The next morning, Braedey was now making his way down the line back towards Barrow-in-Furness with the nonstop-express. He had gotten up bright and early to take the express, and he had left at the same time that Henry had passed by with the Flying Kipper.

Eventually, Braedey had arrived at the station, coming to a smooth and gentle stop at the platform. Many of the passengers had thanked Braedey for his service, and the crimson locomotive smiled gently to them. Braedey soon headed off to get turned around, and head off down the line to go back to his home railway.

Just then, Braedey heard a very familiar whistle in the distance, as well as the sound of a speeding engine coming in fast. He then saw a huge engine rocket past him. Braedey couldn't believe his eyes: the engine had been a Pacific tender engine, but had a streamlined shape and it was painted red. Unfortunately, Braedey wasn't able to catch the name on his nameplate as it raced past him.

"Holy Moly Gresley!" Braedey exclaimed in surprise, rolling his eyes in shock. "Another A4 Pacific out on the line Mainline? And just who was that?" He wondered.

"I don't know. And I didn't see a number or any plating on the engine." Braedey's driver replied back to his engine. "Rather odd, if you ask me."

"Quite. And on top of that, I've never seen an A4 in such a bright red colour before. I wonder why such a colour scheme...." Braedey noted with a raised eyebrow.

Braedey soon made his way down the tracks towards his home, all the while wondering about the A4 Pacific and where it had come from. By the time Braedey made his way back towards his sheds, he could see the red A4 Pacific simmering quietly by the sheds, basking the sun. Jane and the others were also there, and they looked curious about this A4 locomotive.

This A4 Pacific has a 4-6-2 wheel configuration, with his side valences that cover the wheels are not there, while also fitted with a corridor tender, which many A4s used for non-stop runs in LNER and British Railways service. He is painted in a bright red colour scheme, a colour scheme not seen before on an LNER A4. He has a silver nameplate with the name 'Eli' painted on them in gold on the sides of his smokebox.

"Excuse me, but who are you?" Austin asked casually.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Eli." The A4 Pacific greeted the Josephine Railway engines. "I'm here to give you all some help on your Josephine Railway."

"Another A4 locomotive? This is definitely something else entirely." Austin noted in curiosity, then he headed off to go and get some trucks for another train.

"You're definitely not like Spencer or Mallard, as far as things can go from first appearances." Braedey commented. He took note of Eli's paint scheme and construction. "I'm sorry if I'm staring, but I'm curious about why you have chosen such a bright red colour rather than LNER apple green, garter blue, silver grey, coronation red, charcoal grey, or any other colour." He also noted something else. "Not riveted construction as well. Welded design and construction, I see?"

"Well, let me explain about that. I've been constructed by the LNER Society, while being fast-tracked by the National Railway Museum." Eli explained to them all. Thanks to old blueprints of the A4, as well as having Mallard as a template, along with news of Silver Link being about, my build was completed in 2 years. I finished steaming trials, and I've now been allowed to go on British Rails."

"Well, that's good to hear." Austin commented.

"So, what brings you all the way out here?" Max asked to Eli, just as he shunted over some coal trucks to top up the A4's coal tender.

"I'm here to assist you all and take a tourist train from Marion to around these rails. I'm also a certified rail therapist." Eli explained and added.

"Really?" Max asked in surprise. "You, a therapist?"

"Yeah. I give therapy lessons to engines that are either having anxiety or uncertain about their futures." Eli clarified. "And I've heard that one of your friends hasn't been feeling well."

"That would be Diana. She's not been feeling the same after going through some bad memories." Braedey said to Eli.

"I see. Where is this Diana?" Eli asked.

"She's just by the station over there." Braedey looked over to the main station nearby. "Maybe you and her could go and double-head with her?" He suggested.

"Good idea. And it's nice to meet you fine engines." Eli thanked to them, and he puffed out of the sheds to go and talk to Diana.

Diana, who's been sitting by the platform, now took notice of Eli steaming up over to her. She showed a small smile on her lips to him. "Hello. You must be the new engine." She said to him.

"Yes. I'm Eli, and you must be Diana." Eli acknowledged back. "I've heard from your friends that you've been having some emotional trouble."

Diana's face fell slightly. "Yeah, sort of. I've just been feeling uncertain, somewhat." She admitted.

"I see. Why don't the two of us double-head the next train, and we can have a talk?" Eli offered. "We can discuss about your negativity and your uncertainty, and I'll see what I can do about it. It always works with some engines."

Diana considered the offer this LNER A4 locomotive has offered to her. She could also use some help to assist her out with the next train, especially since she hasn't had the strongest fire going on in her firebox. She gave a small smile back, confirming to Eli that she would like the help. Eli smiled back, going back to the turntable to get turned around and coupled up.

~*~*~

Meanwhile, Kieron was now shunting some trucks with Austin and Max assisting him with getting the wagons, flatbeds, box vans, and tankers into position for their next trains. As they do so, Kieron was thinking about back to his own military days, back when he was in his old GWR 1400 Class 0-4-2T locomotive body, back to when he worked alongside another engine he once knew.

"Hey, K. What's up?" Max asked, now pulling alongside the LB&SCR E2. "You've been rather quiet."

"Oh, just thinking about my war days." Kieron replied softly. "Back when I worked in Paddington, Bristol, and over in the Western Region of the GWR."

"Who was your friend?" Jane now asked, having arrived with a coal train.

"His name was Shaw. He was a green Furness Railway "Larger Seagull" K2 Class 4-4-0 tender engine." Kieron explained to his fellow engines. "He had worked during Operation Jinmo, the evacuation of relocating 1.5 million people during 1940 of the Nazi bombing raids."

"Wow. That's rather dark." Austin commented.

"Yeah. During the evacuations, the two of us would catch up whenever we weren't busy, but that was all the time." Kieron added in. "The two of us worked as hard as we could during those six long years, and it was rather tiresome for us. Sadly, as time went on, we were sanctioned off to other locations around the country, and all we could do was send letters to each other. When the war came to an end, I hadn't heard a word from Shaw ever since." Kieron looked down at his buffers. "I'm not even sure if he's still in steam now."

"You never know." Austin shrugged. "Maybe he's on a heritage railway somewhere in Wales or Ireland, perhaps. I mean, my brother No. 2217 'Henry Ellison' was taken out of service back in 1970 before being purchased by the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway in 2005, then being restored in 2012."

"At least you know about what's going on with your brother. I have no clue what's come of Shaw." Kieron sighed to himself. He then looked to his fellow shunter engines. "I'm sorry for bringing you all down."

"Hey, it's okay." Max chugged his engine. "We've all been there. I've only got 7 or so siblings who are preserved."

"Come on, now." A worker spoke up, now getting the attention of the shunter engines. "Let's get back to work." With that, the engines soon got back to getting the trains ready for later on.

~*~*~

Meanwhile, down at Lakeside Station, Braedey was taking on water after taking a tourist train. He's had a smooth run so far, and there's been no complaints at all from the passengers.

As he relaxed and waited patiently for his tanks to be filled, Braedey noticed Mr. Franklin nearby, and seems to be on the phone, discussing something. After a little while, Mr. Franklin began to walk back towards the station with a sigh of exasperation on his face.

"Mr. Franklin, is there something wrong?" Braedey asked to him.

"Well, I've just gotten a call from British Railways. Sadly, it's all bad news." Mr. Franklin sighed to himself as he explained the situation. "They will be sending over an inspector to give an evaluation of the railway, and to ensure it is running properly and efficiently."

"Do you know when the inspector will arrive?" Braedey asked him.

"Not sure when, but I'll inform everyone tonight about the news." Mr. Franklin replied to the GWR 4900. "This will definitely not go well with everyone."

"I know, sir. The others will not be happy about hearing about an inspector arriving here." Braedey agreed. "I have already dealt with a number of them during my service life, and they are not friendly at all."

"I get it. Don't you worry, we'll be ready for when the inspector will arrive." Mr. Franklin reassured to him, now climbing onboard Braedey's train.

A few minutes later, the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag. Braedey whistled back, and he pulled out of Lakeside Station, heading off back to the main station of Marion. After dropping off the coaches for the tank engines to take away, Braedey headed to the sheds to go tell the others about what Mr. Franklin said to him.

"Oh, great. More trouble." Austin mumbled.

"The inspector will definitely see me, Kieron, or Jane as being too old to be functional." Lilliana sighed. "I mean, my class of engine was built back in 1888, and the E2 were between 1913 and 1916."

"My class was from 1880's, so you're not the only one." Austin stated.

"We all are rather outdated compared to other engines nowadays." Jonson spoke up to everyone, the other engines looking to him. "Out of everyone here, Lilliana, Eli, and Jane are the most modern in terms of being built today and they had welded construction rather than riveted like most of us."

"Regardless, we'll just have to wait and see what shall happen." Eli spoke up to them.

"I agree." Braedey smiled to the red A4 locomotive.

~*~*~

The next day, Eli was taking a fast train off from Marion to Barrow-in-Furness, travelling at speed forth to the station, going along at over 50 miles an hour. He felt good about travelling at mainline speeds, and it gave him a chance to stretch his wheels.

Eventually, Eli arrived at Barrow-in-Furness, and about 2 minutes early, which he internally thought was good. He waited patiently for the next train to arrive to take his passengers, when he heard the tooting horn of a diesel engine. He looked to see Pip and Emma rolling up on the opposite platform.

"Morning, girls." Eli greeted to them.

"Hello." Pip greeted, since she was leading, Emma pushing from behind. "Everything okay?"

"All fine. Just enjoying the morning stroll, it definitely gives me the chance to stretch my wheels." Eli chuffed, now being uncoupled so he could turn around and take the train back. "You two take care of yourselves while heading to London."

"Sure thing." Emma called to Eli, just as she and Pip rolled away out of the station forth to London.

Eli now made his way over to the turntable, now being turned around, and he coupled up to the coaches. After the passengers boarded, Eli blew his whistle, and he pulled out of Barrow-in-Furness. It would only take about half-an-hour for the LNER A4 to get back, but he didn't mind how long the journey was, he was just lucky to be under his own steam.

Eventually, Eli had arrived back at Marion, but he seems to have come in at a bad time, especially since he could hear Liliana and Jane arguing about something, much to the A4's concern. He made his way over to the shunting yards, and he could see the green NER Class H 0-4-0T and red LB&SCR E2 tank engines arguing about the coaches.

"Listen, you took the coaches yesterday. It's my turn to take them." Jane insisted.

"No, I'll take them this time. You took them yesterday." Liliana spoke back firmly.

"No way!" Jane retorted.

Eli steamed up alongside. "Okay, girls. Break it up. What's going on her?" He asked in a calm voice to the two tank engines.

"Jane is insisting to take the coaches for the next train." Liliana spoke first.

"And Liliana is insisting I already took the train yesterday, which I did not." Jane stated, glaring at the little green engine.

"Okay. Liliana, you did take the coaches yesterday, so it is Jane's turn to take them." Eli said calmly.

"Thank you." Jane smiled, now collecting the coaches to take away to the platform.

Liliana looked at the LNER A4 in surprise. "How... how do you do that?" She asked in awe.

"Do what, exactly?" Eli asked casually.

"Just calm things down before it gets out of hand." Liliana clarified.

"Oh, it just happens." Eli chuffed back. He then saw Diana slowly pulling up with some trucks. "Diana. How are things?" He asked to her.

Diana was a little surprised by the sight of the LNER. "Oh! Uh, hello."

"It's okay if you get spooked a little." Eli reassured to her as Diana puffed by the shunting yards. "Just give yourself as much time as you need."

"I'd better go and get the works' train." Liliana said, now heading off to go collect the works' train. With that, Eli then headed off to the water tower to top up his boiler and reload on coal for his next train.

~*~*~

After a few days, it was time for Eli to head on home back towards York. It was a bit of a surprise for the others to know he was only staying for a period of time, but they all knew that all good things have to end soon. After some goodbyes and some wise words from Eli, the red LNER A4 locomotive blew his whistle long and loud as he left the Josephine Railway.

As he travelled along the mainline of British Rails, Eli wondered to himself as to what kind of future awaits him further down the tracks. Maybe he could see the engines of the Josephine Railway again, or maybe go to the Island of Sodor even. He'll just have to wait and see what will happen.

For the engines of the Josephine Railway, however, they now have to get everything ready for when the Railway inspector arrives to do the evaluation. If it's not satisfactory, who knows what could happen. They all has to pull out all the stops in order to keep their home and be able to still be in Steam...

~+~+~
A/N: Eli the LNER A4 belongs rightfully to kieron0103