The Narrow-Gauge Festival - ThomasNATION Fanstory (Part 1)
July 20, 2024
It was a typical morning up at the castle...okay, right off the bat, that's a lie. Stephen and Glynn were both on the Mainland giving tours at a railway show, meaning it was Sir Robert Norramby and Millie against the world. They were managing their own duties just fine, but for the tours, they had to get some outside help...such as Rheneas.
"What a day," sighed Rheneas, "all these passengers and I'm still not even halfway done!"
"What a day," sighed Rheneas, "all these passengers and I'm still not even halfway done!"
"Just hang in there, Rheneas," sighed Millie, "just a few more hours and we'e done."
"Honestly, I don't get why we need to do all the work," Rheneas kept on complaining. "I mean, I get it. Stephen and Glynn aren't here. But I still feel like us narrow gauge engines are getting the short end of the deal here."
"It's not that bad," chuckled Millie, "but I will admit, it would be nice having another narrow gauge engine helping out here."
"Exactly!" continued Rheneas. "I'm so tired of being looked down on."
"Well, it may just take some time." said Millie. "I remember when we hosted that technology festival, people were weary about all the inventions there. Nowadays, I've heard so many people talk about how impressive it is."
Hearing Millie talk about the technology fair really intrigued Rheneas. So much so that an idea started bubbling in his boiler. "That's it."
"What's it?"
"We could have a narrow gauge festival!" Rheneas explained. "We could have all the engines from the hills come over and talk about how the railway works, we could have races between the engines and stunts, and tours of the railway..."
"That's a great idea!" Millie replied. "It'd be a great way to get more tourists to the hills!"
"Thank you!" chuckled Rheneas, proud of himself. "Now, I just need to speak to Sir Robert."
Meanwhile, just outside Cros-ny-Cuirn, Luke was taking some slate from the Blue Mountain Quarry up to the castle. He was travelling through the woods, greeting the animals he passed with a happy whistle. Just then, he came up to an old junction. The other track was clearly overgrown, but it looked like it was gonna get to Ulfstead quicker.
"Hmm..." Luke pondered. "I've never seen that track before."
Luke thought for a bit, but ultimately, his curiosity got the better of him. He took the track less travelled. It was a bit bumpy at times, but he was still excited to be taking a new trail, letting everyone around know with a loud, gleeful whistle. Everything was going right, until...
"Hello?" a distant voice moaned.
Luke stopped. He had never heard that voice before. "Hello? Is anyone there?"
Nothing. Luke was so puzzled. Was his mind playing tricks on him? Was there really someone in the woods?
"Hello?" the voice groaned again.
"Who's there?" whimpered Luke. "You're scaring me..."
Again, no response. Luke was starting to panic.
"Hello?!" the voice cried louder. This time, Luke wasn't staying around. He raced out of the woods as fast as his little wheels could take him. Back at the castle, Rheneas had just finished telling Sir Robert his idea.
"A narrow gauge festival?" thought Sir Robert. "That sounds like a wonderful idea!"
"Really?" Rheneas smiled. "I'm so glad you think so! I was thinking of having a great race between me and a few other-"
Just then, a distant cry was heard in the distance. "Does anyone hear that?" asked Millie.
The scream was coming from Luke, who was racing into the castle at top speed.
"Luke!" cried Sir Robert. "What's wrong?"
Luke was going too fast and was too scared to stop, leading to him bumping right into Rheneas. The bump caused Rheneas to fall right into the castle's turntable well, damaging his buffers.
"Ow!" Rheneas cried. "My buffers!"
"What's the matter, Luke?" asked Millie.
"I took an old line, because I figured it would be a great shortcut," panted Luke, "and then I...I..."
"You what?" asked Sir Robert.
"I heard a ghost!"
That night, Luke told his story to the others at Crovan's Gate.
"A ghost!" laughed Duncan. "That has to be the silliest thing I've ever heard!"
"It's not funny, Duncan!" pouted Luke.
"Honestly, you ran Rheneas off the rails because of a little voice?" Duncan kept laughing.
"Now, now, Duncan." Skarloey warned him. "What happened with Rheneas was an accident. I'm sure he didn't mean to bump into him."
"Exactly, I didn't mean to hit him," explained Luke, "but I did hear a ghost!"
"Luke, you should know that there's no such thing as ghosts." sighed Rusty.
"Then who was saying "hello" to me in the woods?" asked Luke.
"Alright, enough of this, everybody." Skarloey sighed. "We can sort all of this out in the morning. Let's get some sleep. I think Mr. Percival has something he wants to tell us in the morning."
"Honestly, Skarloey," cried Luke, "I know what I heard! You gotta believe me!"
"We will sort this in the morning." Skarloey responded, sternly.
Later, Luke was laying awake in his sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about that ghost he heard. He decided that he needed to gather some courage and find it, so he snuck out of the sheds and back to the overgrown track. Once he was at the same spot, he blew his whistle as loud as he could.
"Hello?" moaned the voice.
"Hello!" replied Luke. "Anyone there?"
"Yes! I'm over here!" cried the voice. "To whom am I speaking?"
"Uh...I'm Luke?"
"Well, Luke, there's a junction up ahead. Take the left track, and that's where you'll find me."
Luke followed these instructions. He followed the left track to find not a ghost, but rather an old, rotten shed housing an engine.
An old engine.
An old engine he had never seen before.
"Heh, you're not a ghost at all, are you?" asked Luke, chuckling to himself.
"I never said I was." smiled the engine. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Duke."
Luke thought for a bit. "Duke? As in the same Duke who rescued an engine from falling down a cliff? Who stood firm like a bulldog and wouldn't let go?"
"That's me!" laughed Duke. "I never thought I'd see the sunshine again."
"How long have you been locked up here?" asked Luke.
"Uhm..." thought Duke, thinking back to when he was closed off in his shed. "About thirty years."
"Thirty years?!" cried Luke. "And no one came looking for you?"
"It was more of a last resort," explained Duke. "My railway was put on sale, and no one wanted an old Granpuff like me. I got let out again eventually, but I got put back after I broke down. They said they were going to find parts to fix me, and they never came back."
"But maybe times have changed." Luke explained. "Tell ya what. I'm going to take you to get fixed up."
Luke coupled up to Duke and escorted him out of the old shed and to the Steamworks. On the way, Duke entertained Luke with stories of the olden days, from playing a trick on Stuart, to rescuing Falcon, to even the story of Smudger. But eventually, Luke dropped off Duke at the Steamworks.
“There we are.” smiled Luke. “You’ll be fixed up in no time at all.”
“But what about the other engines?” asked Duke. “I haven’t whirred my wheels in so long. I might not be as useful as I was in my day.”
“Don’t worry about that.” Luke reassured the old engine. “I think I have an idea.”
The next day, Luke raced right over to the castle, eager to see the earl. Preparations for the festival were underway. Tents and podiums were set up, as well as some life-sized balloons of the engines. But Sir Robert was looking a bit underwhelmed.
“Sir! Sir!” Luke rushed in. “I need to speak to…what’s all this?”
“Mr. Percival didn’t tell you?” asked Sir Robert. “I’m hosting a spectacular narrow gauge festival in two days!”
“Really?” Luke gasped. “That’s perfect! And I must say, it looks great!”
“I know,” Sir Robert sighed, “but I still feel as though something’s missing! That one final piece of the puzzle that’ll make this festival truly shine.”
“I think I know what it is.” Luke suggested. “I need you to run by the Steamworks whenever you’re free. I have a surprise for you.”
“Alright, I’ll see when I’m available.” Sir Robert said, going back to his work.
“What were you two talking about?” asked Sir Handel.
“What’s the surprise?” asked Peter Sam.
“You guys wanna see?” offered Luke. Soon enough, the three were headed back to the Steamworks.
“Why are we here, Luke?” asked Sir Handel. “Don’t tell me Rheneas is being repainted another silly color again!”
“No, it’s much better than that.” Luke explained as they entered the Steamworks. “Hi, Duke!”
“Luke! Nice to see you again!” smiled Duke.
Sir Handel and Peter Sam were in awe at seeing Duke again. “It’s really him!”
Duke gasped upon seeing his old friends again. “BOYS! I don’t believe it! If it isn’t Stuart and Falcon!”
“Uh, Duke?” murmured Luke. “I think you’ve got them confused, their names are Sir Handel and Peter Sam.”
“Oh, right!” laughed Peter Sam. “See, back when the three of us worked together, I was named Stuart and Sir Handel was named Falcon.”
“Oh.” Luke chuckled. “Well, now I feel silly.”
"So you're Luke's big surprise for the earl?" asked Sir Handel.
"Eh?" pondered Duke. "What's he on about?"
"I was saving it for when you were fixed up," started Luke, "but I suppose I can't keep it hidden anymore. I'm arranging for you to work on the earl's estate!"
Duke gasped. "Really? I'm going to work for the earl of Sodor? Oh, bless you, little Luke!"
"Anytime, Duke." smiled Luke. "Now, come on. We've got a lot of work to do."
Over the next two days, preparations for the festival were going swimmingly. While the earl, Mr. Percival and the other Narrow Gauge engines (yes, including a newly fixed up Rheneas) were setting up the fair at the castle, Luke was busy checking in on Duke's restoration. Sir Robert even loved the idea of having Duke work on his railway. But alas, the waiting proved to pay off, as the first night of the festival was about to kick off.
"I can't believe the narrow gauge engines are having their own festival!" chuckled Thomas.
"I'll never understand it." groaned Gordon. "This whole festival is utterly pointless. Besides, who's doing their jobs?"
"I think they brought on some help from the Mainland." explained Duck. "Anyway, shh! It's about to begin!"
Sir Robert stepped forward to the podium and began his speech. "For many years, we've travelled along the narrow gauge lines, but for the next two days, we're going to put them in the spotlight! I hereby declare the Narrow Gauge Festival...open!"
Sir Robert stepped forward to the podium and began his speech. "For many years, we've travelled along the narrow gauge lines, but for the next two days, we're going to put them in the spotlight! I hereby declare the Narrow Gauge Festival...open!"
A grand fireworks display illuminated the sky as Sir Robert spoke. "Here, you'll enjoy spectacular events and wondrous games. But first, I have an announcement. For a few years, I've been looking for a new engine to help Millie about her duties on the castle's narrow gauge lines. But with the help of my friend Luke, I'm proud to announce that I have found him! A piece of Sodor's history, the hero of the hills, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...Duke!"
The drawbridge lowered as Duke rolled forward, puffing around the castle grounds. The other engines gasped in awe.
"I say!" gasped Skarloey. "I never thought I would ever see him again!"
"How did you find him?" asked Duncan.
"Remember the ghost I heard in the woods?" chuckled Luke.
"That was him?" asked Millie.
"Yep!" smirked Luke.
And with that, the festival was underway. Luke thought this would be an easy two days of fun and games, but he would soon learn that they would be the craziest days of his life.
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