Chapter 1: Jolly Good Company
Chapter 1: Jolly Good Company
He had always wanted to bring his locomotive to the North America and tour the states, but the costs of such a venture proved to put him off the idea. However as part of what was pretty much an extension of 'Buy British', the Labour government got behind the idea of a goodwill tour across the USA and many big business all wanted to join in on the big adventure to showcase their products to an expected American audience.
That all said, would it all work out? The United States had managed to pull of a joint Moon landing with the Soviets and had long since disposed of steam since 1960 and the thought of a British steam locomotive at the age of 46 years old promoting the best of British seemed like the New World would be all too far technology advanced. In the end, there was only one way to find out...America or bust
From October to November, Flying Scotsman and it's train travelled from Boston to Houston and to the delight of many, not only was the glamourous locomotive had crowds follow her wherever she went, but businesses connected with the tour all took great delight in that many of their products were being bought by the American public. In conclusion, despite some of the high running costs, the tour was deemed to be a successful one with a further one planned for 1970 to tour the Midwest and Canada with the locomotive and it's train being put into storage at a roundhouse at Slaton in Texas for the winter while everyone else went home.
For Peglar, it did feel rather scary to think that his prize and joy was 3000 miles away in another country, but he had hoped he had expected to receive a warm reception from the Board of Trade for flying the flag for Britain and the hopes of getting more funds for the second tour. Instead, he had been left cold when the response he had gotten from them had been a rather lukewarm one as it seemed to them they didn't like the idea of a vintage steam locomotive trying to promote a modern Britain in teh eyes of the American public and it was clear that no more funds were to be given.
It seemed that now he was going to have to find funds on bringing the locomotive home, however it seemed that fate had other ideas for as word got about that the Board of Trade had acted, Peglar would get an unlikely phone call from one such character who stated that if he was to win the next general election, he would help fund the next tour...Randolph Churchill
Funnily enough, this wasn't the first time he was dealing with a Churchill connection. On the tour, he had to deliver two Pullman cars to Green Bay which had been used by General Eisenhower and Winston Churchill during the Second World War as part as a gift to the Railroad Museum out there, plus even Winston's own great-nephew, John Spencer Churchill, was also on the tour to add to the Churchill connection.
In hindsight as Peglar thought about it, he honestly shouldn't have been surprised that he was meeting with Randolph with all the connections previously mentioned. When he entered, he managed to catch sight of the hopeful Prime Minster to-be and he motioned Peglar over to sit with him.
"Good evening, Alan," Churchill greeted him warmly as he shook his hand.
"And to you as well," Peglar replied as he sat down with him. "This is rather an unexpected pleasure to see you."
"And I dare say for you too," Churchill added as he drank some of his tea. "Now...I did hear how the Board of Trade acted towards you. Disgraceful if you ask me."
Peglar rubbed his moustache thoughtfully. "I will say I was disappointed in their treatment, but it does make the next tour look unlikely because of this."
"When were you planning on starting?"
"In July, if we were to get any funds."
Churchill smiled. "Ahh, perfect. If we win the next election, I promise we will give you funds needed."
"Are you sure about this?" Peglar asked with suspicion.
"Of course we will," Churchill informed him. "In fact, it isn't a case of voluntary, but that a goodwill tour is very much needed to help promote our interests abroad. With the current political climate being what it is, we do need another tour more than ever."
Peglar nodded as he thought about it, he could see Randolph's point. True enough, things were rough in Britain with the Rhodesia conflict and the troubles in Northern Ireland did make the country looked unsettled in the eyes of the world, but could his Flying Scotsman actually help, in a small way at least, to promote better relations in the Untied States?
Alan Peglar didn't know what to think about it. He was grateful that someone wanted to help him, yet it needed for Randolph and the Conservatives to win the election and even if they did, it all did feel rather too good to be true...was it? "Sir, I would be happy if you could help us carry on the North American tour."
"Ah, about that," Randolph interrupted with a gleam in his eye. "I brought you here for a reason regarding that..."
"W...what do you mean?"
"Where'd did I say it was just a North American tour...?"
Peglar's eyes widened. "Y-you...I'm sorry, what?"
Churchill now grinned widely. "How would like to take an additional holiday to Australia and Japan? We would be needing to spread goodwill out there too."
"Good heavens!" Peglar gasped. "You want to take the old girl out there?! Do you really mean all this?"
"Indeed good sir," Churchill chuckled. "Are you in or out?"
The locomotive owner had to take a moment to let it all sink in. A Worldwide tour of Flying Scotsman? Never in his wildest dreams could he imagine such a venture and the idea just seemed such an exciting prospect that seemed too good to put down. That all being said, he had angered many railway enthusiasts at home over the idea of taking Flying Scotsman to the States, to now say that he was to take the locomotive to the land of the rising sun and down under was likely to cause an uproar among them.
Still, this goodwill tour wasn't really about Peglar or his engine truthfully (both he and his engines were merely ambassadors), this was about Britain and it was a tour he was willing to do for Queen and country and the country perhaps needed help with it's industry. He then gave the hopeful soon to be prime minster a smile and offered his hand for a handshake, in which Churchill happily accepted.
"You win, and we're in."
Sure enough just a few months later in June, Randolph and his conservative party would win the 1970 General Election and as promised, he granted the funds needed for not only this new tour of North America, but now of Japan and Australia. Some things would never be quite the same again...
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Before I go into detail about anything, I have gotten permission by @President_Lincoln to create this as a supplement for his excellent Turtledove nominated TL 'Blue Skies in Camelot'. So what will this be about? Well the PoD for Flying Scotsman here is rather than Heath's government not allow for any further funds, Randolph's government does and it doesn't just mean a tour of America.
Indeed, plans were actually in place for a tour of Japan and Australia afterwards, though the latter would be achieved years later in 1988 as part of the nation's bicentenary celebrations. Hope you will enjoy this and the tour will go similar to OTL's one until we get to early 1971 in which this TL will see the tour change. I hope that this little subplement of mine was satisfying for your likes @President_Lincoln Anyway, next update will be of Flying Scotsman in Northern California. Until then, catch you next time!