Line #4 Recap/TheRailwaySeriesB18StepneyTheBluebellEngine


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stepneythebluebellenginecover.png]]
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3	''Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine'' is the eighteenth book of ''Literature/TheRailwaySeries''. It was the first to be illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards, who would remain on the series for the remainder of Wilbert Awdry's books. The book contains four stories focusing on the titular engine making his visit to Sodor.
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5	* '''Bluebells of England''': Percy is singing about bluebells when Douglas comes up and tells him that his song is daft. Percy is cross, and tells him about the "Bluebells of England". He then goes on to inform Douglas that Stepney is coming to Sodor, when Stepney suddenly arrives and the two welcome him with a chorus of whistles.
6	* '''Stepney's Special''': After talking to Edward about the Bluebell Railway, Stepney goes to Tidmouth to help Duck. Thomas has just left with his last train when he is stopped so that Stepney, with a V.I.P. in tow, can pass. Thomas is furious, but when Stepney explains the next morning and flatters Thomas by complimenting his knowledge of branch line life, Thomas is happier and begins talking about his branch line.
7	* '''Train Stops Play''': Percy takes pity on Stepney when he reveals he misses trucks, and offers to share his train with him. Stepney is later passing the Elsbridge Cricket Field when a batsman hits a six and the ball lands in a truck. Stepney doesn't hear the cricketers shout, so four pile into an old car named Caroline and race after them. At Ffarquhar, they get the ball, and, as Caroline is exhausted, Stepney takes them back on a flatbed and stays to watch the match.
8	* '''Bowled Out''': Stepney's stay is almost over, but in his place a rude Diesel arrives and starts insulting the engines. Although the engines have no idea of what to do, the Diesel soon gets his just deserts when an Inspector's bowler hat lodges in his air intake. Duck and Stepney take his train, and reach Crovan's Gate in record time. Stepney leaves next day in style, while the Diesel creeps away in disgrace.
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10	!!The book contains examples of:
11	* BreakTheHaughty / LaserGuidedKarma: The diesel receives one when he sucks an inspector's bowler hat through his air intake vent.
12	* DarkerAndEdgier:
13	** The dieselization of British Railways is centre stage in this book, frighteningly depicted in the [[https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/Stepney_the_%22Bluebell%22_Engine/Gallery?file=BluebellsofEnglandRS2.png second illustration]], in which two rusty steam engines nervously eye the scrapper about to seal their fate.
14	** The illustrations in general take on a more dramatic atmosphere thanks to new illustrators Gunvor and Peter Edwards. Demonstrated beautifully with [[https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/Stepney_the_%22Bluebell%22_Engine/Gallery?file=Stepney%27sSpecialRS5.png this illustration]] from "Stepney's Special".
15	* FantasticRacism: Douglas expresses his disgust for diesels in the first story after Percy tells him about engines being sent to the scrapyards.
16	** DarkIsNotEvil: Percy quickly rectifies this by pointing out [[NiceGuy Rusty]] and [[HeelFaceTurn Daisy]]. Douglas still doesn't trust diesels though. The Author similarly rescues the reputation of the British Railways controllers, who Percy accused of heartlessly cutting up steam engines without saving any.
17	* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Stepney himself, as well as some of the Bluebell stablemates he describes.
18	* HollywoodToneDeaf: Percy, at least according to Douglas.
19	-->'''Douglas:''' If ye must sing, Percy, can't ye sing in tune?!
20	* IJustWantToBeFree: Stepney's biggest wish for his visit to Sodor is to get in a good long run, something unavailable to him at the Bluebell Railway because of how short it is.[[note]]Even with two extensions since this book's publication, the Bluebell line is still only 11 miles/17.7 kilometres long.[[/note]]
21	* {{Jerkass}}: The diesel.
22	* MeaningfulAppearance: The third illustration of "Bluebells of England" depicts Stepney and Adams without faces, as do the illustrations of Stepney's stable-mates at the Bluebell Railway in "Stepney's Special". This was at the Reverend Awdry's insistence, as he did not want locomotives on the Other Railway to have faces unless they were interacting with other characters (as Stepney would in the following illustration).
23	* NiceGuy: Stepney. Even the trucks don't play up on him, and he considers them 'fun'. Also, Percy, because, although his attitude about British Railway officials is "muddled", the Reverend assures us it's because he's "a kindhearted little engine", who hates to hear about engines being cut up,and not for any malicious reason.
24	* PoorCommunicationKills: The cricketers chase down Stepney in Caroline. All his driver sees is the players waving and shouting. He assumes that they’re joyriders and makes Stepney go faster.
25	* RacingTheTrain: What Stepney's driver thinks Caroline and the cricketers are doing.
26	* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech: The diesel delivers one to all the engines, which enrages them.
27	-->'''The Diesel:''' It's not your fault, but you're all out of date. Your controller should scrap you and get engines like me. A fill of oil, a touch on the starter and I'm off, with no bother, no waiting. They have to fuss around you for hours before you're ready.
28	* ScrewTheRulesIHaveMoney: An " important passenger" misses Thomas' branch line train, so he hires his own private train, with Stepney hauling it.
29	* ShownTheirWork: "Stepney's Special" includes an illustration depicting the token exchange system used on branch lines to ensure only one train occupied a stretch of track at once.
30	* SmugSnake: The diesel as best described in this quote:
31	-->"Not bad. At least you're all clean."
32	* StillWearingTheOldColors: Stepney is preserved in his as-delivered "Improved Engine Green". This is in contrast to fellow London, Brighton, and South Coast alum Thomas, who is wearing his usual blue with red striping.
33	* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory:
34	** "Stepney's Special" is based on an event in The Railway Gazzette in 1905.
35	** "Train Stops Play" is based on an incident that occurred in Stroud, Gloucestershire in May 1960.
36	** "Bowled Out" is based on an incident in The Railway Gazzette in the early 1960's.
37	* WholeEpisodeFlashback: The events of this book take place in 1962.

Context Recap / TheRailwaySeriesB18StepneyTheBluebellEngine