Dried Up and Stuck Up

Dried Up and Stuck Up is a draft episode, and a rough adaptation of Old Stuck-Up from the Railway Series book James and the Diesel Engines.

Plot
Dried Up and Stuck Up Bill and Ben are two privately owned engines, that work with Timothy at the China Clay Works. Even though they are accident prone and often mess around with new engines that work on the line, they do work with all the effort possible and usually are found chatting with workmen, helping them with their jobs. However, the most helpful engine there is Boco. Boco is a Metropolitan-Vickers, Diesel-electric, Type 2 that is owned by both the North Western Railway and China Clay Works, and has been told to be the Works' "second controller," as all the engines have a respect for him like no other. That is, at least since Bill and Ben's "Diseasel" incident that got Boco fumed up quite a lot!

However, that doesn't mean he makes the decisions that the real controller does, and so, when he told the engines that a new engine was needed, Boco couldn't do anything. Still, that doesn't mean he couldn't welcome him to the railway. He arrived at Brendam Docks after a long run from Barrow-In-Furness. Many of the engines that worked there looked at him a little weird, but Boco himself didn't recognize him. Boco then told Derek, who went with him to the docks, to show the new diesel around Edward's Branch Line before bringing him to the Works.

A few minutes later, Boco arrived at the Clay Pits to tell Bill, Ben, and Timothy about the new diesel. "A 'Class 40' Diesel-electric is now being toured around the branch, and will be here soon. Now, I want you three to be on your best behavior. I know you can."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Branch Line, Derek was stuck on the line by the shed. The new diesel didn't appreciate this surprise, for more reasons then you'd think. He saw Edward, Donald, and Douglas in the shed, relaxing between shifts.The diesel wanted to wake them up, so they could hear what he had to say. He blew his horn abruptly. Edward's, and the Twins' eyes opened wide, their mouths agate, and their chance to sleep compromised. The diesel cleared this through, before he started talking. "Doris, why are these piles of scrap iron in our sheds?"

Derek responded. "First of all, it's Derek, not Doris, and second of all, these are great friends, who will help us with our work. Talking about work, I think we should be on our way." A worker had repaired Derek and now he was ready to roll again. The new diesel looked back at the engines one more time, and rushed away as quick as he could.

Later that day, the new diesel and Derek finally entered the Clay Pits. The new diesel looked around the area, and was shocked to see yet more steam engines. "This is the railway that I'll be working on, Boocu?"

"Boco, and yes. Do you like it?"

"Like it? LIKE IT?"

Derek knew the new diesel was going to explode, and so, to save the conversation, he said "see? He likes it! Is it about time to get to bed?"

Boco saw where Derek was going. "Ah, yes! I'm shot!"

The new diesel hated this idea, and knew something was up when he saw it was only 7 O'Clock in the afternoon, and didn't want to sleep with the steam engines in the shed. "I won't have it! I will sleep outside the shed in protest!"

Bill and Ben were chuckling in the shadows, brewing plans, while sneaking out to the shed.

The next morning, the new diesel woke up. All the engines were off to their jobs except for Boco and Derek, who were being cleaned behind the shed. "I hope those hideous steam locomotives didn't ruin my paintwork! I'll fancy a polish for sure!" And just with that, the new diesel eased forward. Bill and Ben, however, in their own sneaky way, puffed up behind him. They needed to watch this.

The interesting thing about Wellsworth Sheds is that it has two of them, the one in the front runs towards the main line and branch line but the one behind goes to the Clay Pits as well as the cleaning station.

Bill and Ben were eating it all up.

The new diesel, as he went to the back of the sheds, ran over something very slippery. He wanted to stop... but he couldn't. He wanted to slow down... but he couldn't! He tried and tried, but in the end, the only place he went to was through the back of the shed!!!! Boco and Derek heard about Bill and Ben's plans secretly, and surprisingly, they approved! That's why they went the other way.

The new diesel was very much surprised by this encounter with a third contestant unknown to him at the time. He started screaming blasphemous comments that even Timothy at the Pits could hear. "Oh dear, what could that be?" he asked his crew. Bill was very pleased with his and Ben's trick.

"It seems than Mr. Dry-Up has finally dried up!" Ben responded. "Good Old Stuck-Up!" Boco and Derek chuckled to themselves as they laughed and laughed and laughed!

Now, the owner has sent the Class 40 diesel back to the mainland, and everything is back to normal. Boco often makes fun of Derek by calling him Doris and Derek calls him Boocu. Even though Timothy often dismisses the Twins' actions as silly and goofy, he has to admit the diesel got a run for his money.

POST-CREDIT'S SCENE

As the diesel is about to cross the Vicarstown Bridge, he sees Stepney, who has been ordered to briefly replace him before a replacement is found. "Hello, 261! Haven't seen you for a while! Would your crew like to share a cup of coffee with mine?" The diesels crew agreed. However, he wasn't paying attention to that. Instead, he was looking at Stepney's driver, who was wearing a bowler hat. As he turned around, his hat was picked up by the wind and sucked neatly into his air intake.

THE END

Characters

 * Bill and Ben
 * Boco
 * Derek
 * Edward
 * Donald and Douglas
 * The Diesel (not named)
 * Stepney (post-credits scene)
 * Timothy (does not speak)
 * Salty (cameo)
 * Porter (cameo)
 * Hank (cameo)
 * Marion (cameo)
 * Murdoch (cameo)
 * Bear (deleted scene)

Trivia

 * This adaptation does not add a new character to the series, as the old one did. It replaces Old Stuck-Up with the Diesel (or Class 40,) who both are members of the same class.
 * Bear, a Railway Series character who has appeared before, was planned to appear in this episode. However, he was taken out because the writer thought his appearance was unnessesary and an intrusion in the story.
 * This episode includes references to Bowled Out, Old Stuck-Up, and the TV Series episode Double Teething Troubles.
 * The Diesel is called "Class 40" or the "New Diesel" through the whole story. Stepney calls him "261" in the post-credits scene, but he is not called Bowler ever, possibly hinting that he wishes not to be called that, or possibly that he doesn't have a name, and it was removed, just as Lord Harry/ Patrick's name is taken away in Devil's Back.

Goofs

 * Donald and Douglas would most likely not be working on Edward's Branch Line, as he usually works on the Little Western. However, this may be explained in an upcoming episode.