Shapeshifter

Shapeshifter
Director(s)	Thomas Dibden
Producer(s)	Thomas Dibden
Writer(s)	Thomas Dibden
Narrator	Thomas Dibden
Guest starring	Callum Hancock as Clyde
Air date	May 10th, 2020
Previous episode	Wipeout
Next episode	Pogo / Mere Anarchy

Shapeshifter is the ninth episode of the ninth series of The Dark Railway Series.

Plot

After spending the night getting a hold of his shapeshifting abilities, Clyde is brought to the sheds by Theo and Otto where he terrifies De la Trip before coming across Zeke. Clyde explains his new powers and how they can be used for good around the line, and Zeke agrees to put him through his paces. As Clyde leaves, the twins inform Zeke about the destruction of the Tau Cannon, disappointing him.

Clyde settles into his new powers, primarily taking the form of various Caledonian Railway engines claimed to be on loan to the railway. He also enjoys amusing everyone at night by impersonating other engines, particularly De la Trip, upsetting him greatly. One day, however, Clyde takes his impersonations too far when he starts flirting with 257 Squadron while disguised as Hannah. After he gets found out, Hannah is most upset and Clyde gets angrily berated by both Dave and Zeke. Zeke warns him to adopt a single form and stop upsetting everyone or there will be consequences.

Zeke sends Clyde to take a train of wagons up the line. As Clyde travels along, he wonders how he can make it up to everyone. Worrying about upsetting everyone and feeling small as a result, Clyde suddenly transforms into a small tank engine and the shift in sizes causes the wagons behind him to collide with each other and derail. As the mess is cleared up, Zeke decides he has had enough. Not wanting to put passengers in danger of something like this happening, Zeke forbids Clyde from pulling trains until his shapeshifting is under complete control. Feeling miserable, Clyde isolates himself from the rest of the fleet that night, wondering whether his powers are a good thing to have after all.

Meanwhile, at Colhapper, Dave is coming into the shed when "Linda" suddenly materialises in front of him and teleports him away, much to Hannah's horror!

Characters

• Theo and Otto
• 257 Squadron
• Hannah
• De la Trip
• Clyde
• Zeke Dark
• Dave (does not speak)
• Sir Eustace Missenden (does not speak)
• Abomination (does not speak)
• Brian (cameo)
• Goose (cameo)
• Allan (cameo)
• Warrior (cameo)
• Linda (cameo)
• Colossus (mentioned)
• Mr. Smash (mentioned)

Locations

• Merecombe
• Merecombe Shed
• Upway Bank
• Walschurch
• Galen Junction
• Galen Junction Railway Museum
• Manston Fore
• Walschurch Viaduct
• Colhapper Shed
• Soma (mentioned)

Trivia

• The title of this episode is a reference to the song of the same name by Dark DJ, which is also used as the ending credits music.

Episode

• Shapeshifter on YouTube