Episode IX: Great Western Escape is the ninth and final episode of the first season of NWR Origins and the ninth episode overall. It was uploaded on January 23, 2016 and was the second episode of Oliver's two part story.
Plot[]
After having a Nightmare about being scrapped, Oliver is awoken by his driver at just before 01:00 just as the last diesel passes who informs the Fireman to get ready Oliver's fire. As Oliver is hitched up to Isabel and Toad, he realizes that their is very little coal in his bunker to which his driver states that they will just have to try and conserve coal, which they manage to do, as they continue on their journey but is sure there is a few coal stations on their way to Sodor. Suddenly when approaching the next signal box Oliver is surprised to see the signalman at the next signal box holding a red flag and when they stop he asks them what they are doing running around the line at this time to which Oliver's driver states that they are just returning to the shed due to being delayed by problems due to Isabel. The signalman then informs them that there is a mystery Great Western Steam Engine running down the line, and quickly recognizes that Oliver is that Engine escaping from scrap but kindly reveals that further up the line there is an old disused quarry branch which they can stay at to avoid being spotted by diesels who will be hunting Oliver in the morning, to which the crew thank the signalman who reveals that he won't tell anyone as Oliver departs.
As soon as they arrive at the quarry branch, Oliver's fire is put out and his driver and fireman begin to build a huge mound of earth which they finish just before 05:30 as the first diesel passes by with a goods train. Several days go by and Oliver hears the growling and grumbling of distant diesels traveling up and down the main line. Some are searching for the missing Oliver while most are carrying taking passengers and goods up and down the line. One day the driver and fireman decide to find out where exactly they are leaving Oliver, Isabel and Toad alone, when suddenly Toad hears a diesel and calls loudly to Oliver to which Oliver quietens him. However Toad's call staggers the attention of two passing Black Class 08s who stop just outside the branch stating that they smell a steam engine. Luckily for Oliver, the Class 08's realize that they are late and race away to prevent their controller from being cross with them and once they'd left, Oliver lets out a sigh of relief as does Toad. A few hours later Oliver's driver returns and reveals that they are much closer than they thought and could possibly make it in one night but Oliver questions that they may not have enough coal to complete the journey to which his driver responds by stating that they will see if the remaining coal will last and use sticks and logs as substitutes for coal in order to keep Oliver's fire up but one thing's for certain, they can't wait around on the quarry branch any longer to which Oliver agrees that there is probably enough. That night as the last diesel passes, while the driver removes the earth, the fireman sets up Oliver's fire and once the driver is in the cab and wishes everyone luck, Oliver departs for the final journey.
Oliver passes round bends, through tunnels and over many bridges. Despite their best efforts, when approaching Barrow, the driver realizes that there is only one block of coal left so decides to use the twigs, however they burn up fast so don't produce much steam and as a result Oliver finds himself going slower and slower and despite the crew's best efforts Oliver runs out of coal just before the next signal box. Suddenly they hear the noise of diesel motors and the crew run to hide in Isabel's toilets as the diesels arrive, one purple Class 08 (Splatter) stopping behind Oliver and one green 08 (Dodge) alongside. The green 08 states that they've found the runaway steam engine but Oliver tries to protest to which the purple 08 states that Oliver is talking nonsense before asking the green 08 what to do to which the latter tells the purple 08 to shunt Oliver at one of the sidings in the scrapyard. When they arrive, the scrapyard manager is waiting for them and asks about Oliver to which the green 08 states that he is the runaway steam engine. After observing Oliver the manager informs the diesels to put Oliver in one of the sidings while he will try to contact the manager of Oliver's line to see what he wants to do with these disposable railway stock as the Class 08s roughly push Oliver into one of the sidings and once the diesels depart, Oliver realizes that this is the end and once his old manager finds out he will be scrapped to which Toad suggests that the manager won't and Oliver will stay at the scrapyard to which the latter states that judging by the behavior of the diesels and the manger they will most likely be scrapped immediately.
Toad's theory is right as once Oliver's old manager found out, he apparently states that he was glad to have the burden taken away from him deeply hurting Oliver. The manager of the scrapyard decides to dispose of Oliver, Isabel and Toad but due to being very busy keeps delaying the time and as a result they are left in the same siding for days leading to the crew going out every day to try and find some coal to help them escape. While they wait in the sidings, passing diesels often mock them rudely, until one day Oliver apologizes to Isabel and Toad stating that he brought them both to doom to which Toad tells him if it were not for him they would have already been scrapped but here they have a chance of escaping to which Oliver states that the chance of escape is minimal. Toad then states that it's still a chance before Oliver questions as too why Toad calls him Mr. Oliver to which the latter states that ever since Oliver gave him a name, he has had a great respect for the Great Western 14xx and admires Oliver's courage in getting them all the way out to near Sodor. Oliver then compliments Toad on his optimism before stating that despite the many brothers and sisters he's had Toad was always his closest friends, glad that he could be with Toad and Isabel to the very end, which the two rolling stock agree with. Then Oliver's driver appears that after searching for many days, reveals that they are actually in the scrapyard near Barrow-In-Furness before stating that the North Western Railway is only a few miles away to which Oliver points out that they don't have enough coal to which his driver positively states that a situation will present itself sooner or later.
One night around midnight Oliver is suddenly a woken by a sound, the sound of puffing and a deep tone whistle which Oliver realizes is the sound of a steam engine before shouting at his crew, Isabel and Toad to wake up. As they do so the driver spots a goods train shunted by a steam engine who is revealed to be Douglas arriving with a goods train commenting to his driver and fireman how the scrapyard gives him the wheelies to which his driver agrees. Quickly Oliver's driver and fireman light Oliver's fire to produce some steam to attract Douglas' attention and soon begin to wheesh some steam which Douglas hears and approaches the shed. Oliver questions Douglas on if he is a North Western Engine which the Scottish Engine responds positively before Oliver tells him his situation and Douglas, being once in a similar situation himself, agrees to help Oliver stating that he must look as if he's ready for scrap and the Scottish Engine is taking him away. Before long, the drivers and firemen remove Oliver's side rods,wrote papers and property labels,and write scrap all over him as Douglas backs down in front of him and once coupled up, pulls Oliver out of the scrap yard, just as Diesels call out. Further down the line a foreman stops them but after the situation is explained and is shown the property labels and papers, he agrees to let them pass. Not too long afterwards they arrive at the bridge connecting the North Western Railway to the mainland to which Douglas cheers that Oliver is now safe just as the sun begins to rise.
Soon they arrive at Crovan's Gate Works but are spotted by a foreman who is impressed with Oliver's story as Douglas shunts him into the works but not as impressed as the Fat Controller when he finds out and immediately arranges for Oliver to be repaired. A few days later Oliver congratulates that Toad was right as even if the chance was small it was still a good chance and Toad states that he will always refer to Oliver as Mr. Oliver which the latter admires. Just then a Green Great Western Pannier Tank with the No. 8 arrives in the works and is surprised to see Oliver, Isabel and Toad realizing that he is not the only Great Western engine on the North Western and is proud to have another engine of Great Western Origin on the railway. Oliver realizes that this is Montague the engine who William had told him about before greeting him warmly by his name which shocks Montague who then smiles and tells Oliver that he is preferred to be called by his nickname Duck before asking Oliver on how he arrived leading to Oliver retelling his whole story.
*This story is narrated by Oliver in the present day speaking to a Reporter. Oliver mentions how he still had a number of incidents on Sodor on his first days but they were better than his days on British Railways which Toad agrees. The story ends with Oliver joining the rest of the NWR 11 as they watch the sunset.
Characters[]
- Duck
- Donald and Douglas (Donald does not speak and is not named)
- Oliver
- The Black Class 08s
- Toad
- Isabel and Dulcie (Dulcie cameo)
- Arry and Bert (not named)
- Splatter and Dodge (Splatter not named)
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Diesel 10 (appears in dream, cameo)
- Thomas (cameo)
- Edward (cameo)
- Henry (cameo)
- Gordon (cameo)
- James (cameo)
- Percy (cameo)
- Toby (cameo)
- Frank (cameo)
- Blister I and Blister II (cameo)
- S.C.Ruffey (cameo)
- William (mentioned)
- Oliver's Siblings (mentioned)
Several random diesels appear in the background.
Cast[]
- The Peel Godred Branch: Oliver
- Donald9Douglas10: Toad
- Carson0802200: Douglas
- Waltsland1912: Duck
- 22Tesla: Reporter
- Thomas1Edward2Henry3: Everyone Else
Transcript[]
Main article: Great Western Escape/Transcript
Trivia[]
- Events from Escape, Oliver Owns Up/Resource and Sagacity, and Toad Stands By are shown. The latter two are brief flashbacks at the end. Also, footage from the previous episode is used (not counting the recap at the beginning).
- Music from the films Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is used. The Kevin Macleod piece "Private Reflections" was also used.
- This marks the first major appearance of Splatter and Dodge in any of Thomas1Edward2Henry3's videos.
- The script was finished on January 8, 2016 after much delays.
- The events of this story happened in 1960 to 1968 and 2015.
- Filming was completed on January 20, the same day that the previous episode, Great Western End, was uploaded.
- The scene where Oliver states "The chances of us getting out of here are a billion to 1". Followed by Toad mentioning "There's still a chance." could be a reference to a similar scene in the 2000 movie Chicken run.
- This is the final episode of the first season of NWR Origins. Season 2 planned for release beginning in January 2019.
- The ending scene is a parody of the iconic Binary Sunset scenes from Star Wars Episodes IV & III. (It uses the same music as well) Ironically, since the scene was filmed at sunrise because of the more colorful lighting, T1E2H3 accidentally captured both the real sun rising and the photo-edited sunset. Therefore, there are two suns, making a binary sunset.
- This is the only episode not to have a member of the NWR 11 in the YouTube Thumbnail.