I do not own Thomas the Tank/Thomas & Friends or I would have kept them in their models forms.
One day James was waiting at Wellsworth with the Long White Express and he was annoyed as he had to wait for Edward, but as of late Edward has been late recently and it has been grating his nerves bad.
"Late again?!" James shouts out to him not caring he wasn't his anger and Edward simply smiled as he was use to it. James saw that and snorts before heading off after getting Edward's passenger and continued his run.
Later on, when all work was finished for the day James headed back to the bunkhouse and he was still fuming over Edward's lateness.
"Edward is so slow!" He started complaining out loud to Thomas and Percy who were the first to get back. "He makes us wait for him and his old iron bucket every damn day!"
"Slow?! Bah!" Thomas replied back annoyed of James insulting Edward. "Late you know I never once complained when Henry was late when he had his steaming troubles as that was out of his control and you know full well Number 2 is having some maintenance troubles as of late, so suck it up and leave Edward alone."
"Thomas is right! Also, I am pretty sure Edward could beat you in a race like how he beat Bertie in theirs." Percy also said annoyed too that Edward was getting insulted in a way.
"Really?! I like to see him try!" James exclaimed before marching to his room and slammed the door behind him.
"And he could beat you without the need of bootlaces too!" Thomas shouted and grinned when he heard James groaned loudly at that.
The next James was doing some shunting work in Knapford Yards and he was feeling terrible, not from anger, but from a slight flu. At first he pushed through it, but he eventually needed a rest so he brought his engine to a stop so he could get a drink of water.
As he sipped the bottle of water from the within a Signal Man's office he suddenly heard shouting and looked out the window…and did a spit take as he saw Number 5 running down the line on its own.
"What happened?!" He shouted alarmed.
"Some children had snuck into Number 5's cab and fiddled with the controls, they had run off now, but we got to stop Number 5 now." The Signalman answered him and James was frantic as this was serious as runaway engine is not good.
The telephone rang and the Signalman answered it listening to it before looking to James. "Edward's on his way and he says he got a plan. He says grab a shunter's pole and long bundle of rope."
"What for?" James asked back surprised, but the Signalman shrugs. "Beats me, but I say trust Edward on this one."
James was still confused by what Edward was planning, but did grab the objects Edward asked for and when Edward came up in Number 2 he nod to James when he saw he what he needed. "Get in quick." He simply said and James hopped in before Edward soon made Number 2 race down the line fast as possible.
James was shocked by the loud clanking noises coming from the train. "This what you had to deal with every day?" He asked shocked by the racket and Edwards nods at that. "No wonder you're late every day, you don't want to risk breaking something." James said realising the problem Edward had to go through everyday as of late with his engine and now felt terrible for the mean things he said.
Eventually they eventually managed to catchup to Number 5 and Edward looked serious. "Okay James take over, I'm going to climb out and tried to snare Number 5's buffers with the rope than I'll tie it to my engine's buffers. You than slam the brakes on to try to slow Number 5 down than you jump over to your engine and get its brakes on." He said seriously and James was surprised to see Edward this serious which was a rare thing to see so he simply nods to all that before taking the controls.
Edward soon with rope and shunter's pole in hand climbs out onto the side of his engine and carefully inched to the front of Number 2. He soon leans the shunter's pole over to try to get the rope's noose over one of Number 5's buffers. It was not easy as James struggled to keep Number 2's speed up and Edward had to use one hand with the shunter's pole as his other hand held onto the train.
At last, he managed to ensnare Number 5's buffers and he signalled to James who slammed on Number 2's brakes after Edward tied to the rope off to his engine's buffers. Number 2 now managed to pull Number 5 back and slow it down enough for James to leap over into his engine's cab to apply the brakes.
With that the runaway train was back under control.
They both eventually arrived in Wellsworth safely.
"Looks like the old iron bucket beat you after all." Edward said jokingly as both drivers now relaxed on the station.
"Sorry about that, now I see why you don't want to push Number 2 to its limit until she is fixed up." James smiled back to him and soon both drivers were approached by Sir Topham Hatt.
"Well done Edward I heard about your plan and I am impressed by your quick thinking." He turned to James next. "James I know it wasn't your fault and the boys were caught before taken to their parents. Get a rest my boy and getting to pull the Long White Express later." He turned back to Edward again. "And Edward, Number 2 will be schedule for maintenance work within a few days. She deserves it."
Edward smiled at that news. "Thank you sit, will be nice to not have her clank around so much."
I hope you all enjoyed.
