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Fallout: London’s prologue mission concludes with a literal bang as you secure your getaway from the underground laboratory on a train that, unfortunately, crashes. Just when you think you’ve seen the worst, the crash takes its toll on your body and leaves you with the nasty Railway Spine condition from the whiplash.
Railway Spine reduces your damage by ten percent, a significant disadvantage against the foes you’ll face while exploring ol' Blighty’s nuclear-ravaged capital. But with your head still on your shoulders and a pair of working legs, your next stop should undoubtedly be a doctor, as this isn’t something a few Stimpak doses can cure.
How To Cure Railway Spine
There aretwo NPCsthat can tend to your Railway Spine malady and get you back into good shape. They areDr. Alan Webbfrom ThameshavenandYvette of the Vagabonds.
Once you come out of the crash site, you’ll soon meetSebastian Gaunt,theleader of the Vagabondsin London. When you interact with Sebastian, he’ll present you with two choices - three if you prefer to chart your own course - toeither side with himorseek out the Thamesfolkin Thameshaven.
The doctor who treats your Railway Spine debuff will bedecided by the path you choose here. If you throw in your lot with the Vagabonds, Yvette will patch you up. Opt for the Thamesfolk, and Dr. Webb will be your go-to for treatment.
However, don’t expect immediate treatment. You’ll need towin their favor by completing a few queststo be properly inducted into their groups, and only then will you get rid of Railway Spine. We detail the two choices below.
Side With The Vagabonds
Picking the Vagabonds over the Thamesfolk is the quickest way to cure the debuff. After giving you a brief rundown of themajor groups in London, Sebastian will stop nearGreenwich Stationonly to find one of his mates,Ricky, severely woundedas a result of an ambush by theIsle of Dogs Syndicate.
The First Aid Kit
Your first task for the Vagabonds is toretrieve a first aid kit from Greenwich Station- the building located opposite of where you met Ricky. The healing kit is inside a small compartment, but aFeral Ghoulwill pounce on you as you enter it.
Dispatch the mutant, grab the item of interest, and return to Ricky, only to learn that therest of the gang has retreated to their hideoutat the Swan and Mitre pub because theIODs are targeting it next.
Reach The Swan And Mitre Pub
Whether you manage to heal Ricky or not, you’ll have toleave him behind.
From there, you’ll have tomake your way to the Swan and Mitre PubinBromley, southeast London, on your own. Upon arrival, you’ll find the hideout under attack by the syndicate thugs, as expected.
Get Cured By Yvette
Once the invaders are dealt with, you’ll get your chance tointeract with Yvette. Skim through her dialogue options and choose the onethat will cure your Railway Spine.
However, it’s crucial to rid yourself of the debuff here, as theVagabonds will soon send you on more quests, making itdifficult to interact with Yvette later. If you miss this chance, you’ll have towait for another opportunityto speak with her.
Side With The Thamesfolk
The other way around is toseek help from the Thamesfolk doctor, but this entailsjumping through many more hoops than the former option. The Thamesfolk’s headquarters is harder to access and the quest to gain their acceptance is also a lot more challenging.
However, you may kill two birds with one stone if you go down this road.Railway Spine isn’t the only matterthat needs tending; there’s also theLab Rat debuffthat needs to be taken care of, which only the Thamesfolk seem to have knowledge of.
Reach Thameshaven
The Thamesfolk are within Thameshaven, beneath theflooded remains of Canada Water Stationinnorthwest London. To get there, you may ask theFactory Guardoutside thePrilladog Food Factoryfor directions. He’ll kindly show you the way andleave you with Churchill, a loyal companion for the road.
Near the Canada Water Station entrance, you’ll meet Randeep, who will suggestmeeting with Rachel Hall, theThamesfolk leader. Once you enter Thameshaven, head down the stairs anddestroy the wooden barricadesblocking the path on the left. From there, make a beeline to reach a conversation between Rachel Hall and another NPC.
Once the conversation ends, interact with Rachel and ask for her help. You’ll learn, however, that theThamesfolk are in desperate need of assistancethemselves before they can offer any aid.
Save The Ferryman
As it happens, theresidential districtin Thameshaven isrun amok by mutated leeches, and the only person fending them off at the moment is theFerryman, who is struggling to keep them at bay.
Rachel will ask for your help in this matter andsend you down a flooded elevator shaft. To ensure your safe return,she’ll hand you some Rad-X, which you’ll absolutely need toreduce the radiationcaused by the toxic water you’ll be swimming in.
Soon enough, you’ll find the Ferryman, wounded andunder attack by leeches, which you must kill to save him. Once the threat is averted, the Ferryman will ask you toseal the breach causing the influx of mutated creaturesinto Thameshaven.
To seal the breach, you’ll need toplace a bomb on the pillar. The quest marker will guide you to the exact location. Once you’ve placed the explosives,skedaddle back to the Ferrymanwhile the bomb detonates.
Get Cured By Dr. Alan Webb
This takes care of Rachel’s request, and you’ll begranted access to the marketplacewhere you’re able to findDr. Alan Webb inside his clinic.
Talk to Dr. Webb and tell him you needhelp with Railway Spine. The ecstatic doctor will thenpatch you up in no time, getting you back in prime condition toaddress the Lab Ratmatter and take onfurther quests for the Thamesfolk.
