The Road to Radstock

adventure time

***The Road to Radstock*** is the ninth and penultimate episode of the first series of *The Dark Railway Series*.

## Plot

Brian and Raymond are given the week off for rescuing Dave, while Dave bunks off work to chat with them. One day, the three engines are talking at Galen Junction when they are approached by Theo and Otto. They tell them that they require them to collect some wagons from Radstock on the Somerset and Dorset Railway, as they contain some valuable cargo necessary for their "top secret plan". They also tell them that a contact will be waiting for them at Templecombe and that they will be paid something much more valuable than their current wages in exchange. Wanting the money, the trio immediately accept the offer, and prepare for departure.

A few hours later, the engines arrive at Templecombe to discover that their contact is Sir Edgar Woolwinder, the twins' cousin. Learning about the security around the wagons, Dave comes up with a plan. At Radstock, Edgar approaches two shunters guarding the wagons, and gives them tankers of diesel fuel secretly spiked with alcohol. Soon, the shunters are under the alcohol's influence, and the engines take the wagons.

As they are leaving, however, a shout is heard and several diesels come charging after them. The engines run as fast as they can back towards Templecombe, but as they reach it, Edgar has to stop because of his hurting crank axles. Brian stays behind and pushes some wagons in front of the oncoming diesels, derailing them all. Edgar tells Brian to continue after his friends, while he returns home alone. Brian catches up with the others and they return to the Dark Railway.

When they arrive, Theo and Otto are waiting for them. The vans are opened, and the engines are surprised to see that they contain rope, hot dogs, and rusty rails. The twins give them their payment, which turns out to be several bottles of alcohol. Annoyed at the lack of money, the three engines start drinking until they are caught by Mr. Dark. As he proceeds to punish them, Theo and Otto arrive back at Soma, and begin to look at what else was in the vans.

## Characters

* Dave
* Brian
* Raymond
* Theo and Otto
* Sir Edgar Woolwinder
* The Security Diesels
* Mr. Dark

## Locations

* Galen Junction
* Templecombe
* Radstock
* Gillingham
* Soma

## Trivia

* The events of this episode, particularly the contents of the vans, foreshadow the events of Event Horizon.
* The names of the drinks that the twins give the trio are parodies of real life alcoholic drinks.
* The title of the episode is based upon the "Road to..." series of episodes from the Fox TV Programme, *Family Guy*.
* The music that plays during the chase scene is a composition created by Dark DJ himself, and besides the opening theme song, is the first piece of music used within an episode of TDRS. It is titled "Revolution", and is also used during the ending credits of *Event Horizon*.

## Goofs

* The diesels that chase after the engines include two Class 47s and four Class 55s. However, none of these engines existed in 1960, and it is said that Raymond was the only 47 constructed before 1962.
* There is a random glitch with the sky when we see the two security diesels (see gallery).

## Gallery

Title card for Episode 9.Dave, Brian and Raymond chat at the Junction after their last adventure.The three friends are interrupted by Theo and Otto, who have a job for them.Theo and Otto explain the mission to Dave, Brian and Raymond.The three friends head up the mainline towards Somerset.The three friends arrive at Templecombe, and are met by their "contact", Sir Edgar Woolwinder.Dave has an idea about how to steal the vans.Dave, Brian, Raymond and Edgar arrive at Radstock.The mysterious vans that Theo and Otto are eager to acquire.Edgar's crew spikes the diesel's drinks.The security diesels get drunk. Notice the odd glitch with the sky in this scene.Dave and Raymond collect the vans.The larger security diesels give chase. Note that some of the locomotives depicted were either not built yet, or are in inauthentic liveries.The chase begins.Edgar has to stop at Templecombe with pains in his crank axles. Brian stops to help as Dave and Raymond escape.Brian shunts some wagons on to the mainline to derail the security diesels.The security diesels are derailed.Brian says farewell to Edgar.Brian catches up with Dave and Raymond at Gillingham.Theo and Otto eeagerly await the vans, as the three friends return home.The vans are opened...The trio's reward. Note that the drinks shown here parody real life alcoholic drinks.Theo and Otto are dissapointed with the trio's ungratefulness at their gifts.The three friends decide to drink their troubles away.Mr Dark finds the three engines drinking, and decides that they need punishing.Later that night, at Soma...Theo and Otto decide to find out what else was in the vans...