The tracks flowed underneath his wheels. The carriages' own hummed behind him. Gordon didn't mind running at night, he liked the world stopping and rest until the crack of dawn. Now he was guided by the moonlight, his headlamps and lights, flickering from houses from the near distance, which would be his destination.

A BR Standard had broken down at Barrow, and Gordon was asked to take the train she bared. He was the only engine at the station and knew the way that the line took. The big engine didn't mind it, he liked travelling on the mainland, knowing that his rails were limitless and the darkness gave a sense of mystery to him, not knowing where he was and see the embodiment of tall hills roll past him.

Houses begin to slide quickly past him, the tracks reflected their lights. Gordon only focused on where he was heading.

He had been warned about Crewe by some engines on the mainland. They alway say that engines lives were being threatened by that place. Saying it would be a graveyard full of engines in the nearing future.

Gordon was thought it was absolute nonsense when Henry told him.

He saw the station building. In the past, he didn't find it as big as some of the stations he had been too, but now returning to the industrial town, it felt like it stood taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Making him feel littler than Percy, maybe a mouse!

Gordon rumbled into the mouth of the station, where he came to a gentle stop underneath the part of the station where it's roof loomed above. His brakes screeching his wheels to a stop.

Passengers swarmed out of the carriages, all knowing that it was their final stop and would need to get another train or get a bus for the rest of their journey home. Porters quickly collected the luggage from the van that was right behind Gordon. Taking suitcases and other objects Gordon would not even remember their names and place them on to baggage cars.

Gordon waited patiently as he watched his passengers move about under the yellow lights of the platform. A dirty little shunting engine appeared from the darkness. His face barely seen from all the soot he had.

"You can go now mate," he said roughly, "I'm shunting ya train ta'night so be off with ya."

Gordon was a little indignant, but before he could say anything his driver called to him. "Pay no attention to him," he said, "come on now, you can have a rest in the yards until our return trip."

The big engine sighed, and pulled away, leaving his coaches with the dirty shunter.

*

Gordon puffed around the yards, it had been a while since he had traveled to Crewe. He had stopped at the station a couple of times, when he was needed to take a train down here. But he had never turned around or stayed here ever since his overhaul. This meant he had a vague memory of the yards and couldn't remember which lines were to get to the sheds.

He puffed around, looking all over the place. It was dark, snow was still around, glistening under Gordon's lamps. The yard had never felt so dark before... and quiet.

A busy yard such as Crewe has never been so desolate in Gordon's eyes. Even Vicarstown, whose small town with small station, was louder than this. But it was the middle of the night.

The sounds of the wind and Gordon's puffing were the only things the big engine heard. Gordon continued forward, he then came to the end of the yard and was a little surprised by what he saw.

A small little shed was at the very corner of the yards, it had one steel door which looked like no engine could smash through it. The shed wasn't singular though, it's length continued off the rails, looking like it was some kind of goods shed, only that it didn't look like one in Gordon's mind.

He couldn't place it in his mind, but it felt like something he knew was in there...

Curiosity would've made him try and look further into it, when he heard a voice which was all too familiar.

"Gordon?"

Gordon's eyes widened, he puffed backwards down the line to see some sidings which curved until the big engine couldn't see the end.

Right in front of one of those sidings, was an engine Gordon would've never suspected.

"R-Reginald?"

The engine from Euston smirked at the big engine. "Hello Gordon, it's nice to see you again. How long has been?"

"All too long," came the reply. Gordon looked at the once magnificent engine. One of his deflectors had been ripped off and he was missing some coupling rods which were supposed to be attached to his cylinder. His cab was scratched and dented and his tender was gone without a trace. His paintwork was covered in dirt and some chalk covered the right side of his boiler. Rust beginning to show.

Gordon looked back to see the grim face. His look of sheer horror.

"I-I-" he stammered, "I thought you were sent here to be mended, but then when you never came back, we all thought you were reallocated, th-the board said you were reallocated."

Regionals growled. "Of course they would," he sniffed, "They're trying to hide the fact that a perfect steam engine like myself, that could so be easily repaired at Crewe works was going to be sent for scrap."

Gordon's water in his boiler dropped. "I'm-I'm sorry."

It's not your fault," said Reginald, "after all, you could be just like me now, or in a matter of time."

"W-What?" stammered Gordon, "why?"

"Haven't you notice Gordon?" replied Reginald, "I thought you actually would. Those beasts have been roaming around the United Kingdom for a few years now, some even coming to your railway."

Gordon raised a brow. Then realisation dawned upon him. "The diesels," he murmured.

"Exactly," said Reginald, "the board of directors aren't just building diesel shunters anymore Gordon. But they're making Diesel engines that are bigger and better every time they make a new class of diesel. You won't be safe anymore Gordon, no engine will he safe. They'll have no choice but to run."

Gordon stared at Reginald worriedly. "How do you know all of this?" he asked.

"Because I've seen Gordon," replied Reginald, "seen those beasts coming out of the works, being tested out at terminus stations."

There was a long pause. "What's inside that shed over there?" asked Gordon.

Reginald looked over to the desolate shed where Gordon was looking at. "Nobody knows really," he said, "but some say that an engine lays in there, never to see the light of day again, only there to be a test subject."

Gordon glanced carefully at the shed. Reginald meanwhile was watching the dark yard. "It's best if you go," he said, "I'm afraid I won't ever see you again."

"Excuse me?"

"There's no way I'm getting out of this," smiled Reginald, "I'm for scrap only now, no reason to save me."

"There's got to be a way," said Gordon.

"No."

Gordon looked at Reginald sadly. Reginald smiled feebly. Gordon could now see the Euston engine's emotions. Full of fear and sadness.

"I know when my time is up," he said, "and it's now."

Gordon looked down at his buffers in respect. "But you and the others, not yet, you have a chance," Reginald continued, "and make sure of it."

Gordon looked back at Reginald, who was still smiling. "Dark days are coming, my dear friend," he said finally, "changes in the winds I may say."

"Indeed," said Gordon, a single tear went down the big engine's cheek. "Goodbye Reginald."

"Farewell," replied the Euston engine, as Gordon moved off, "and good luck."

Once Gordon was out of site. Reginald smiled and closed his eyes. "Changes in the winds," he chuckled and went to sleep.

Never to be woken again...

A/N: I'd like to say thank you all for reading this massive book. But believe me, the sequel will be much bigger.

The next book for this series is already out, and is called:

The Railway Series: Salvation Collection

I'm proud with most of the stories so far and I hope you'll enjoy them more than the previous book. Please have a read of it soon!