Express Engines

Express Engines
Season 2, Episode 2
Air date	April 7th, 2018
Written by	TheLocoLover
Directed by	TheLocoLover
Episode guide
Previous Vernon and the Bull	Next Loud and Proud

Express Engines is the second episode of the second season of The Sudrian Rejects.

Plot

Every day, an express train runs Steelhead Isle Line, going nonstop from Grasmere to Larnwick, only stopping for coal and water. Typically, Celeste pulls the train, despite the fact that she is simply a branch line tank engine, she still tries her best to pull the express.

Little did anybody know, the express exhausted Celeste. Being the oldest engine on the railway, she frequently stressed herself to not be late and not complain. One day, however, the express was busier than usual, so she had to put on more coaches.

“Come on now, guys!” Celeste called as she shunted an extra coach to the express. “We can’t be late!”

The coaches all agreed. When the additional first class coach was coupled up, the remaining passengers began to board the coach. “Quickly, please! We’re already late!” She told the passengers as they moved in a brisk pace.

Once all the passengers boarded, Celeste’s guard blew her whistle, and in a huff, Celeste left the station. “Come on! Come on!” She huffed while she left Grasmere.

Whilst Celeste was leaving the station, Garrett whistled a greeting. “Morning, Celeste!” He said.

But, he got no reply. “Celeste?”

This concerned the second class coaches. “Uh, Celeste, darling, is everything okay?” Questioned one of them.

“If you’re not feeling well, we can ask Mr. Greens for another engine to pull the train.” Continued another one.

One of the third class coaches laughed. “Don’t worry, lads! Celeste never has problems, isn’t that right, Celeste?”

“Uh... yeah, sure.” Celeste yawned.

Some of the coaches weren’t so sure, though. “This is an issue of the utmost concern.” Remarked one of them.

“No. Everything’s fine.” Sighed Celeste, although she had a look of exhaustion, and she was steaming poorly.

Even Celeste’s crew knew something was wrong. “Come now, girl.” Sighed her driver as she peeked out to look at her engine. “Are you alright?” Besides the fact that she was due to be repainted, everything was fine. “How about I repaint you tonight?”

Celeste muttered a reply, but her voice was too quiet to be understood. “Don’t worry, Sandra.” Comforted the fireman, he chuckled a little bit. “I’ve worked with Celeste for many years, she’s probably just tired.”

Not only did the coaches and Celeste’s crew have different theories on why Celeste was acting, almost everyone who knew Steelhead Isle Line did.

Sadie sighed as her and Sam shunted a train that Vernon would pick up. “I wonder what’s wrong with Celeste. She always seemed so happy.”

Sam simply scoffed. “Those steamers complain all the time. She’s just a normal steam engine.” Of course, she shut up when she saw the glares from the trucks and her sister. They all respected Celeste, and didn’t like anyone talking badly about her.

On the Main Line, the three other engines had questions as well. Whilst waiting for his train to be shunted, Garrett expressed his concern to the cranes. “Lizzie, Cledwyn, I’m scared for Celeste’s mental state.” He said to the two, although to be fair, both were working, thus only half-listening.

“Elaborate.” Replied Rustbucket, or Cledwyn, as Garrett called him.

“Well, she’s been very quiet at the sheds, and she’s been taking longer to steam. Mr. Greens sent her to be looked over at the works, but nobody knows her problem.”

“Is it her boiler?” Suggested Lizzie.

“No. Must be firebox.” Rustbucket said, his broken English sticking out. “Firebox is where fire is made.”

“Yes, I know that, but-“

The shunter at Grasmere Docks had shunted Garrett’s trucks, and now the Garratt was ready to go. “Well, see you later, guys!” Called the large engine as he left to deliver his train of diesel tankers.

Garrett was still concerned for his friend. Celeste was my first friend here, I need to support her, He thought. Vernon had to break me in, and Mask is still distant. Poor Celeste, I hope I can find out the problem.

At Briar Glen Mines, Garrett stopped to drop off the last of the diesel fuel. Whilst it was loaded onto Sadie and Sam’s fueling depot, he heard a commotion. “What’s that?” He asked a nearby brake van, whom was cringing at the noise.

“Mask and Vernon are arguing.” He sighed. “I heard Celeste come up at some point, it probably has something to do with her recent behavior.”

“They’re being really loud.”

“Aye.”

Puffing over to the other side of the mines, the two engines were yelling loudly at one another. “Why does it matter?!” Vernon lashed out. “All you care about is for yourself! Why do you care about Celeste so much?!”

Mask immediately fought back. “I could say the same about you! You made Garrett’s first days here a complete nightmare!” He retorted.

“Don’t bring Garrett into this!” Vernon scolded. “You’ve been pretty isolated to him! What’s so special about Celeste?!” Suddenly, he gasped. “You have the hots for her, don’t you?”

If Mask had ears, steam would be pouring out of them. Instead, his safety valve began to hiss, and his gauges began rising. “Cut off steam!” Demanded the manager of the mines.

Following the demands, Mask’s driver shut off steam, closed the regulator, and everyone took cover. “SHE’S THE ONLY ONE OF YOU MORONS I CAN STAND!” Shouted Mask, everyone froze in both shock and rage. With that, Vernon scoffed and left to go collect a passenger train. Garrett, shocked, knew he had to go find Mr. Greens, thus he decided to go to Grasmere.

Thank goodness I don’t have another train for a while. Thought Garrett. Mr. Greens can set things right.

At Grasmere, however, Mr. Greens was nowhere in sight! “Where’s Mr. Greens?” Garrett asked the stationmaster.

Grasmere’s stationmaster shrugged. “All I know is that he’s having a meeting about Celeste.” She said.

Garrett sighed. “Oh well, at least I tried.”

Suddenly, Garrett heard a familiar Great Western whistle. “Celeste!” He said with excitement. But, once he saw his friend, his smile faded. “Oh no...”

Both rolling stock and passengers gasped and stared in awe at Celeste, who was clanking and wheezing into the station. “Celeste! Are you alright?!” Called out Garrett.

Celeste just yawned. “Yes... I’m... fine.” Suddenly, she fell asleep as she slowly stopped at the platform with the express.

“Oh my.” Remarked the stationmaster. “Garrett, please shunt the express coaches into the yards, then push Celeste in her shed.”

Garrett, albeit scared, did the actions of the stationmaster. While being shunted, however, Celeste jerked awake. “Oh! Garrett! What are you doing?” She questioned, a bit startled.

“I’m taking you to your sheds.” Remarked a stern Garrett. “No more express runs today.”

“What? But what about the passengers? And the coaches? And my guaranteed connection with Vernon?”

“All cancelled.”

“But surely I can work elsewhere-“

Garrett, despite usually being docile, finally rose his voice. “That’s enough, Celeste! We’re worried about you, Mask, Vernon, Sadie, Sam, everyone!” He scolded.

Celeste just sighed. “Alright... but surely I can still work.” But, by the time she was in the sheds, she was out cold.

That night, the sheds at Grasmere were very chaotic. Mask, Celeste, and Vernon were all in an argument, one that Garrett was trying to ignore. “I’m fine, you two.” Moaned Celeste. “Just peachy.”

“No you’re not.” Retorted Mask. “You need to stop saying that!”

Vernon rolled his eyes. “Once again, siding with the one moron you are able to like.” Although it took some restraint, Mask ignored him, instead taking his rage out on Celeste.

“Darn it, Celeste!” Boomed Mask. “If something’s wrong, just tell us!”

“Please, Mask! I’m fine!” Pleaded Celeste.

Before the argument could get worse, though, a familiar voice cleared his throat, then yelled. “Engines, SILENT!” It was the shedmaster, Mr. Greens. Even Mask went silent, knowing Mr. Greens was about to have one of his signature rants. “It’s far too late for this behavior! You all should be quiet and sleeping, just like what Garrett is trying to do!” He then groaned. “Celeste, there will be no express runs tomorrow. You will stay in the sheds and rest, it’s what you need.”

Celeste sighed. “Yes, sir.”

“Good night, you four.” Groaned Mr. Greens as he went home for the night.

“Good night!” Called Garrett, but the other three engines said nothing. I wonder what that meeting about Celeste was about. He thought. I hope she’s not scrapped. That night, Garrett went to sleep worried.

When Garrett awoke, he caused the sheds to go into a state of panic. “Where’s Celeste!?” He cried, immediately waking up both Mask and Vernon.

The man who was cleaning the engines peeked out of Vernon’s cab. “She told me and her crew she wanted to leave a bit early for the express. After all, she’s been taking longer to steam!”

The three engines all froze. “But express trains were cancelled for today! Celeste needs the break!” Garrett replied. This concerned the man, who quickly ran over to Mr. Greens’ office.

Mr. Greens charged out of his office in a panic. “Come on, Vernon! We’re going on a rescue mission!” He called to Vernon, who didn’t have a scheduled train for a while. Wow. First a bull, now a engine going AWOL. Whatever will I have to chase next? He grumbled mentally.

When Vernon left the sheds, Mr. Greens used his cell phone to call the stationmaster at Grasmere. “Dave! Stop that train!” He demanded.

“Which train?” Questioned Dave, the stationmaster. “The only train that’s been here was Celeste, and she left five minutes ago.”

“Bother.” Sighed Mr. Green as he hung up. “Stop, Vernon!” He called, and his crew stopped him. “There’s no stopping Celeste, she’s already gone. The only one who can stop her now is the stationmaster up at Larnwick.”

Little did anybody know, when Taurus had his rampage the day before, he had knocked down some telephone poles. Thus, it would be impossible for Mr. Greens to call the Larnwick stationmaster’s office.

Meanwhile, Celeste was being scolded by her crew, who had now found out her sham. “Celeste, why would you lie to us?” Her fireman asked. “I know you love the express, but this is ridiculous!”

“I.. I’m sorry.” Celeste said, gasping for air.

“Are you alright?” Interrogated her driver. Before Celeste replied, however, she heard a hiss. After all the strain and stress Celeste had been undertaking was finally biting her in the bunker. “Jump out! Now!” She shrieked as her and the fireman jumped out of Celeste, using quick reflexes, she barely uncoupled the coaches in time. Suddenly, they heard a burst.

Celeste’s safety valve was a mess of molten metal atop her boiler, steam leaked from anywhere possible. “She’ll burn to a crisp!” Called the guard, who quickly dashed into the dining car, taking some water, and with the assistance of the crew and some servers, poured the water into the raging firebox.

Although the crew was saved, along with the passengers, Celeste and the coaches were stranded on the line, a bit of steam still quietly hissing. “I’m sorry, guys.” She said to the pitying coaches.

“It’s alright, dear.” Soothed one.

“You just overworked yourself, that’s all.”

The dining coach, though, wasn’t as sympathetic. “I know you’re in pain and feel bad, Celeste, but when will somebody save us?”

“We’re right here!” Called an unfamiliar voice. Suddenly, Celeste and the coaches stared in awe as a black tender engine with a six drive wheels, a leading truck with four wheels, and the number five on it’s cab coupled up to the front of Celeste.

Garrett then pulled up alongside Celeste, Mr. Greens then disembarked from him. “Oh my, Celeste. Are you alright?”

“I should be fine, sir. You know I’m getting old, maybe it’s time for me to be scrapped or retired.” Celeste groaned. Garrett’s eyes widened in shock, and the coaches gasped.

Mr. Greens, however, just laughed. “Oh, stuff and nonsense, Celeste! Your driver tells me you’ve been overworking yourself too much, so I’m taking you off express duties.” He explained.

Celeste was shocked! “But, sir! Who will take the express?”

The unknown engine then spoke up. “That’s where I come in! I’ll pull the express.”

Mr. Greens smiled. “Correct, now, Garrett, let’s get these coaches back to Grasmere. Good night, you two!” He called to the two other engines.

As the engine began moving, Celeste spoke up. “Well, I’m Celeste. Who are you?”

The engine was a bit shocked. “Oh, where are my manners?” She laughed. “Sorry, I was too distracted by other things. My name on the LMS was Jamaica, but most of my friends called me Jamie, which I prefer.”

Celeste smiled. “It’s very nice to meet you, Jamie.”

“Same here.”

“So, where are you taking me exactly?”

Jamie sighed. “Oh, fiddlesticks! I forgot to tell you that too, didn’t I? You’re going to the works. You need repairs badly.”

Celeste laughed a bit to herself. “Yeah, I did a number on me, didn’t I?”

“Oh yeah. Totally.”

The two talked for what seemed like hours, and as Jamie shunted Celeste into the works, they both smiled at one another. “Good night, Celeste.” Jamie whispered.

But, Celeste was already fast asleep. Despite snoring loudly, she still seemed so peaceful. She must really need that break. Jamie thought.

When Jamie went into the sheds that night, she returned to see Garrett smiling at her. Despite no words being shared, she knew what he was saying. He was thanking her.

Now, Celeste has retired from express duties, and just like her job on her old line, she is now an affable mixed traffic engine who can work with any load she is given. Everybody agrees, ever since Jamie took express duties, Celeste works better, and is no longer so stressed.

Characters

• Mask
• Celeste
• Vernon
• Garrett
• Jamie
• Sadie and Sam
• Lizzie
• Rustbucket
• Mr. Greens

Trivia

• This episode was originally darker, the final draft had TheLocoLover so invested, he accidentally made Mask swear!