Preserved Railway Engines 1 - New Paint

New Paint

31 January, 1985

North Western Railway, Sodor, United Kingdom

 "We've heard from a couple other preserved railways," said the Fat Controller, "that it's a taboo to have a preservation livery. And yes," he said, predicting Percy's question, "this is considered a preserved railway, like the Bluebell. I mean, besides some of the diesels, you're all at least 50 years old."

James took offense.

"Well, what'll we be painted like now?" asked Thomas.

The Fat Controller paused for a second. "You'll get to choose, but in due time. For now, just know that we'll get an image update."

Hatt left and the engines muttered to each other.

---

The first locomotive to leave the works with a new coat of paint was James. Since Henry was also a north-western engine, he chose the L&Y livery he was outshopped in to stay unique. Donald and Douglas entered next. They were the quickest, since they were painted blue already. Even though it's not accurate, it's close enough to their Caledonian Railway colours.

Gordon, Molly, and Emily entered the building. This was the last time that they would see their numbers of four, 13, and 16. Unbeknownst to them, Gordon was also about to undergo a small rebuild. By the time they left, they were, in order, 60000, 62550, and 60701.

Finally it was Thomas' turn. He slowly crept into the station, rather liking his North Western livery, and remembering that he got a branch line out of it. He liked the branch line. Thomas wondered if his coaches would get repainted too as he felt the abrasive scratch away at the steel of his tanks. He supposed he couldn't complain if they were simply chequerboarded with black roofs; they were, after all, L&NER suburbans. However, they would look the part if they were painted in Southern livery.

"So," said one painter, "what'll it be? Brighton, Southern, BR?"

Thomas had to mull it over for a little bit. Not very long, relatively speaking, and it couldn't hold a candle to his 70-some years, but it wasn't immeasureable either.

Finally, he decided. "Southern."

He finally felt the paint dripping from their brushes, coating his body and wheels.

---

When they woke up the next morning, they almost even found themeselves unrecognisable; Gordon had smoke deflectors, dark green paint, and a nameplate on his middle splasher. In order to keep with the tradition of racehorse names, Gordon's nameplate read Grey Sovereign, effectively renaming him to the passengers. The others got nameplates, too, if they opted for British Railways livery. Besides Molly and Emily, they were Edward, Henry, Percy, and Murdoch. Their "new names", as it would seem, were Molly Lamont, Emily Bronté, King Edward V, William Percy, and Henry G. Ivatt. Murdoch was named not after any famous person, but rather he was named Firefly, after a Great Western Railway locomotive.

Gordon, feeling  proud, secretly wished he could go to London again, even if it was St Pancras and not King's Cross. He was sort of fascinated by St Pancras after he came back, having learned it was just one of many stations in London in 1956 or 57, he couldn't remember quite the date.

Thomas, too,was hit with a curious feeling. It would feel, to your or me, quite like wearing shoes too high and hunching to compensate. The reason for this, as he would soon learn, was because his running plate, bunker, and wheels were replaced. You see, in 1914, as soon as he was bought by the NWR, his bunker was extended and his wheels were made larger in case of wartime engine shortages. Then, in 1961, his running plate was flattened out following an unfortunate accident involving him and the station master's breakfast. Percy wasn't there, otherwise Thomas would have talked to him about it. Toby was, however, so Thomas turned his attention over to the tramway engine.
 "Certainly different. Seems someone left my regulator off, but at least I'm not running into the stationmaster's house," Toby teased. "Was the bacon good?"
Thomas rolled his eyes.