The episode right after the bootlaces was titled 'Troublesome Trucks'. James and Edward looked at one another and grinned. The Fat Controller, Gordon, Henry and Thomas smiled, and the other engines raised an eyebrow as to why they did so.

James had not seen the Fat Controller for several days. He was left alone for being naughty, and was not even allowed out to push coaches and trucks in the yard.

"Oh dear," he thought, "I shall have to stay in the shed for always, and no-one shall see my red coat again!"

Edward, Duck, Emily and Annie and Clarabel sighed.

"All because I went so fast I made a hole in one of my coaches that had to be mended with-of all things, a passenger's bootlace!"

At last, the Fat Controller arrived. "I see you are sorry, James," he said. "I hope now you will be a better engine."

"You have given me a lot of trouble-people are laughing at my railway, and I don't like that at all!"

"I still don't," said the Fat Controller, glaring at the three Big Engines and Thomas, who each blushed.

"I'm very sorry, sir," said James, "I will try hard to behave."

"That's a good engine," said the Fat Controller. "I want you to pull some trucks for me." James was delighted and puffed away.

"Here are your trucks, James!" said Thomas. "Have you got some bootlaces ready?" And he ran off, laughing.

"Hahaha," laughed James sarcastically whilst glaring at Thomas.

"OH! OH! OH!" said the trucks. "We want a proper engine, not a red monster!" James took no notice and started as soon as the guard was ready. "Come along, come along," he huffed.

"We won't! We won't!" screamed the trucks. But James didn't care, and he pulled the screeching trucks out of the station.

"Probably one of your finest moments," whispered Gordon to James.

The trucks tried hard to make him give up, but he still kept on. Sometimes their brakes would slip on, and sometimes their axles would run hot, and each time, the trouble had to be put right. And each time, James would start again. Determined not to let them beat him.

"I hope you did, James," said Percy, his eyes glued to the screen.

"Give up! Give up! You can't pull us, you can't, you can't!" called the trucks. "I can and I will! I can and I will!" puffed James.

"And I did it then and I could do it today!" puffed James proudly.

And slowly but surely, he pulled them along the line.

At last, they saw Gordon's Hill. "Look out for trouble, James," warned his driver. "We'll go up fast and get them before they know it. Don't let them stop you!" So James went faster and soon they were halfway up.

"I'm doing it, I'm doing it!" he panted. "Will the top never come?"

"It does eventually," said Henry.

Then, with a sudden jerk, it all became easier. "I've done it! I've done it!" he puffed. "Hooray! It's easy now!" But his driver shut off steam. "They've done it again! We've left our tail behind. Look!"

The last trucks were running backwards down the hill. The coupling had snapped! But the guard stopped the trucks and got out to warn approaching engines.

"A good thing too," murmured Edward.

"That's why it was easy!" said James, as he backed the trucks carefully down. "What silly things trucks are!"

"We're all behind you there," said Oliver and Toby together.

"There might have been an accident!"

"Too true," agreed Duck and Emily.

"Shall I help you James?" called Edward.

"Er, no thank you," answered James, " I'll pull them myself!"

"Good thing you did, otherwise they'd never take you seriously again," whispered Edward to James.

"Good. Don't let them beat you! You're doing well!" whistled Edward, as James slowly struggled up the hill.

"I CAN do it! I CAN do it!" he puffed. He pulled and puffed as hard as he could.

"You did do it," said a beaming Henry.

"I'VE DONE IT! I'VE DONE IT!" he panted.

"Good job James!" said Percy, amazed at how soon James had managed to get the trucks to respect him after coming to the Island.

They reached their station safely, and James was resting in the Yard when Edward pulled up.

"A small local-James was taking my coaches back," whispered Edward to the others.

"Peep, peep!" he whistled. Then, James saw the Fat Controller.

James smiled at the memory.

"Oh dear! What will he say?" he asked himself.

Emily raised a confused eyebrow. So did Duck.

But the Fat Controller was smiling. "I was in Edward's train and I saw everything," he said. "You've made the most Troublesome Trucks on the line behave."

Emily, now understanding, looked at James and smiled a friendly smile, as the TV Fat Controller said "After that, you deserve to keep your red coat."

"You did wonderful that day James-and since then, you haven't had as many accidents," said Edward.

"Well, he had one or two, or three more, after the tar, but we've all had accidents," said Thomas, cheekily at first, then with a smile.

"And this next one is how I regained Gordon's respect when he lost his way," said James, knowing the chain of events and glancing at a reddening Gordon (reddening with embarrassment).

Sorry for the delay, I had some...personal matters I'd rather not talk about.

I hope this makes up for it. I'll be starting on 'James and the Express' next week.