The Sudrians: Tales from the Engines

The Slow Line (1951)

"Well..." he said, as the guard blew his whistle, "it can't get as bad as it is now."

Gordon began to leave, but his reverser was the wrong way and he went backwards instead of forwards. "Woah Gordon!" cried his driver, the big engine stopped suddenly. His passengers grumbled as he did.

"Bother," Gordon grimaced, as he set off the right way.

Stopping services were slow, stopping at nearly every station, this made Gordon grumble endlessly, as he trundled down the line at a speed he detested. "I was not built for this work," he mumbled, as he left one of the stations.

The new coaches were beginning to become a problem. As Gordon was going to leave Wellsworth, he was suddenly stopped when a porter saw that one of the coach's doors wasn't shut properly. At Maron, they had to wait a little longer in order to make sure one of the coaches' axle boxes didn't overheat. Then at Kellsthorpe Road, one of the door handles broke, causing the railwaymen to discuss what to do, all the while making Gordon feel stuck at the station for all eternity.

He soon came to Vicarstown station, and as he did so, James came running back up the line with the express returning to Tidmouth. "Enjoying your casual run Gordon?" he joked, as he flew past. Gordon's boiler pressure suddenly shot up.

It wasn't until late that evening that Gordon came home, he was still cross at the day's events. James meanwhile bragged about his run with the express. "I'm sure the Fat Controller will choose me to take it again tomorrow," he said smugly.

"No, he won't you pillak," said Henry, "he's already chosen me to take the express tomorrow, you're on the goods trains."

As the two engines began to argue, Percy looked over to Gordon. "Your day any good?"

"What do you think?"

Percy paused, thinking a little carefully about what he would say next. "Being on the slower trains must be different for you," he said.

"I'm not designed to do that work Percy," said Gordon plainly, "I'm an express engine! Meant to be fast and pull the heaviest and most prestigious trains as smoothly and as impressively as possible! Not pull a casual passenger train!"

"You're not designed for those trains, I agree with you, but you're not going to the works until next week at the earliest," said Percy, "and you're not the only one who has to go slow on the mainline when taking trains."

Raising a brow, Gordon looked down at Percy, who smiled knowingly. "I think you view the express as more of a task you must do better at every time you pull it, which makes you concentrate so much so that it puts your mind off other things, unlike other engines. So, I might know a few ways to deal with your situation."

***

The next day, Gordon was puffing down the line with the same train as the day before. He moaned, bored as he puffed slowly down the line. He then thought of what Percy advised him to do and looked around the countryside. He then looked up at the sky and sighed.

"I use to walk with yoooouu," he began to sing, "along the avenuuuuue. Our hearts were carefree and gaaaa-- alright I'm not singing, that's just silly."

"Didn't know you liked that song," teased his driver.

"I'm trying to find something to do whilst pulling this dull train," Gordon retorted, "Percy recommended me to sing of all things!"

"Well, singing isn't your strong suit Gordon," laughed his fireman, "did he recommend anything else?"

Gordon thought for a second, then he did remember something. "He did say look at things I usually don't see when I go fast down the line," he said.

"Then try that," smiled the driver, "look we're coming to Crosby, why don't you look at the surroundings there."

Gordon did so, it was very rare for him to see what was around the small town, he looked to see the activities at the station and saw a few boys taking down his number at the station. Gordon felt immensely proud of this, as he began to leave, he noticed some cattle wagons being loaded up with horses.

"They're for the horse race in Norramby in a few days time," said his driver, which made Gordon curious.

It was a while later when Gordon began to climb his hill, most of the time, he was usually focused on speeding up the hill with as much power as he musters. But the train was light and easy for him, so he did not have to focus as much as he usually did. As he trundled up the hill, he noticed the scenery get more expansive, the sun shone down and gave everything a bright glow, with green trees brushing against each other through the winds. It was blossoming the trees were and the pink petals fell down onto the rails or onto Gordon as he ran up the hill. Whenever Gordon raced up the hill, the wind would follow and blow the petals away, but the big engine was going much slower now and watched in childlike amazement as pink petals fell on his running board. He couldn't help but smile at that.

The next stretch after Maron was the viaduct, as Gordon puffed over it, he looked at all the details he could possibly see. The sights were glorious, he could see the old castle near Cronk standing tall further down the valley he was crossing, and the sea could even be seen over the hills and land. James then came from the other direction and Gordon whistled a hello to him, the red engine responded and the two engines puffed past, Gordon looked curiously at the consist, James, was taking and then looked back at the landscape and smiled, with the gentle breeze blowing lightly around him.

By the time Gordon finished his run at Barrow, he was feeling more relaxed and pleasantly happy about the slow run.

***

It wasn't until later when Gordon was taking another service down the line with the evening sun shining colours of orange, yellow, and red across the sky with clouds dancing around the place. The landscape looked much calmer than ever.

When the big engine returned to Tidmouth, he felt immensely calm. Percy chuffed over when seeing Gordon. "Did it work?" he smiled.

"The singing?"

"Yeah!"

"No, it didn't."

"Oh..." said Percy, his smile fading, "it works with me sometimes."

"Not everything works the same little Percy," Gordon replied, "but that secondary thing did help me."

Percy perked back up. "It did?"

"It certainly did," Gordon smiled kindly, "just puffing along at a slow pace with just looking at the scenery was such a lovely trip. I'm actually looking forward to the run tomorrow. Tell me, did Toby advise you to do something like that?"

"To be honest with you," Percy said, "no, I was an industrial engine cooped up in a factory shed for a few years, when coming to Sodor, it was the most beautiful place I ever been in. I always value what I see when traveling along the line now, just slowly taking it in as I puff along slowly."

Gordon looked at Percy, he was secretly impressed with how mature he was. "Well..." the big engine said, "thank you for helping me with my ordeals. I know we've not gotten on as much, and will most likely have a few falling outs in the future. But I will always call you a good friend."

With that, Gordon reversed back to the sheds, leaving Percy with a beaming smile on his face.

Gordon pulled the express for many decades after that, running the train with much efficiency and concentration as he can to keep it as smooth, fast, and luxurious as can be. But when he needs a rest, or cannot be on the express, he is seen pulling the slow passenger services on the mainline. These trips make Gordon very relaxed and calm, easing his mind as he looks happily out at Sodor's beautiful landscape. Some even say Gordon enjoys these trips more than pulling the express!

Some find it silly how Gordon values these 'boring' runs, but others know it's these trips that make Gordon feel the most peaceful and relaxed he's been after a good long run of pulling the express. After all, every engine deserves a relaxing run once in a while, don't they?