Managed to get this done after having some spare time, proud of getting this finished. I also wanted to apologise for reposting episode 3. I was fixing up the first three episodes (mainly grammer wise cause it was bad before i went back and fixed it), must have added episode 3 twice or something, can't really remember what i did but it's fixed now.
Anyway i hope everything looks okay now. Please feel free to point out any mistakes or things you think i could have done better, i'm open to critizism as it helps me improve my skills and learn.
With all that aside, enjoy!
Gordon, James and Douglas were miserable. They had been shut up for serveal days for being naughty and longed to be let out again.
The Fat Director soon arrived to see the engines, he spoke sternly to them, "I hope you are sorry" he said, "and understand that you are not so important after all".
The three engines mumbled out agreements as the Director continued, "The other engines have ran the railway nicely in your absence but can't run it forever. So i will let you out if you promise to behave".
The engines' faces lit up, "We sir!, we will sir!" they said happily.
"Splendid" The Fat Director smiled, "but please remember that this no shunting behaviour must stop".
The three engines promised to behave and set off for work. They soon got back to their regular duties and soon everything went back to normal, well, almost normal.
Jane the little green engine was now incharge of the yards. She worked hard, but was very cheeky and loved playing jokes.
Gordon would be resting on a siding when Jane snuck up alongside him, "WAKE UP LAZYBONES!" she yelled.
Gordon nearly jumped off the rails in fright, he glared at Jane as she howled with laughter, "Finally your awake!" she said innocently, "Now why don't you do some hard work for a change?".
She scampered off while Gordon sat on the siding crossly.
Alyssa would be by the water tower refilling her tender. Jane would sneak up along side her and whistle loudly, Alyssa jumped and jolted back, getting soaked in water.
"EEEPP!" she yelped, the cold water was freezing as it hit her boiler, "Jane!" she boomed as the little engine ran away, "You come back here right now young lady!, JANE!" but Jane was long gone by then.
"Here's your goods Donald" said Jane as she bought the scottish twin his trucks for his next train.
"Why thank you Jane" said Donald greatfully. He backed down onto the train as Jane puffed off to the end of the train where Douglas was waiting, both twins unaware of the another's presence.
"Your all set Douglas, just watch yourself now, it's heavy" Jane smirked.
"Thank you" Douglas replied and he began to pull away.
Donald felt a jerk and thought the trucks were trying to hold him back, so he started pulling from his end.
Both twins were in a tug of war againest each other as they struggled to get grip. The trucks found the whole ordeal quite funny, they laughed and jeered the two until both engines lost patience.
"WILL YOU LITTLE DEVILS SHUT UP FOR ONCE!" They both bellowed.
The two engines stopped, realising that the other was at the end of the train. Jane ran off laughing, leaving two confused and cross scots behind.
There was however one engine who Jane had yet to play a trick on, that engine was James. James wasn't letting his guard down when she was nearby and was always on the lookout for the slightest sign of mischief.
Jane tried everything, she couldn't scare him as he didn't nap there, only Gordon usually slept in the yards.
She couldn't pull the same tactic she used on the twins either as he would always look back at the end of his train.
She tried the trick she played on Alyssa, but it had little sucess. The only one who did get soaked was James' driver, who had some very harsh words to say to the little engine.
James had grown quite cocky upon learning he was the only one who hadn't fallen for Jane's tricks and gloated about to her at every chance he got.
"I'm just too clever for you little Jane" James said pompusly, "A splendid red engine like myself is always on the lookout for these sort of childhood jokes".
"Really?" said Jane, "If your always on the lookout, then how come you ended up crashing into that signalbox outside of Wellsworth?" she asked innocently.
James went redder than his paintwork and snorted off. Jane watched him go, thinking of a way to finally catch him offguard.
Her chance came sooner then expected.
A new special coach had been recently added to the Express for a new service, it was a carriage that served food and drink to passengers along the train. The railway men called it a restaurant carriage.
It proved to be a great sucess and ran three times a week. All the engines wanted to have a run with it, but only did so if Gordon was away or ill.
Too say James was jealous would be an understatement, he was green with envy and wanted more than anything to pull the dining carriage.
"I'm not one to whine Thomas" James said at Wellsworth when they next met, "But i deserve a train like that. I mean just look at me, a splendid red engine who always looks his best should deserve a service like that"
Thomas rolled his eyes, "Maybe if you stopped taking for more than five minutes you might have a chance to pull it" he chuckled.
"Oh shove off!" James barked, "If i was given the train, i wouldn't leave my guard behind, unlike some"
James snorted off, leaving Thomas cross.
"No one will ever let me forgot that will they?" Thomas sighed as he soon set off himself.
James' complaining was beginning to get on the others engine's nerves, but to Jane, it was a perfect chance to play a trick on James.
The chance to put her plan into action soon came when Gordon was ill, his fire wouldn't light properly and he just couldn't build up steam.
Since he would he out of action, James was asked to pull the dining service. He was delighted and boasted to the others as he left the sheds.
"Look at me noe!" he called out to Alyssa and Douglas, "No more mixed traffic for me, i'm not a top notch Express engine!"
James puffed away to the station, Alyssa and Douglas were glad for some peace and quite.
While James was thrilled to be finally pulling the train, secretly he was a little nervous, he didn't really know how he should handle it or if there were certain things he should know before pulling the train. He saw Jane being much more gentle with the restaurant carriage. She slowly shunted the coach onto the back of the train.
"Is all that really necessary?" James asked.
"Oh yes" Jane replied, "This service must be handled with extra care you know".
"O-oh um, of course!" James stammered, "I knew that. A big strong engine like myself always knows these things!".
Jane could tell James didn't have a clue and saw her chance.
"I'm glad you do James. This service is quite the handful, it must start off quick but easy up a bit along the way. The passengers love the nice slow rides along the countryside".
James was puzzled, "But the Express is-".
"Oh i know normally the Express is a non stop service, but when the dining service is in motion those rules don't apply. Besides, letting the passengers enjoy the journey is our top priority, isn't it?" Jane smirked.
James chuckled lightly at this and soon gained his confidence back, "Indeed little Jane" he said grandly as he ran round to the front.
James was coupled onto the train and once everything was ready, he set off, quite quickly.
"Easy there now James" called his driver.
James didn't listen, he carried on. He got progressively slower and slower the further he went on. No one noticed at first, but it soon became very clear.
By the time he'd past Crosby, James was going at a near snails pace, the passengers began to complain as did James' crew.
"What are you playing at James?" asked the driver.
"Letting the passengers enjoy the view" James replied, "It's one of the rules".
His driver was puzzled, "What rules?".
By the time James finished explaining, his driver laughed and explained. By the time he finished, James was red in the face and very cross.
"I swear when i see that little green bug again, i'll push her under the coal hopper!" He barked with rage as he began to pick up the pace, trying to make up for lost time.
Unfortunately for James, he was going much to fast by the time Wellsworth came into view. The passenger were happy that the train was speeding up, but weren't happy when they reached the station.
James said it was loose breakpipe, his driver said James had been going so fast that the breaks wouldn't have worked regardless, his passengers said James was going over the speed limit. Who ever was right, didn't matter in the end.
James came into the station with a screech, overshooting the platform. His brakes came hard on as he glided across the rails and came to a stop. His passengers shouted in shock as food and drink spilled all over them.
By the time James was given permission to go back, his passengers were covered in all sorts and weren't happy. They yelled swears and angry complains at James, then his crew and then the Stationmaster.
By the time the passengers were given compensation for their spoiled clothes, James left, very late and very embrassed.
It didn't take long till Jane was found out for her part in the incident, both her and James were given a stern talking to by The Fat Director.
Both engines were very sorry, Jane was wise not to play any more of her tricks for the time being and James kept his mouth shut when it came to the dining service.
Although the incident was settled eventually, James and Gordon still wanted to pay Jane out for her tricks.
They got their chance when a few days after the dining service, Jane was being careless.
She puffed into the yards as Gordon and James were talking to each other, she cleared her throat and spoke grandly.
"I say you big engines, i'm to take some trucks to the junction by Edward's line. The Fat Director must have chose me because i'm a really useful engine"
"More like he wants you out the way" grunted James.
Gordon looked across to James, they were making a plan.
"James and i were just speaking about signals at the junction" said Gordon, "We can't be to careful about signal, but than i've no need to say that to a really useful engine like your Percy"
Percy beamed, he felt flattered.
"We spoke of backing signals" said James, "They need extra special care, would you like me to explain?"
"No thank you James" said Jane, "I know all about signals"
Secretly she was worried, "I wonder what backing signals are?" she thought as she left for her train.
"Never mind, i'll manage" she puffed crossly to her trucks as she begun her journey.
She soon stopped at a signal, "Bother" she huffed, "It's at danger"
The signal moved to show line clear but it's arm moved up instead of down. Jane had never see that sort of signal before.
"Down means go and up means stop, so upper still must mean go back. I know!, it's one of those backing signals!" she said to herself.
"Come on Jane!" said her driver, "Off we go"
Jane suddenly shot back, taking her crew by surprise.
"STOP!, YOUR GOING THE WRONG WAY!" her fireman called out.
"But it's a backing signal!" Jane protested, and told them about Gordon and James.
Her driver laughed and explained.
"Oh dear" Jane said, "Let's start up quick before someone sees".
But it was too late, Gordon saw everything from the station platform uphead and laughed as he went by.
Jane went bright red with embrassment and quickly went on her way.
That night in the sheds the engines talked of nothing but signals. They thought the subject was funny, but Jane thought they were being silly.
"Well little Jane" said a voice, "It's not nice to be on the recieving end of the joke, now is it?"
Jane couldn't be sure, but she thought the voice came from James.
