A/N: this goes out to @Kieron0103 and his Haven Railway story, and I thought I'd get back in the saddle of making a Thomas and Friends story again. Also, this is tied in with @Kieron0103's book 'The Beacon Railway'.
Sodor is the island of the North...
Jane, Austin, Max, Liliana, and Belle, the tank engines and shunter diesel of the Josephine Railway, are all considered the backbone of the railway, and they all work together to keep the railway going. Diana and Braedey are considered assets of the railway, but the tank engines and shunter diesel have helped out a lot.
~*~*~
On a Friday morning, Austin and Max have been doing some shunting for the other engines, lining up the trucks, vans, flatbeds, and coaches for their trains of the day. The two of them seem to have some kind of synchronised movement to know what goes where and which engine will take them.
After about half-an-hour, the two finished up their shunting and parked up to get coal, water, and diesel fuel. The two friends smiled to one another, as if mentally telling each other they did a good job. As they waited for their tanks to be refilled, Diana arrived with Charlotte alongside her.
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"Wow, you two. That must be a new record to get this yard ready." Diana commented.
"Nah. Half-an-hour is nothing." Max shrugged. "We can get it down in about 20 minutes or so."
"Impressive." Charlotte commented.
"Diana, your stopping train is on Track 3." Austin said to the Caledonian locomotive. "Charlotte, your goods to Barrow-in-Furness is on Track 1."
"Thanks, you two." The two female locomotives go ahead to collect their trains, and travelled on their way.
"By the way, have you seen Jane today?" Max asked to Austin.
"Not since this morning, no." Austin replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Just thought I'd ask you." Max then fired up his engine, ready to go and get another train ready for the others. "Well, I'm off to work again. Take care."
"Same here too, lad." Austin, once topped up with water and coal, chuffed away to arrange the coaches.
~*~*~
Jane, meanwhile, was taking a stopping train along a quiet section of the railway. It was home to a few farms and such along the way, with station halts being served by the engines. The roads were not as good for cars and buses, but off-road trucks and tractors can handle the dirt roads.
Jane sat at the platform patiently for her passengers to climb on or disembark from her coaches, just as she saw a redhead little girl walking up to her with a group of other schoolchildren.
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