Train Hideout

The Train Hideout was a private passenger train hauled by a steam locomotive, nicknamed Bertha, that served as the base of operations of Master Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye during their time in London.

History[]

Origins[]

The train was constructed in Garnkirk, Scotland by Mungo MacBean, ironworker and expert in steam-engine construction, around the year 1831. Mungo worked the train on the Garnkirk and Glasgow lines as the operator and owner.^[1]

In 1834, the English and Scottish rail lines merged and Mungo's health was failing, so his daughter Agnes took her father's place aboard the locomotive and assumed his role and identity. Agnes' ruse lasted two years but she was eventually discovered to be a woman and, in punishment, transferred to Starrick Industries. There, she was placed under the direct employment of Rexford Kaylock, the cruel Whitechapel gang leader of the Templar-affiliated Blighters street gang. Under Kaylock, Agnes and the train, that she affectionately dubbed "Bertha", worked for his illegal ends.

Base for the Frye twins[]

In early 1868, a gang war broke out between Kaylock's Blighter syndicate and the new Rook syndicate led by the British Assassins Jacob and Evie Frye. After the district was conquered by the twins, a final fight was organized between the two opposing gangs and Kaylock used the train as collateral in a bet that his forces would win. The war ended with the Rooks coming out victorious; Kaylock's death lead to the conquest of the Whitechapel borough and the Frye twins claiming ownership of the locomotive.

When the twins inspected their newly acquired train, they found Agnes aboard and took her into their employ. She continued her role of maintaining and running the train for the Assassins. Henry Green, the only other Assassin in London, helped set the train up to be a mobile Assassin hideout, something that had been missing in London since Reginald Birch and Haytham Kenway all but dismantled the British Brotherhood's presence in London over a century before.

The train was used to plan and track all known active London Templars by the Fryes, who also took a carriage for themselves as a place for them to live while in the city.

The twins obtained aid in the running of the train after finding Nigel Bumble trying to join the Rooks by stalking Agnes. After the confusion of his actions was rectified by Evie he was allowed to join the Rooks and he worked directly under Agnes in order to fix up the train.

At some point the train was undergoing an upgrade or repair and a fire broke out in the engine caused by an apprentice, and the train was unable to stop as it travelled through London ablaze, the catastrophe was averted by Evie and the work of the driver who managed to get the train back under control and extinguish the fires.

The train was also involved in a fight with the Blighter Gang after Nigel stole a Gatling gun from them, the Blighters found the train and attacked it, Jacob was able to hold of their attackers using the powerful weapon and they managed to escape, the gun was destroyed after it caught fire but the train was left undamaged as Jacob uncoupled the cart it was standing on.

Layout[]

First carriage[]

The first carriage was coupled directly to the locomotive, and this was where the Frye twins lived while they were in London. It was equipped with a bed, a seat, a small fire place, as well as a study and wardrobe.

When not on mission, Evie preferred to rest here, sitting on the seat next to the bed.

Second carriage[]

This was the main carriage used by the Fryes, containing their Assassin wall used to pinpoint their next Templar assassination targets. The main carriage also contained the safe used to store the money that the Rooks generated, and a small library of books and mementos.

Agnes also had her own desk here, where she worked on maintaining the train and managing its supplies.

When not out and about, Jacob liked to hang out on the sofa next to the safe.

Third carriage[]

This carriage was used predominantly by members of the Rooks. It contained a small bar, serving beer and ales. It also had a booth where the Rooks discussed their activities in the city.

Fourth carriage[]

This carriage was used for storing the Fryes' equipment and crafting materials for future use. A black market dealer operated out of this carriage as well, selling all manner of goods at reduced prices.

Trivia[]

"Bertha" is lettered for the "Great Northern Railway Co.", and appears to be loosely based on the Rover class built for the Great Western Railway between 1871 and 1888.
In the final upgrade, it seems that the locomotive had been to Crewe, Doncaster, and Horwich; the latter of which has two builder's plates on the rear of the locomotive's tender and in the cab for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. In reality, Horwich Works was owned by the Lanchashire and Yorkshire Railway at the time, as the LMS was not formed until 1923.
The train's carriages bore a close resemblance to the carriages that made up the Royal Train of King Edward VII. However, the Train Hideout's carriages were much shorter in length and used a different wheel arrangement.
With the train's second upgrade, the locomotive gained a nameplate that read "Herdwicke", despite Agnes referring to it as "Bertha". This could be a reference to a real locomotive named "Hardwicke", which was built in the 1890s for the London and North Western Railway.