ERS Volume 107 - Gordon the Express Engine

From Sodor Island Forums

Author

Stuart7

Stories

Rain and Rails

Due to wet rails, Hunter stalls on Gordon's Hill with a goods train. Gordon has a good laugh about it, until he slips to a stand himself. His driver manages to restart him without a banker, but not before Hunter has heard about what has happened.

Dairy Dilemma

Gordon is asked to take some loaded milk tanks to London, before collecting his evening express. He shows no dislike to this task, and boasts that milk tanks are sensible. He soon finds out how wrong he is when they trick him, and make him late with his express...

The Red Sweater

Gordon is put on goods duty as a punishment for what happened in the last story. James makes several jokes about it, but Gordon himself gets the last laugh when James confuses an illuminative red sweater for a signal light.

Runaway Redemption

Gordon, still in disgrace, has problems with a leaking brake valve. The fitter tightens it at the shed, but as Gordon sets out with a goods train, it begins leaking again and eventually bursts, preventing his crew from reaching the regulator. This causes the trucks to push him down the hill. Gordon and his crew warn the signalmen of their approach, and attempt their best to slow the train down without brakes. Their warning pays off when Daisy's passengers - at the Junction - are evacuated from their train, before Gordon collides with Edward's train, having reduced speed sufficiently to prevent a serious accident. He is praised, and re-instated on express duties as a reward for his bravery.

Notes

• Featured Characters: Daisy, Donald, Douglas, Eagle, Edward, Gordon, Henry, Hunter, James, Sodor Castle, Fat Controller
• Introduced Characters: N/A
• Introduced Locations: Large Peel Godred Dairy
• The incident in 'Rain and Rails' is based on two seperate events. One happened in the late 50's/early 60's when an engine stalled with a coal train in the North of England, which had to be divided. Gordon's stalling is based on something that happened on 25th March 2006 to the 12-coach 'Red Dragon' excursion running from Bristol - Carmarthen. The express was hauled by no. 6024 'King Edward I', and it slipped to a standstill on the line between Llanelli and Swansea. It was restarted using the method described in the story.
• The incident in 'The Red Sweater' is based on an incident which occurred in Milan, Italy in 1958, though, of course, it was the driver that mistook the sweater for a red signal.
• The incident in 'Runaway Redemption' is based on famous event which happened at Chapel-en-le-Frith on 9th February 1957. The locomotive was an '8F' 2-8-0 no. 48188, hauling a goods train. It had suffered exactly the same problem as Gordon at Edgeley shed, and, as climbing to Bibbington's sidings, the faulty-brazed collar on the steam brake-pipe union broke free from the joint, with the results shown in the story. The train ran away down to Chapel-en-le-frith and smashed into the back of another goods train, severely damaging the station. Passengers from a diesel passenger train at the platform had to be evacuated.
• References to the incidents in 'Dirty Objects' and 'Off the Rails' are made.