The Railway Kidnapping

Th**e Railway Kidnapping** (originally going to be named '**The Girls and the Railway**') is a special created by Shane Sowter to combine the universes of 'The Midlander' and the Japanese anime 'Girls und Panzer'. This was also based on some GuP fan-fiction ("fandom") stories.

## Plot

Set in 2016, the special first begins with two unnamed men wearing dark clothing dragging two teenage girls wearing school clothing (the GuP characters Darjeeling and Orange Pekoe) and with the two men attempting to get them to Britain before daybreak. After the opening credits, it cuts to some close ups of Westminster getting his boiler pressure up, and the day begins like every other day, until Kate turns up with the report of the kidnappings that happened in Japan. Hughes wakes up and Jenny soon says that it was none of his business, until the old timer shuts her up.

Meanwhile, somewhere out in the moors, Darjeeling and Orange Pekoe realise the situation they are in as they try to break free from their restraints, which were interrupted by the noise of whistle in the distance, revealed to be Birmingham's bell whistle.

## Characters and cast

### 'The Midlander' characters:

* Jenny
* Hughes
* Capulet
* Westminster
* Hunter
* Jumbo
* Clyde
* Hood
* Kate
* Will
* Titan
* Labiche
* Murphy
* Jazza
* Maude (mentioned)
* Giant
* Jinty
* Stanford (does not speak)
* Andy
* Cam
* Patrick
* Mitch
* Birmingham (does not speak)
* Newcastle
* Coventry
* Fletcher (does not speak)
* Jennings (cameo)
* Unnamed Peckett B2
* Gilbert (does not speak)

### Girls und Panzer characters:

* Miho Nishizumi
* Hana Izusu
* Saori Takebe
* Yukari Akiyama
* Mako Reizei
* Darjeeling (given the surname 'Grange')
* Orange Pekoe (given the real name 'Gracey Monica Stanier')
* Rosehip (not mentioned, but given the real name 'Angela Flint')

### Cast

* Shane Sowter as Hughes
* Kate Norgren as Kate

## Locations

### Moorland Steam Railway

* Gladsville MPD
* Gladsville station
* Gladsville Dockyard
* Birdsville station
* Northrop station and camping coaches
* Ryde station
* Northampsmith Railway Museum
* Dentin Moor station
* Dentin Main station
* Maitford station
* Grendenning station

### Dentin Moor Narrow Gauge Railway

* Dentin Moor yard
* Dentin Main station
* Abandoned military base
* Abandoned wooden trestle

### Japan

* Oarai Girls Academy school building
* St Gloriana Girls College school building

## Trivia

The events of 'The Railway Kidnapping' take place in August 2016.

Since the 'Girls und Panzer' characters were originally drawn to the Japanese animation style, known as "anime", Shane Sowter tasked Maya Goncalves to make them look more "true-to-life".

* Shane created detail cards for Maya to help with designing the characters. Examples include Darjeeling appearing British and Miho Nishizumi looking mostly German.

This special marks the following:

* The last appearance of King James I in GWR Green and his first in BR Express Blue.

* Patrick's first appearance in SE&CR Edwardian Green.
* The first and only usage of Shane Sowter's heavily weathered Hornby Peckett B2.
* The last special to feature the railway's original five locomotives.

Darjeeling's surname comes from Sir Kenneth Grange, which for British Rail designed the famous InterCity 125 High Speed Train (HST). She even mentions that she is the relative of him.

* Her surname could also refer to the GWR 6800 'Grange' class 4-6-0s which Llanvair Grange, Bucklebury Grange and Aberporth Grange are all members of this class.

Orange Pekoe's real surname comes from Sir William Arthur Stanier FRS, the CME of the LMS during the 1930s and created so many locomotives based on Great Western practices. Hood and Australia are both locomotives designed by him.

* She even reveals at she is the great niece of Sir William Arthur Stanier FRS.

The opening theme music used was 'Funiculi Funicula', a Neapolitan song composed in 1880 by Luigi Denza to lyrics by Peppino Turco. It was written for the opening of a funicular railway on Mount Vesuvius that year.

* These version used in the film was in the anime 'Girls und Panzer' as the theme of Anzio Girls High School, which has an Italian theme.
* The music piece's railway history lead to it becoming the opening theme of the film.

Andy's line, "Here he goes again, mentioning the war," is reference to Faulty Towers and The 110th Platoon with the famous phrase, "Don't Mention the War!"

* This's also a reference to Stories from the Wars.

Marches from each country of the European theatre of WWII are used to represent these countries and the UK's military forces. These were:

* Schwarzbraun ist die Haselnuss: Germany
* US Field Artillery March: United States of America
* Katyusha: Soviet Union
* Royal Australian Navy: Commonwealth of Australia
* Heart of Oak: Royal Navy
* British Grenadiers: British Army
* Royal Air Force March Past: Royal Air Force.
* The fictional 'Keep on Advancing' march created for the Steam Reserve Corps is also used.
* Italy was originally going to be included but was written out last minute due to the nation's lack of importance during WWII and has been seen as a meme since.

The end song is a "nightcored" version of the song 'Elan' by Finnish band Nightwish.

The illustrations of the events in the film are drawn to an anime-style while keeping the engines to a more traditional style. This is a nod to the anime that the female human characters came from.

The abandoned army base in the Dentin Moor is was introduced as part of the military history of the DMNGR.

The events of Cat is Off the Menu and Smugglers is mentioned.