《Steam of Britain》Chapter 22: Mack's Overhaul
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Mack had been one of the diesels that had been preserved, but his time in service meant he needed an overhaul. He was excited. The engines of King's Cross had to do his work, as well as their own. It tired them out, but they soon got used to it.
One day, when Max was shunting trucks in the yard, he heard a purring. He assumed it was Norvin or Rattler, until he heard the horn.
"Oh, Mack, back from your over-OH MY GOD!!!!" Mack looked very different. He has a new coat of light brown paint, with horizontal stripes along his side. But there was one difference from his new look: he had a giant claw on his cab.
"Hey Max," said Mack, "What do ya think of Pinchy?" Mack lifted his claw up, and showed it off. "Um, is, that even legal?" asked Max. "The workers said it was, so yeah, it's now a part of me." "Um, why Pinchy?" "It just came to me. Also, I have a new name." "Really?" "It's now Diesel 10." "Why the 10?" "I was the tenth diesel they overhauled." "Why did they give you the claw?" "Mainly for loading trucks with logs, and lifting things off the tracks." "Oh," said Max, "Well, just, be careful." "I will," said Diesel 10.
Diesel 10 put his claw, or Pinchy, to good use. He often helped other engines if their load spilled, or needed help loading. He could often be seen lifting fallen objects off the tracks. Many engines feared him because of this, but they were happy to see Mack had changed a bit. Since preservation, he was a bit kinder, and less hostile towards steam engines.
One day, Diesel 10 was due with a passenger train, since he was the only engine available. When he came back to King's Cross, he saw a GWR 5100 Class 2-6-2T.
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"What time do you call this?" asked the engine. "Nice to meet you too," said Diesel 10, "Name's Diesel 10." "What kind of a name is that?" asked the tank engine. Diesel 10 looked at the name plate on his smokebox, and said, "Well, 'Marcus', know that you are preserved, like me. Just know that I'm tired, or else, I would let Pinchy have a go at you." Diesel 10 then crunched his claw, and Marcus just steamed away.
Soon, the other engines knew of Marcus. When Harry came with a passenger train, he saw who he thought was Marcus. "Ah, another Great Western engine?" asked the engine. "Yes, my name is Harry, and you must be Marcus." "I'm not Marcus, I'm Morgan," said the engine. Harry was confused, but soon shook it off, and they talked of the Great Western days.
One day, Diesel 10 was loading some trucks with scrap metal. Just then, the trucks were bashed out of place by Marcus. "Hello!!" he said. Diesel 10 gritted his teeth. Just then, Marcus backed up, and Morgan took his place. "Nice to see you!" he said.
The two engines kept popping up from both sides of Diesel 10, whistling, and saying nonsense, until Diesel 10 said, "STOP!!!! I'M GETTING GITTY!!!!" Once Diesel 10 got his senses back, he looked at the two engines. "THERE'S TWO OF YOU!?!?" "TRICKED YOU!!" said the two engines. Diesel 10 honked his horn, and said that they could've caused an accident if they weren't careful. Just then, another whistle was heard, followed by loud chuffing and puffing, and a large steam engine came in. It was a BR Standard Class 5.
He then said in a booming voice, "Why are these trucks in my way!?!" The engines all quivered in fear, even Diesel 10. The engine then saw their expressions, and said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." The three engines then looked over at him, and Diesel 10 explained what had happened. The engine then said, "You shouldn't do that. It's dangerous to bump trucks that are being loaded. If you do that, the cargo could fall on a worker, or maybe even a by stander, even if them youngsters should know better than to come here uninvited. Now, how about you two head off to the station, they're in need of two engines to double head a heavy goods." Marcus and Morgan puffed off, and the engine said, "Oh, where are my manners, my name's John." "Nice to meet you John," said Diesel 10, "I must ask, are you a preserved with the Steam of Britain fleet?" "Yes I am," said John. Diesel 10 then frowned, "Oh boy. I fear that many of the engines don't approve of the standard classes." "Why's that?" asked John. Diesel 10 then told him the story of when Geoffrey came. "Oh, I know him very well. We were built in the same workshop, and I had much respect for the older steam engines. I'm sure I can earn their respect." But that's another story.
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I'm Always Talking to Myself
My name is Zach. I’m a typical bland featureless protagonist type. The kind of guy who has purposefully few defining characteristics so that people can project whatever they want on me. Like Luke from Star Wars or what’s her name from Twilight. Most main characters are like me. Kind of flavorless blank slates because we all secretly doubt that we’re Harrison Ford, but pretty much anyone could be Mitt Romney. Yep. Yes indeed, I do spend basically my entire life running an internal dialog to no one. Usually I’m imagining that there are people listening. Like maybe philosophers from Ancient Greece, or researchers from another planet who act suspiciously like the characters from that Instagram comic with the aliens. Stupid Instagram comedians stealing my internal monologue and turning into a wildly successful enterprise which I would imagine has a vibrant merch dropshipping arm and hundreds of thousands of daily dopamine hits for loyal followers. I basically spend all of my time explaining random things to imaginary people (and aliens, and animals, and household items which have inexplicably gained sentience and frankly have some concerns about this whole existence thing). Honestly, it’s both highly entertaining to me, in that it makes me think about why we humans do all of the bizarre things that we do, but also horrifically exhausting and kind of makes you feel like you’re either, worst cast, losing your grip on reality, or best case, becoming Abed from Community. Anyway, I’m sure that I have some distinguishing characteristics, but, in the interest of hypnotic suggestion I’m choosing to omit them until I’m pretty sure that you have subconsciously come to identify with me, or until I feel like it. (By the way, in case I forgot to mention it, a higher power called Aww Thor or something told me to say that this is a slice-of-life comedy adventure and that it's set in a fantasy world with isekai and LitRPG elements.)
8 75Universe 2.0
An earthman boy, William, was extremely interested in space travels. He got two techniques from his father, Mighty, who was a world-famous physicist studying faster-than-light space travels and his mother, Sally, who was a biology professor at Columbia University. However, he was sometimes not so confident. This meant that he would rather not believe that he was actually very powerful. Due to this, Mighty and Sally decided to boost his confidence. He set out and began his space travel, yet he came to another universe, which was surely unexpected! He had partners, including a female clone man, Ranran, whose prototype was William's physics teacher and head teacher; a fighter plane, Photon, who looked like a fighter plane in WWII; a racing car, Natalie Hurricane, who had crazy performances. The party used an energy core to travel through a black hole and a five-dimensional space when they reached that universe, but unfortunately the energy core lost all the energy. So they had to go to all checkpoints on three planets to collect all energy, because only in this way could they go back to their universe. Yet what would they encounter while they travel in this universe? Would they be able to go home?
8 164Arrogant Young Master becomes an Adventurer
My joke novel, hope you have fun reading it. Not a cultivation or lit-RPG novel. Arrogant young master journey in becoming the strongest adventurer. 18yo Jakari is starting out his new adventuring life in the town of Lyonhall, one of the starting points for new adventurers. Everyone is trash and they keep getting in Jakari's way! What to expect- mc calling all his enemies trash- mc is already the strongest but doesn’t realize it- mc wants to obtain the one true wife(he thinks all the countless beauties as trash, no girl ever higher than a 1 out of 10)- mc deeply respects his parents and siblings.
8 194A Different kind of Hero (Marvel)
With his wish, he was set free from his hell-like world, now on another world follow Alexander on his quest to reclaim normality.. or some of it sigh.... who am I kidding! his in marvel universe for god sake where is normality in that! Just to let you know I don't own Marvel
8 110Cultivator's Fantasy
A former Immortal died in a great heavenly war, but when he expected death to wipe his memories he woke up in the body of an infant. However instead of getting reborn back into a world he knew, he found himself in a world of swords, magic, and fantasy! Join the newly reborn Glen on his new journey to defy the heavens and reach the apex! And maybe learn a few new things in the process. ** There will be some profanity, but not much however you have been warned **
8 209Wiedźmiński chat,czyli Rakowe rozmowy [ZAKOŃCZONE]
To jest chat. Wiedźmiński chat. Chyba nie muszę wam dalej o nim opowiadać.
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