"She is handsome

She is pretty

She's the belle of Belfast City

She's a courtin' one, two, three,

Pray won't you tell me who is she."

Emily sang happily to herself as she sauntered out of the Knapford break room and strolled up the stairs to the footbridge over the platforms. As she crossed over lines 1 and 2 she looked down at the middle terminus at the short passenger train headed by the scarlet mogul, engine Number 5. It's driver, lazily leaning against the cab wall in a slick black boiler suit, took a sip of his coffee. She grinned to herself as popped her hands into her own suit's pockets and made down the steps onto the platform.

Toad scampered off onto the platform at Haltraugh as Oliver followed in his stead. The small Norwich Terrier shook the wear of the journey off before panting happily as he looked up to his best friend.

"He's late again, Toad. That'll never do will it."

Oliver spoke this with a grin to his voice.

"What's that he's always saying? There's two ways of doing things, the Great Western way or…"

"Yarf grrrarf!"

"That's right."

Oliver chuckled to himself as he cocked his head to the side at the sound of a tinny whistle coming up the line.

"Wonder what his story will be this time, aye Toad?"

The grey fluff ball sat on Oliver's feet and panted happily as Number 8 waddled impatiently into the station.

"What's the news stranger?"

James fumbled his thermos, his humming unexpectedly interrupted.

"Cinders and ashes Emily come on. Do you always have to creep up like that? I almost spilled all over my new boiler suit."

"What a pity that'd be. Coal dust AND coffee. What would people say?"

"Ha. Ha."

James spoke sarcastically, but he couldn't help but smile as he adjusted his cap.

"No news to speak of. Still ten minutes before Edward arrives with the local. So I've got some time if you want to grab a bite."

"Oh that's kind of you James, but I'm afraid I can't. I've something important to do today…"

Emily trailed off as she snatched James' thermos for herself.

"... Well. Out with it Emily if you haven't got all day." James laughed as he watched her take a sip.

"Did you sweeten this?"

"What if I did?"

"I thought you always drank your coffee black?"

"People change. Got myself a sweet tooth now."

Emily blushed involuntarily and cleared her throat with a clumsy gesture.

"Aye.. anyway… I can't tell you my business. It's a secret."

She drew a zipper across her lips and flicked an imaginary key away with a small 'hmm'

"Well that's just cruel. Now I have to know."

"Uh, uh, uh. You'll just have to wait and see. Safe travels James."

And as she turned on heel she threw a hand in the air in a pedantic wave. Dark hair swishing with each step as James shook his head exasperated.

"Honestly that girl."

Then it hit him.

"Emily, that's MY thermos!"

Thomas grumpily wretched Number 1's reverser and shunted the trucks back down the siding. He closed the regulator quickly, but still felt the 'bump' of the train colliding with the buffer stop.

"Bust my boiler. YOU LOUSY TRUCKS."

As he angrily bellowed his last words, Number 7 sidled up the parallel track and came to a calm stand still.

"What seems to be the trouble Thomas?"

Toby stepped to the edge of the footplate and gave a small wave to his disgruntled friend.

"It's as if these trucks have a mind of their own! Every time I think I'm moving them correctly… I don't know. They're playing tricks on me! I swear Toby!"

Toby chortled to himself. Reaching above his head he gripped the frame of Number 7's wooden cab and clicked his tongue at the young driver.

"You youngsters. Just need to work it out for yourself."

Thomas fumed at the old man finding joy in his predicament. Checking the all clear from the workman that he'd been uncoupled, he gave a sharp blast of his whistle while maintaining intense eye contact with Toby.

"I'll get right on that then."

And as he pulled away from the siding. Toby smiled in spite of himself and followed close behind.

"You're never going to believe what happened– Hello Toad– A bus blew a tire on the level crossing. I had to wait twenty minutes for a tow to show and still couldn't make up time! I even topped out going through the tunnel!"

Duck stood huffily in front of Oliver after having just arrived from his recent run. A light 'clinking' sound could be heard as Toad playfully bit at Duck's prosthetic leg through his boiler suit.

"Oi Toad! Leave it ya dozy dog. That's terrible Duck. Nearly as bad as the fallen telephone line yesterday. Or the abandoned wagon on the tracks two days before that."

"What're you getting at Oliver."

Duck's eyes narrowed in skepticism while Oliver shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm merely saying I'm surprised someone so Great Western would find so much trouble with a simple daily train."

Oliver was only joking but Duck was already out of sorts. This insult to injury shortened his fuse to a breaking point.

"Now I'll tell YOU, Mister Sagacious, that I wasn't the one who nearly missed that platform and braked SO HARD that the passengers wrote physical complaints to Sir Topham Hatt!"

"Oh so now we're getting personal huh. You're going for a right smack in the chops if you don't watch yourself."

Oliver had begun rolling up his sleeves as Toad jumped up on his leg. Beady black eyes looking intently at him as Duck ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm down. Oliver exhaled loudly, flaring his nostrils before closing his eyes and attempting a civil tone.

"Look. I apologize. I didn't mean to take it out of you so hard. We BOTH do need to be better though. This is our line now after all."

"Three months strong and far from a spotless record." Duck added. He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly as the two eyed each other wearily.

"We'll do better. It's easy right. We've already brought more trains on time than the twins did combined."

"Not that that's any standard to go off of." Duck laughed. Oliver couldn't help but join in and Toad sat happily on Duck's feet and panted in contentment. Duck replaced his cap neatly on his head and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Right then. Going forward we'll try our best to do our best. It's like I always say, There's two ways of doing things. The Great Western way, or–"

"I KNOW DUCK!"

Gordon opened Number 4's regulator and flooded the boiler with steam. The extra pressure flowed into the pistons and pushed the valve gear faster. Wheels whirring, he saw Maron in the distance. The midway point for the express.

Now with the two mainline Pacifics of his A3 and Rebecca's Bulleid, Sir Topham Hatt had begun running dueling express engines. Each starting at opposite ends of the Island and passing in the middle. The frequency of the trains accommodated the increase in passenger traffic, but more importantly, it gave Gordon someone to prove himself too.

If he could pass through Maron before Rebecca then he had, in his opinion, won the day's race. If they passed each other through the station it was a tie. And heaven help him if she should pass him before he even reached the platform.

Today the wind was at his back, Number 4 was charging the rails and steaming well. Checking his gauges, Gordon gave a deep whistle as he made out the station building. Peering through the cab window, to his delight, the yellow visage of Number 22 was still up the way.

Gordon gave a triumphant long whistle as he rocketed through the station on the middle line. Only once out of the fiddle yard did he begin passing the 'other' express. As he beamed confidently out the cabside, he caught sight of Rebecca's vulgar gesture as she raced past him.

He laughed in booming guffaws as he patted the cab wall of Number 4. Another day, another win. And he couldn't WAIT to remind Rebecca tonight at the Roundhouse.

And just like that we've started another story! If you haven't read my first installment in my 'We Work On Sodor' series I'd recommend checking it out first. Not that you hopefully won't enjoy this story! Just sometimes it's nice to have context in terms of my world building.

This chapter was a bit fluffy, but I think it serves as a nice reintroduction to some character dynamics. I'll touch more on my loose threads next chapter, but I figured we may as well kick things off with a little fun.

Thanks for those who've come back! And as always, thank y'all for reading. -REN