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sparklycometstuff · 1 month ago

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This is the psychotic brainchild of me and a uni mate so please don’t take it too seriously. Also I don’t know very much about hairdressing (all the knowledge I have is based on my personal experience as someone with colored hair) so please forgive any glaring mistakes. This is also a really long post so 🤷‍♀️

Buuut we were discussing the trains’ “hair” 😅 (I know they are just wigs but I need this out of my brain) and we decided that once a month they have a designated “hair day” because literally all of them have colored/bleached hair that would require consistent upkeep.

I should also probably say this is based on the 2024 production and the wigs for that show because it’s the one I’m most familiar with. I’m also working with the principal casts wigs cause I know they change if swings are involved. (Please don’t ask me how long I spent looking at photos of the components trying to discern if they have streaks in their hair)

It always takes please in someone’s front yard so people can come by whenever their available and so that whoever’s shed is hosting doesn’t get a rainbow of hair dye trodden through their house. The host shed rotates for fairness. They have a proper portable shampoo basin but otherwise it’s just some deck chairs, the garden hose and whatever shampoos, conditioners and dyes the trains themselves supply.

Momma is there all day as supervisor because she definitely lived through the wack hair faze of the 80s and without her nothing would get done. The day would consist of insults and bleach tragedies. I feel like she would also be around to help those trains with tighter curls/coily hair.

Coaches: usually get theirs done relatively early in the morning since it gets chaotic later on. Always have a camera on hand to document the day because it gets sillier the more the day drags on and that is perfect blackmail material. Hair day gossip is the best gossip.

Pearl: her hair is naturally purple so she does multiple low volume bleachs and then toner to get her hair the right shade so getting started as soon as possible is key. She’s growing out her hair so in terms of cutting it, it’s just the split ends off the bottom.

Dinah: just tends to refresh the blue in her hair, which she doesn’t have much of but making pink hair blue is a MISSION. By the time hair day comes around, she usually needs to touch up her bangs as well and every few months if it starts to get to long, she’ll cut it back to her desired length.

Belle: in true sleepy girl fashion has a minimal and low maintenance routine. Just the split ends off the bottom and maybe some magenta hair tinsel if she’s feeling fancy. (I swear I’ve seen this somewhere but I cannot figure out where, I also might just be delusional)

Tassita: because of his hair style has a very specific routine. He takes his cut very seriously and will not let anyone else do it. Making his blue hair orange isn’t necessarily hard but there has to be special care taken to ensure that the orange bits are made orange and his natural blue stays blue.

Engines: they usually come in around lunch time in between their shifts. The amount of gel they put in their hair to make their silly shark fins means that clean hair is the first thing they focus on when it’s their turn. They have worked out a circuit so that everyone gets the same thing done. Like one will wash, one will cut, one will color, one will remove color/wash #2 and one will dry. It’s like a rotating chores chart, down to a science.

Silver Bullet: is vaguely impatient and spends most of their time tapping their skate obnoxiously. Is subsequently usually on the dry stage to keep them relatively occupied. Really enjoys the post cut and wash hair and is a little sad the next day when the gel comes out.

Orange Flash: steals Tassita’s orange dye when they’re out of their own. This has lead to them leaving with the wrong colour hair on more than one occasion cause Tassita switched the dye in the bottle in an effort to get them to stop. Doesn’t like the shampoo bowl cause it always kinks their neck but suffers though the wash anyway.

Golden Eagle: will fall asleep in the chair but only after the color is in because he is pedantic about it being the right shade. Apart from the top which has to be left reasonably long for the fin, he likes the rest of his head to be a short as possible. Claims it’s for aerodynamics.

Blue Lightning: is part of the reason why hair day is not in anyone’s shed anymore because their dye gets everywhere and it stains everything. They are the chattiest and will complain about anything and everything. The water is too cold, the hair dryer is too cool, Green Arrow keeps shaking their head and getting green water all over them etc.

Green Arrow: speaking of, GA is usually in charge of grabbing the trains food between shifts so they all behave. As such, is usually last to get their hair done but they get first pick of whatever lunch is so they are fine with it. Shakes like a dog after their last wash is done just to piss off BL.

Greaseball: has to be literally dragged by her ear from the tracks by Dinah. Is like a cat in my brain and hates having her hair wet. But she has committed to having her hair matching her fit so she sucks it up, that and her stupid mullet needs maintenance cause trying to make black hair yellow is just as much a mission as making pink hair blue. It’s also good bonding experience for her and Dinah, who is the only person she trusts to do her hair without purposefully messing it up (GE cut the mullet too short once and he didn’t race that year). She just likes that she gets to spend uninterrupted semi intimate time together.

Freight: if you thought the engines were bad the freight are worse. They work long hours and by the time they get home their hair is the last thing they want to worry about. They appear sporadically throughout the day unless they are tracked down by engines during work hours and reminded that hair day is mandatory. (I don’t mean for the freight to come across as gross, it’s just that, in my brain at least they are fuel trucks therefore they are energy, and sitting still especially for a long periods of time, like cutting and especially coloring hair, I don’t think would gel with them. They are busy bees)

Slick: thoroughly enjoys the head massage that comes with momma washing her hair. There are so many colors in the water that washes away thanks to all the oil and her yellow becomes like 3 shades lighter after it’s clean. High vis looking ass. Will only show up if it’s quiet. You’ll never see her there when the engines or electrics are there. Will sometimes help Momma wash Mommas hair if she’s the last one done. Has been know to start hair dye fights if the other freight are present and is the other part the reason hair day now happens in the yard.

Porter: dusty dusty man. Similar to Slick in the sense that the water is actually filthy and his hair goes from black to brown when it’s clean. The red goes from maroon to rose red. Loves hair products that smell nice, like will jump sporadically between products depending on what scent he’s feeling. Loves helping people with the hair washing process if they’re feeling antsy. Also very much enjoys the feeling of clean hair. Is a hairspray kinda guy though, as opposed to the engines who are gel all the way. There’s no other way for his hair to be that tall.

Lumber: will bring a speaker with him when it’s his turn although the music will vary wildly depending on who has control of the playlist. Is the chillest of the freight and has his routine down to a science. Him and Rusty will take turns doing each other’s hair. Cannot be relied upon to purchase the same shade of blue hair dye every time. Spends ages brushing saw dust and splinters out of his hair.

Hydra: spends the least amount of time initially cleaning his hair although his siblings have been known the chuck oil/sawdust/coal dust at him when he brags to much about it. Hogs the hair dryer. Is the reason Slick starts hair dye fights. Also hogs the hair straightener. Does not like doing hair day alone and will actively seek out a companion. Has to use a highly moisturizing conditioner so the constant cold of his tank doesn’t dry his hair out. Does the neatest dye job and will jump at the chance to help his siblings if they ask.

Steamers: Momma knows things about train hair that she shouldn’t and it never ceases to amaze Rusty. He hopes to one day have that kind of knowledge. Are unfortunately usually relegated to supervisors since behaving respectfully aroid each other seems to be a trait the entirety of Troubadour lacks. The most luscious locks you have ever seen. The glorious hair runs in the family.

Momma: uses products that the rest of the yard are sure were discontinued decades ago but seems to always have more than enough on hand. Wields hair tools like a knight. She will bless thee with beautiful locks. Is usually the last person of the day to do her hair but enjoys knowing everyone is clean for another month. Love letting her kids do her hair even tho they are “adults”. She just love them so much. It’s how her and Slick bond. Her favorite part of the day is watching the sunset while she lets the conditioner sit.

Rusty: has the tightest curls of any train and thus spends the most amount of time detangling and it always ends with him needing some WD40 on his elbow joints afterward. Regularly steals Mommas hair brushes. Use’s an entire bottle of conditioner to himself. Used only the tiniest bit of bleach and toner for the parts of his hair that are lighter. Momma has threatened to scrap him if he does anymore. Depending on who he’s staying with he will do his hair either with the freight or the coaches.

Electrics: the highest of high maintenance. They refuse to use the communal space that gets setup but will still have their hair day on the same day as the rest of the yard and will set up outside their shed so the option for interaction is there. There are so many sneaky Polaroids in the coaches shed of most of the components wandering around with shower caps on while they let their hair develop. None of them are naturally that blonde. Electra does all the components hair and then they work together to do theirs. Have thus far refused to host hair day but still participate in their own way.

Killawatt: makes sure that his hair is done indoors before they set up outside where he can keep an eye on everyone. He doesn’t have any grey streaks in his hair so he usually just needs his roots touched up. Loves the feeling of Electra’s hands going through his hair. When they move outside he is constantly either walking the perimeter or standing with Electra while they do another components hair. Is the only component the coaches don’t have a Polaroid of and it has become a mission of theirs to catch him with a shower cap on.

Volt: low-key a bit of an iPad kid while his hair is being done. Electra gives him a tablet to keep him occupied otherwise he would legit just sit there and stare at people, which freaks everyone out. It helps direct the restless energy. Always has new inspo pics but literally doesn’t care what Electra does to his hair - like as long as they all fit together he could not care less. Is in charge of making sure they are stocked up on all their hair day stuff. Has a favourite comb.

Joule: much to Electra’s annoyance, she will not sit still. Is the last component to get their hair done so she has the day to burn off some energy. Is the only component who will actually strike up a conversation with anyone who comes by their shed. Has everyone’s bleach and toner volumes memorized. Is the reason the coaches are on the look out for components in shower caps. Most frequently has the grey pattern in her chair changed (with Electra’s blessing)

Wrench: the model child of the group. Literally gets the same cut and color every time. The only thing she is pedantic about is her hair length because she needs to make sure it’s short enough that it doesn’t fall in her eyes while she’s working. Any new products need to go through her so she can check ingredients. Joule tried to use her trauma shears for haircuts once and she blew a fuse.

Electra: literally enrolled them all in a hairdressing course so they could all learn how to do hair properly. Has mastered the arts of speed and precision. No one gets a faster haircut than the components. Will literally whip out a ruler if they have to make sure the lines are straight. The shampoo is their favorite part of the process when they are getting their hair done. Loves products that smell good. Has and will refuse to use a product if it doesn’t, not matter how much Wrench insists it’s good for their hair. Strikes me as having thick hair that would be L’orel commercial worthy if they grew it out. Has the world’s worst helmet hair, especially during racing season, and thus always has a comb and anti-frizz dry shampoo on hand. Trusts the components implicitly to do their hair to their standard. Loves the pampering.

AAAND I THINK THATS EVERYONE. If I’ve missed anyone lemme know I’ll put the brain gremlins back to work. Please keep in mind that I’m Aussie and thus have not seen the show (everything I know come from Google, soundtracks and interacting with the fandom) so if anything is glaringly out of character I will happily take corrections.

If you have any questions, queries or concerns please yap at me. My DMs are open and I would love some more friends who also love singing trains on roller-skates.

If you see any grammar/spelling mistakes no you didn’t and if you’ve read this far, you have actually made my day and thank you for indulging this ridiculousness 😁

#starlight express #stex 2024 #stex london 2024 #stex #it’s all in the wigs I say pointing to my string and cork board #I have been writing this for days #I love these stupid trains #please ask me about them

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