It was another day on the Island of Sodor. Thomas whistled loudly, startling some passengers as he raced into Knapford Station. Annie and Clarabel sighed with relief.

"Beat you again, Bertie! I'm starting to think this is too easy!" he chuckled as he came to a halt.

Bertie's face turned as red as his paintwork.

"That's nonsense, Thomas! I was... caught in some construction on the road..."

Thomas smirked.

"Whatever you say...!"

Just then, Thomas gasped at the sound of Gordon's whistle. An idea flew into his head as Gordon began puffing through the station.

"Express coming through!" he shouted proudly as he began to pass by Thomas.

Thomas grinned as he began leaving the station himself.

"Gordon! Gordon! I bet I'll beat you to the junction!"

Gordon rolled his eyes, but said nothing.

"I'm going to make it! Look at me!" the tank engine grinned.

Thomas whistled cheerily and just made it there before Gordon.

"I won! I won! I won! Better luck next time, Gordon!"

Gordon looked back at Thomas and groaned.

"Is there a bolt loose in that tank engine...?"

Annie and Clarabel were horrified.

"Thomas! Thomas?! What are you doing?! The signal is red!" Annie shrieked.

Thomas looked at the red signal above him and gasped.

"Oh no! What am I doing?!"

"That's what we're asking!"

A rumble on the rails caught Thomas' attention and he glanced ahead. To his horror, Hiro was arriving with a large train from the Mainland.

"Hiro!" Thomas cried out.

Hiro's eyes widened as he saw the little tank engine in front of him.

"Thomas?! What are you doing?! Back up, back up!"

"I'm trying!" Thomas wailed as he began racing over the points.

The points were switched and Hiro rumbled through the station, muttering to himself.

Thomas was as white as a snowflake by the time Hiro had left his sight. Annie and Clarabel weren't looking much better.

"Thomas! That was very dangerous!" scolded Annie.

"Exactly! What would the Fat Controller say?" added Clarabel.

Thomas sighed as he backed into his platform again.

"I'm sorry, you two... I guess my competitive drive got the better of me..."

"It certainly did," Clarabel shivered, "I hope I never experience that again!"

"It's alright, Clarabel," soothed Annie, "It's over."

"It'll live on in my mind!"

"Dear, you're being dramatic again."

Philip rolled alongside him, smirking.

"Don't you know I'm the only small engine capable of beating Gordon?" he asked smugly.

Thomas rolled his eyes as Bertie giggled.

"Thomas!"

Thomas gulped; he recognized that voice.

"S-s-sir...?"

The Fat Controller rubbed his temples and glared at his number one engine.

"Thomas, what on earth were you thinking?!"

"I... um..."

"You should know not to race out into the middle of a busy station! You could've injured your passengers!"

Thomas gulped.

"This better not happen again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir..." said Thomas sadly.

The Fat Controller nodded.

"Right. I was going to tell you that I need you to take a goods train to Vicarstown."

Philip and Thomas glanced at each other curiously.

"Why, sir?" asked the blue tank engine.

"Well, Paxton was originally going to take it, but I didn't realize how busy it was up there at the quarry. Surprisingly, there's no other engine available, so you'll have to do it."

Thomas grinned.

"Oh, thank you, sir! I don't get to go on the Main Line that often!"

"There'a a reason for that," murmured Annie.

"Try not to run any red signals this time though..." the Fat Controller muttered.

Thomas blushed.

"I won't, sir."

The Fat Controller headed back to his office and Thomas steamed away to collect the train.

Soon, Thomas was on the Main Line.

However, he hadn't forgotten his little incident at Knapford.

"I didn't really beat Gordon, did I...?" he muttered, "If we were to really race, I would've lost instantly... I wish I could be faster... Then I could show that bossy boiler a thing or two..."

The tank engine sighed as he approached the large Vicarstown Station. He soon came to a halt, and looked out through the town to the direction of the Vicarstown Bridge. Gordon noticed him from the farthest platform and scowled. His daydreaming was interrupted by a loud, unfamiliar whistle. Thomas looked up and noticed a very large engine was backing down next to him. Thomas' short-lived despair was overthrown by awe as the big engine let off steam.

"Goodness me! Two tenders!" he gasped to himself, "I wonder why he has them..."

The engine smiled to himself as the passengers disembarked. He seemed friendly enough, so Thomas decided to speak up.

"H-Hello," he stuttered, "Are you from the Other Railway?"

The engine looked over and smiled warmly.

"Oh, yes I am! I-"

"I was built on the Mainland too, in Brighton!" Thomas interrupted with a burst of excitement.

The two-tendered engine smirked with intrigue; he liked this little tank engine.

"I haven't exactly been there since, but I do recall a long time ago when me and some of my friends went over there."

The foreign locomotive raised an eyebrow.

"Is that so? Did my brother go?"

"Your brother?"

Gordon rolled his eyes and looked away, not keen on where the conversation was going.

"Of course. Didn't Gordon ever tell you?"

Thomas looked at Gordon and gasped.

"You two are brothers?!"

"...yes, Thomas..." Gordon said dully.

"Well, I suppose you do look alike. I should've realized sooner!"

"Yes, Thomas," Gordon grumbled, "You should've... He's a very famous engine. They call him the Flying Scotsman..."

Flying Scotsman smirked, not taking Gordon's enviousness too seriously.

"Good job, Gordon! You got it right!"

Gordon rolled his eyes and looked away again.

"Is that your name or just a title?" Thomas inquired.

"It's actually my name. It almost makes me sound famous, doesn't it...?"

"Yes, brother, you're famous. We get it... Why are you here exactly?"

"Delivering and collecting passengers, Gordon. One would you think would figure that out...!"

Thomas giggled as Gordon's face flushed.

"But I do have some news," Flying Scotsman continued, "I'm to take part in the Great Railway Show! I shall be racing!"

Gordon's jaw dropped. Thomas gasped excitedly.

"The Great Railway Show? What's that?"

Flying Scotsman gazed at his new friend.

"How do you not know what the Great Railway Show is...?"

Thomas grinned sheepishly.

"I may have heard about it in small talk a few times but I never really thought much of it."

"I see... Well, the Great Railway Show's simply a big event where engines from all over the world compete to see who's the strongest, the fastest, what have you. From what I've heard, Sodor hasn't competed in any of the shows yet."

"Why not?" asked Thomas curiously.

"Not sure, to be honest. I suppose they just didn't bother. Because of that, I don't think any will be going this time either."

Flying Scotsman grinned at Gordon, who fought back a forlorn expression.

"And just why would I want to, if it's full of engines like you boasting about how interesting it is on the Mainland..."

"Someone's bitter." Thomas grinned, "I want to go though! It sounds very exciting!"

Flying Scotsman chuckled.

"That's what they all say whenever they first hear of it. Maybe with luck, you shall."

The big engine whistled and his pistons pumped.

"Flying Scotsman coming through!" he shouted as he puffed away.

"Hey, you stole that from me!" Gordon fumed.

"From what I recall it was the other way around!" his brother laughed as he left.

Thomas glanced at Gordon, who clearly looked miserable.

"He seemed nice," he said, "How come you were so irritated?"

Gordon glared at the smaller engine.

"None of your business..."

Thomas frowned as Gordon slowly chuffed out of the station.

Later, at Knapford Station, the Fat Controller was walking out of his office with a clipboard in his hand.

"Sir," said a workman, running up to him with a poster, "The Great Railway Show's coming up. Do you-"

"Yes, I've heard all about it," the Fat Controller muttered, "I think I may compete this year."

"Really?" said another workman, scratching his head, "But you've never sent anyone before, sir."

"I know, for I wanted to focus on the railway rather then competition. However, there's not that much going on right now and I can afford to spend my time planning it instead. Besides, I think it's high time I do. The world needs to know what Sodor can do."

The two workmen looked to each other and shrugged. Just then, Henry arrived, pulling a long and heavy train. He whistled urgently as he stopped.

"Sir, sir!"

The railway controller looked up.

"Yes, Henry?"

"Will you take me to the Great Railway Show?" Henry grinned.

The Fat Controller groaned and rubbed his forehead.

"Henry..."

"Please, sir! i pull loads of heavy trains, sir! I think I could win the strength competition! I'm such a mighty engine, you know!"

"Perhaps, but-"

James puffed next to Henry with a smug expression.

"I think you should take me, sir. My paintwork will surely win some sort of competition!"

Henry glared at the red engine.

"I think my strength is more important than your paintwork. I'm built this way. Your red coat can be replaced quite easily."

James gasped in mock horror.

"Oh, it can?! Wow, I never knew that!"

A loud, booming whistle interjected the argument. Henry, James and the Fat Controller glanced at Gordon pulling into Track 1.

"Personally, I'd choose myself, sir. I am fastest and best-"

"-and we know the rest," Henry muttered.

"...that's not clever, Henry."

"Didn't you not want to go?" James asked suspiciously.

Gordon pretended he hadn't heard him.

"Nonetheless, I can go up to 100 miles per hour. Then I can beat my famous brother!"

Henry and James looked at each other. The Fat Controller sighed.

"Alright, everyone, settle down. I'll get all this sorted soon, but please just-"

"Oh, hello everyone!" said Philip happily as he rushed up from the other direction, "Why don't you take me?!"

James gave Philip a look.

"...seriously?"

"Of course! I may be new and small, but I raced Gordon once, and I was the winner!"

"...no you weren't."

Gordon snorted indignantly.

"Yes I was, James. He wasn't behind me the whole time. I won easily!"

"Do I want to know about this?" the Fat Controller snapped.

"Actually yes, you do! At least you should. So first I was-"

"It was a rhetorical question, Philip..."

"Oh."

"Now, can you please just-"

Philip was bumped from behind and he flew through the station in terror.

"I still wooooon!" he yelled as he rolled back to the yard.

Diesel smirked as he took Philip's place.

"Take me, sir," he said in an oily voice, "I was your first diesel, you know. I'm loyal, kind, and true, as well as modern and revolutionary."

The Fat Controller put his head in his hands as Gordon sniffed.

"What competition would you compete in, eh...?"

"...um... I don't know..."

"Exactly. Leave us be and-"

"Sir, sir!"

"Can we make a suggestion?"

"Please?"

The Fat Controller groaned.

"...three more?"

Duck, Donald and Douglas grinned as they braked.

"I'm a very strong shunter, sir," said Duck, "Remember why you gave me a branch line?"

"Yes, I do, but-"

"It's because I arranged the yard so well, of course," Duck smiled with pride.

"Oh of course, you get a branch line, and I'm simply looked at is devious..." Diesel snarled.

"Or ye cuid tak' us!" Donald offered, "We wirk weel th'gither!"

"That's richt!" agreed Douglas, "We could win if we practice."

"Aren't you not supposed to take twins...?" James asked.

"Whit? How come?" Donald asked.

"Well... uh... it sounds like you'd be cheating," Henry said.

"Whit nonsense!"

The Fat Controller was about to tell everyone off when one final whistle blew.

"Oh... lovely... another engine..."

"Why don't you take me?!" Thomas beamed proudly.

The other engines looked to each other and burst into laughter. Thomas immediately frowned.

"What's so funny?" he asked defensively.

The engines tried to control themselves, but Diesel, James, and Henry couldn't help it.

"Thomas, the Great Railway Show's a sophisticated event," Gordon smirked, "Why would a small tank engine like you go?"

"Duck's a tank engine!" Thomas grumbled, "Why are you picking on me?"

"Yes, but at the very least he's a powerful locomotive. You're just..."

"Tiny," snickered Henry.

"Against all the internationals, you probably wouldn't stand a chance," grinned James.

"And you're a steam engine!" Diesel finished.

Everyone gave him a withering look. Diesel chuckled nervously.

"I... say... ironically... heh heh..."

"Enough!"

Everyone gasped in shock as the Fat Controller put his hands on his hips.

"I haven't decided who I'm taking yet! I understand you're all excited about going, but please, be more considerate and orderly than this! We have a railway to run, you know!"

"...oh, sorry, sir, I thought I was a boat who must sail to Australia," James muttered as quietly as he could.

The Fat Controller glared at the red tender engine, who smiled weakly.

"Oh, right. Sorry, sir," said Duck anxiously as he reversed.

"Of course, sir. I'll deliver this heavy freight in no time!" beamed Henry.

"Henry... stop it," said James.

"...okay..."

Soon, every engine had left, except Thomas. He began to feel rather upset, as he looked at one of the posters on the station wall, which showed too large engines racing each other.

"Why can't I go to the railway show..." he said to himself as he began leaving.

Author's Note: My opinion on the latest special is that it's... decent. It wasn't terrible, but admittedly the whole special felt like a pretty big toy commercial. I know the whole point of the series is to sell toys now, but on other occasions they weren't this obvious about it. However, I do think it had a lot of good ideas, which is why I've decided to tackle this project. I haven't really done a rewrite of an entire special before, but I'm confident about this, and I hope it turns out well. This isn't to say the original isn't any good, but I hope to improve on various aspects of it.