Elsewhere, at Tidmouth Sheds, Gordon was being very full of himself while talking to James and Henry.

"James, Henry, I'm telling you…Signals are such useless things. I needn't have a signal to tell me where to go!"

"Gordon, that's nonsense. You need signals to keep you safe and to tell you if the line is clear!" James was indignant. The Fat Controller was beginning to think well of him, but Gordon was an absolute nuisance.

"I wouldn't say you'd be qualified to talk about what's safe, Bootlaces." Gordon scoffed.

"I hate to interrupt, but Gordon's right, James. You aren't really one to talk." Henry put in meekly. James scoffed.

"And I suppose you two forgot about getting stuck up in tunnels and on hills?" James raised an eyebrow. Gordon snorted.

"You talk too much, little James."

"And what makes you better, eh?"

"A fine, strong engine like me has something to talk about."

"Like what?"

"Like the fact that I pull the express. When I'm not there, they need two engines! I'm the most important engine on the line! I've pulled expresses for years, and I've never lost my way! I know the right line by instinct!"

"The signalman does, not you, Gordon." Henry grumbled, but James seethed as Gordon continued his speech about how great he is.

The following morning, the engines were being stoked up. Gordon yawned and looked at James.

"It's almost time for the express. What are you doing, little James, odd jobs?" Gordon grinned, "Ah well, we all have to start somewhere. Now run along and fetch my coaches." James was almost as red as his paintwork.

"But that's Percy's job! Ask him to do it!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You small engines all look the same to me." James glared at him and ran along to the station.

When James arrived, the Stationmaster spoke to him.

"Sorry, James. Percy is busy elsewhere. You have to shunt Gordon's coaches for him."

"Oh, bother." James grumbled, "Gordon will never let me hear the end of this now!"

James shunted the express coaches into the station. They gleamed with new paint, and they chattered excitedly to each other.

"We're going away! We're going away!" They called. James chuckled.

"I wish I was going with you. Instead of that bossy Gordon…I'd love to pull the express and go gliding along the line." James sighed, and he then moved over to a siding. Gordon rolled into the station noisily.

"Good work, James! It's like you're a true tank engine!" Gordon laughed, and backed down onto the train.

The Fat Controller was at the rear of the train climbing into one of the coaches, talking to another important gentleman about business matters.

"…Top hats are in style! Everyone knows that!"

"I'm sorry, sir. But I really don't think they are!"

"Top hats are my fashion choice, my…"

The doors closed on the coaches. The guard's whistle blew and Gordon started off. With several sharp blasts of his whistle, he began to disappear into the distance.

"Goodbye, little James!" Gordon shouted, "See you later!" James scoffed, before the signalman stopped him.

"Sorry James, but you have to stay here. The Fat Controller has temporarily relocated Percy to Wellsworth with Edward to give him some rest, so you'll have to shunt coaches and trucks in the yards for a while."

"Great." James snorted, and then went off to fetch the coaches for another train.

Gordon was enjoying his run when he came across a signal.

"I needn't stop, I know exactly where I'm going!"

Of course Gordon didn't. If he had, he would have noticed that he had been diverted onto another line, outside the main…

James had just brought the coaches to the platform when he heard a low, mournful moan.

"Is that who I think it is?" James raised an eyebrow and looked back. Sure enough, Gordon was entering the station, and trying as hard as he could to not be noticed. He eventually rolled into the platform and stopped. James held in laughter.

"Is it later?" James asked innocently, before bursting out into laughter. Gordon seethed in embarrassment.

"D-did you lose you way?" James forced out in between laughs. Gordon grunted.

"No. It was lost for me. I got switched off the main line and onto the loop. I had to go around and now I'm back at the station!" Gordon furrowed his brow in embarrassment, as James continued to laugh.

"Was it instinct then?" James grinned. Gordon rolled his eyes.

"Oh, the indignity…"

Meanwhile, all the passengers were gathered around The Fat Controller's office.

"We want our money back!" One shouted.

The Fat Controller climbed on a luggage trolley and blew the guard's whistle so loud that everyone stared at him.

"Thank you. Now, ladies and gentlemen, we will have a new train for you as soon as we can! Please stay calm!"

"I'm ready for anything, sir!" Gordon called, but the Fat Controller turned sternly to him.

"I shall be having a talk with you later, Gordon. I've heard some…behavioral issues concerning you."

Gordon's eyes nearly popped out of his head in surprise.

The Fat Controller instead walked over to James.

"Gordon can't pull the train, so I need you to do it James. You didn't let me down with your trucks, now prove yourself with coaches." He said. James grinned, but Gordon scoffed.

"Coaches and trucks are two very different things, little James." Gordon glared, but the Fat Controller's stern look shut him down.

James backed down onto the express, and everyone climbed aboard. He was coupled to the train, and was prepared to leave.

"You can do it, James!" The driver encouraged, and James grinned; he was sure he could.

"Do your best, James!" The Fat Controller called, and James gained a determined look.

"I will, sir." And he began to pull the heavy coaches away, leaving Gordon stunned.

"Come along, come along!" He puffed, and the coaches came along, trundling behind.

James loved coasting along the line. The wind whipped in his face and the tracks were clear. He felt better than he ever had.

"This is amazing!" He cried happily, and continued onwards.

He was making excellent time, even making up for the time that Gordon had lost!

"Keep on it, James!" The fireman shouted, and James did.

Bridges and stations flashed by, and the passengers cheered and James charged over Gordon's Hill.

"That'll show that Gordon!" He chortled as he sped down the other side.

It didn't take long for him to reach Vicarstown Station. Everyone thanked James for such a splendid journey, and the Fat Controller was very impressed.

"Well done, James." He smiled, "You've proven yourself today to be a really useful engine, and a credit to my railway." James beamed the biggest he ever had on the railway.

"Thank you so much, sir!" James smiled, and the Fat Controller grinned.

"You've earned it, James. And speaking of things you've earned, how would you like to pull the express sometimes?"

"Oh, sir!" James cried happily and whistled.

That evening, the Fat Controller spoke to Gordon alone.

"Gordon, you've had a tendency to stir up trouble as of late. You lead a strike among my engines, you're rude to every engine who you believe is below you, and you seem to hold yourself in the highest regard there is."

"B-" Gordon started to talk, but the Fat Controller interrupted him with a stern glare.

"Let me be very clear, Gordon. My engines treat everyone fairly. My engines aren't rude to others. And my engines shunt. All of them. The world does not revolve around you, Gordon. You need to realize that sooner or later, or I will send you away. Understood?" The look in Gordon's eyes affirmed this.

"Good night, Gordon." And with that the Fat Controller turned away, leaving Gordon to his own thoughts. The Fat Controller had left him with a lot of them.

So James proves himself and the Fat Controller lays down the law with Gordon. But how will Gordon use his new-found knowledge? Sorry for the longer wait on this one, I've been super, super busy. Next chapter's one with a huge action sequence, and seeing what story is left you can probably deduce what it is. However, there's a bit of a twist that you'll have to see to believe in Chapter 11 - Runaway!