James and the Coaches

Next day The Fat Controller spoke severely to James.

The Fat Controller: If you can't behave, I shall take away your red coat and have you painted blue!

James didn't like that at all.

Jock arrived to start work.

Jock: Good morning James.

James: What's so good about it?! Come on we got work to do!

Jock: Well, okay, but shouldn't we wait for your driver and fireman first?

James: They'll be here; just get in!

Jock (Thinking): What's gotten him so cross?

James' driver and fireman arrived and as soon as they reach the station, James was very rough with the coaches as he brought them to the platform.

James: Come On!

Coaches: All in good time!

James: Don't talk come out!

Jock: James lad, what's the matter with you; remember what Edward and Lady said about coaches?

But James didn't listen, he was very cross. The Fat Controller had spoke to him, the coaches had doddle, and worst of all he had to fetch his own coaches.

James (Thinking): Gordon never does and he's only painted blue. A smart red engine like me should never have to fetch some coaches.

To make James even more cross he then had to take the coaches to another platform where no one came near him. The Fat Controller was in his office, the station master was with the guard at the end of the train, and a little boy stood far away from the platform. James felt lonely.

James (Thinking): I'll show them; they think Gordon is the only engine that can pull coaches!

James fumed out of the station.

James: Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Coaches: You're going too fast, you're going too fast!

And indeed they were, James kept going fast, while the coaches swayed some side to side, and Jock was worried.

Jock: James, lad, slow down!

But James only laughed and tried to go even faster.

Coaches: We're going to stop, we're going to stop, we are going to stop!

Then suddenly the train began to slowdown, till finally they came to a complete hull.

James: What's the matter?

James' Driver: The breaks are hard on. Leak in the pipe most likely, you've banged the coaches enough to make a leak in anything.

Jock: Satisfied now James? Now we have to go to make sure the coaches and passengers are okay!

Jock, the driver, fireman, and guard went to check the coaches, till Jock finally found the leak.

Guard: How should we mend it?

The driver thought.

James' Driver: We'll do it with newspaper and a leather bootlace.

Guard: Well I got a newspaper in my break coach, but where are we going to find a leather bootlace?

James' Driver: Ask the passengers.

So the guard asked everyone to come out of the train.

Guard: As anyone got a leather bootlace?

The passengers all said no, then Jock notice a man trying to hide his feet and start barking at him.

Guard: You have a leather bootlace there we see sir; please give it to me.

Man: I won't!

Guard: Then I'm afraid the train will just stop where it is.

The passengers all said what a bad railway this was, but the guard climb back to his van, the driver and fireman shut off steam, and Jock deiced to go home. So they all told the man how bad he was instead; everyone was very cross.

At last he handed his laces over, the driver tied a pat of newspaper tightly around the hole in the break pipe, Jock climbed back into James' cab, and James was able to pull the train.

But he was a sadder and wiser James, and took care never to bump coaches again.