FanFic:Sodor Academy Part Three: November

Previous Part: Part 2

Next Part: Part 4

The third part of Sodor Academy, a Thomas the Tank Engine fan fiction.

Story

After Halloween, the engines settled down somewhat. Lessons continued, and the students were allowed to help out with the workshop locomotives.

The students also continued construction of their own locomotives. Thomas' E2 was coming along nicely, and he was finishing work on the undercarriage. The older students made much faster progress. Gordon, a large, brown-haired boy, was already starting work on the boiler. Meanwhile, Percy was still struggling with cylinders.

Diesel was one of the few students who chose to build a diesel engine, an 08 shunter. The other diesel builder, Boco, was a year ahead and didn't work with them.

One day, Thomas had finished tightening the undercarriage axles, and was taking a short break. He saw that Diesel, who was close by, was wiring the motor.

"Hey, Diesel. You're not doing it right."

"How would you know?"

"Well, your main cables frayed and it overlaps the wheel drivers. You could have a short circuit."

"That's impossible."

"Prove it."

Making sure that Victor was nowhere near them, Diesel grabbed a cable and hooked it up to the feed. Then he plugged it in to the main circuit board.

"Watch and learn, Tommy."

He started the motor. At first, the system ran perfectly. The motor hummed pleasantly, and the wheels turned slowly and rhythmically. But suddenly, there was a loud buzz, and sparks started to fly. The wheels began to move faster and faster.

"What's happening?" called Diesel apprehensively.

"I told you the main wire was frayed!"

The motor hummed louder and louder. The noise started to attract some of the other students.

"Diesel's testing his engine!"

"It doesn't look too good."

"There could be an explosion!"

Thomas ran over to the circuit board, but the cable could not be wrenched from the outlet. The motor went haywire, the wheels spinning so fast they were a blur. The humming got higher and louder still.

With nothing else left to try, Thomas grabbed a pair of wire cutters and leaned over the overheating motor. Smoke was pouring from it, clouding Thomas' vision. He reached in, and with a quick snip severed the main wire.

For a minute nothing could be seen but thick, black smoke. Over the coughs and mutterings of the other students, he heard the whine of the motor getting quieter.

When the smoke had cleared, it revealed a scowling Victor looming over Diesel.

"What's the meaning of this test, Diesel?"

"I-"

"That was incredibly stupid. And the wire was very badly frayed! Why didn't you do it correctly?"

"Er-"

Thomas thought he should say something. "Sir, I-"

"Southampton, that was good work, cutting the main wire. Don't try to stand up for this fool."

Everyone went back to work. At the end of class, Thomas ran over to Diesel.

"Diesel, I'm sorry about the test. I'll help you rewire, if you want me to."

Diesel said nothing, so Thomas walked away.

Under his breath, Diesel muttered, "You'll pay for this, Southampton. You'll see!"

The next day, Thomas was at the station with Gordon. Gordon was an older boy, working on a large express engine. Thomas liked Gordon, although he thought too highly of himself. The two were using a handcar to shunt trucks by the interchange with the mainline.

A loud whistle echoed across the yard, and both looked up. It was a silver A4, pulling one coach. It appeared to be slowing down.

"That's odd," said Thomas. "A special is strange, let alone one that stops here."

Gordon dropped the handle. The special stopped.

"Gordon, what's going on?"

Gordon walked across the line and over to the platform. A person disembarked from the coach.

Thomas ran up. Gordon was staring at a boy his age in a pressed silver suit.

"Hello, Gordon."

"Spencer."

"I see you're still wasting your life in this dump."

"I see you're still as stuck-up and moronic as when we last met. Why are you here?"

"I've arrived for the engine show in two days."

Thomas walked forward.

"And who might you be?" inquired Spencer.

"I'm Gordon's friend, Thomas," he said, holding out his hand.

"I'm Spencer of Boxford. I see Gordon's been reduced to friendships with peasants like you."

Thomas lowered his hand. Spencer walked away.

"Toby?" Thomas asked his roommate, "What's the story about Gordon and this Spencer guy?"

"Spencer's the son of the Duke. He used to go here. He and Gordon were great friends, once. But Spencer thought a place like this was too lowbrow. His parents got him an apprenticeship at Swindon. He offered to have Gordon come too, but Gordon wanted to stay. They fought, and have barrely spoken since."

That evening, Spencer sat at the head of the student table, where Gordon usually sat, ate all the best food, and insulted all of the other students.

The next day he was the same way. Thomas noticed that Gordon went out of his way to avoid Spencer, but the two always ended up running into each other.

None of them could take it any longer.

"The boy's a brat!" said Henry.

"He's been spoiled rotten," said Edward.

"I can't take it anymore!" said James.

"Have you seen Gordon?" put in Duck, "he looks awfully close to snapping. I just hope he can hold out a few more days."

He couldn't. The next morning, Spencer was in the workshop, where the students were working on their engines.

"Look at this piece of rubbish!' he exclaimed when he saw Percy's engine. "A stupid design, and poorly build too. I doubt that this thing can even steam.'

"Lay off him, will you?" said Gordon.

"Oh, so now you respect these scum?"

"They're not scum,' growled Gordon. "You are!"

He punched Spencer int he mouth. Spencer retaliated. Everyone gathered around, cheering for Gordon.

Eventually Victor came to break it up. Spencer was clearly in worse shape than Gordon, although both looked pretty bad. Sir topham Hatt scolded them severely.

"You two should be ashamed! Surely you realize that there are ways to settle differences without fighting! Gordon, you should'nt go around provoking fights. And you, Spencer, should have more respect for those around you! Both of you go to your dormitories and don't come out until after the engine show!"

Thomas brought Gordon dinner. "I'm sorry you won't get to go to the show. Spencer deserved it."

There was a muffled "I heard that" from the next room.

"it's okay, Thomas. I'm happy as long as he misses out too."

Everyone was ready for the engine show the next day. Several engines would be on display, and there would be a tourist train.

Thomas and Percy were on the station platform when James ran up.

"There's trouble. Both the driver and fireman of the tourist train called in sick. There's no one to run the train!"

"Yes there is," said Thomas.

He ran back to the academy.

"Gordon, Spencer, we need you to run the tourist train. You too are the best drivers we've got. Gordon, you're the engineer, Spencer, you're the fireman."

Spencer protested but eventually relented. The three returned to the depot. Gordon and Spencer soon had the train running smoothly. The train pulled out and returned on time, and all the passengers were happy.

"Well, you two," said Sir Topham Hatt, "you've caused a lot of trouble, but I'm proud of your efforts."

Gordon was pleased, and Spencer was wise enough not to say anything.

The next day Spencer left. He and Gordon nodded, and grudgingly shook hands.

"By the way," said Gordon, "if you ever come back, there will be so much trouble involved you will wish you got run over by a train instead. Understand?'

Spencer said nothing, but it was all to obvious that he did.