Out of This World - ThomasNATION Fanstory
May 25, 2024
It was a grand day at Brendam. After years of construction and gathering artifacts, it was time for the Brendam Museum of Science to open its doors. It had everything - relics from famous scientists, a state of the art planetarium, they even had rails for engines to give tours and witness the marvels of the world of science. But what Stanley was most interested in seeing was the outer space exhibit. And at the grand opening after they cut the ribbons, he wasted no time looking for it.
"Please be here, please be here, please be here..." Stanley prayed to himself as he puffed through the museum. Then, his eyes locked on a large machine. "Ha! There it is!"
Toby pulled up alongside him. "What is that? A big metal badminton shuttle?"
"That metal badminton shuttle is a scale model of the Sputnik 1!" Stanley gushed. "The first artificial Earth satellite to be launched into outer space! It's even bigger than I imagined."
As Stanley admired the model, Ruth walked over, fascinated by his space expertise. "Wow, you really know your stuff, Stanley. I had no idea you were such an astrophile."
"A what?" asked Toby.
"Astrophile." corrected Stanley. "It means I'm a big fan of space."
āWell, Iām gonna start a tour in about fifteen minutes,ā Ruth offered, āhow about you join me and you can show everyone how much you know?ā
āReally?ā
āYeah! I need the extra help. Are you in?ā
āIs Saturn encompassed by seven rings?ā quipped Stanley as he and Ruth disembarked.
Before long, the two were doing their tour of the space exhibit. Stanley not only got a close glimpse at the relics of the history of space travel, but also had a blast telling everyone what he knew about orbit. Stanley was in his heaven! But all good things must come to an end as they came to their last monument: a detailed discussion on the Space Race.
āā¦and with that, that concludes our tour!ā finished Ruth. āNow, Stanley and I will be happy to take any questions you have.ā
One little boy raised his hand. āCan anyone go to space?ā
āI think with hard work and dedication, they can.ā smiled Ruth.
āEven Stanley?ā asked a little girl in the back.
Ruth thought for a second, looking at Stanley. āItād certainly be tricky, but I donāt think itāll be impossible.ā
The next day, Stanley didnāt have any jobs, so he decided to pay a visit to Thomasā branchline. He made a quick stop at Knapford, where he was greeted by Thomas and a few of his other friends.
āMorning, Stanley!ā said Thomas. āI heard you were giving tours at the new science museum.ā
āYeah, I was.ā Stanley explained. āIt was a blast! Iām just gonna make a little trip down your branchline real quick.ā
āReally? Why?ā asked Annie.
āDonāt you have any jobs?ā asked Clarabel.
āNot really,ā replied Stanley, ātruth be told, I need to visit Ruth. Yesterday, she brought up an idea that I canāt stop thinking about.ā
āWhat is it?ā asked Thomas.
āIām going to ask her to make meā¦ā Stanley announced. āā¦the first railway engine in space!ā
āWhat?ā gasped Thomas.
Diesel couldnāt stop laughing. āA railway engine in space! Thatās the silliest idea Iāve ever heard!ā
āIt could work!ā Stanley protested. āYou guys saw the flying car she invented. If she can make that, she can send me to space no problem!ā
āHow would that even work?ā asked Daisy. āIs she going to attach rocket boosters to your wheels?ā
āMaybe sheāll attach a thousand balloons to your dome?ā thought James.
āOr maybe sheāll invent some sort of anti-gravity device so you can just float up.ā pondered Thomas.
āOoh, good thinking!ā said Stanley. āIāll need to bring those up when I see her.ā
āBut imagine that,ā smiled Edward, ābeing the first railway engine in outer space!ā
āIs no one going to point out that this is an impossible mission?ā groaned Gordon, trying to bring his peers back down to earth. āHow is Ruth supposed to lift him up to space?ā
āOnly one way to find out.ā smirked Stanley as he disembarked.
Stanley finally made it to Ruthās workshop, determined to make his dream come true. He saw Cleo frolicking in the field outside the windmill.
āCleo!ā shouted Stanley. āHey! I need your help!ā
āWhatās the matter, Stanley?ā asked Cleo.
āIs Ruth here? I have an idea.ā
āYeah, Iām here.ā Ruth said, walking out of the windmill. āWhatās the matter?ā
āYesterday at the museum, you said sending a railway engine into space wouldnāt be impossible, right?ā asked Stanley.
āYeah, thatās right. Why?ā
āWell, I was thinking.ā Stanley started to pitch his idea. āWhat if you built a large rocket? Or tied a bunch of balloons to me, or gave me an anti-gravity device?ā
āā¦I donāt follow.ā Ruth said, bluntly.
āRight, sorry. I want you to send me into outer space!ā
Ruth was a little confused. āWait, really?ā
āYeah! What do you think?ā
Ruth had her reservations. For the first time, she wasnāt sure if this was possible. āWell, Iām not sure. I mean, the technology to send even a small car into space is roughly fifty years away, let alone a tank engine. This may be a stumper, Stanley.ā
āWhat about the flying car?ā asked Stanley. āOr the walking bridge? People thought they were impossible, and yet you did it!ā
āā¦good point.ā Ruth smiled, determined to pull it off. āAlright, Stan the Spaceman. Youāre on! Letās do this!ā
Ruth and Stanley wasted no time in building a mighty rocket ship. Construction took hours, days, weeks, but their determination was unbreakable. They wanted to do the impossible and achieve that goal. After a long time, it was finally time for launch. A crowd of people and engines were gathered at the workshop.
āThanks for coming, everybody!ā Ruth declared to the crowd. āYou are all about to witness history! Because weāre about to accomplish what people thought was impossible. Weāre about to send a railway engine into space!ā
Ruth unveiled the massive rocket ship. It towered over the engines and who else was attached to the side than Stanley, sporting a very snazzy space helmet!
āStanley here is attached with little claw mechanisms attached to his wheels,ā Ruth explained, āthe same mechanisms that were used in the walking bridge. They wonāt detach from Stanleyās wheels until he safely lands on the ground.ā
āSo how does this work?ā asked Sidney.
āIām going to launch Stanley to a height of 50 kilometres above Earthās stratosphere. Afterwards, Iām going to activate the return navigation system to allow Stanley a safe return. And Iāll be able to communicate him through his helmet.ā
āDoes the rocket ship work?ā asked Thomas.
āIt hasnāt been tested, but Iāve calculated the success rates. Itās looking good.ā Ruth said as she donned some goggles. āReady to go, Stan the Spaceman?ā
āReady!ā Stanley smirked.
And before long, it was time for the rocket to launch. At first, it well enough. The rocket was cruising through Earthās skyline and Stanley was loving it. It was about to breach the stratosphere, when the enginesā¦stopped.
āUh, Ruth? We have a problem.ā whimpered Stanley. Now he was plummeting back to Sodor at a blazing fast speed.
āOh no.ā gasped Ruth. āDonāt worry, Stanley! Iām engaging the emergency landing protocol!ā
Ruth pushed a large red button, and a large parachute deployed from the top of the rocket ship. He landed safely outside the workshop.
āWhat happened?ā gasped Thomas.
Ruth sighed. There was no other way to put it. āSorry, guys. The mission is a failure. Sending a railway engine into space is currentlyā¦impossible.ā
The engines disbanded as Ruth helped Stanley back onto the rails. āIām sorry about this, Ruth. I didnāt mean for this to happen.ā
āNo, Stanley, itās not your fault.ā Ruth comforted the silver engine. āHey, maybe someday itāll be possibleā¦right?ā
āā¦sure.ā Stanley sighed as he left.
A couple days later, Stanley had a delivery to make to Ffarquhar. He was still upset over the plan going awry. Then, all of a sudden, the fields of green around Stanley disappeared, turning into a black void full of stars and constellations. It looked like Stanley was in space!
āWhat?ā gasped Stanley. āWhat is going on?ā
The space disappeared around Stanley, going back to the fields and Ruthās workshop. Ruth walked out, holding a small box.
āSay hello to the all new, spectacular 360 degree super-projector!ā Ruth declared.
āA super-projector?ā asked Stanley. āWhat does that do?ā
āEssentially, it displays images all around you. It can transport you anywhere!ā Ruth laughed. āI invented it just for you.ā
āJust for me?ā gasped Stanley. āWhy?ā
āI felt a bit bummed out about not being able to send you into space,ā Ruth explained, turning the projector on. āso I brought space to you!ā
āWow! This is incredible!ā Stanley gasped, on the verge of tears. āRuth, thank you so much!ā
āNo thanks necessary, Stan the Spaceman.ā Ruth smiled.
Stanley took his time letting the world of outer space around him sink in. At long last, his dream practically came true.
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