OVER YOUR HEADCODE

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A camera swept across the Knapford station platform before its holder walked into the Fat Controller's office. Inside, the Fat Controller was holding the telephone up to his ear until he saw the cameraman walk in.

"Oh, yes! Thank you!…The North Western Railway is happy to continue providing our service for you!…Thank you, goodbye!" He hung up the phone after his brief (rather contrived) conversation before doing a huge double-take at the camera.

"Oh, hello again; I didn't see you there! Welcome back to another edition of 'The North Western Railway and You', where I, Sir Topham Hatt, explain how we do things around here for our new employees to make sure everyone working around our engines is as safe and knowledgable as possible!" He stood up from his desk and began to walk towards the door.

"Today's video will be explaining…" He opened the door and walked out of his office, showing the camera Gordon waiting for his coaches in the platform.

"…headcodes!" The Fat Controller popped up in front of Gordon, causing him to gasp in surprise before quickly regaining his composure upon seeing the camera.

"Almost all engines have four lamp irons, all of which can hold a headlamp; what kind of train an engine is pulling is indicated by how those lamps are placed; Gordon, for example, is pulling an express passenger train, and his lamps are in the express passenger headcode!" He gestured to Gordon's two lamps, which were placed on his left and right lamp irons. Gordon smirked proudly before the guard's whistle blew and the big blue engine puffed out of the station, leaving the camera lingering on the Fat Controller waving at him before he turned back to the camera.

"There are lots of headcodes for different kinds of different trains; stopping passenger trains have their own headcode."

Thomas pulled into Elsbridge with Annie and Clarabel, smiling as he braked to a stop and looked at his one lamp sitting on his top lamp iron.

"So do meat or fish trains…"

In the early hours of the morning, Henry thundered across the Sodor Suspension Bridge with the Flying Kipper. The camera couldn't quite catch his lamps, and as a result it began to get closer. Eventually, Henry's lamps were seen; one on his top lamp iron and one on his left. However, that wasn't his main concern, as the camera was getting quite close.

"Harold! Back up!" He shouted.

"Sorry, old chap!" Harold the Helicopter, holding the camera, swooped up to get out of Henry's way.

"…and all sorts of goods trains."

James grumbled furiously to himself as he came to a stop in Maron, his lamps being placed on his top, bottom center, and bottom right lamp irons showing that he was pulling a slow goods train. He finally seemed to cheer up a bit as he came to a stop, but he quickly began coughing on dust as Donald and Douglas thundered past with with a long ballast train, their lamps on all three bottom lamp irons. James grit his teeth as the twins disappeared into the distance.

"But sir, what are these headcodes for?" Winston the Inspection Car asked from his siding, where the Fat Controller had now walked. The Fat Controller beamed.

"Why, I'm glad you asked, Winston." He then gestured out into Knapford junction, where Stanley was patiently waiting with a train of coaches; he had lamps on his top, left, and right lamp irons, signifying that the coaches were empty. He cautiously scanned the junction as the Fat Controller narrated.

"Headcodes determine what trains get priority at the junction." Stanley looked up at his signal, which was still red. However, he heard a whistle and saw Emily, in the "stopping passenger" headcode, roll across the junction with her coaches. Stanley smiled as he looked up at the signal, now turning green, before continuing on his way.

"Express trains get priority over stopping trains, and passengers get priority over goods…with exceptions." The Fat Controller cleared his throat before turning to board Winston.

"Thank you for joining us for another episode of 'The North Western Railway and You'; contribute to the running of this railway through acting responsible, reliable, and really useful!" He shut Winston's door and started the inspection car up…immediately losing his composure as Winston rocketed away into the junction.

"SLOW DOWN, WINSTON!" He shouted, before colliding with something and causing a metal hoop to bounce back into view of the camera.

"Early days, sir…" Winston comforted, and the camera promptly shut off.


Vinnie the Aggressive Engine sat impatiently at the junction outside Knapford station, one lamp above his face and one hanging from his left lamp iron, with a long goods train behind him. He stared up at the red signal before glaring at it.

"I've been sittin' at dis signal for ages! What da heck is takin' so long?" He snapped.

"We have to wait for the express to get through, Vinnie." His driver replied. Vinnie snorted and rolled his eyes.

"Why do I have to wait for da express if I got here first?" He grumbled.

"It's how we're scheduled. Cheer up! It's your first night in Knapford Sheds tonight; much better than having to sleep out in the sidings, isn't it?" The driver reminded him.

"Yeah, but at least I could sleep where I wanted in the sidings; I'm gonna get da worst spot in da shed if I have to wait any longer!"

"Can't you have a positive attitude about anything, Vinnie? Just be patient!" His driver replied, exasperated; Vinnie only grumbled. Finally, they heard a horn and saw Bear storming across the junction with the evening express.

"Good evening, Vinnie!" Bear called cheerfully as he passed in front of the large engine, his coaches rattling behind.

"Hey." Vinnie grunted. However, as Bear drew into the station, the aggressive engine's signal finally dropped and turned green.

"Finally!" He smirked triumphantly and began to head towards the station. However, he didn't get far before he heard a loud screeching noise.

"Geez! What is dat?" He quickly braked to a stop again, just short of the station. Once he had stopped, he looked down to see his guard walking alongside the train.

"One of the vans ran a hot box; it's along the middle of the train, so we'll have to take the rest of the train into the yard in chunks."

"Great." Vinnie scowled.


By the time Vinnie was able to get to Knapford Sheds, it was rather late. The other engines had been talking casually, but everyone fell silent as soon as the large engine's tender came into sight. A frightened Philip backed further into the sheds, but Stanley raised an eyebrow at the reversing goods engine.

"Can we help you?" He asked in a tone that implied that he didn't intend to be helpful at all.

"The Fat Controller told me I'd be living here now." Vinnie replied bluntly. He wasn't particularly thrilled to see the other engines sharing nervous glances.

"He's living here?" Samson whispered to Harvey.

"Sorry, no room here! Both of these spots are taken!" Charlie exclaimed after sharing a nervous glance with Stafford. However, Bear simply rolled his eyes at the other engines before smiling at their newcomer.

"Honestly, you lot…there's a spot right here, Vinnie! The roof's a bit leaky, but there's no rain in the forecast so you should be fine!" He looked to an empty spot towards the end of the shed, nearby where Philip was hiding. Vinnie looked at the spot, unimpressed, before reversing in.

"Thanks." As Vinnie reversed into the berth, Bear could hear Philip whimpering in fear at the back of the shed.

"Something wrong, Philip?" He asked quietly enough so Vinnie wouldn't hear. Philip sighed.

"D-do I have to s-s-sleep next to him?" The boxcab squeaked. Bear chuckled before reversing alongside the little diesel.

"Philip, I understand why you're…scared, but Vinnie is a part of the team now! I'm sure he's sorry for how he acted towards you bef-"

"Sorry? Vinnie? Please!" Stanley interrupted. Bear gave the tank engine a glare.

"We're all a part of the same team, Stanley! There's no point in holding grudges if we're all working towards the same thing; being reliable, really useful, and making the Fat Controller proud!"

"Vinnie is working towards showing everyone how strong he is and, if he doesn't get his way, he throws a tantrum; that isn't someone I want on my team, Bear." Stanley replied simply. Philip looked rather caught in the middle as Bear grew crosser.

"That's a horrible thing to say! Even worse while he's in the shed with us!" He snapped. Stanley looked across the shed to the large engine, whose eyes were shut tight.

"He's asleep anyway! Besides, it's the truth…" He muttered. Bear and Philip both looked at Vinnie before sharing a glance and heading off to sleep themselves. They failed to notice Vinnie open one eye before looking sadly down at his buffers.


Later that night, it began to rain hard. Most of the engines were glad to be sheltered from the storm and stayed fast asleep in their sheds…the hole in Vinnie's roof made that far more difficult for him.

"Ugh…" Vinnie grunted in annoyance as a trickle of water dripped through the roof onto his smokebox. Try as he might to shut his eyes, the rain kept him awake. As the hours grew later and later, the aggressive engine grumbled furiously to himself.

"This wouldn't have happened if it weren't for my stupid headcode…" He gasped with surprise as lightning flashed and thunder crashed outside.

"I better make sure I get back to the sheds earlier tomorrow…should save me from gettin' stuck with dis spot again…hopefully from havin' to talk to da others too…" As Vinnie muttered to himself, he failed to notice that a little boxcab, awoken by the thunder, watched him with interest from the back of the shed.

The following morning, after the storm was over and as the engines prepared for the day's work, Vinnie spoke to his driver.

"Can we work fast today? I'd like to get back to the sheds as soon as I can at da end of da day." He said as his crew prepared his fire. The driver stuck his head out of the cab window.

"I suppose we can do our best, but I doubt that our schedule will be much different than yesterday; you're still going to have to wait for the express to pass at the junction." He replied. Vinnie snorted and rolled his eyes.

"But I always get there first! Stupid headcodes…who needs 'em? Why can't they just let trains through when they arrive?" He muttered.

"I beg your pardon?" A voice barked. Vinnie looked up to see Bradford the Brake Van, coupled behind Samson on another line.

"What's it t'you, barnacle brakes?" He snapped. Bradford, as always, was unintimidated.

"Headcodes are extremely important, boyo! Without headcodes, the railway would fall into anarchy! No schedule, no priority, derailments everywhere…absolute pandemonium!" The brake van shuddered at the thought. Vinnie rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, sure."

"Bradford's right, Vinnie; headcodes are important. You'd do well to take heed of them!" Vinnie looked to see Stanley giving him a stern look.

"Or take head!" Samson butted in before bursting out laughing…nobody else did. Everyone stared at him until the proud engine cleared his throat.

"What? I thought it was funny…"

"Headcodes ain't nothin' but trouble. Take heed of dat." Vinnie snorted to Stanley before puffing off towards the yards. Stanley simply huffed before heading off to work himself. As the two engines left and the others began to prepare for work, Philip remained in his spot. He looked down at the puddle under the hole in the shed roof.

"Hmm…" The boxcab couldn't be concerned for too long however, as he soon had to race to work himself.


Vinnie arrived at the coal hopper to fill up for the day, and tried to keep a low profile as he sidled towards the back of the line. As he braked to a halt behind Percy however, he soon heard a loud whistle.

"Make way! Important engine coming through!" Vinnie looked to a side line to see Gordon rolling confidently past. The express engine braked confidently at the front of the line, where James was currently filling up on coal.

"Hurry up, James! I need coal before my morning express run!" He commanded importantly.

"Keep your steam in, Gordon! I'm almost done!" James snapped.

"There's a line for a reason, Gordon!" Duck glared from behind James.

"You can't just cut all of us!" Percy added from behind him. Gordon smirked.

"Do you see my headcode, little tank engines? I'm pulling the express, which means I get priority! I don't make the rules!" The other engines groaned as James puffed out of the way and Gordon reversed underneath the hopper. As the line inched even more slowly forward, Vinnie looked at his own headcode; one lamp on his left and one in the center.

"Grr…" Finally, it was Vinnie's turn under the hopper, and he rolled underneath as fast as he could. However, to his surprise, only a single lump of coal fell from the hopper into his waiting tender.

"What happened? Is it broken?" He looked back angrily.

"I think it may just be out of coal, Vinnie." His eyes snapped to the outside line, where Stafford was shunting some trucks past.

"What am I supposed t'do den?" The aggressive engine snapped. Stafford winced.

"I think Logan should be coming with the next load soon; should be any minute now." He rolled away with his trucks, leaving Vinnie to wait, scowling.

"Headcodes…" He grumbled.


It was far past a few minutes when Logan finally arrived with a long train of coal trucks, panting from exhaustion.

"Sorry I'm late! Trucks were being troublesome today; won't happen again!" He braked alongside the hopper as Vinnie continued to scowl. Hector, behind him, gave him an unamused look.

"You overslept, Logan."

"Well, you don't have to tell him that!" The aggressive engine rolled his eyes.

"Just don't make me any later." He grunted.


Logan didn't make Vinnie any later, but plenty of other things along his way did. As he rolled along the line with his heavy goods train, he soon saw a red signal.

"Ah, come on! I'm already late!" He braked to a halt at the signal before beginning to wait impatiently for it to turn green.

"Hurry up! Hurry up!" Suddenly, one of the signals on the gantry dropped, and Vinnie let out a sigh of relief.

"Finally!"
"Easy, Vinnie! That's not our signal!" The driver called, keeping his hand on the brake. Vinnie raised an eyebrow.

"It's above our line! Whose is it den?" Suddenly, he heard a familiar whistle and Caitlin rocketed by with a passenger train.

"Hi, Vinnie!" She called as she disappeared into the distance after blasting through the crossing in front of them. Vinnie didn't say hello back, simply scowling as the streamlined engine disappeared into the distance.

"Can we go now?"

"Our signal's still not green." Vinnie heard another whistle and soon enough saw Emily rolling by with a passenger train. As the emerald engine rolled through the crossing, Vinnie looked up at the signal; his was still red.

"Who da heck is still comin'?" A bell rang and Toby rolled slowly past with Henrietta in tow. The aggressive engine clenched his jaw tighter with anger as he saw the slow tram engine roll through the crossing before heading onwards into the distance. However, he heard a "click" and looked up to see that his signal had turned green.

"Yes! Finally we can get goin-OH, WHAT IS IT NOW?" Vinnie had no sooner started again when he was greeted with closed level crossing gates. Trevor was slowly pulling a cartload of apples, and was currently blocking the line. The pace was agonizing for poor Vinnie.

"Can you go any slower?" He snapped. Trevor looked back to the cart in concern.

"Should I? Am I bruising the apples?"

"Ugh." Vinnie groaned.


By the time Vinnie finished his work for the day, he was very late. He crawled into his spot in Knapford Sheds without a word, looking up at the hole in the roof in annoyance. However, he heard a voice from the spot next to him.

"Erm…hello, V-Vinnie!" Vinnie raised an eyebrow to see Philip giving him a scared smile.

"What d'you want, sh-Philip?" He asked. The boxcab seemed to pluck up courage.

"How was your day?" He smiled. Vinnie was surprised at Philip trying to be nice to him, but he didn't have time to answer.

"Honestly, Vinnie, do you never learn? Leave poor Philip alone! If you're going to be a bully, you can't stay here!" Stanley snapped.

"But Stanley, I-" Philip tried to reply but Stanley cut him off.

"You don't need to worry, Philip, I can handle him for you. You should get some sleep."

"But I-"

"Sleep, Philip." Philip fell silent as Stanley glared at Vinnie. The aggressive engine snarled at the head shunter.

"You ain't worth da trouble." He promptly began to stare at the wall. Stanley smirked in satisfaction from what he viewed as a job well done before heading off to sleep. As Vinnie stared at the wall, his anger slowly turned to sadness again.

"At least this day can't get any worse…" He muttered. Thunder promptly crashed again and rain began to pour by the bucketload through the hole in the shed roof onto Vinnie's boiler. He scowled as his face began to turn red and he promptly let out a scream of rage, echoing through the yards.


The following morning, Vinnie was preparing for work again. As he moved through the Shunting Yards, preparing to collect his trucks, he grumbled furiously to himself.

"If I have to sleep in dat spot again, I'm gonna lose it! It ain't my fault that I'm always last, it's da stupid headcode!"

"We have to wear them, Vinnie; no use in complaining about it." His driver replied. Vinnie rolled his eyes as he found his goods train sitting in the middle of the yard.

"Still got a right to complain…" He muttered. As he changed lines to back onto his trucks, he noticed Gordon sitting on a siding; his crew were tending to his headlamps, and getting them into the right position for the day.

"Thank goodness I get to pull the express again after having to pull a dirty goods train yesterday…just have to get in the right headcode and I'll be on my way!" The express engine boasted to his crew. He didn't know Vinnie was listening, but this had given the heavy goods engine an idea.

"Da right headcode?…Hmm…" He looked down at his own lamps and smirked before looking back to the cab.

"Hey, Driver? I think I'm in da wrong headcode!"

"What? No, you aren't!"

"Gordon's about to pull another heavy goods train, and he's in da new heavy goods headcode! Would I lie?" The driver looked across the yard at Gordon, who now had one lamp on his left lamp iron and one on his right, before looking back to Vinnie.

"Well, alright…if you're up to anything, Vinnie-"

"I ain't up to nothing! Honest!" The big engine smiled forcefully. His driver and fireman shared a glance before shrugging and heading down to change his lamps; Vinnie's smile turned to a smirk.

"…'cept bein' on time for once!" He snickered to himself.


With his lamps in the express headcode, Vinnie sauntered out of the yard and onto the main line, dragging his trucks behind him. Vinnie's wheels pounded the rails; the trucks weren't used to going so fast, and they complained bitterly for the whole journey.

"Ouch!"

"Not so fast!"

"Not so fast! Are you trying to pull our buffers off?" Vinnie didn't care; he was overjoyed as he approached a signal - it was, for once, green!

"Finally! No more waitin'! I won't have to sleep in that leaky spot anymore! HAHA!" Vinnie thundered under the signal without giving it so much as a second glance.


As Vinnie continued along the line, he thundered through stations, seeing other engines waiting to be let through while he sped by. As he puffed through Elsbridge, he saw Thomas waiting impatiently in the platform before smirking.

"Have fun waitin' around!" He called before rattling by. Thomas, however, raised an eyebrow.

"Why does he get to go? The signals are red for all of us until that accident down the line has been cleared! VINNIE! COME BACK!" He shouted. Vinnie, however, was already too far away to hear, leaving Thomas to watch with concern.


Vinnie was having the time of his life. He rattled down the line as fast as he could, not even giving signals that he was sure were green a passing glance. As he rolled through Wellsworth station to charge over the hill, he barely gave Edward a passing glance.

"Vinnie! Wait!" The blue engine cried, alarmed.

"Wait? No way! I ain't never waitin' again!" Vinnie laughed as he began to climb the hill furiously. Edward was horrified.

"But there's a-" The aggressive engine was already too far away to hear him.


Down the line, there had been an accident. Murdoch had been taking some container trucks and one of them had come off the rails, blocking the line. Harvey had been sent to crane it back onto the rails, and was currently hard at work.

"Thank ye for lending a hook, Harvey; really appreciate it." The mighty engine smiled back at the crane engine. Harvey beamed.

"Of course, Murdoch! Happy to help! Besides, this is only a little accident; hardly any trouble at all!" He replied.


Lucian the Scenic Engine was sitting in the platform of Killdane station when he heard a whistle and saw Vinnie rumble by with his goods train, not appearing to slow down in the slightest. He gasped.

"Stop! There's an accident up ahead!" He called. Vinnie couldn't hear him, but the trucks could.

"An accident?" One truck asked.

"Oh no! How terrible." Another one snickered.

"Why don't we say hello?"

"And get Vinnie back for bumping us too!" The trucks laughed, but Vinnie took no notice; he was enjoying the speed too much to pay attention!

"At dis rate, I'll be the first one back! Den dat Stanley can sleep in the leaky spot; see how he likes it!" He laughed. Suddenly, however, his driver stuck his head out of the window and gasped.

"Look at that! Vinnie, stop!"

"Huh?" Vinnie looked ahead and gasped in shock as he saw Murdoch's train on the line in front of him. He was approaching fast, and couldn't stop in time! He whistled in horror.

"Look out!" He shouted. Murdoch and Harvey looked back at the approaching Vinnie and gasped.

"Stop! Stop!" Murdoch cried. Vinnie applied his brakes as hard as he could, but the trucks had seen their chance had come.

"On! On! On!" They cackled.

"NO!" Vinnie shouted, and shut his eyes. As Murdoch's guard leapt clear from the brake van, Vinnie's crew did the same from his cab. The aggressive engine ploughed into the back of the train, knocking container trucks aside the whole way through.

"Oh no!" Harvey yelped and turned his crane arm out of the way in time for Vinnie to barrel past. He cried out in horror as his wheels left the rails and he tumbled down a nearby hill into a muddy ditch, dragging his trucks and some of Murdoch's with him. The trucks giggled as the dust settled, and Vinnie groaned in pain.

"Ow…" Murdoch was furious!

"Why didn't ye stop earlier? Every signal on the main line was red!" He snapped. Vinnie was too dizzy to reply. Murdoch looked to Harvey, exasperated.

"I don't suppose ye could clean up this little accident too? That way, I can get on my way as soon as possible, aye?" He asked hopefully. Harvey surveyed the damage before chuckling nervously.

"Err…I don't think I can do this one on my own. Don't worry, I'll fetch Rocky as fast as I can!" He whistled and sped away to fetch Rocky, leaving Murdoch to scowl before glaring at Vinnie. The aggressive engine averted his gaze from shame.


It was evening before they could finally rescue Vinnie and the trucks. As Harvey shunted Vinnie and Murdoch's derailed trucks aside, Rocky lifted the derailed and muddy engine into the air.

"You're lucky you got through that with as little damage as you did, Vinnie; that accident could've been much worse!" He consoled the heavy engine. Vinnie scowled at the crane.

"I don't see how this could be much worse." He snarked. However, he heard a familiar horn and his face went pale.

"Me and my big mouth…" He groaned. Winston rolled around the bend into view, with the Fat Controller on board. He looked incredibly cross.

"Vinnie! Why on earth are you in the express headcode? That's extremely dangerous!" He snapped, noticing as soon as he had gotten out of Winston. Vinnie looked down at his buffers.

"…I just wanted to not be the last one back to the sheds, sir…there's a hole in the roof and I have to sleep under it every night." He muttered. The Fat Controller put his hands on his hips.

"Well, Vinnie, I can fix a hole in a roof; all you have to do is ask! That still doesn't explain why you're in the express passenger headcode!"

"I thought dat, if I was in a different headcode, I could get let through sooner and get home faster, sir." Vinnie replied sheepishly. The Fat Controller frowned.

"Headcodes are there for a reason; to keep everyone safe! Be very thankful, Vinnie, that you collided with a goods train - this accident would've been far more severe with passengers!" Vinnie looked down with shame; he hadn't thought about that.

"Yes, sir…I'm sorry, sir." He replied. The Fat Controller sighed and then looked to Harvey.

"Harvey, take Vinnie to the Steamworks. I hope that you'll use this time to become a more patient engine, Vinnie." Vinnie looked ashamed as Rocky finally lowered him back onto the rails.

"I will, sir." Harvey coupled up in front of Vinnie and whistled before heading off to the Steamworks.


Vinnie wasn't at the works for long, and soon enough returned to Knapford Sheds at the end of another busy day. He was once again the last one home, and the only free spot was the one under the leaky roof. He sighed and gently reversed into it, but was surprised to hear a voice from next to him.

"Excuse me, Vinnie? You can have my spot if you want!" He raised an eyebrow and looked to see Philip smiling at him.

"Huh?"

"They're finally fixing that roof tomorrow, but I know you've had to sleep in it all the time, so…you can have my spot until they fix it!" Vinnie was utterly baffled, but Philip's smile seemed genuine enough.

"Uh, sure. Alright then." He rolled out of the sheds and swapped spots with Philip. As he reversed into a part of the shed with a covered roof, he heard a whispering from the other engines.

"Is it a bad idea to make jokes about him?"

"Oh please, with Vinnie, it's sure to go…over his headcode!" Vinnie grit his teeth as the others snickered; he could swear the second voice belonged to Stanley. However, he couldn't be angry for long, as thunder struck and it began to rain once more. He expected the downpour from above, but it never came. He looked up and smiled at his filled in roof, before looking to Philip, who seemed to be trying to fall asleep despite the few rain drops that trickled through the roof from above. A smile crossed his face.

"Thanks, Philip." He yawned before heading off to sleep. Philip opened a sleepy eye and smiled back.

"You're welcome." He knew Vinnie couldn't hear him, but was happy that he seemed to be cheering up already.

THE END


We're back with a second Vinnie story! Having him as a permanent addition to the Sodor cast has been really fun, especially with showing how he's settled in to the railway. While he works hard, the others (especially Stanley it seems like) aren't very keen to forget his time as a bully, and don't treat him very well because of it. However, he is changing for the better, especially when the others are finally starting to be kind to him! While this is Vinnie's last lead for the set, you'll see him in plenty of other stories, as I intend to fully integrate him into the supporting cast. In addition to Vinnie, a few other things were set up in this story, such as the full lineup for who sleeps at Knapford Sheds! While we already saw Philip, Stanley, Charlie, and Stafford sleep there in S21, the other engines that live there include Harvey, Samson, Bradford, Bear, and now Vinnie. Also really happy with how the "safety video" intro came out with The Fat Controller explaining headcodes, as I knew I needed to explain it but I wanted to do it in a fun way. Would love to know what everyone thought of this one!

As always, what's next:

- Skyler in Shallow Water - Challenged by James to prove that the water is faster than the railway, Skyler the Submarine decides to use the canal as a shortcut, not realizing how quickly said canal becomes shallow and putting her in a predicament when rocks on the bottom of the canal scrape her bodywork and cause her to begin to take on water.

- Pen Pals - While taking stone to the Wharf alongside Arthur for a ship, Paxton very quickly realizes that both Colin the Crane and Owen the Incline Engine are rather lonely and starts ferrying letters between the two…quickly losing track of the job he's actually supposed to be doing by being so focused on nurturing this new friendship!

- Lightning Never Strikes Twice - Stepney the Bluebell Engine's return to the island quickly puts a bitter Class 40 in a horrible mood, especially after he breaks down on a hill and needs to be rescued by the former. However, when Stepney experiences technical problems prior to a railtour, Class 40 is the only one who can step in and save the day.

- Employee of the Month - Spamcan is hired by Deltic to work at Buffman Global when the workload gets busier, but quickly proves himself a careless, utterly horrible employee, which Deltic stubbornly refuses to admit since he fought so hard for him to the other engines to begin with.

- Dowager Hatt Moves In - Fed up with the arguing between his mother and his wife, the Fat Controller is utterly terrified when he sees Dowager Hatt riding from station to station with tons of suitcases, and quickly dispatches Bill and Ben to cause chaos across the railway in order to prevent his mother from trying to move in with him.