*james and armos*

one day james was at tidmouth sheds when the fat controller arrived to see him.

'today a new tank engine called Armos has arrived at the docks james i would like you to show him around the island then i would like the both of you to take a goods train' said the fat controller.

james was excited. he liked meeting new engines because he liked to show off to them.

'right away sir i am on my way' said james.

'there's a good engine off you go' said the fat controller.

james set off for the docks. soon james arrived at the docks. but when he saw the new tank engine he was not impressed with his appearance. the new engine was painted green with dark green patches on him, he had black piston rods, a double whistle like thomas and the name armos on his side in white. james thought he looked very strange.

'hello there you must be james the red engine' said armos.

'yes i am james what's up with your paintwork' said james.

'my paintwork yes about that i have always been painted like this i used to be in the army' said armos.

'i can see that but it looks very strange for an engine' said james.

'you get used to it eventually' said armos.

'i bet you do' said james.

'shall we get going then i hear you are going to show me around the island today' said armos.

'yes let's go and get this over with' said james.

but now james was not happy. james and armos set off. soon james and armos were puffing through the countryside. james was not happy about being with him.

'the other engines are going to laugh at me when they see me with this strange engine they will never let me hear the end of it' said james.

'what's that james' said armos.

'oh nothing armos' said james.

and both engines continued their way. soon james and armos had to stop at a signal. thomas was there with annie and clarabel.

'hello james who is that strange looking engine behind you' said thomas.

'this is armos the new tank engine and i think he looks very strange' said james.

armos smiled at thomas.

'hello there you must be thomas the tank engine your world famous' said armos.

'yes i am thomas and you must be armos' said thomas.

'the one and only' said armos.

'what are you doing today then' said thomas.

'james is showing me around the railway then we are taking a goods train' said armos.

'isn't that right james' said thomas.

'yes it is' said james.

just then the signal went green.

'sorry thomas but we have to go' said james.

'see you later armos welcome to sodor' said thomas.

'thank you thomas see ya' said armos.

james and armos puffed away. soon james and armos had to stop at another signal. toby was there with henrietta.

'hello james who is that strange looking engine behind you' said toby.

'this is armos the new tank engine and i think he looks very strange' said james.

armos smiled at toby.

'hello there you must be toby the tram engine and this must be your fine coach henrietta' said armos.

henrietta blushed.

'yes i am toby and you must be armos' said toby.

'that's me' said armos.

'what are you doing today then' said toby.

'james is showing me around the railway then we are taking a goods train' said armos.

'is that right james' said toby.

'yes it is' said james.

just then the signal went green.

'sorry toby but we have to go' said james.

'see you later armos and welcome to sodor' said toby.

'thank you toby see you round' said armos.

james and armos puffed away. soon james and armos had to stop at another signal. charlie was there too.

'he he hello james who is that strange looking engine behind you' said charlie.

'this is armos the new tank engine and i think he looks too strange' said james.

armos smiled at charlie.

'hello there you must be charlie i hear you like telling jokes' said armos.

'yes i am charlie and i love telling jokes want to hear one' said charlie.

'go on then' said armos.

charlie chuckled.

'why did the sergeants hat fly of his head' said charlie.

'i don't know why did the sergeants hat fly of his head?' said armos.

'because the sergeant was shouting so much that his hat popped off' said charlie.

both charlie and armos burst out laughing. james was not laughing.

'this is so embarrassing' said james.

just then the signal went green.

'sorry charlie but we have to go' said james.

'see you later armos and welcome to sodor this place is great' said charlie.

'thank you charlie catch you later' said armos.

james and armos puffed away. soon james and armos arrived at the yards where their goods train was waiting. but james didn't want to be with armos anymore. he was very strange and he had very strange paint.

'that's it this engine is very strange and i don't want to work with him anymore i want to take this train by myself not with an engine with silly paintwork i need to get rid of him' said james.

james and armos stopped.

'what's up james' said armos.

'nothing serious armos i was just wandering if i could take this goods train by myself' said james.

armos was confused.

'but i thought the fat controller wanted me to help you with it, it looks very heavy to me' said armos.

james snorted.

'nonsense it's not that heavy anyway the fat controller changed his mind this morning so don't worry about it' said james.

'well if you say so james' said armos.

'thank you armos i knew you would understand' said james.

but armos didn't understand. he was still confused. soon james was coupled up to the trucks and puffed away.

'thank goodness for that now i can continue my journey without a silly tank engine behind me' said james.

soon james was puffing along the line. just then duck went past.

'beg pardon james but i thought you were supposed to be working with the new tank engine today' said duck.

'right about that he got lost' said james.

'got lost i don't believe that for one minute' said duck.

soon james was heading for gordon's hill.

'not today you don't!' said james.

he charged at the hill. the trucks saw a chance for trickery.

'hold back hold back!' they said in their silly way.

however james just ignored them and strained on.

'must get to the top must get to the top' said james.

at last with enough effort james reached the top.

'hurray i did it all by myself too!' said james.

then there was trouble. james forgot to pin down his brakes.

'uh oh' said james.

the trucks now had their chance.

'let's go on on on!' they said.

and banging their buffers they charged james down the hill. the train went faster and faster. james wanted to stop but he couldn't.

'help meeeee!' cried james.

'faster faster as fast as you like!' said the trucks.

'somebody please stop me!' said james.

just then james heard a whistle. it was armos.

'don't worry james i am coming to save you' said armos.

'armos you have to stop me' said james.

'already on it james' said armos.

armos raced in front of james.

'that engines trying to stop us more speed boys!' said the trucks.

'no please i don't want to go any faster' said james.

armos called out to him.

'james i am going to get in front of you then i will put my brakes on and stop you hold on' said armos.

'is that safe' said james.

'yes it is james trust me' said armos.

'please hurry' said james.

quickly armos changed track onto james' line then he slammed on his brakes and james and the trucks bashed into the back of him.

'hang in their james' said armos.

'i am i am' said james.

at last with enough effort from armos the train came to a safe stop.

'awwwww that engine has ruined our fun!' said the trucks.

'thank you armos' said james.

'that's alright james anyway i know why you left me at the yards' said armos.

'you do' said james.

'look james i understand that i look strange to you but sometimes we all see thing that look strange to us but when they show how useful they are you soon change your mind' said armos.

james smiled.

'and you know what armos you are useful to shall we take this goods train together' said james.

'yes james i would be happy to mate' said armos.

soon armos was coupled up and both engines puffed away. soon james and armos arrived at vicarstown station yards.

'well done james and armos you two got here just in time you both are really useful engines' said the workman.

'no sir armos is the true really useful engine' said james.

'and so are you james well when you want to be' said armos.

and both engines laughed. and james could see that armos was not a strange looking engine but a really useful one.