This adaptation was requested by my friend 'Tate310', hope I said it right. This is a second attempt at a previous adaptation I did years ago, but with alot of differences compared with the original adaptation I did. It was alot harder to do the second time around, but here it is at last and I'll try to bring out more 2007 Thomas Episode Adaptations in the future.

Importance Over Common Sense

Based on "Sir Handel in Charge" (2007)

It was a calm quiet evening as Duke and Skarloey were talking after a long day's work. The conversation though was cut off by the sounds of a grumbling tank engine in the distance. Right away, they knew who it was.

"Oh dear, something's gotten Sir Handel cross again," sighed Duke.

And he was right. Sir Handel puffed into the sheds and vented on about how he's been wronged by working in the quarry. "Day after day it's the same thing, I take those horrible wagons to the Wharf and back to the quarry again. I should be out taking our bogie wheeled coaches, not working with those trucks, it's not fair."

Skarloey rolled his eyes, he had heard this kind of talk before from Sir Handel, even longer than Duke had.

Sir Handel was about to rant on again when they heard a whistle. James was pulling up next to the Wharf with a dented bufferbeam. Sir Handel's angry look changed to a smirk, "hello James, what happened to you? Run into a tree again?" and he burst into laughter.

"Yes a matter of fact I did," he said sarcastically, "of course I didn't you blue powderpuff! I was in the shunting yards when that daft Billy shunted his trucks too fast and too hard, and they bumped into me! Denting my bufferbeam in the process I might add!"

"Were your crew hurt?" Skarloey asked with concern.

"No, thankfully my Driver and fireman were okay, but Billy needs to calm down before he hurts someone else."

"Oh poor James," Sir Handel said with a mocking tone, "he's all upset because he couldn't keep a good look out. I guess that's why he ended up on Edward's branch line that one time."

James snorted, "the points were set to the wrong line and you know it Sir Handel!"

"Sure, whatever you say James."

"Well at least I still pull passenger trains. From what I've heard, you're not allowed to pull them anymore after your jerking about last year." A smirk came to James' face, "with your controller on board no less."

"I needed some serious repairs, and you know that James!" snapped Sir Handel.

James sniggered, but before he could continue, a stern voice called out; "that's quite enough of that! James, there's space for you in the works, you can go now!" James said no more and puffed off. The Thin Controller then turned to Sir Handel, "as for you Sir Handel, I could hear your complaining from a mile away."

"Sir, with all due respect, I'm tired of working with trucks, can't I take coaches again?"

"We have enough engines taking the coaches Sir Handel, and until I decide to change the arrangment, you will pull trucks."

Sir Handel groaned, but went silent when the Thin Controller stared at him. He then turned to Skarloey and Duke, "now tomorrow, I will be meeting with Sir Topham at Knapford, so I'll be putting Mr Hugh in charge. He will let you of what jobs you are to do and he will keep an eye out until I get back." He eyed Sir Handel firmly, "so watch your temper Sir Handel."

"Yes Sir," sighed Sir Handel unhappily.

The Thin Controller got back onto his bike and rode away. Sir Handel grumbled crossly under his breath, "I deserve to be in charge, it's not fair."

The following next morning, the Thin Controller boarded an early morning passenger train and went to Knapford. His train was hardly out of sight though when trouble came up in the shed. Ivo Hugh wasn't feeling well. His Driver and fireman tried to get him started, but he would not steam properly.

"Beats me on what's wrong," sighed Mr Hugh after a while. "I'll have to stay here and help get him in steam."

"But Sir, you're suppose to be keeping an eye on us engines," objected Duke, "surely one of the Pre-teens at the works can help with any repairs on Ivo Hugh."

"The pre-teens could help Ivo Hugh, but they're still in training, so it's best if I do this." He then looked around the shed and sighed, "Sir Handel will have to watch over the engines, and take Ivo Hugh's next passenger train. I'm sure Freddie wouldn't mind helping down at the quarry."

Freddie the No 8 agreed to help. Sir Handel beamed, a real job at last! And he was also in charge of keeping an eye on the engines.

"The engines all know what they have to do, so all you'll need to do is make sure everything runs smoothly. Please Sir Handel, don't make me regret my decision," Mr Hugh said firmly.

"Oh don't worry Sir, you can always count on me."

Sir Handel puffed out of the shed and over to the coach yards. Millicent and Gertrude were delighted to see Sir Handel, but he was too excited for his own good and accidently bumped them.

"Oh! Oh! Oh!" they cried, "be careful Sir Handel, that was too rough!"

"They're not trucks Sir Handel," his Driver added, "I know it's been a while, but you got to remember to be careful."

"Yeah yeah, I know what to do," he smirked.

He was soon coupled up and started to puff away. A shunter called out, "Wait! You'll need the other coaches too!" But Sir Handel didn't stop, even with his Driver ordering him to do so.

"I'm in charge now, and I won't stop for anything meaningless."

He fussed into the station where he found Gordon waiting with the express.

"Back to pulling coaches again?" he asked.

"Indeed, and I'm also in charge of the railway while the Thin Controller is away." He then explained about what happened in the shed. He then noticed Duncan rattling along with slate trucks. "Oi Duncan, stop right there!"

"Who are you to order me about?" he snapped.

"Mr Hugh has put in charge of keeping you in order, and you're being rough again, so stop your train right now!"

Duncan snorted, but he did stop. Gordon rolled his eyes, "Take care Sir Handel, you're bound to get into trouble with that attitude."

Sir Handel ignored Gordon, "What do you know? You're only a standard gauge engine."

The coaches were soon full of passengers, but there wasn't enough room for the rest that were on the platform.

"I'm sorry everyone, but we only have the two coaches," said the guard. "Maybe if Sir Handel goes back for the other coaches, we'll have enough..." PEEP! PEEP! Sir Handel was whistling to the guard that he was ready to go. The guard climbed on board, thinking they would collect more coaches, but instead Sir Handel puffed forward.

"Hey! We wanted to ride the train too!" cried the remaining passengers.

"Stop!" cried some of the passengers on board, "some of us have family members waiting on the platform!"

But Sir Handel continued on. The remaining passengers went to complain to the Stationmaster.

As the day wore on, Sir Handel got on the nerves of the other engines. He used his new role to keep the other engines out of the way. He ordered Rusty and Peter Sam to wait in a siding as passenger trains were more important than goods. He then told Mighty Mac to wait by the water tower since there were no jobs for them, and he even told Rheneas to remain in a siding with his passengers as he felt he had the right of way. This made them all rather cross.

His Driver and fireman reminded him that his job was to keep an eye on the other engines, not order them about, but Sir Handel wouldn't listen to them. He had a new role, and no one was going to tell him otherwise.

Up ahead was trouble. Fred the Diesel and the workmen were working on a section of track as the rails were unstable. They thought they had plenty of time, but they soon found out that was not true. Sir Handel was speeding down the line and hurrying to that spot.

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" he panted, pretending to be like Gordon. "It's good to be the boss."

"Steady boy, steady!"

Sir Handel continued to ignore him. Up ahead, he saw the workmen, who were surprised to see Sir Handel. They waved red flags and told him to stop, but he wouldn't listen.

"They don't tell me what to do, I tell them what to do, so GET OUT OF MY WAY!" he shouted and stormed past them. This was a mistake.

One moment, Sir Handel was on the track and speeding along, then the next moment, he was sliding down a small hill, threw some bushes and stopped in a pond. Passengers had to climb out of the coaches and scramble to the roofs. They shouted and complained to the crew.

"Don't blame us," exclaimed the fireman, "it was our engine!"

Sir Handel wanted to protest, but he couldn't with his mouth under the water.

One of the workmen got out his mobile phone and called for help. Minutes went by, but it seemed like forever. At last, a whistle was heard and who should come up but Mighty Mac with the remaining coaches Sir Handel left behind.

"My goodness Sir Handel, what a mess you got yourself into this time," said Mighty.

Sir Handel said nothing, but he did scowl at the engine. Moments later, they heard a buzzing sound. It was Harold the Helicopter, "don't worry ladies and gentlemen, we'll get you to dry land in no time."

It took a while, but after half an hour, all the passengers were on dry land. They thanked Harold and the rescuers, then climbed into the coaches, grateful to be riding behind another engine.

"Don't worry folks, there's plenty of room for all of you on board," smiled Mac.

In the coaches were the other passengers. Skarloey was originally going to take them along with his own passengers, but when Mighty Mac came back asking for work, the Stationmaster agreed to let them take the passengers. The last of them had just gotten on board when the call came threw. Now all the passengers were on board, and Mighty Mac puffed away to continue the journey. Sir Handel remained where he was.

It was dark by the time Duncan arrived with the breakdown train. He also brought a certain stern looking man with him, "Sir Handel! I heard about you bossing the other engines around, and I'm not impressed."

"But Sir, surely you know what it means to be firm with certain engines."

"Yes, but only the trouble making ones. Duncan was taking a goods train, same with Rusty and Peter Sam, and you delayed them. Luckily Mr Hugh let them go, and don't get me started on the angry passengers from Rheneas' train as well as your own. Today's events are prove as to why I don't allow engines like you to be in charge."

"You're also lucky," the Thin Controller continued, "That no one was hurt. After you're back on the rails, you will be left in the shed until your common sense comes back, then maybe I'll let you out."

Sir Handel was soon back on firm rails. His firebox was too wet to be given a new fire, so Duncan towed him back to the sheds.

The others were not too happy to see Sir Handel. James was nearby after being repaired, and smirked when he saw the soaking Sir Handel, "you'd think with him being that old, he would know better."

Duke was quick to agree, "importance over common sense is never a good thing. I hope he's learned from this."

Has he learned from this experience, well I guess we'll have to wait for the next story to know for sure.