The winter had come and gone. Thomas's parents went home to the mainland, and soon the seasons changed. Spring was in the air. The sun shined brightly and the
flowers bloomed beautifully. One day, Thomas was waiting at the junction when a bus arrived. Out of it stepped it's driver, a blond haired 20 year old young man dressed in a red plain t-shirt and blue denim jeans with a red baseball cap.

"Hello," said Thomas. "Who are you?"

"I'm Bertram Johnson, but I prefer to be called Bertie. Who are you?"

"I'm Thomas Billington. I run this branchline."

"Aren't you a little young to be driving a train and running a branchline?"

"I should be, but I'm not. She may not look like much," Thomas said. "But she's got it where it counts."

"So you're Thomas. Eh? I remember now. You got stuck in the snow. I took your passengers and Terence pulled you out with his tractor."

Thomas quickly frowned. He felt embarrassed having to be reminded of that, even though he was grateful for Terence helping him.

"But seriously, I didn't think they let 9 year olds drive train engines."

"I'm 14!" shouted Thomas.

"Sorry," said Bertie. "No need to be rude, kid. Anyways, I've come to help with your passengers today."

Thomas began to fume.

"Help me?", he said. "Oh, please. My engine can go anywhere faster than your bus.

"It can't!"

"It can!"

Their argument quickly turned to competitive singing.

"Anywhere you can go, I can go faster," sang Bertie.

"I can go anywhere faster than you," Thomas sang back.

"No, you can't!" said Bertie.

"Yes, I can!", replied Thomas.

"No, you can't!"

"Yes, I can! Yes, I CAAAANNN!"

"No, you CAAAAANNN'T!"

"Yes, I CAAAANNN!"

They stopped singing.

"Then let's make it interesting. I'll race you," said Bertie.

Thomas quickly retorted musically again.

"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!"

Bertie then sang back, "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."

Then they went back to regular talking.

Oh, it is on. O-n-n. On!" Shouted Thomas.

"It's one N in on," Bertie told him.

"Don't correct me!"

"Okay, let's just do this," said Bertie calmly.

The stationmaster said, "Are you ready? GO!"

They started off. Thomas never could go fast at first, and Bertie drew in front.

"Why aren't you going fast? He's a long way ahead, you know," said Annie and Clarabel.

"Just wait and see," hissed Thomas with a smirk.

What they didn't realize was that Thomas was about to gain an advantage at the level crossing. There was Bertie and his bus fuming at the gates, while Thomas and the girls sailed cheerfully through.

"Sayonara, Sucker!" called Thomas.

After that, the road left the railway so neither Thomas nor Bertie could see each other. however, Thomas had to stop at a station to let off passengers.

Thomas blew his engine's whistle and called out "quickly please!"

And off they went again.

"Full steam ahead," he said. "Hang on back there, girls."

"We're holding on! We're holding on!", sang Annie and Clarabel.

Thomas looked straight ahead and saw the bridge. There was Bertie tooting his bus's horn triumphantly.

"Oh, this isn't over yet," chuckled Thomas.

Thomas's engine began to jerk lightly, but Thomas quickly regained control.

"Steady, old girl," he said. "We'll beat Bertie yet."

"We'll beat Bertie yet, We'll beat Bertie yet," echoed Annie and Clarabel.

And just when just when it looked like triumph for them all,

"Oh bother. There's a station. We'll have to stop."

Thomas stopped his engine at the platform feeling exhausted and worn out. Then, he heard Bertie.

"Goodbye, Thomas. You must be tired. Sorry I can't stop. We buses have to work, you know. So long."

Bertie climbed back in and drove off with a gloating honk.

"Darn," thought Thomas feeling in disgrace. "I've lost."

But he felt better after a drink while his engine's tanks were refilled.

"I might still have a chance," he said with new enthusiasm.

As as soon as the signal dropped, Thomas started up and set off again.

"I'm gonna do this! I'm gonna do this!"

As soon as Thomas's train crossed the bridge, they heard an impatient honking. There was Bertie's bus waiting at the traffic light. Once it turned green, he started up with a roar, and chased on after Thomas again.

But now, Thomas's engine had reached it's full speed.

"Now THIS is podracing!" said Thomas.

Bertie tried hard, but Thomas was going too fast. Thomas opened his regulator at full speed and surged through the tunnel ahead leaving Bertie toiling far behind.

"We've done it! We've done it!" Cheered Thomas.

Annie and Clarabel cheered happily too as they all whooshed into the last station. Just as they stopped at the platform, Bertie quickly followed in.

(Cue Podracing victory theme from Star Wars)

Everyone was there to celebrate Thomas's victory, but they gave Bertie a big welcome too.

The two drivers climbed down, walked up to each other, and shook each other's hands.

"Well done, Thomas," said Bertie. "That was fun. But to beat you over that hill. I'll have to make my bus grow wings and make it become an airplane."

"He he", chuckled Thomas. "You don't need to do that. One, because it's impossible. Two, your bus is pretty awesome."

"You're a good boy, Thomas," Bertie told him.

Nobody knew, except for Thomas, but from on top of the station's roof, Mr. Conductor was watching too with a smile on his face. Thomas looked up and gave a friendly wave. Mr. Conductor waved back before disappearing into thin air.

As for Thomas and Bertie, they're now good friends and keep each other busy. They often talk about their race, but it was unlikely they would have another one soon. Bertie realized how much his passengers don't like being bounced like peas in a frying pan, and Sir Topham Hatt, although amazed by Thomas's victory, has warned him not to race at dangerous speeds.

And so although, between you, me, and Mr. Conductor as well, they would like to have another race, I don't think they ever will.

Do you?