It was busy as usual one morning at Knapford Station, as many people were waiting for the first Express train of the day to take them to work.
Sir Topham Hatt, also known as the Fat Controller, was busy writing up papers in his office when the stationmaster entered in a hurry.
"Sir, I just received a message from Gordon's driver." He panted. "Gordon's sick, so he can't take the Express this morning."
"I see." The Fat Controller replied gravely. "Well, in that case, send for Henry. We're never without a Plan B." He added, chuckling.
"But sir, Henry"-
Just then, the telephone rang, and the Fat Controller answered it promptly.
"Hello? Ah, yes I see... well, don't trouble yourself over it, we'll find a replacement... Hm- I see. Good day." He replaced the phone and groaned.
"Looks like we'll need a plan C. Henry's off ill, too."
"Well, he wouldn't have managed anyway. He had an important cargo run to deliver this morning." The station master reminded him.
"Of course. Dash it all- I forgot it! Well in that case, tell Percy and Toby to do Thomas' work too- he can take the cargo run with a back engine, if necessary. I'll have James take the Express instead."
...
So the Fat Controller embarked on his quest to inform James of his unexpected position.
He found James basking in the sun.
"Ah, hello James." He said.
"Oh, good morning sir!" James exclaimed, surprised to see the Fat Controller at the Sheds, seeing as he already gave everyone their jobs for the day. "Is something the matter, sir?"
"I need you to pull the Express, James. Gordon and Henry have both succumbed to some sort of illness, and you're the only engine available to pull it."
"Yes, sir! I wouldn't let you down, sir!" James whistled happily. He loved pulling the Express, as it gave the chance to show off his beautiful red paint and be as grand as Gordon. Besides, he hadn't pulled it in ages.
So he excitedly hurried off to Knapford to pull his train. The Fat Controller sighed, got back into his car, and drove back to Knapford. His engines were rather impatient at the best of times.
...
When he arrived, everyone was waiting on him to get coupled up. Rosie had shunted his coaches for him, but they needed an engine to pull them.
"I need to get to an important meeting, and fast!" A man cried.
"I have a job interview at 11:05!" A woman exclaimed.
James whistled loudly and hurried to the front of his coaches to couple up, and as he did so many men and women cheered, for they knew they still had a chance to go and get to where they needed to be.
Just then, James saw someone run up to the train. It was the Fat Controller, wanting to deliver an important message.
"Remember, James, these people do need to go to important destinations." The Fat Controller reminded James. I don't want you to be late, or cause some kind of confusion and delay."
"Alright, sir!" James replied excitedly.
Once James was ready to go, the guard blew his whistle, James' driver blew his engine's whistle in kind, and James was off!
Only...
The passengers were sitting perfectly still in their seats of their perfectly still coaches.
James had left his train behind!
...
Meanwhile, James was having the time of his life! He found the run very easy and not once did he hear a peep from his passengers. It did seem very unusual, but he didn't mind.
"We've got a quiet lot, today driver!" He said.
"Yes." His driver agreed. "It's a bit strange, isn't it?"
"Well, no noise is good noise!" The fireman joked.
Then, up ahead, James saw a red signal. This meant 'Stop, there's danger ahead!' so James' driver applied the brakes and the red engine jerked to a stop outside a signal box.
"Where's the danger?" James asked his crew.
"There's no danger, James." A voice replied. It was the signalman, who had come over to explain everything.
"I'm afraid you haven't got a train." He explained. "I got a call from the station master at Knapford telling me you left without the Express!"
"By Jove, he's right!" The driver exclaimed, leaning out of James' cab to look for the coaches but only seeing thin air behind his locomotive.
"We better go back," The fireman announced gloomily. "Now this noise will definitely not be good."
James could not agree more.
...
When he arrived back at Knapford, he saw that everyone was angry with him for leaving them behind. They shouted complaints, they swore never to return, and they demanded refunds.
And in the midst of all the chaos, was the Fat Controller himself. His face was red with anger.
"James! You have caused confusion and delay! Explain yourself!"
"I'm sorry sir, but I must have got too excited and left the coaches without realising I wasn't coupled on." He explained meekly.
"It's my fault sir," Sighed the driver. "I should have checked that everything was ready before we left."
The Fat Controller began to calm down, though he was still cross about the ensuing pandemonium.
"Well, at least you confessed to your mistake." He said. "I'll let you have another chance, and afterwards, I'm sending you to Wellsworth Goods Yard."
"Yes sir," Gulped James quietly.
"Good," The Fat Controller replied quietly.
...
Thankfully everyone got where they meant to be, but not everyone had a good morning. Job interviews went downhill slightly, people missed meetings, and there was also a bit of teasing from colleagues once their initial fury settled.
As for James himself, after he had finished pulling the Express train, the Fat Controller spoke to him sternly. He said everyone made mistakes, so he would be lenient on James, but he also wanted him to remember that small mistakes could cause a lot of catastrophe.
So he sent James to Wellsworth for a short while. He knew Edward would receive any disgraced visitors with his customary kindness, and would help them out with things like this.
He was also not allowed to take the Express for two weeks either.
However, when Henry and Gordon both fell ill again just short of that time window, only one hero remained to save the day... but that's for another story.