The days past. The days turned into weeks and the weeks turned into months. The engines were all kept busy keeping the trains running while construction work continued. Even Thomas had the chance to leave the yard and help on occasion, shunting a few trucks at a time to where they were needed.

At long last, the work was done and the North Western Railway was finished. The engines, Annie, Clarabel, and the breakdown train were all moved to the other side of the island. Sir Topham Hatt had said that they would be using the sheds at Tidmouth and Knapford from then on.

Thomas was excited. The new railway, the towns and the countryside all looked new to him and he wanted to see everything.

With the new railway finished, Sir Topham Hatt barrowed two more engines to help run it named Adrian and Casper. Adrian would be working on the branch line to a harbour at Brendam while Casper helped Isaac with trucks on the main line.

Meanwhile, Edward was sent to the railway's Main Works at Croven's Gate for repairs, and some weeks later when he came back, Thomas was most surprised.

"Edward? You're blue!"

"I have great news too," Edward said. "Sir Topham Hatt has bought us. We are the first engines to be owned by the new North Western Railway."

Thomas was excited. "Does that mean I'll be repainted too?!"

"I'm sure you will soon."

As Edward puffed away, Thomas noticed a new number on his tender; the number '2.' "Hmm," Thomas thought to himself.

Some years went by and the North Western Railway became busier. One night, after Thomas arrived back at Tidmouth Sheds, he saw a big engine that he had never seen before wheeshing onto the turntable.

"Who's that?" he asked Edward.

"That's Henry. I saw him earlier today. The Fat Controller bought him. He seems like a kind engine, but he can be a bit grumpy and I think he worries a little too."

As Henry backed into the shed, Thomas introduced himself. "Hullo, Henry. I'm Thomas. Welcome to Sodor."

"How do you know name?" asked the big engine.

"Edward told me."

Henry noticed the blue engine. "Oh, hullo again, Edward, and thank you for the welcome, Thomas. I only hope that I can be helpful to the railway."

"I'm sure you will," smiled Edward.

Some days later, Thomas was shunting at Knapford Station when he heard a loud whistle and a blue engine came to a stop in a cloud of steam, laughing. He was a big engine like Henry, but he looked much stronger and very proud. "And who are you?" he asked.

"I'm Thomas."

"Oh dear," said the engine pompously. "The Fat Controller must have made a terrible mistake. I think he was expecting someone Really Useful."

"I am Really Useful."

The big engine chuckled again. "For fetching coaches, perhaps. Oh well, if you stick around long enough, you might be lucky enough to see me pulling the Express. That will be a fine sight for you."

Thomas watched the big engine puff proudly away as Edward pulled up alongside. "Sorry about Gordon, Thomas," he sighed. "I'm afraid he's often like that."

"Gordon?" asked Thomas. "Who's he?"

"The Fat Controller just bought him. He's going to be pulling the Express across the whole island."

"Wow." In spite of Gordon seeming full of himself, Thomas was impressed.

From the start, Thomas did not get on well with Gordon and one day, Thomas saw him resting in a siding after a busy day. Thomas rolled up alongside him and whistled loudly making him jump. "Wake up, lazybones! Why don't you work hard like me?" That made Gordon very cross.

As the weeks past, three more engines arrived on the island. One engine had been borrowed from the Mainland. His name was Raven; he was shiny, red and big like Gordon. The two other engines had arrived on trial: Niles and Jasper. The Fat Controller told them that if they did well, they would join the railway.

With so many engines helping out with the work, Edward found himself left in the shed for several days.

One day, Thomas wasn't at Tidmouth Sheds in the morning. Instead, Edward found himself with Gordon, Henry and the three new engines.

"I wonder why I've been stuck in the shed?" Edward wondered. "I hope I can go out again soon."

"The Drivers won't choose you again," said Gordon. "They want strong engines like us."

Niles and Jasper laughed while Raven ignored them.

Edward looked at the other engines; they were all bigger than him. Edward began to feel sad.

Soon, a Driver and Fireman came along to start work.

The Driver noticed Edward. "Why are you sad, Edward?" he asked.

"I haven't been out for a long time," said the blue engine.

The Driver and Fireman felt sorry for Edward.

"Oh, we're so sorry, Edward," said the Fireman. "The Fat Controller asked us to put the other engines through their paces and see how they can handle the work."

"Would you like to come out today?" asked the Driver.

"Oh yes, please!" said Edward.

So, they lit his fire, made lots of steam and Edward puffed away. "Peep, peep," he whistled. "Look at me now." Some of the other engines were very cross at being left behind.

Edward had a lovely day. There may have been some confusion with the coaches and the Guard disappearing, but Edward felt better as he trundled through the countryside. He worked hard all day, the coaches thought he was very kind, and the Driver was very pleased and promised to take him out again the next day.

When Edward arrived back at Knapford Station, the Fat Controller was waiting for him. "Edward, I have heard that you have been feeling sad lately and I must apologize, but I can assure you that you will be back at work tomorrow. Thomas is to go to the main works for repairs and a repaint, and I want you to take over in the yard for a while."

Edward was happy when he returned to Tidmouth Sheds that night. "I'm going out again tomorrow," he told the other engines. "What do you think of that?" But he didn't hear what they thought, for he was so tired and happy that he fell asleep at once.

The next morning, Gordon was the first to leave the shed and he was still boasting.

"You watch me, little Edward, as I rush through with the Express; that will be a splendid sight for you." Gordon steamed off in a huff. "Goodbye, little Edward. Look out for me this afternoon."

With that, Edward went off to do some shunting.

Edward liked shunting. It was fun playing with trucks and doing some quiet work for a change. He would come up quietly and give them a push. Then he would stop, and the silly trucks would go bump into each other.

"Oh!" they cried. "Whatever is happening?"

That afternoon, Edward stopped to rest. Presently, he heard a whistle and Gordon came puffing along, very slowly, and very crossly. Instead of nice shining coaches, he was pulling a lot of very dirty trucks. "A goods train! A goods train! A goods train!" he grumbled. "The shame of it, the shame of it, oh, the shame of it."

Edward groaned. "Oh Gordon, it can't be that bad.

"Yes Edward, it is," retorted Gordon. "I am a very important engine, but thankfully, I won't have to pull goods trains for long; not after the new engine gets here."

Edward was confused. "New engine? What new engine?"

"Haven't you heard? The Fat Controller has gotten another engine. I saw him this morning." Gordon sniffed. "…Wooden brake blocks...much too small to be Really Useful."

"But I'm not small," said a voice.

Gordon jumped. "James," he groaned.

"I might not be as big as you, Gordon, but I'm bigger than Edward," said the new engine, "and there's nothing wrong with wooden brake blocks either."

"Unless the catch fire, of course," Gordon protested. "Can you move on now, please, James. You're blocking my way."

James snorted as Gordon puffed away. "My brakes don't catch fire. They're just as good as yours."

Gordon ignored him and left the yard still grumbling. Edward laughed and went to find some more trucks.

Gordon loved pulling the Express, but he didn't much care for some of his other jobs. He didn't like pulling heavy goods trains, but he especially didn't like pulling them up the big hill on the main line.

Then, there was trouble. The couplings tightened and Gordon felt himself struggling until, at last, he came to a stop, wheeshing steam everywhere.

"What's he up to now?" complained his Driver and he walked around to the front. "Come on, Gordon! You're not even trying!"

"I can't do it," huffed Gordon. "Those noisy trucks hold an engine back so. If they were coaches, now that would be different."

The Fat Controller was in his office when the telephone rang, and he soon made his way out to the yard. "Hullo, Edward," he called. "I'm afraid Gordon needs your help."

"My help, Sir? Are you sure?"

"Yes. He can't get up the hill with his goods trucks…apparently."

"Okay, Sir. I'm on my way."

"We can't leave without the Driver," laughed the Fireman.

A porter soon found the Driver. "Gordon can't get up the hill," he called. "Will you take Edward and push him please?"

"Right away."

Edward and his crew made their way to the hill. They found Gordon halfway up and very cross. His Driver and Fireman were talking to him severely.

"Hullo, Gordon!" Edward called. "I've come to push!"

Gordon snorted. "A small engine like you?!"

Edward's Driver came up and explained the plan. "We've come to push."

"No use at all," said Gordon.

"You wait and see," replied Edward's Driver.

They brought the train back to the bottom of the hill. Edward came up behind the brake van ready to push.

"I'm ready," said Edward.

"No good," grumbled Gordon.

Edward pushed hard. It felt like the weight of the whole train was on his buffers. "Oh please, Gordon, try!" he groaned.

"All right, all right!"

They pulled and pushed as hard as they could.

"I can't do it, I can't do it, I can't do it," puffed Gordon.

"I will do it, I will do it, I will do it," puffed Edward.

Edward pushed and puffed and puffed and pushed, as hard as ever he could and almost before he realized it, Gordon found himself at the top of the hill. "I've done it! I've done it! I've done it!" he said proudly. He forgot all about Edward and didn't wait to say, 'thank you.' Edward felt the weight lift from his buffers as Gordon raced down the other side of the hill laughing, "I knew I could do it!"

Edward was left out of breath and far behind. "Not even so much as a 'thank you,'" he panted huffily.

Edward ran on to the next station at Maron and the Fireman gave him a nice long drink.

"Well done, Edward," said his Fireman.

"We're very pleased with you," added the Driver. "Today, you proved that you are just as useful as ever and you deserve a reward. I'll get out my paint tomorrow and give you a beautiful coat of blue with red stripes. Then, you'll be the smartest engine in the shed."

And Edward just smiled.

Meanwhile, Thomas was at the Main Works being repaired and, some days later, the Fat Controller had him repainted in the colours he liked to see on the North Western Railway.

The next day, Thomas came back Knapford Station. "Look, Edward!" he called. "I'm blue, just like you!"

Edward chuckled. "You're also number 1."

"Does that mean I'm the best?" Thomas was only being cheeky. He knew what his number meant. He and Edward were the first engines to be bought after all.

"The last number 1 was a coffee pot," said Gordon.

Thomas was puzzled. "Coffee pot?"

"'Coffee pot,'" explained Edward, "is just a nickname for an engine with a boiler that points up in the air, like those things people make coffee in. The coffee pot engines used to look after one of the branch lines, but they don't work there now. Although, I think the last one might still be on a siding."

"Stop chatting," called Gordon, "and bring me my coaches."

With a sigh, Thomas went back to work.