James is a bright red mixed traffic engine. He is not as big as gordon but he is about the same size as Edward. He is often seen pulling coaches but can also pull trucks.
one afternoon James was shunting in knaphord yards when he heard a voice he'd never heard before.
H-hello can you tell me where knaphord is? Mark asked gordon.
but this is knaphord. Gordon replied. Where are you from?
from the United states. Mark replied.
james backed up and could hardly belive his eyes there was an engine that had six drivewheels, a fowler tender, a brass dome, and black paint.
i have always wanted to be here-. Mark stoped as he saw james looking at him.
hello is SOMTHING wrong? Do I have soot on my face? Mark asked.
No but your not a big engine. James said.
well I was big enough to do my work in the states. Mark said sadly.
wait what I ment was your not as big as I am. James rectified.
i am James. James introduced himself.
And i am gordon. Gordon introduced himself.
i am markus but my friends back in the United states called me mark. Mark introduced himself.
just then the fat controller arrived and introduced himself to mark.
you must be my new mixed traffic engine? Welcome to sodor. I am sir topham hatt the controller of the north western railway. The fat controller introduced himself.
pleased to meet you. Mark said.
james whispered to mark.
your supposed to call him sir. James whispered.
oh, pleased to meet you sir. Mark said.
pleased to meet you Mark. James shall show you what to do. And do make your self really useful. Whoa. Right really useful right this way lads. Sir topham hatt said.
gordon and James start laughing. And Mark joins in.
" He's a really useful engine you know he maybe little but he's never slow he huffs and puffs and whistles rushing to and fro he's a really useful engine we adore."
that night Thomas had just arrived at tidmouth sheds with mr Perkins. When he saw an engine he had never seen before.
the engine looked at him and introduced himself.
hi there I'm markus but please call me Mark who are you? Mark asked.
i am Thomas. Thomas introduced himself. You must be new here huh?
yeah I come the states across the Atlantic ocean. Mark explained.
oh so what class of engine are you? Thomas asked him. But before Mark could reply a stanier "green" 5 stopped on the turntable.
faster,faster,faster, turn,turn,turn. Henry said.
who is that? Asked Mark.
thats my friend Henry. Hello henry. Thomas said to his friend.
h-hello Thomas who's this? Henry asked.
i'm Mark. Mark replied.
then Thomas chuckled as he saw Henry back into his berth hiding from the rain.
"once an engine attached to a train was afraid of a few drops of rain." Thomas began. "He went into a tunnel squeaked through his funnel never came out again." Thomas continued. " the driver and fireman argued with him." The rain will spoil my lovely green paint with red stripes he said." Soon the fat controller arrived and argued with him too." But the engine just whooshed them." So the fat controller ordered the gaurd to get some strong rope to try and pull him out." One two three. And they heaved until there backs ached. Except the fat controller. My doctor has forbidden me to pull." They tried pushing him from the back. Everyone except sir topham hatt. "My doctor has also for Biden me to push you see." But that didn't work either. They even got james to try to shunt him out off the tunnel." But nothing worked." In the end they took up the old rails and bricked him up."
Mark gaspes.
oh sir topham hatt let him out eventually after gordon burst his safety valve trying to pull a-. Thomas was cutoff by gordon.
enough story telling some of us need our sleep. Gordon said. Then went back to sleep.
Next day Thomas was showing Mark how to handle trucks and how to shunt the coaches to the platforms for the big engines.
there we go. Mark says and whistles, he goes to move back when he sees Judy and Jerome the breakdown train.
Huh I wonder where they are going? Mark said and was about to ask them when Thomas stopped him.
mark don't. Thomas said. What ever you do you mustn't touch those trucks.
why? Mark asked puzzled.
thats the breakdown train. Thomas explained. When there's an accident the workmen jump into the coach and the engine takes them to help the hurt people and to repair and mend the line. Judy and Jerome lift heavy things like engines and coaches and trucks.
hello Judy, hello Jerome. Thomas woke them.
huh who's there. Asked Judy in a tired voice as she looked around for the source of the voice she then saw Thomas and a unfamiliar tender engine. Oh hello Thomas Jerome wake up! She shouted.
Huh what? Jerome woke suddenly, what's with the commotion? Oh hello Thomas my friend who's this? He asked curiously.
This is Mark, Jerome he's the new tender engine that Thomas told me about. Judy said with a yawn.
another late night rescue? Thomas asked and before he could finish he and Mark heard james whistling as he arrived with molly,Thomas's girlfriend.
help, help there pushing me, there pushing me. A voice shouted. Emily, Mark shouted.
mark, Mark come back, oh. Thomas called but to no avail.
wahhhhh! Oh dear, help, help, help? Emily shouted when she heard the trucks say to her alarm.
on-on-faster. They giggled in there silly way.
i dinna wanna go any faster! Emily said.(her brakes soon catch fire and sparks and smoke streamed out from each side. My brakes oh help. I want to stop.
yeah,faster. The silly trucks giggled.
oh Mark. Emily said.
use your brakes, use your brakes! Mark shouted.
I can't my brakes are on fire there made of wood. She stated with fright.
(mark gasp's)
Don't worry emily I going to try and couple up behind you, I going to try to slow you down. Mark said.
whoa hurry Mark. Emily shouted.
hurry,hurry,hurry. The trucks said. He-he-heh-ha.
couple me up, couple me up I need to slow emily down. Mark shouted to the gaurd.
um right. The guard said. And almost had the coupliling connected when emily saw the cow field. She screamed with fright.
(mark gasp's) no,he said.
I'm going off the rails. Ah ugh oh. She exclaimed as she came off the rails with the trucks following.
ne-argh, (gasp's in horror) Thomas was right cars can knock an engine right off the rails. Mark said.
emily groaned. Oh.
dinna wurry emily me lassie I will get help. Mark said in a Scottish accent.
sir topham hatt was talking to Thomas and molly along with james when Mark puffed in.
was that mark? He asked the three.
wake up, wake up emergency. Mark shouted.
judy, Jerome said.
jerome, said Judy.
emergency. They said in unison.
Emily is off the line her breaks where on fire. Mark explained.
Right, Jerome said.
we're ready, stated Judy.
"CREW UP" Jerome said loudly.
mark where do you think your going-?! Sir topham hatt was cut off by Mark.
Sorry sir but this is an emergency. He said. And puffed a way.
mark soon was shunting the re-railed trucks away.
oh dear, go gently,go gently. They said. I hope this will teach you troublesome trucks a said. You got her at the front there Judy? jerome asked.
yes Jerome ready to lift. She replied.
whoa- oh. Emily said nervously.
your alright,your alright. Jerome said kindly.
We got you. Judy soothed.