Gordon waited at the platform for his coaches. He glared at the snow out in front of him.

"Where is that Percy?" Gordon asked, "An important engine like me shouldn't have to be kept waiting!"

"Just be patient Gordon, I'm sure Percy's on his way." His driver said calmly, but Gordon was no mood for it. However, he failed to hear someone coming alongside him.

"Whoa!" Gordon was shocked as he was sprayed with snow from a passing engine. The big blue engine was not happy, especially when he heard familiar laughter.

"PERCY!" Gordon shouted, but Percy only rolled away.

"Fight back, you coward!" Percy said, and he rolled away giggling to himself.

Gordon glared at the little engine as he spat snow from his mouth.

That night, Percy was returning to the sheds after pulling the mail train.

"I'm so cold! When can we get to the shed?" Percy shivered. His driver walked up to the shed doors.

"They're locked, Percy! We'll have to sleep in the goods shed. Come on."

Percy grumbled as he rolled away. Inside the shed, Gordon was grinning.

"Hmph," he says, "that'll show that cheeky little monster." And the big blue engine went to sleep.


It took a long time for spring to come and the snow to melt. Flowers and grass began to grow again, and Thomas was glad that his branch line was nice and clear.

"I don't have to wear my snowplough anymore!" Thomas cheered.

"Until next winter, Thomas." Annie chuckled.

"Don't bang it up this time!" Clarabel laughed.

"Oh, red signal!" Thomas braked at a red signal outside a bus station. Sitting nearby was a red bus. The bus raised an eyebrow.

"Well, well, well, Thomas the Tank Engine. I've heard a lot about you." Thomas was surprised; he didn't recognize the bus.

"Do I know you?" Thomas said. The bus chuckled.

"Pardon me, my name's Bertie. I took your passengers after you got stuck in the snow, and Terence the Tractor had to pull you out!" Bertie guffawed, "But you were going awfully fast…"

"I run this branch line, Bertie." Thomas said, "And yes, I was going fast! That's what you do when you run on rails."

"Not as fast as I can go on the roads," Bertie chuckled, "I'd be leaving you in the dust if we were to ever have a race."

"Really?" Thomas' eyes narrowed. The engine and bus stared off.

"Fine, let's have a friendly race then." Bertie smirked, "I'll prove that I'm faster than you could ever be."

"You're on." Thomas grinned.

"I'm not sure if the Fat Controller will approve, Thomas…" Annie sighed worriedly.

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Annie." Thomas said.

Their drivers agreed, and soon enough the two were ready. Thomas' fireman poked his head out of the cab.

"We race to Ffarquhar. Come on Thomas, you can beat him." Thomas grinned determinedly.

"Good luck, Thomas," Bertie chuckled, "you'll need it."

Thomas scowled and looked ahead. The stationmaster stood between them with some flags.

"Ready…"

Bertie revved his engine.

"Steady…."

Thomas' driver had his hand on the regulator.

"…GO!"

(SONG: Let's Have a Race)

A lesson that's worth learning

One you never should forget

Is the art of friendly rivalry

It's not always about winning

You must learn that from the start

Enjoy yourself remember

What counts is taking part

Thomas could never go too quickly to start. He saw the bus round a corner, and began to chase after him.

Let's have a race, have a race, have a race

Let's see who is the quickest

Who can be the fastest

On your marks, now get set, go!

Let's set a pace, set a pace, set a pace

Let's see if you can catch me

Let's see if you can match me so

Let's have a race, have a race

"Go faster! Faster, Thomas!" Annie cheered. Both coaches were getting into the race now. Thomas picked up speed, and saw Bertie up ahead. He drew level with him.

"What did I tell you, I'm much faster!" Thomas grinned, but Bertie smirked right back.

"The race has barely started!" Bertie laughed, and sped up, spitting exhaust all over Thomas. The tank engine coughed, but then gained a determined expression.

"I'm not letting a bus beat me!" Thomas declared, and sped up once more.

Thomas challenged Bertie

To a friendly race one day

The driver said get ready

But be careful on the way

The friends lined up together

Enjoying the fun

The stationmaster called out

Are you ready to begin

"He's still too far ahead!" Clarabel shrieked. Bertie was out of sight, and Thomas wasn't going as fast as he could, "Hurry up, Thomas!"

"There's the level crossing up ahead," Thomas laughed, "He'll have to stop for me there!"

At the level crossing, Bertie was furious.

"Stupid crossing…He has to pass me!" Bertie grumbled, and he heard Thomas' whistle as the tank engine soared through the gates.

"Buh-bye, Bertie!" Thomas laughed. Bertie growled and continued onwards.

The road left the railway here, so the two couldn't see each other.

Let's have a race, have a race, have a race

Let's see who is the quickest

Who can be the fastest

On your marks, now get set, go!

Let's set a pace, set a pace, set a pace

Let's see if you can catch me

Let's see if you can match me so

Let's have a race, have a race

(song temporarily ends)

Thomas dropped his passengers off at the station, as quickly as possible, and continued on. Thomas approached a bridge and saw Bertie rolling overhead.

"Well, look who's losing!" Bertie laughed when he saw Thomas underneath, "My roads are much faster!" He chortled and sped away.

"Faster, Thomas!" Annie and Clarabel whooped and cheered, and Thomas tried to go faster. Suddenly, his driver called to him.

"You're running low on water, Thomas!" He said, "We'll have to stop at the next station!" Thomas gasped.

"But that will give Bertie a huge lead!"

"Well, we can't have you run dry!" The driver said, "And if we beat him to the station we might not have as much ground to make up!"

Thomas determinedly sped ahead.

Thomas arrived at Elsbridge, and Bertie was nowhere in sight.

"Haha! We beat him!" Thomas laughed, but a familiar honk changed his mood. Bertie was sitting smugly at the nearby bus stop.

"Sorry, can't dawdle around! We buses have to work, you know!" And Bertie guffawed away. Thomas was crushed.

"We'll never beat him now!" He sighed. The driver grinned.

"Once we refill your tank we will! There's a massive intersection up ahead! He's bound to get stuck in traffic!"

Thomas smiled, and soon enough his tank was full and he was off again.

Bertie bus was winning

He sped along the way

Thomas tried so hard

To catch up on the way

Eventually he passed him

And Bertie had to say

To pass you on that hill Thomas

I'd need wings like an aeroplane

Bertie was stuck at a traffic light, and was fuming.

"Come on, I'm going to lose my lead!" He snorted, and his fears were confirmed when Thomas came speeding past.

"Look who's winning now, Bertie!" Thomas laughed, and Bertie started off with a roar.

Bertie and Thomas were neck and neck as they approached the final stretch before Ffarquhar. Just before the station, Thomas' line passed through a tunnel, but Bertie had to go over the hill.

"Oh no!" Bertie cried, and he tried to ascend the hill as quickly as he could, but Thomas was already speeding through the tunnel. Bertie groaned, but sped on anyway.

Let's have a race, have a race, have a race

Let's see who is the quickest

Who can be the fastest

Ready, set, go!

Let's set a pace, set a pace, set a pace

Let's see if you can catch me

Let's see if you can match me so

Let's have a race, have a race

Let's have a race

Let's have a race

Right now

Thomas was approaching the station, and was gradually coming to a stop, when he suddenly heard Bertie behind him. He tried to speed up again, but his driver wouldn't let him.

"The passengers need a smooth stop, Thomas!" He said. Thomas heard Bertie's horn again. Clarabel saw Bertie trying to catch up, but Thomas was determined to beat him. Finally, Thomas pulled into the platform, and was victorious. As soon as the doors were opened, the passengers exited the coaches and cheered for Thomas.

"Hooray for Thomas!" They all cheered, and Bertie rolled in. To Thomas' surprise, he was smiling.

"That hill at the end there, I couldn't have possibly beaten you there! I'd need wings like an aeroplane to beat you!" He laughed, "But I had a wonderful time. You're quite fast, Thomas. We should race again someday." Thomas smiled.

"Thanks, Bertie. You're very fast as well. You almost beat me!"

"Really?"

"I said 'almost', Bertie." And the two new friends laughed as the passengers celebrated for Thomas.


That evening, the Fat Controller spoke to Thomas.

"So I heard you were running about racing buses, eh?" The Fat Controller said. Thomas blushed.

"I'm sorry, sir…"

"There's nothing to be sorry for, Thomas. You won, and you put in a good name for the railway. You showed how fast and reliable we are, and I'm proud of you." The Fat Controller pat Thomas' buffer, and Thomas smiled happily.

"However, I do not recommend racing at high speeds in future. Passengers don't like being bounced about like peas in a frying pan." He chuckled, "Good evening, Thomas. You are a Really Useful Engine." And Thomas swelled with pride.

"Yes, sir. I am a really useful engine." Thomas smiled, and went to sleep.


That was fun. Let's Have a Race has always been a favorite of mine, and I'm glad I included it even though it was not in the original plans for the story. Bertie's a snarky little git in this story, isn't he? He matures over the years though, which is good. Thomas and Bertie is a great episode, and it holds a special place in my heart. Sadly, seeing as this is the end of Tank Engine Thomas Again, Thomas is going to take a backseat in the next two chapters, and then appear again in the ending. Next chapter will end another character's story, and will cause quite a change in another. See the classic tale recreated, and one engine prove himself for good to another, in Chapter 10: "James and the Express"!