Next chapter coming up right now.
I do not own Thomas the Tank/Thomas & Friends or I would have kept them in their models forms.
James sighed as he sat at the table in the bunkhouse eating dinner with the other engine drivers.
Gordon and Henry were talking nonstop about bootlaces and James just sat there picking at his food as he listened.
Thomas had stopped teasing him when Annie and Clarabelle scolded him as they had heard about his incident when he forgot about his coaches. Thomas wisely shut his mouth after that and James was glad for that. He should ask for the two's help dealing with Thomas more often.
Edward would scold Gordon and Henry reminding them about getting stuck on hills and in tunnels. This would quiet them down a bit, but they would still tease James nonstop.
"So, what job you got tomorrow James?" Edward asked James who now ignored both Gordon and Henry.
"I am handling shunting at Knapford and the Shunting Yards seeing not many Goods or Passenger Trains are needed tomorrow." James answered with some slight annoyance as he wanted to be pulling doing runs and not shunting, but he knew his engine was the only one available seeing Gordon has the Express as usual, Henry's got a Goods Train, Edward and Thomas both got their respective branchlines to work. So, he was the only one they could spare to handle getting everything set up for tomorrow.
"Odd jobs. Well, we all got to start somewhere." Gordon said pompously as usual and James rolled his eyes at his words. "While someone as important me is pulling the Express tomorrow. I been pulling Expresses for years. I have the only engine that can do it. When I am not there they need two engines." He said bragging as usual though he did noticed the look Henry gave him as Gordon knew Henry could pull the Express too on his own too and so could James's engine too.
"And also, I have never lost my way. I just seem to know the right line by instinct." He said heading off to his room and all the other drivers rolled their eyes. Every engine driver knows that it is the operator of the track points that handles the routes and which lines trains down on. Gordon was just being Gordon again.
Soon morning came and James out and about at Knapford Station rounding up four Green Express Coaches for Gordon who was waiting for him.
"Morning James, hope work is fine for you today." Sir Topham Hatt said to James as the driver stood on the platform after helping make sure the coaches were good.
"All good sir. Though I love to take the Express myself, but I am in no rush after that bootlaces incident." James answered back and Sir Topham Hatt pats his shoulder. "Don't worry about it James. I promise you one day you can pull the Express one day."
James nod at that before getting back in his engine and drives out so Gordon can get into place.
Gordon soon pulled up to the coaches and coupled up before long the guard blew his whistle.
"Goodbye James, see you tomorrow!" He called out to James who was getting ready to shunt trucks while Gordon raced out of the station and was out of sight.
James watched him and the Express leave before getting to work with shunting the trucks around the station and the Shunting Yard.
Soon sometime later he started gathering the Orange Coaches up for a train for Edward to handle much later that day. As he was doing that he heard a engine quietly pulling up and he was confused by that as Gordon left and Henry, Edward & Thomas were not near the station. He leaned his head out of the cab and couldn't help, but smirk at what he saw.
Gordon was slowly trying to pull into the station quietly as he was honestly trying not to be noticed by James.
"Hello Gordon, is it tomorrow already?" James called out to the fellow engine driver who brough the Express to a stop at the platform. "No, did you lose your way instead?" He grinned as he couldn't help, but chuckle a bit.
"No! It was lost for me! Some moron switched me onto the Loop!" Gordon shouted as he was greatly embarrassed by what had happened and after all that boasting he did last night too.
"Perhaps it was Instinct." James chuckled loudly and Gordon blushed hard from embarrassment.
The passengers stormed the platform demanding refunds and calling this a bad railway. After some few moments Sir Topham Hatt climbed onto a cart and blew a guard's whistle so loudly they all quieted down at once while looking at him. He told them all he will get another train to pull the coaches and make sure the Signalmen down the line actually make sure to have the right points set.
He told Gordon to handle shunting today as Gordon was too embarrassed and in shame to concentrate properly to pull the Express. He soon went over to James with a grin. "Well looks your chance came earlier than expected James. I want you to pull the Express today."
"Yes sir!" James said excited as he was finally able to pull the most important Passenger Train run on the railway and he vowed to not screw this up.
He was soon coupled up to the coaches and once he heard the Guard's whistle he was off. He ran just as fast and smoothy as Gordon does with the Express and he couldn't help, but smile proudly as he ran down the line.
He brought the Express to its destination in record time and the passenger all said thank you to while giving him praise for his excellent work.
"Well done. You will be joining Gordon and Henry in handling the Express from now on along with doing other jobs too." Sir Topham Hatt said after hopping out of the coaches and came over to number 5 to congratulate James on his work. James smiled at that as he was now one of the drivers to handle the most important passenger train on Sodor.
Soon James returned to Knapford to see Gordon shunting trucks and he expected to see Gordon grumpy, but was surprised to see him having fun as he had a big grin on his face. He came over to him after brought some trucks over to the platform.
"Thought you would be mad at doing shunting." James said to Gordon who shrugs. "So, did I until I realised I can really bash these around with force I never could do with the coaches before. I forgot how much I enjoyed doing some quiet work for a change. Good job on handling Express today, mind taking over it if I need to let off steam?" He asked James honestly and James smiled before playfully hitting Gordon's shoulder. "Deal. Now let's get to bashing some trucks around." He grinned and both he and Gordon had a grand time shunting for the rest of the day.
Since than both James and Gordon have become good friends. They would always take jabs at each other, but always in good spirit and never with malice. James took care of the Express whenever Gordon gets wound up and need to unleash some stress.
Hope you guys enjoyed
