You have always done your best Caomhnóir."
He suddenly chuckled, "If we made it through the twenties as friends, I highly doubt anything you have done will phase me. United we stand
..."
"...Together we fall." Thomas finished, smiling softly. "Alright then, if you will follow me, we're heading up to a private estate on the Peel Godred branch. It has rail access to help with the orchid's harvest."
"Can the rails hold us?" Northern asked dubiously, "We weigh significantly more than you."
Thomas smirked in a way that Gordon knew meant a trick was coming, "I have it on good authority they'll be able to hold you three. Now come on, the 70s can only distract everyone so long."
The three express engines trailed behind the little tank engine up the electric line, in the distance Gordon could see the three class 70 electrics at the station, doubtlessly creating the distraction Thomas had mentioned.
Gordon had only rarely traveled up the electric line, so he was unsurprised when he didn't recognize the junction to the estate. The tracks disappeared through a massive wrought iron gate. Thomas gave three short bursts of his whistle, and the gate cracked open. A teen shot through the gap, hugging Thomas's buffers.
"Caomhnóir!"
The tank engine chuckled warmly, "And a good night to you as well Rhyddid."
The girl huffed good-naturedly, "I've told you not to call me that."
The girls suddenly froze at the sight of the trio behind Thomas.
She turned pleading eyes on Thomas, "Does this mean..." She began hesitantly.
"Yes. It's time they know."
"YES!" The girl whooped, quickly dashing to open the gates. Thomas puffed through, pausing long enough for Rhyddid to climb up on his buffer beam.
The three siblings followed the pair into the estate, the teen, who asked to be called Rhy, happily chatting the whole time. They finally reached a set of sidings where the orchid's produce would be loaded, allowing the three engines to line up alongside each other as Thomas pulled up to a shed at the end of the sidings.
"Hey, Sis!" Rhy called as she unlocked a door and entered the shed, "you have visitors."
Gordon could make out the sounds of a discussion within, but it was covered by the sound of the shed doors swinging open.
The inside of the shed was dark, but Gordon could make out a large shape within, almost as large as his own. Rhy stepped over to a light switch, stopping to smirk at them before she flipped it, "Surprise."
The lights flicked on to reveal a large green engine. It had four smaller wheels in front, six 6'8" driving wheels in the middle, a pair of smaller wheels supporting her firebox and cab, and a large taper boiler. She was missing her tender, but her identity was unmistakable.
LNER A3 No.4480 Enterprise smiled nervously. "He..."
Northern surged forward to crash her buffers against their little sisters as Scotsman's and Gordon's jubilant whistles rang out through the night.
It was far later in the night when Gordon finally forced his eyes away from the impossible sight of Enterprise, intact and alive. Thomas and Rhy were quietly chatting to give the siblings a semblance of privacy.
Noticing the attention, Thomas nervously spoke, "Gordon, sorry I didn't tell..."
Gordon rolled up and gently pressed his buffers against Thomas's.
"Thank you," Gordon said hoarsely. "However you managed it, however long you had to hide it, thank you."
Thomas frowned, "Gordon, I let you and Scotsman think you were the only ones left."
"To save me." Enterprise spoke up. She glanced towards Scotsman, "He wanted to reveal me when you first visited, but it was the worst of the end at that time, and the other railway was already sniffing around this line."
She looked over to Gordon, "Your red friend found me on the mainland back in 62, said he couldn't let a chance to get one over on you go."
Thomas snorted, "James dodged eight patrols to get her back. If he was that dedicated to getting one over on you he would have done so by now."
Enterprise laughed, a bell-like sound that threatened to have Gordon begin crying again.
"Caomhnóir met us at your terminus and brought me here. Mrs. Rachel and Beth wanted to preserve a steam engine so Rhyddid could grow up like they did. They had a shed built and sent word to Caomhnóir that they were ready when he found an engine in need."
She smiled at Northern, "You won't have to keep these two in line much longer, they have been working on obtaining proper paperwork for me. They hope within a few years I'll be able to receive an overhaul and join you on the North Western."
"I'm going to be her driver." Rhy stated, "I can apply to the North Western next year, and I should be able to reach the position of driver by the time she's overhauled."
Gordon smiled, "I would be happy to have you train with my crew. The experience would see you ready in time."
"I would be happy to have you as well," Northern agreed.
It would be far later in the morning when the three pacifics followed Thomas back to the mainline, more tired than when they had arrived, but far, far happier.
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