After delivering all of his passengers back to Wellsworth, Edward returned his coaches to the yard, and waited as the yard manager came to see him.

Manager: Ah, Edward. You're here. Finally. Anyway, I have a particular job for you that will take you another rerun around the line if you don't mind.

Edward: What's that, sir?

Manager: Right, well there are twenty cattle trucks that are empty and need to go to market. The farmer needs them to herd his cattle, and there is no other engine available at the moment. You've just finished sorting your trucks and coaches, Edward, and Wellsworth is your yard after all.

Edward: (whistles, as he reverses in the siding and buffers up to the cattle trucks) Yes, sir. You can rely on me.

(The shunter couples Edward up, and he whistles as he leaves the yard, the manager waving after him.

Edward: (singing) Taking these empty cattle trucks

All the way to market and back

They say that I'm old but I don't care

Being useful keeps me on track

Empty carriages rattle behind me

But it keeps me going

My bearings are worn and though I clank about,

It doesn't stop me knowing

That it's A Branch Line Worth Running

Blue skies and meadows of green

A Branch Line Worth Running

Like no other you've seen

I have the strength in my wheels to pass some cows in a field

Though they're too busy grazing to see the fun in -

A Branch Line Worth Running

As Edward passed a field of cows, he whistled loudly, which alerted the cows. They were not so used to train passing by often, and the noise and smoke disturbed them instantly. They raised up their tails and charged towards Edward and his cattle trucks.

Edward: (as the cows break through the fence) Woah!

Driver: Look out, Edward!

Edward shut his eyes, as the cows charged across the line smashed right through the thirteenth and fourteenth trucks. Seven trucks were left behind with the brake van and rolled quickly back. It wasn't till the guard pressed tbe brake hard that they came to a complete stop. But Edward and his driver didn't notice this yet and carried on. Edward felt a jerk, but it wasn't till the next station his driver looked behind and noticed what had happened.

(Song shifts a half step up into F#/Gb)

Edward: Bother those noisy cattle trucks!

Why can't they just come quietly?

Driver: We've reached the next station all in good time, old boy

But we've left our tail behind

Edward: Hmm, so I see

(reverses)

Now I realize the issue with cows

How much trouble they can be

(backs up to the rest of the train and the guard couples him up)

But incidents like this happen all the time

It doesn't matter to me

'Cause it's A Branch Line Worth Running

Blue skies and meadows of green

A Branch Line Worth Running

Like no other you've seen

Though the cows may be a bother,

It's one like no other

A simple incident is one thing

Still, it's A Branch Line - Worth Running! (holds out)

The news of Edward's incident soon spread across Knapford, and when Edward returned to the Yard, he discovered that Gordon and Henry found it to be very funny indeed.

Edward: (raising an eyebrow, suspiciously) Just what do you two think it so funny then, eh?

Henry: (chuckles) Oh, we're sorry, Edward. I am at least. But really though, fancy allows cows over all things to break your train. It's very, very amusing. (chuckles along with Gordon)

Edward: I didn't let it happen, Henry. I must've whistled so loudly that maybe the noise and smoke disturbed them enough to cause an accident. These things do happen, you know, and you too should be careful of how you go about the fields these days, or else the same thing might happen to either one of you.

Gordon: (chortles) Cows wouldn't dare do such a thing to big strong engines like us, Edward. We'd show them.

(Gordon and Henry laugh loudly, as Edward quietly whistles and carries on into the station)

Edward just ignored Gordon and Henry. He didn't quite like being teased by the bigger engines, but the more he put the matter aside, the more likely they would forget it, and he was always careful about whistling loudly at fields from that moment on.

Toby: (ringing his bell, as he stops beside Edward) You couldn't necessarily help it, Edward. It was wrong of Gordon and Henry to tease you like that.

Edward: I still should've been more mindful about loud whistling, Toby, otherwise the incident would have probably been less likely to happen.

Toby: Still, it's not exactly your fault. The bigger engines pull trucks and coaches along the main line. They've never met cows, yet you see them everyday. Henrietta and I used to see cows on my old tramway all the time, but we knew the trouble they were and soon learnt not to disturb them.

Henrietta: Quite right, Toby. It's not exactly under an engine's control on a cow's behavior, but being mindful of their territory makes all the difference.

Edward: Thank you, Toby and Henrietta. I will be careful with passing that field from now on.

Topham: (walking over) Right you will, Edward. I'm not exactly blaming the incident on you, but it has caused some confusion and it's true that you should be cautious about loud whistling from now on. Just remember that cows are not used to trains, and will therefore retaliate if you're not too careful.

Edward: Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.

And deep down, Edward knew that Sir Topham Hatt was right.

The days passed and the teasing never stopped. James would occasionally join in, but Thomas, Percy and Toby felt sorry for Edward and wished the big engines would stop. Eventually James tired of doing so, but neither Gordon or Henry could overcome how amusing they found the situation.

(A new rendition of Main Line-ing begins with an instrumental intro, as Gordon races past a very surprised Edward through Wellsworth)

Gordon: Good day, Edward! Mind the cows! (laughing) Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!

But Edward was rather worried.

Edward: (calling out) Be careful up the line! The fence still hasn't been mended yet!

But Gordon didn't hear Edward, as he continued along the main line.

Gordon: Whoosh!

Express engine is coming through!

Whoosh!

I'm fast and strong and big blue

Make way!

I'll show old Edward just how I can manage

I'm sure a few cows who won't cause any damage

To a big strong express engine like me! (chuckles loudly, as he thunder over the viaduct)

All I need to do is make a fuss and hurry

To pull the express, sometimes, is such a scurry

But I have all the strength and speed

And all the chuff I really need

So won't you all make way for me?

Main Line-ing!

Pretty soon, a long stretch of line lay ahead and in the distance, Gordon approached a bridge. But both he and his driver wander across their line.

Driver: Woah, Gordon! (quickly lets off steam, alerting the cow, as Gordon slows down and stops just inches before, which stares right up at him)

Gordon: (glances nervously for a quick second as the cow sniffs him) Pah! It's only a cow. Not to worry. I'll take care of this. (wheeshing steam, as the cow backs away) Shoo! Shoo!

Cow: (walks a bit back further towards Gordon) Moo!

Gordon: (startled) Oh! Oh, well. I don't see what the matter is. I mean…

(passengers lean out from windows, interrupting Gordon)

Passenger #1: I don't what the holdup is!

Passenger #2: Oi! What's going on here?!

Passenger #3: I say, in the middle of a bridge? Really?

All the passengers got out and complained to the guard at once. Then they saw the cow on Gordon's line, and they could only laugh. They tried many different to lead her off, but she wouldn't go. Eventually, Henry came along, and the guard ran over to flag him down.

Gordon: Henry! Are we glad to see you?

Henry: Ha! What's this? A cow? (chuckles) Don't worry, Gordon. I'll have your line cleared in no time. (wheeshes steam towards the cow) Be off!, now Be off!

Cow: (turning around and facing Henry) Moo!

Henry: (startled) Oh, well, okay, well…(groans)

Once again, Henry's passengers got out and assisted Gordon's passengers in trying to move the cow away. But nothing worked. At last, they gave up, and the guard lost patience.

Guard: I'm very sorry, but it's no use. I'll have to put on the line to protect Henry's train. I'll go down to the station and see what the stationmaster can do.

And that's exactly what he did.

At the nearest station, the guard told the porter and the stationmaster all about the cow, and the trouble it had caused for Gordon and Henry and their passengers.

Porter: Why, that must be Bluebell.

Guard: (confused) Bluebell?

Porter: Why, yes. A cow that was missing from the farmer. Her calf is here in Percy's cattle truck, looking for her mother so that Percy can take them to market.

Stationmaster: Oh. Well, perhaps there's something we can do about that then.

Porter: Indeed. Wait here, Percy. I know just what to do, and then we can head along to market.

Percy: Yes, sir.

And so the porter took the calf along the bridge. It was a bit of a long journey to get there and the calf was exceptionally slow, but once they arrived, there was a happy reunion.

Calf: (running over) Moo! Moo!

Bluebell: (looking over from the surprised passengers) Moo! Moo! (waits till the calf gets close stops, before nuzzling her quietly)

As soon as Bluebell and her calf were happily reunited, the porter led them back to the station, where Percy was ready to take them to market.

Back on the bridge, the guard removed the detonators, and Gordon and Henry felt rather silly.

Gordon: (whispers to Henry, as he slowly starts again) Not a word!

Henry: (whispers back, as he starts) Keep it dark!

Both engines were confident that their secret was safe, but unfortunately, Percy knew all about it from being at the station, and the story soon spread.

(Tidmouth Sheds. Toby is beside the shed by Percy, Thomas and Edward in their berths. Henry chuffs back into his berth beside James, as Gordon turns on the table)

That night, when Gordon and Henry returned, the other engines were very amused by what had happened to them. Edward was especially laughing, and spoke cheekily to them both.

Edward: Well, now. Who would've thought it? Two big engines afraid of one cow, eh? (laughs along with the rest of the engines, except Gordon and Henry)

Gordon: (as he chuffs into his berth between Henry and Edward) Afraid? Why, stuff and nonsense, Edward! It's not like we wanted the poor thing to hurt herself by running up against us. She is a mother with a young calf after all.

Edward: Hmm. Sure…

Gordon: So we, um, stopped as not to excite her. Right, Henry?

Henry: Right. Well, um, yes. No harm done of course. These things do happen, right, Edward.

Edward: (glancing over, still a bit amused) Mmm, yes, Henry. They do.

Gordon: Uh, yes, yes, they do. Right. So you DO get our meaning, don't you, my dear Edward?

Edward: (chuckles) Oh, yes, Gordon. I understand…, (jokingly) …but perhaps a bit too well if you get MY meaning.

(The engines chuckle as the scene zooms out. Henry lets out a nervous smile, while Gordon groans in shame)

The two big engines felt rather ashamed, but at least now they had learnt not to be so rude to Edward, as every engine has to go through some sort of incident to help learn from them.

Quite a simple chapter in all reality. Yes, it's a bit too much like the book, but I am working as I go along and I am most excited for James and Edward's arc at the climax. Gordon and Henry learn not to pick on Edward, and Bluebell and her calf are now reunited. I don't know. Perhaps, I might find use for them somewhere later in this story, maybe around Trevor's story arc. I don't know, we'll see. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and be sure to come back later, or maybe tomorrow to...Set The Pace With Edward!