The Forest of Boland Light Railway Steampunk fantasy novel by Denys Watkins-Pitchford, who wrote under the name BB and illustrated under his real name. It was published in 1955 by Eyre & Spottiswoode.
A community of gnomes build the first steam locomotive to transport the miners to work, and return with larger quantities of gold. Everything goes well until a group of wicked goblins decide to steal the train and put the railway out of business.
The novel is written to function as a prequel to The Little Grey Men Series, although is not typically listed as being a part of that series.
Tropes in The Forest of Boland Light Railway include:
- The Ace: Lobgob is a scientist, engineer, militia officer, inventor, fisherman, miner, and second in command to his father Hal. He singlehandedly designed, built and drives a steam locomotive, and was able to outwit and trap The Dreaded Shera Beg.
- Anachronism Stew: The story takes place before James Watt saw a kettle boil, meaning the events occurred during the 18th century or earlier. Yet it features a locomotive resembling those of the late 19th century and a policeman who wears a standard 1950s uniform.
- All Beer Is Ale: The gnomes' liquor is known as rum-jum, and it is brewed from forest fruits and herbs.
- Big Bad: Shera Beg, the chief goblin who sabotages the gnomes' railway For the Evulz.
- Big Eater: Gurtweed stops the train on the bridge to do some fishing.
- Badass Driver: Evil Luddite Shera is able to steal the train and transport his followers to the gnomes' town despite having first encountered the locomotive only a few days previously.
- Bamboo Technology: The main railway bridge is constructed from logs roped together.
- Beware the Nice Ones: The Cowsies do not interfere with the affairs of the other forest dwellers, but can shift to Let's Get Dangerous! if they are provoked.
- The Black Smith: The gnomes have one named Boombillywheel who provided many of the components for the Boland Belle. [http://www3.telus.net/QueenGnomesRealm/register.htm
] - Cool Train: The gnomes' bright yellow and green locomotive the Boland Belle.
- Celibate Hero: Absent-Minded Professor Lobgob is single, unlike his Family Man younger brother Gurtweed.
- Determinator: Badass Normal ticket inspector Sneezerod is able to escape from the goblins and persuade the Cowsies to help the gnomes.
- Dirty Coward: The goblins are happy to terrorise and enslave the gnomes, but run away when The Dog Bites Back.
- Disproportionate Retribution: The Sadist Shera's response to Loopy putting him in jail is to attempt to roast the policeman on the fire.
- Double Meaning: The Boland Belle because her creator thought she was a beauty. She also has a bell so the gnomes can hear her approaching.
- Elderly Immortal: Hal has exceeded the 400 year lifespan of the average gnome almost threefold. He may be Long-Lived due to his position as leader.
- The '50s: Life in the gnomes' town mirrors a long-gone England. Lobgob works on his designs in the garden shed, pipe Smoking Is Cool for the male gnomes, and Loopy patrols the town on foot with his truncheon, whistle and notebook.
- Follow in My Footsteps: As Hal's oldest son, Lobgob is expected to succeed him as leader.
- Good Parents: Hal acknowledges Lobgob's intelligence exceeds his own, and encourages him to work on new inventions.
- Homemade Inventions: Gadgeteer Genius Lobgob constructs the Boland Belle himself, using leftover parts such as a stove, a water barrel and a cooking pot.
- Humiliation Conga: Shera Beg is subjected to one when he is caught stealing gold, and ends up being trapped in a bowl and put in prison.
- Kick the Dog: Shera exploits every opportunity to mistreat Loopy when the roles are reversed because after being imprisoned he believes It's Personal.
- Little People: The gnomes have similarities to dwarves and Stoorish Hobbits. They are a peaceful race who live in a town protected by a river, smoke pipes, love food and liquor, and are skilled shipbuilders.
- Mayfly–December Romance: Gnomes usually live for about 400 years. Lobgob and Gurtweed are middle aged, so their Missing Mom must have married their father when he was at least 600 years old.
- Mildly Military: The gnomes have a part time militia, and randomly call up individuals for guard duty by picking their name from a drum. Known members include Spittlewick, Spruewort, Boombillywheel, Cudwort, Boneshanks, Gumption, Bedpod, Tinker the Tailor, Bumdumple, and Pootle the Postman.
- Old-Fashioned Copper: Lock 'Em Up Loopy is an Expy of Dixon of Dock Green.
- Our Fairies Are Different: The benevolent Nature Hero Cowsies are The Fairfolk. The malevolent, ugly goblins represent the older, more frightening depiction of fairies.
- Our Gnomes Are Weirder: They stand less than the height of the book, and they all have unusual names like Lobgob, Snurt or Gurtweed.
- Our Dwarves Are All the Same: The gnomes are an industrious race of miners, inventors and craftsmen with Northern accents and a beard.
- Our Elves Are Different: They are known as Cowsies, and fill the role of The Cavalry by driving the goblins out of the forest.
- Our Goblins Are Different: They are referred to as Leprechauns, but are essentially the Always Chaotic Evil orcs with which we all are familiar
- Our Orcs Are Different: The goblins have green skin, long pointed snouts and elongated fingernails
- Outdated Outfit: The gnomes wear a mixture of 17th and 19th century costume. Justified because they are Older Than They Look, and can live for over 400 years.
- The Patriarch: Hal O' Hobb, the father of Lobgob and Gurtweed is also the judge and mayor of the gnomes' town. He is clearly a Retired Badass because he would only have inherited the position of leadership after proving himself to his own father.
- Police Are Useless: Due to crime being almost nonexistent, the gnomes have only one policeman. He is easily overwhelmed by the goblins when they attack the town.
- Parent ex Machina: Hal O' Hobb is a mild variant of the Papa Bear. He doesn't hesitate to put Shera Beg in jail for terrorising his sons.
- Railroad Employee Roundhouse: Lobgob is the star of the book because he drives the train, but Bumbletummy the station master, Snurt the signalman and Sneezerod the ticket inspector are important supporting characters.
- Really 700 Years Old: Hal O' Hobb recently celebrated his 1000th birthday.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Hal the mayor enthusiastically supports Lobgob's inventions.
- Ripped from the Headlines: The membership of the gnomes' part time militia is a mundane example of where Art Imitates Life. BB had served with Dad's Army as a coastal gunner during the war, alongside men exempt from regular military service. The miners, tailors and industrial workers in the Gnome Guard would have been considered reserved occupations in Real Life.
- Runaway Train: Shera and the goblins do a Train Job, overpower the crew, and hijack the locomotive so they can enter the gnomes' town undetected.
- Science Hero: Lobgob the inventor.
- Slavery Is a Special Kind of Evil: After the goblins overrun the town they enslave the gnomes.
- Steam Never Dies: In the final chapter it is hinted that the gnomes are planning to extend the line to neighboring settlements, and build a second, more powerful steam locomotive to cope with the increased traffic.
- Technologically Blind Elders: Hal lets his sons build and run the railway.
- Unflappable Guardian: Hal to Lobgob and Gurtweed. Also to the entire town.
- Unstoppable Mailman: Pootle the Postman has been doing his job for years, but also has time to volunteer with the militia
- Wasteland Elder: Cool Old Guy Hal is leader of the only industrialised settlement in the forest, reminiscent of an early Wild West frontier town. The gnomes' neighbors are the Magical Native American Cowsies, and The Savage Indian goblins.
