In the eyes of the public, Conductors appear to be perfectly ordinary people. They attend school, go to work, and have their own dreams and ambitions just like everyone else. However, unbeknownst to the outside world, these individuals lead a double life. Their special abilities allow them to act as protectors, keepers of the peace, and champions of all that is good. While Conductors train for years to achieve mastery in combat, their martial skills are secondary to the magical power they wield: power to heal the sick and injured, to smite the wicked, and to protect the innocent and those who join them in the fight for peace. Conductors gain their unique abilities through the use of Gold Dust, a magical substance that can only be found on the Island of Sodor.

Shining Time primarily follows the story of Thomas and Percy, two high school students who, on their way to school one day, are invited aboard a mysterious train. After travelling along a magical railroad, they arrive at the grandiose Shining Time Station, which is stated to serve as the terminus between the magical and the mundane. Sir Toppham Hatt is there to greet them upon arrival, and he informs the boys that they've been selected to become Conductors. After Thomas and Percy accept Toppham's offer, they are both given special whistles, each of which contains their very own supply of Gold Dust.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: My portrayals of these characters are not based on any one era of the original franchise (books, model, cgi, etc). Rather, they are an amalgamation of differing portrayals across the series as a whole. A bit of model series influence here, some CGI there, you get the idea. While Shining Time does follow most key events from the series, this AU aims to tell it's own unique story rather than simply reimagining the existing ones. So expect some liberties to be taken regarding the timeline and characters. If you're a stickler for canon adherence, this might not be the story for you.