Prejudice is the tenth episode of the second season of the Stories of Sodor and the twenty-fifth episode overall.
Plot[]
The episode begins with Edward stating that there are few existing words with as many ugly connotations as "prejudice". It does occur among non-faceless vehicles, usually originating from newer generations who think that they're superior to their predecessors; sometimes it originates from vehicles who think their standings are higher because they have more prestigious jobs.
One winter afternoon, James and Alfred are at Knapford where Mr. Star is meeting Lord Richard and Lady Whiteadder, who the former was one of a handful of airmen to survive a dogfight against the infamous Red Baron during the Great War. Alfred then crossly demands for a shunter to take away his coaches, but James tells him that Thomas and Percy are both busy, and so without a station pilot, they have to shunt their own coaches, to Alfred's rage. Alfred gets angry with the arrangement and rips into James about not knowing about maintaining a reputation and being a proper engine. Just then, Toby arrives with a shipment of coal and Alfred demands him to take away his coaches. Alfred tells Toby his trucks can wait, but Toby says they can't, especially if Alfred would return to London the next day. Alfred is outraged with Sodor's arrangements and wonders how Gordon manages. Toby then calls Alfred a mongrel out of his own frustration.
Later, Alfred meets up with Gordon at Killdane and tells the latter about what Toby had said to him. Gordon does understand Toby's reaction, though tells Alfred that Thomas or Percy usually organise his express for him. Gordon also confirms that he has taken numerous goods trains since Alfred last visited, his defence being that Sir Nigel Gresley would be pleased to know his prototype is being used to his full potential and he can only argue with Mr. Star for so long. Gordon also points out that his example can have every LNER engine can expand their skillsets to help grow their company. Alfred suggests Gordon to return to London to teach more LNER engines about widening their skills and that his expertise would be invaluable. Gordon decides he is better suited for Sodor, but tells Alfred he could set an example for their colleagues when he returns to London.
Suddenly, they hear shouts from the station and go over to see the stationmaster ordering three men wearing black shirts to leave. The three men leave, singing "Rule, Britannia!". Gordon tells Alfred that the men are members of the British Union and they had moved in the previous year while the Island was in the midst of the strikes.
The British Union was founded in 1934 under the name of the British Union of Fascists. It would get lots of support throughout its existence. The party had boasted around 50,000 members and though the number had dropped to 20,000 by 1939, it was still a force to be reckoned with and would make its way to Sodor. In Strike, Skarloey had told Thomas about suspicious happenings among the workers at the Boxford Ballast Mine and the docks at Ben Glas and the tension wasn't related to the strikes. Members of the British Union were sometimes called Blackshirts, from the uniforms they used to wear, had started spreading their nonsense around the Skarloey Railway to take advantage of the intense unrest of the Island's workforce. Most ignored their anti-Semitic and isolationist rants, but not all.
One winter day, at Sudwin, the stationmaster, David Becker, who is Jewish, is scolding a workmen for hanging around the blackshirts and tells him to leave the yard and never return. Skarloey, who had witnessed the exchange, tells David he had done the right thing. David says the workman had called him a derogatory word for Jewish people, and being Jewish is a problem with those in the British Union. Skarloey warns David, though he says that if he gets done in during the night, the police would know who to question first.
That night, he was walking back to his home when a person asked him what time it was and suddenly, the same three men who Killdane's stationmaster had scolded ran up to David and they get into a fight. The next morning, at Crovan's Gate, Diesel tells Skarloey and Ivo Hugh about what he had heard about David getting into a fight, to their alarm.
Later that morning, Skarloey arrives at Sudwin with a passenger train where David is telling three men about his triumph in his battle against the four men the night before. Skarloey feels better upon hearing David, who points out how stupid the four men were for mugging him right next to a police station, however David states that he'll have to go to court next week because the four claim David had attacked them. David had hoped to be found not guilty, but it was easier said than done. The British Union distanced itself from the case and it could be possible that they had nothing to do with the assault since the muggers every implicated the group, neither did the workman who David had scolded.
David Becker had successfully defended himself and the four attackers got eight years in prison. It was never proven that the British Union was involved, but the papers kept on implying they were. Now facing the wave of prejudice, the British Union would leave Sodor and would be dissolved in 1940.
Characters[]
- Gordon
- James
- Toby
- Diesel
- Alfred
- Skarloey
- Ivo Hugh
- David Becker
- British Union members
- Edward (narration only; cameo)
- Thomas (does not speak)
- Rheneas (does not speak)
- Mr. Star (does not speak)
- Lord Richard Whitader (does not speak)
- Duck (cameo)
- Reginald (cameo)
- Flying Scotsman (cameo)
- Alice (cameo)
- Spencer (cameo)
- Wendell (cameo)
- D199 (cameo)
- Bertie (cameo)
- Bulgy (cameo)
- George (cameo)
- Percy (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- This is Alfred's first appearance since the season 1 episode Cows, and his first speaking role since Passengers.
- Stock footage from Strike is used.
- This episode was filmed after the rest of season 2, as revealed in Greetings & Salutations #16, Victor had only remembered to make this episode after uploading Strike.
- The first half of this episode focuses on the standard gauge railways; while the second half focuses on the Skarloey Railway, making this the first episode to strongly focus on the Skarloey railway.
- Diesel is the only Midi to speak in this episode.
- This marks Ivo Hugh’s first speaking role in the series.