Abomination

* **Class**: Hunslet "Austerity" Class
* **Designer**: Hunslet Engine Company
* **Build date**: 1964
* **Configuration**: 0-6-0ST
* **Arrived on the DR**: 1968

**Abomination**is a powerful tank engine who lives on the Dark Railway.

## Bio

Abomination was built by the Hunslet Engine Company in October 1964, becoming the final steam locomotive built by them. His design incorporates some interesting and experimental features, such as roller bearings on all axles, a superheated boiler working pressure of 200psi, a mechanical stoker, Giesl ejector, an experimental "autojector", and three different types of brake system.

He was initially designed to be an exhibition locomotive and, when first built, was painted in an elaborate lined green livery to show him off to potential buyers. However, these potential buyers never materialised, so Hunslet shut down their steam locomotive building department, upsetting Abomination, who now held the honour of last steam engine built by them.

Hunslet kept hold of Abomination in their workshop, confining him to a corner of the works for safekeeping. For four years, he stood here, passing the time by asking the workers to prop magazines on his buffer beam so he could, at least, read some interesting articles of the day.

In 1968, Hunslet learned that Mr. Dark was in need of a shunting engine for his railway. Deciding that they could do with a clearout of the old workshop, they suggested that he buy Abomination, who by this point was wearing a rather dull light green undercoat. Mr. Dark did indeed purchase Abomination, but for a cutdown price.

He arrived in April 1968, and was immediately set to work in the Industrial Estate. It was Abomination that quickly came up with the idea of utilising the now-closed Gasworks sidings as a location for freight trains to be assembled, hence cutting out the formidable climb out of the Industrial Estate for the big engines. It didn't take long for Abomination to get bored of working on the Goods Branch, and he started pestering Cammer about pulling a train. Cammer eventually told him to take his goods train. Abomination did just that, unaware that Cammer was delayed and hadn't actually meant it, but soon found that pulling a train was much harder and more tedious than it sounded, convincing him that he was better at shunting after all.

Following the collapse of Gasworks Tunnel, the goods branch was ripped up, removing Abomination from his regular job. He expressed concern about this to Mr. Dark, who assured him that there was still work for him to do around the rest of the line. When the railway reopened, Abomination was put in charge of shunting at Walschurch, also becoming the banking engine for incline between there and Manston Fore. During Howard's visit to the railway, he attempted to intimidate Abomination, only for him to put the diesel in his place.

Following Barry's arrival on the line, Abomination found himself with little to do at Walschurch. He eventually became complacent with this, and when the diesels went on strike he refused to help anyone else until Mr. Dark made him carry out several jobs driving him to exhaustion. He began spending more time on the Soma branch along with the engines of the DRPS, leading them to effectively "adopt" the line as their own. Abomination would later butt heads with newcomer Goose over his protest against Mr. Chairman. Following a major winter snow storm and a runaway involving Mr. B, Abomination would find himself trapped up at Soma with Andy when the viaduct on the branch collapsed. He remained here for several months, being driven mad by Andy's presence. When the viaduct was finally repaired, Abomination was delighted to be free once again. After some foreign coal was imported to support the railway during a coal miners' strike, Abomination was the first to experience problems with it, suffering from a persistent cough until his driver could reconfigure his mechanical stoker.

Abomination's boiler ticket expired in 1978 and to his delight, he was placed on display in the Galen Junction Railway Museum. His laziness annoyed the other engines, especially Brian. Zeke planned to leave Abomination in the museum for as long as it took for him to want to actually work again, and when the rest of the engines were finally moved into the works for overhaul, he remained on display.

## Persona

Abomination is a thoughtful and intelligent engine, who attempts to get on well with everyone he meets. He is also very versatile, able to adapt to any job given to him. Despite this he does have a tendency to be quite lazy, and gets complacent with jobs that require little effort.

## Livery

Abomination is currently painted in Dark Railway Lined Black, with white lining and the "Dark Railway" logo on his tank sides. This was the livery he carried when he first arrived on the railway. His running numbers are painted on his cab sides. Between 1969 and 1973 he was painted in Dark Railway Lined Green with the same details.

## Basis

Abomination is based on a "Hunslet Austerity", designed by Hunslet in the 1940's. One preserved member of his class, 3698 *Repulse*, is also fitted with a Giesl Ejector.

## Appearances

### The Dark Railway Series

Episodes:

* Series 5 - Abomination, Signal Lost, Haunted Hannah, Ed and Sid (*does not speak*), and Claim to Fame
* Series 6 - Ouverture, Trepid, Fustercluck, Ed, Ed and Eddie (*does not speak*), Plunk 'n Bang (*does not speak*), Asphalt Assault, Burnin', and The Prime Time of your Life (*cameo*)
* Series 7 - Futura (*cameo*), Smashing! (*cameo*), Braking Bad (*cameo*), Ey Up?, and Mothership Reconnection
* Series 8 - Time Waster (*cameo*), Short Circuit (*does not speak*), Autumn, and Outro
* Series 9 - 9 (*mentioned*), Goose, Rock'n Roll, Rock Shock (*mentioned*), Time Wasted, Wipeout, and Shapeshifter (*does not speak*)
* Series 10 - Body Angels (*cameo*), Tunnel Vision (*cameo*), The Road to Bellgrave, Coaled Weight, Dirty Colossus (*does not speak*), and Buckin' Hell (*cameo*)
* Series 11 - The Times, Relations (*mentioned*), Further, and The Brickenkopf
* Series 12 - Fresh, Night Beats (*cameo*), What To Do (*cameo*), and Shuffle (*mentioned*)

Specials:

* Phantoms Can't Hang (*not named; mentioned*)

## Trivia

* Abomination's running number, "1891", is a direct reference to the year that construction of the Dark Railway began.
* Abomination is the most powerful tank engine on the railway, being even stronger than the largest tank engine, Brian (as Abomination is power class 5, whereas Brian is power class 4).
* His name eludes to his strange design, for he has many features not normally present on engines his size (like a superheated high pressure boiler, roller bearings and air/vaccuum dual brakes).
* Interestingly, Dark DJ has revealed that Abomination is also fitted with an experimental 'Autojector', which allows him to control a boiler water injector by himself. It is currently unknown how this works and has not yet been mentioned within the series...
* His name also perfectly describes him, due to his appearance (with Giesl Ejector, Tank Ladders and Air Pumps giving him a cluttered appearance).
* From his arrival in 1968 to 1980, Abomination was the youngest engine on the Dark Railway but has now lost that title to Rick.