Engines coming to sodor pulling there trains, stay the night and then go home the next day.

One morning Gordon was talking to one of these.

"when I was young and green" he said. " I remember going to London, do you know the place? the stations called kings cross"

the engine was indignant. "Kings cross?" snorted the engine." London's Euston, everybody knows that"

"rubbish" duck broke in. "London's Paddington I know I worked there,"

"what utter cheek, London's waterloo." snorted another engine who had just arrived he had heard the entire conversation. "how do I know because I used work there."

the four engines began arguing, they argued when they went to sleep, they argued when they woke up they where still arguing when the other engine went away.

"stupid thing" Gordon said. "I've no patience"

"stupid your self" duck said, London's Paddington, Paddington do you hear."

"stop arguing," yawned James who broke into the conversation. "you three make me tired, besides you three agree on something anyway."

"what's that?" the three engines asked.

"LONDON'S NOT EUSTON," laughed James. "NOW SHUT UP"

Gordon puffed away annoyed.

"I'm sure its kings cross, I will go and prove it" he said.

But that's easier said than done, you see London lays beyond the big station, Gordon would take his train to the platform then another engine takes it on to London.

"if I didn't stop here" Gordon thought. "I could go on to London"

the next day Gordon shot right threw the station.

another time he tried starting before his fireman could uncouple the coaches.

he tried everything, but his crew checked him every time. Gordon was most upset.

"oh I shall never get there now" he said.

next day he brought his train to the platform as usual, he was uncoupled and he moved on to his siding to wait til it was time to go home, the coaches waited and waited, but there engine didn't come. soon a man came to Gordon's driver.

"there's an inspector on the platform, he wants to see you." said the porter.

the driver climbed down and walked over to the platform, he returned looking excited.

"hello" said the fireman. "what's happened?"

"the engine for the express tipped over when it was coming out of the yards, nothing else can get in nor out, they want us to take the train on to London, I said we would if the fat controller agrees they telephoned and he said we could do it, hows that?" asked the driver.

"fine" said the fireman. "we will show them what a fat controller's engine can do."

"come on" said Gordon. "lets go"

reversing quickly over the crossings, Gordon backed down onto the train.

as soon as everything was ready the guard blew his whistle, it was only a few minutes but to Gordon it felt like ages.

"COME ON, COME ON, COME ON- COME ON-COME ON" puffed Gordon.

"were going to town" sang the coaches, slowly at first then faster and faster. "were going to town-were going to town."

Gordon found that London was a lot farther than he anticipated.

"NEVER MIND" he said. " I like a good long run to stretch my wheels."

but all the same he was glad when London finally came into view.

the next day the fat controller stepped into his office and looked at the letters on his desk, one had a London post mark.

"I wonder how gordons getting on?" he said.

just then the station master knocked and came in.

"excuse me sir but did you see the news?" he asked.

"not yet why?" answered the fat controller.

"oh just look at this sir" the station master handed the newspaper to him.

"GOODNESS ME, THERES GORDON, HEADLINES TOO, FAMOUS ENGINE AT LONDON STATION, POLICE CALLED TO CONTROL CROUDS" the fat controller read on absorbed.

the week after Gordon returned the fat controller spoke with his driver and fireman.

"how was your trip?" asked the fat controller.

"fine," said the driver. " we signed autographs till our arms ached, and Gordon had his photograph taken in so many directions that he didn't know which way to look."

" good I expect he enjoyed him self, didn't you Gordon?" asked the fat controller.

"no sir I didn't" Gordon said.

"why ever not?" asked his controller.

"London's all wrong, it isn't kings cross anymore, it's saint pancreas." he said.

THE END.