Another Thomas rewrite, this time it's "James Learns a Lesson" from Season 1, with added lines by tate310. Enjoy and comment.
James was enjoying his life on the Island of Sodor, but he still had a lot to learn.
"You are a special engine James." said Sir Topham Hatt. "You can pull coaches or freight cars quite easily, but you must learn from your mistakes."
James knew what Sir Topham Hatt meant. He could quite remember that nasty accident on his first day.
"You are to pull coaches today and Edward shall help you."
James soon set off.
When he arrived, Edward was waiting for him.
"Be careful with the coaches!" he called. "They don't like being bumped!"
Everyone came to admire James.
"I'm a really splendid engine!" he thought and suddenly let off steam. Water went all Sir Topham Hatt' new suit and top hat.
Just then, the conductor blew his whistle, and James quickly set off.
"Go on, go on!" he puffed to Edward.
"Don't push, don't push!" replied Edward.
The coaches were grumbling too.
"Don't go so fast, don't go so fast!"
But James didn't listen.
When they arrived at the next station, they went too far, and had to turn back to let the passengers off at the platform.
But no one seemed to notice about the top hat, so James felt happier.
At the next station, Thomas was waiting for passengers to board his two coaches Annie and Clarabel.
"Hello!" said Thomas, "feeling better?"
But before James could answer, the conductor blew his whistle.
"There's the whistle. I must go! What would Sir Topham Hatt do without me!" he said as he puffed away importantly.
Edward and James passed the field where James had his accident a few days earlier. The fence was mended and the cows were back again.
Soon, they ended their journey, and decided to rest before they went back home. James was still wondering about what Sir Topham Hatt would say about his ruined top hat.
James would find out soon enough. Sir Topham Hatt arrived the next morning, very cross and speaking in a severe tone.
"Your behavior yesterday was inappropriate. If you can't behave, then you will be painted blue!"
James didn't like that at all.
Later on, he was very rough with the coaches as he brought them to the platform.
"Don't talk! Come on!" he called to them. "Gordon never fetches his own coaches, and he's painted blue.
To make James even more cross, this time no one came to look at him and admire his smart, new coat.
"I'll show them!" he thought. "They think Gordon is the only engine that can pull coaches!"
"Hurry, hurry, hurry!" called James to the coaches.
"You're going too fast, you're going too fast!" replied the coaches.
James tried to go faster, but the coaches wouldn't let him.
"We're going to stop!" they said.
Soon, James came to a complete stop.
"What's the matter?" James asked his driver.
"The brakes are hard on! Leak in the pipe most likely. You've banged the coaches so hard, that you've caused a massive leak.
"How shall we mend it?" said the conductor.
"With newspaper and a leather boot lace." replied the driver.
"But where is the bootlace coming from?" asked the conductor.
"Ask the passengers!" said the driver.
He soon found what he was looking for.
"You have a leather bootlace!" said the conductor to a nicely dressed man. "Please hand it over at once."
"I won't!" said the man.
"Then." said the driver, "I'm afraid we won't be able to go any further!"
The passengers all said what a bad railway it was, then they told the man how bad he was too. Everyone was very cross!
Then, the man handed over his bootlace. The driver tied a sheet of newspaper tightly 'round the hole in the break-pipe, and soon James was able to keep pulling the train.
But he was a sadder and wiser engine, and learned never to bump coaches again.
