1969

Gordon is a fast, express engine. He is the engine who pulls the Wild Nor' Wester, he was also very popular with the steam engines in the United Kingdom since the 1960s and his representation was very high. Gordon would keep being asked about moving away from the island, but the big engine would always think the idea ludicrous, he was content with his life on the island, thundering down the line with his express coaches singing behind him.

But when Gordon is busy or ill, other engines would take his role as the express engine. Henry, James, Boco or Bear are proud of taking these trains, the diesel engines didn't let it go to their exhausts. But James and Henry let the pride go into their smokeboxes with such ease, that some engines think they were doing it on purpose when they would brag to them.

On one spring morning, Gordon didn't feel too good, his face was pale as a ghost, but his cheeks were as black as coal. An inspector came to examine him but couldn't find the problem. "You'll have to go to the works to have a proper examination number four," he said, "the workshop are too busy at the moment, so you'll have to stay in the sheds for the time being."

"Perfect," groaned Gordon, "who'll take the express?"

"Number five will have to pull it," sighed the inspector. James, who was still in the sheds was very pleased.

"You here that Gordon?" he said proudly, "I'll be pulling the express, possibly better than you."

"Improbable," replied the big engine, "the Fat Controller wouldn't approve of a tender engine your size to constantly pull it. You'd break down within two weeks."

"We'll see," smirked James, "but if I stay on it longer than that, then your days will be numbered as the express engine."

"The express's days will be numbered if you took over," scoffed Gordon. But James just ignored and puffed snootily away to the big station.

*

James did splendidly on his run, the passengers were grateful, and he ran on time. The Fat Controller was very pleased with the red engine's work. "I'll have to keep you on express runs until Gordon is repaired," he told James.

The red engine was very proud of this, he didn't realise that the Fat Controller only did this because Henry, the Scottish twins and the diesel engines were all busy with other work and that James was smallest engine meaning he wouldn't be needed as much with the larger trains, but the red engine didn't hear that part. He only listened to the parts he wanted to hear. He bragged and boasted about pulling the express to anyone, until one night at the sheds, the other engines lost patience.

"I swear Jeames," glared Donald, "if ya keep telling us aboot how ya tha pride of the line repetitively, I'll constantly tell ya things ya don't want to be reminded aboot... repetitively!"

James scoffed. "Oh please," he said, "like what."

"The time ya crashed into some tar wagons," said Douglas.

"The time you needed bootlaces," added Henry.

"I swore Percy told me of the time you did a hydroslip an-"

"Alright! Alright!" snapped James, "I get it!"

The engines then went quiet, but unfortunately not for long.

"But apart from that-"

"For god's sake!" cried Bear, "shut up James!"

"You know if you keep acting like this," said Henry, "you will get what's coming to you."

"Like what?" asked James.

"You know how this all plays out James," Henry warned, "you keep acting like this, I'm afraid you could be on maintenance trains whilst you watch one of us pull the express."

"Oh please," scoffed the red engine, "I won't be taken off it until Gordon gets mended."

The engines didn't like the sound of this, but they would soon get a chance of luck.

Two weeks after James was tasked on pulling the Wild Nor' Wester. A strange engine came out of the works, steaming hissing from its pistons. Sir Handel looked over to the engine with curiosity in his eyes. Skarloey came puffing up next to him. "What are you looking at Sir Handel?" he asked.

"I don't know, the birds?" replied Sir Handel sarcastically, and returned to looking at the engine who seemed to be dozing in the sun. "I've never engine like that," he said.

"Neither have I," agreed Skarloey, "the North Westerners might know, but it'll not be likely..."

Then a powerful blow of the engine's whistle was heard. The two little engines winced from the deepening noise, the engine began to move and head straight to the mainline. Both engines just looked at each other in awe.

*

A little while later, James was puffing pompously down the line with his express train. He had to stop at Edward's station since the red engine couldn't take the train up the hill by himself anymore with the increase of coaches.

Edward the blue engine smiled as James came to a gentle stop at the platform. "You have made the right choice with stopping here," said Edward.

"Yeah," mumbled James, "driver doesn't like it when I pull a twelve-long train by myself up hills. He says I'm a poor climber."

"Well, you are the one that I usually need to bank up the hill," mused Edward, the red engine only replied with a scowl.

Then they heard a low sounded whistle. A very unfamiliar sound it was too which made the engines' brows raise.

"Never heard that whistle before," said Edward.

"Neither have I," agreed James. Then coming around the bend, the sound of powerful puffing could be heard even louder and steam bellowing into the sky, a peculiar looking engine appeared. Edward and James couldn't see anymore because the engine had raced past them and disappeared as quickly as it arrived. The two engines were surprised.

"Well," smiled Edward, "that was unexpected."

James only looked back down the line suspiciously. "Yes, it certainly is," he said.

*

James returned to the big station later that day, Duck was at his own platform with his own coaches. "Hello James!" he called, "pardon my intrusion but you seem... concerned about something?"

"I'm more confused than anything," replied James, as he eased into the station, "did you see that weird looking engine today?"

"Oh! You mean that red streamlined engine?"

"Yes... that's the one."

"She's currently at the coaling plant right now, refuelling I think," continued Duck. James said no more and came to gentle stop. He then left his coaches at the platform for another engine to shunt them away. The red engine headed to the sheds, then he saw the engine once more, properly now.

Duck mentioned that the engine was female, and it kind of showed. She was streamlined, with a raspberry coat of paint with white and grey lining across her. Even part of her boiler showed a massive grey ling going along at the bottom. Her tender was an LMS Stannier but nothing said it belonged to the once grand railway, not even a BR crest or number was on her. Only a nameplate was at the front where her smokebox should be. The red streamlined engine noticed James almost instantly and next to her was Gordon the big engine.

"Hello James!" called Gordon as James came to a stop right next to the coaling plant. "This here, is Caitlin, she's an experimental engine."

"I've guessed correctly then," said James unsure of the engine before him.

Caitlin smiled warmly at the red engine. "So, you're James," she said, "I've heard about you a lot on the mainland."

"Everyone says that," replied James.

"I saw you at the station after I went past the hill with a blue engine," continued Caitlin, "I'm guessing you're taking the Wild Nor' Wester whilst Gordon is out of service."

"Yes, I am," said James.

"Well don't worry!" smiled Caitlin, "you can take a rest if you want, and I could take the express for a while!"

James' face went into complete shock, he wasn't expecting this to be so sudden, let alone from the new engine. "So... you want to pull the express, so I can lay in the sheds?" James asked.

Caitlin smiled. "It'll give you a rest," she said.

She meant this genuinely, but James being James, he took it the completely wrong way. "Are you suggesting that I'm an old, feeble engine and you take over for your modern features?!"

Gordon burst out laughing, whilst James seethed. Caitlin seemed taken aback. "Oh! I'm sorry if I offended you," she said quickly, "I only-"

"If you want to take the express from me! Then don't expect it anytime soon," wheeshed James, ignoring whatever Caitlin was saying. He stormed off, leaving behind a shocked Caitlin and a bemused Gordon.

"Don't worry my dear," called Gordon, "James is quite... sensitive when it comes to pulling my express."

"I see," said Caitlin, even though she mostly couldn't.

*

Caitlin stayed at the big station for the next few days, she was put in a siding for enthusiasts to go and take their pictures of her. The other engines knew she was bored from the very moment they saw her in the siding on the first day. That night though, Caitlin spent the night at the sheds. The only engines there was James, Gordon and the Scottish twins. Henry and Bear were spending the night at Vicarstown and Duck and Oliver were at the sheds on the Little Western.

The engines were all keen to introduce themselves and Caitlin was willing to answer any questions they had.

"Will yae be workin' on our railway?" asked Donald.

"Sorry boys," chuckled Caitlin, "but I'm actually apart of the British American Trust."

"Och, what's that?" quizzed Douglas curiously.

"It's a sort of preservation program where American engines are preserved on British rails," explained Caitlin, "it doesn't matter whether you were built in America or Britain, as long as you're related to America or Britain. Then that's okay with us!"

"So.. you're American then?" asked James.

"Och! Did nae sound like a pesky yank!" said Douglas.

"Aye, yae sound British tae us," agreed Donald, "yae also did nae have the look of a yank too."

Caitlin laughed. "That's because I was built in Britain," she smiled, "I'm based off of an Baltimore and Ohio Railroad P-7a class."

"So, what are yae doing here then instead of being somewhere in the wild deserts?"

"There aren't any deserts in those states of America I'm afraid Douglas," chuckled Caitlin, "but I was built in Britain as an experiment so to test whether American built engines could be suited for British rails. That's why I don't have the accent if you're wondering."

"So, what will you be doing if you're not working here?" asked Gordon.

"Do you know the island Sydane?"

"Och, tha' wee island near Norwich," said Donald.

"Well, I'm taking fast passenger trains to the island and back here to Sodor," explained Caitlin, "it'll at least take me an entire day to get there and I'll return next day."

"Laud sakes," said Douglas in admiration, "ya would need tae take plenty coal and water if yae going to get there."

"I'll have a stop halfway there, so don't worry about me," chuckled Caitlin, "my company is placing coal and water stands for the station I'll stop for a proper break."

"Sounds efficient," complimented Gordon.

"They really are, they plan it really well and two more engines are helping run the service too," grinned Caitlin.

"Two more?!" exclaimed James.

"Indeed," said Caitlin, "one of them is in the works right now, he's in the final stages of completion and will run his train from Sodor to Thesang."

"Ahhh, Thesang," grinned Gordon, "such a lovely place."

"Aye, apparently it's supposed tae be tha most beautiful country within the United Kingdom," added Donald, "two brothers of ours work there tae and that's because of Gordon here."

Gordon scoffed bashfully. "Did what I could," he said.

James snorted. "What about the third?" he asked.

"Don't know," replied Caitlin, "apparently he's a steam engine too and will run the trains from Thesang to Sydane."

"So, what will you do in the meantime before the services start?" asked Gordon.

"I'm hoping to get back into the frame with passenger work," Caitlin replied, "hopefully I'll get a fast train so I can-"

"Like I said," James interrupted harshly, "you won't be taking my express whilst I'm in hold of it."

Gordon glared coldly at the red engine. Caitlin seemed a little perplex, but Donald had an idea and winked at Douglas cheekily.

"Y'know Jeames," started Donald, "I'd think yae jealous of Caitlin here."

James looked over to Donald. "Me? Jealous?"

"Aye," said Donald, "with yae acting all clingy to the train when any of us mention pulling a fast train."

"Och, Donal' is right there," Douglas said, catching on to his brother's teasing, "yae think Caitlin is a danger with taking the express away from yae."

James let off the remaining steam he had in his pistons crossly. "I'm not threatened by a streamlined American experiment!" he protested.

"Och, but yae are," smirked Donald teasingly, "she's much faster and once the Fat Controller realises this, yae be off the train before yae can sae, Surr Topham Hatt!"

Both twins laughed in unison, Gordon followed with them. Caitlin only smiled, she only looked over to James who was seething. He then went to sleep that night, with red patches across his cheeks.

*

The next morning, the sun had gone, and thick, grey clouds covered the sky. The other engines didn't mind this type of weather, only when it's raining. James on the other buffer, wasn't thinking about the dull weather, he was too busy thinking about what Donald and Douglas had said to him last night. "Caitlin being a threat to me," he scoffed as the red engine finished filling up with coal and water. "I'll show them who's a threat, that even the Fat Controller would consider me to pull the express instead of Gordon or those silly experimentals!"

Of course, these ideas that sprang from James' boiler were flawed and logically didn't make much sense. But the red engine was too cross from last night to think properly. He came into the big station and buffered up to the coaches. Duck was at the back, ready to help James get the train to speed. James gave Duck a peep of his whistle.

"Don't need any help today Duck!" he called, "I'm fine on my own!"

Duck was a little surprised by this. "Are you sure James?" he called back.

"Yes, I am!" came the reply.

Duck sighed and began to reverse a little so he can go over the points. "Suit yourself."

When the guard blew his whistle and waved his green flag, James began to heave the train out of the station. His wheels slipped a couple of times and got the train up to speed slower than usual, but he managed to get the express out of the station and over the junction towards the countryside. Duck could only watch on the middle track; he knew that James was going to get into trouble.

James rattled down the mainline, going as fast as the speed limit could make him get to. His driver kept checking him. "Steady James!" he called.

"And why should I Christian?" he called, "this is the express! It's should have the engines be tested for their limits!"

The driver sighed and sat down on his chair, as James tried his best to make himself go as fast as Gordon. Edward was at his station; he was scheduled to help James get the train up Gordon's Hill again and was sat in the banker's siding. Suddenly, James came rattling through the station, not even slowing down or blowing the whistle for a banker. He all but, rushed past Edward and carried on towards the hill.

"James!" cried Edward, but the red engine was too far away to hear him as the brake coach disappeared from site. Edward only groaned; he knew where this was heading.

James snorted up the hill, his wheels beating along the rails. His driver kept on checking him. "Your straining yourself James!" he called, slow down and head back for Edward to bank us!"

James only growled a response, he was already charging up the hill, he wasn't giving up just so he could get a banker. He wanted to prove that he was better than either Gordon or Caitlin. But he never made it up the hill. For when he was halfway up, there was splintering crack and the sound of metal being torn. James gave a yelp with pain and immediately began to slow the train down to a stop on the hill. His driver quickly looked out the cab and figured out what had happened in an instant. He climbed out of the cab and went to inspect the damage.

James' left coupling rod had snapped and had torn its way through the red engine's footplate and splasher. It was almost as identical too Edward's accident back in 1965. The driver groaned crossly. "I did warn you!" he exclaimed to James, "I told you all this work would strain yourself, and now look! You've wrecked yourself!"

James only huffed. The fireman had to go back down the line and phone for help. Edward soon came up the line and buffered up behind the express, and with James still groaning at the front of the train, the blue engine began to take the train back down the hill and back to his station. They arrived and stopped at the platform.

The passengers all swarmed out angrily, telling all the staff what a bad railway it was. The crews had to quickly make a dash to where Edward stood. "I don't think Edward would be able to take the train," said the blue engine's driver, "he doesn't have the same power James has."

James' crew nodded. "What about Boco?" asked the driver.

"I'm afraid he won't be back here in half an hour," sighed Edward's driver.

"Then who's going to pull it then?" asked James' fireman.

Then the stationmaster appeared from the angry mob of passengers. "There's an engine coming the other way light engine," he said, "the signalman at Maron has stated that the engine was only going to stay at Tidmouth for the rest of the day and he would be happy to take the train!"

"That's a relief," sighed Edward's driver, "now we'd better shunt James out of the way."

It was only a few more minutes later, Edward had just shunted James into a siding in the yards. Both engines then heard a shrill whistle, and from within the distance and blue streamlined engine came in view. Edward narrowed his eyes as the engine came closer and at last the engine came into the yards and to a halt. He looked similar to Caitlin, with a bright blue coat of paint like Edward's, and he has yellow lining with a white streak going across his boiler and his tender, which seemed to be an LNER corridor tender. The engine smiled at Edward and James.

"Hello there!" he said in a thick accent that seemed to be from Wales. "My names Connor, I'm here to take the Wild Nor' Wester."

"Oh, it's the train at the platform," said Edward, his eyes darting towards the coaches with no engine.

"Ahhh, I see," replied Connor, "can I use your turntable? If you have one that is."

"Of course," Edward smiled, "it's behind our sheds."

"Thank you very much!" said Connor brightly, "whilst I'll do that, could you help me take the train up the hill please? I won't be able to get the train up to speed with here."

"Oh of course!" responded Edward quickly, even though he was quite surprised about the blue streamlined engine asking him that. Whilst Connor was getting himself onto the turntable, Edward looked back at James teasingly. "You hear that James," he mused, "this engine knows his limits."

"Shut up," fumed James. The blue engine chortled to himself though as he went to buffer up behind the express.

*

It was a few hours later and James' crew had managed to detach James' broken coupling rods and had left on Bear's return train to Tidmouth to explain the situation there. James was left all on his own, Edward and Boco said hello to him when they were in the yards, Boco even shunted the red engine into the sheds so he could keep dry encase it rained. James was glad he did, as it began to rain a few minutes later. When Henry and the Scottish twins first saw James, they could only laugh.

The red engine only sulked, as he went to sleep.

Suddenly, there was low, but loud whistle, and James' eyes shot open. His eyes darted around the yards and then looked ahead and found a red tender coming straight towards him. It buffered up to, and the shunter fastened a coupling.

"What is this?" demanded James.

"Wake up lazy wheels!" laughed Caitlin, "time to take you to the works!"

James sighed in relief, then as Caitlin began to pull the red engine out of the sheds, questions began to pop into James' smokebox. "Why are you taking me?" he asked curiously.

"Because there's no other engine available to take you silly," Caitlin replied, "and since me and Connor are now out of the works, you and Gordon can take our place at the works!"

"Gordon?"

"Hullo James!"

Something dropped within James' boiler and looked over to the branch line's station platform to see Gordon and a small brake van beside it. Caitlin was taking both him and Gordon to the works but that left one more question in his mind. "Who's going to do our work whilst we're away?"

"Connor apparently did such a good job on pulling the express yesterday, he'll be pulling it until Gordon gets back and I'll be doing full passenger work for you and Henry whilst he focuses on goods trains for the time being," explained Caitlin.

James sighed crossly as Caitlin shunted him in front of a smirking Gordon. The red engine knew was going to happen for the rest of the journey, and as Caitlin headed back onto the mainline and Gordon started his teasing, James felt like he was going to be in the works for a very annoyingly long time.