One day, at the Arlesburgh Shed, the engines were just waking up. They were having their fires started as the station master walked over to them. "Good morning sir," Duck said.

"Morning Duck," the station master said. "Last night, I've been given an order from Sir Topham Hatt that the mainland has order a large shipment of ballast. You're to take it to Tidmouth Yards where"

"Sae, he wants us tae pull thae trains?" Donald asked.

"Yes. I'm sure you two will manage."

"Dinna fash yirsel, sir," Douglas said. "We've handle trucks afore."

"Very well. Oliver, Duck, regular passenger trains."

The four engines set to work. Douglas soon collected Toad and some empty ballast truck and they were already wanting to cause some trouble. Ballast trucks are some of the worst kind of troublesome trucks. They are some of the heaviest rolling stock and they use it to their advantage. There are few engines that can keep them in line.

Thankfully, Donald and Douglas were a part of that minority. The number ten engine brought his train under the ballast shute and waited for one of the Arlesdale engines to arrive.

"Mr. Douglas, what do you think the other railway is going to do with this order of ballast?" Toad asked.

"Ah think thay micht be building a new line," Douglas guessed. "Wid ye lik' tae gang 'n' fin' oot?"

"No thank you Mr. Douglas. I enjoy staying on Sodor." A whistle could be heard as Mike puffed in with a line of ballast trucks.

"I'm going to get sick of this real fast," Mike grumbled.

"Why's that Mr. Mike?"

"My wheels aren't as big as yours, so I have to use more steam which means I'm going to get tired much faster."

"Ah, ye'll manage," Douglas scoffed. "Tis nae lik' ye'r daein' this alone."

"Yeah, but it still doesn't mean there's a chance we're going to get a hot box." Douglas just rolled his eyes as the little red engine shunting his car above the empty ballast trucks. Once they were loaded, the scottish engine blue his whistle and puffed away towards Tidmouth.

The journey wasn't easy. The trucks kept biffing and bashing each other and singing rather annoying songs. They sang a familiar one when they passed Oliver. "Oliver's use at all..."

"Pipe doon!" Douglas ordered giving them a fierce bump. "Ye dinnae wantae end up lik' Scruffy or Spiteful, dae ye?" This sielenced many of the trucks before one of them spoke up.

"They were made of wood," it spoke, "We're made of metal."

"Sae am ah, bit unlike ye, ah dinnae need hulp fae ithers tae gie ye a guid bump." This only angered the trucks and they began whispering amongest themselves. Toad eavesdropped on their conversation, bracing himself for whatever they had planned.

Douglas carried on down the Little Western until they reached the mane line. He began speeding up, which was what the trucks were planning. The Scottish engine whistled past Tidmouth Town Square. Douglas started slowing down and then... "On! On! On!" they cried.

The Caledonian was caught off guard but remained calm. "Toad, brake!" he cried. The brake van did so, the two of them started slowing down. Toad's wheels had locked up and he slid down the line as Tidmouth came closer and closer. Douglas whistled to warn any engine that was in the way as the signalman sent them into the sidings. Luckily, they just stopped inches in front of the buffers.

"Are you alright Mr. Douglas?" Toad panted.

"A'm fine," the engine replied. "Let's juist tak' care o' thae trucks." Douglas tried to back up, but the train would barely move, much to his annoyance. Stanley puffed in and coupled up to Toad, who was uncoupled from the train. As he shunter pulled the brake van way, there was a grinding sound they could hear.

"What's that?" Stanley questioned.

"Me," Toad sighed. His guard got out and inspected what was wrong. Due to sliding along the line for so long, Toad had developed a wheel flat.

"Ah, that's juist great," Douglas groaned. He looked back at the trucks, who were laughing at the damaged brake van. This stopped once Douglas pushed them back into another set of buffers, hard. "Urr ye happy noo?" The trucks remained silent.

Douglas soon turned himself around on the turntable and coupled himself up to some empty ballast trucks, but there was a problem, there wasn't a spare brake van in the yard. "We can't take a train without a brake van," Douglas's driver noted.

"Bit whit kin we dae?" A whistle could be heard a green cabless engine puffed into the yard.

"What's going on here?" he questioned.

"A'm feart a'm aff tae stuck fur mah brake vans damaged. He's th' ainlie yin in th' yaird."

"Well, you can borrow Bradford."

"Bradford?"

"He's my brake van. He's at the back of my train right now."

"That'd be great. Thanks... Ugh..."

"You can call me Samson." Samson was uncoupled from his train and puffed away to refuel as Douglas headed to the end of his train. There was a green brake van with a red stripe on his sides coupled at the end.

"Well, hello there," he said. "Who might you be."

"Douglas. Ah assume ye'r Bradford?"

"Yes. Are you in need of a brake van?"

"Aye. Mine's gotten a wheel flat."

"Well, just couple me up. Samson doesn't have to take me back to the mainland for a while." The scottish engine smiled and buffered Bradford the back of his train.

While exiting the yard, they passed Toad, who was being lifted onto a flatbed by Rocky. Douglas whistled while passing by. "Dinna fash yirsel Toad. Ah will be fine." This made Toad feel better.

The Caledonian trundled down the line back to the Little Western. Along the way, he had to stop at a red signal. Thomas was there waiting for his signal to turn green. "Hello Douglas," the number one engine said.

"Awright, Thomas," Douglas replied. "Whaur ye aff tae?"

"I'm just collecting some supplies for the quarry. Hopefully, there won't be too much shunting I need to do."

"Then you should watch your speed, Thomas," called Bradford

"Oh, bother."

"Remember, your speed must not exceed kilometers an hour."

"I know that Bradford." Douglas was confused by Thomas's expression turning negative so quickly.

"Is something wrong?" Douglas asked.

"I've dealt with Bradford before. Every time one of the Sodor engines has taken him, he always finds a problem because we're 'breaking the rules' and we end up late. Like the stone in one of my trains was nine millimeters too high."

"That's not even half an inch."

"Exactly. Why are you Bradford when..."

"Douglas, your signal's green," Bradford interrupted. "Move along and keep to the speed limit."

"Sorry, Thomas," Douglas apologized. "We hae tae gang noo." The number ten engine whistled and puffed away.

"Oi!" Bradford slammed his brakes on stopping the train before Douglas could make a wheel turn.

"Whit's th' maiter?"

"No whistling while stationery."

"Bit we dae that a' th' time oan Sodor."

"Maybe. But on the mainland, it's against the rules." The tender engine to the tank engine, who was giving him a knowing look. Douglas sighed as he knew it was going to be a long day. Starting off once more, they headed back to the Little Western. They past by Donald then headed towards Bluff's Cover.

Oliver was there picking up passengers with Isabel and Dulcie. Douglas gave them a friendly whistle, which Bradford wasn't pleased with. "Where is the sign for you to whistle?" Bradford questioned.

"Thare isnae yin," Douglas replied.

"You can't just blow your whistle willy nilly."

"Ah wis juist saying awright tae mah friends."

"Your whistle isn't a toy. You must use it when it's only necessary. Such as when you're approaching a crossing, or there's an animal on the line." Douglas didn't say anything and just kept going.

When they got back Arlesburgh Junction, they found Duck waiting at the passenger platform. "Duck, weren't ye suppose tae lea by noo?"

"Rex is running late," the pannier responded. "I wonder what's keeping him." Douglas began shunting his ballast trucks into place as Mike pulled in with some ballast trucks.

"At least someone's oan time."

"Yeah, I heard about Rex's delay," Mike said. "He got stuck on the turntable and it took forever for his driver."

"So that's why he's late," Duck said. Then the standard and miniature engine noticed the different brake van on the end of the empty train. "Where Toad?"

"And who's this?"

"This is Bradford," Douglas answered. "Toad git a wheel flat, 'n' noo ah hae tae deal wi' Bradford 'til he's fixed." The train was marshaled under the hopped and Mike shunted his train onto the rail above. Bradford was impressed at the unique shute and little engine. Just then, they could hear the sound of pistons pumping at a high speed.

"Duck, wait!" Rex cried. He thundered into the station with his passengers. Once he stopped, they quickly got on board Alice and Mirabel." Douglas was now ready to leave and was about to start off, but Bradford stopped him.

"Whit noo?" the Scottish engine questioned.

"Passengers train have priority over goods."

"But if I go, I'll make you late," Duck spoke.

"You're late enough as it is," Rex commented.

"Another reason why we should go second," Bradford added.

"We cannae be late," Douglas stated. "Toad's damages hae made me late enough."

Bradford was about to respond until Duck's guard blew his whistle. "That's your whistle Duck. Off you go." Duck blew his whistle and puffed out the station, hoping to make up for lost time. Bradford didn't say anything, which Douglas couldn't ignore.

"Ye'r nae saying anythin' aboot Duckie blawin his whistle?" the scott questioned, fairly annoyed.

"He's delayed enough as it is. Beside, he blew his at a station to alert others he was leaving."

"Lik' whin we wur at that signal?"

"You were at a signal. Your friend Duck was at a platform."

"Sure," Mike said. "You keep telling yourself that." He puffed away for his next train. Douglas had similar thought to the miniature engine. When they were allowed to leave, he tried to make for lost time, but Bradford put his brakes on, slowing him down.

By the time he got to Tidmouth, Murdoch was waiting with part of a goods train. He saw the late engine pull in as fast as his brake van would allow him. "Where have you been?" Murdoch questioned.

"Mr. Bossy brake van 'ere made me wait fur duck, wha wis awready late ," Douglas replied.

"Well, I'll be late too thanks to you."

"Dinnae gaun blaming me fur bein' forced tae wait."

"Easy you two," Stanley cried. "Douglas, just uncouple and I'll give your trucks to Bradford." The Caledonian did so and went to turn himself around. He went to the water tower to refuel. Edward was there, getting ready for his next local train.

"What's matter Douglas?" the wise engine asked. "Have trouble with the trucks?"

"Tis Bradford," Douglas explained. "He made me stoap sae duck cuid gang first, even though he wis running late, fur 'passenger trains hae th' richt o' way.' hae ye ever dealt wi' him?"

"I can't say I have. Don't let him get to you. I'm sure as soon as Toad is repaired, you won't have to deal with Bradford."

"Ah hawp sae." Edwards tanks were full, and he puffed away to get his coaches.

The day seemed to stretch on because of Bradford's bossiness. Whenever he saw rule that Douglas was 'breaking', he would slow down or even stop. This annoyed the Scottish engine to no end. While he was happy he kept the ballast trucks in order, that still didn't make his orders tedious. This got to the point where even Douglas's driver and fireman were having enough of him.

The Caledonian was glad when the day was over. He met up with the others at Arlesburgh Shed. "How was Bradford?" Duck asked.

"Awfy," Douglas answered.

"Ah, a'm guessing ye miss Toad," Donald said.

"Ah dae. Hae ye heard aboot him yit?"

"The Steamworks doesn't have the right axel in his size," Oliver informed. "He's going to be there until they get a new one."

"Och, that's juist perfect. Noo we hae tae deal wi' that bothersome brake van even langer. A'd ower hae auld spiteful."

"Mibbie we gie him th' identical treatment," Donald said.

"Don't you two even think about it," Duck scolded. "Bradford may be bossy, but he's right.'

"If that's th' case Duckie, how come dinnae tak' him?" Douglas asked.

"Hmm, yes. I will."

Douglas chuckled. "Ah will tak' yer passengers, ye'v git th' ballast." And so it was arranged.

The next morning, Bradford was awake and awaited for Douglas to arrive. He was confused when Duck buffered up to him. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Douglas and I have swapped morning jobs," Duck explained. "I think you and I will get along much better."

"Oh, so you have an appreciation for the rules too."

"Right. There are two ways of doing things; the Great Western way, or the wrong way."

"Ah, that's a good engine."

"Now then, let's get to the ballast trains." And pannier puffed away. At the ballast shute, Bert shunted his trucks into place to load Ducks. Once the standard gauged was loaded he started pulling away. Bradford didn't say anything along the way.

Duck followed all the rules with whistles and speed limits. It all went well until they got to Tidmouth. "Morning Duck," Stafford said. "Taking Douglas's train?"

"Hello Stafford," the great western engine replied. "Indeed I am. Bradford and I should have an easier time getting along.

"Welp, your empty trucks are over there." Duck smiled and moved Bradford to the end of the empty trucks. They would've left easily if it wasn't for Bradford slamming his brakes on.

"What's wrong?" Duck asked.

"These trucks are filthy," the brake van stated. "They're not going anywhere until they've been clean."

"There's no time for that. We need to get back Arlesburgh now."

"A dirty car is a disorderly car."

"We prefer usefulness before cleanliness." Duck was starting to regret switching jobs with Douglas. He tried to pull forward, but Bradford kept his brakes on. The trucks could see what he was doing and they put their brakes on as well, making the pannier tank spin his wheels in place. "Come on."

"We're not going anywhere until we go to the washdown first." Duck groaned. His driver got down from his cab walked over to Bradford to argue with his guard. Unfortunately, he was just as stubborn and strict as the brake van. It took ages until the yard manager came up and broke up the fight.

By then, Duck was five minutes late. Just like Douglas, Bradford forced him to stay to the speed limit or even brought him to a stop. This ended up making them even later. At last, they got back to Arlesburgh West. Douglas was there just getting ready for his return journey with the slip coaches.

"How's Bradford bin treating ye?" the Scottish engine asked. He had a grin on his face seeing how frustrated his friend was.

"Bradford here said that these trucks were too dirty to keep in order," Duck explained. "Is it too late to switch back?" Douglas was about to reply, but the station master would answer his question for him.

"Douglas!" he cried, "Donald needs help with a train Ryan needs to take."

"How come cannae Ryan tak' it?" Douglas asked a little confused.

"Some jammed points trapped him in a siding with the brake vans. He was getting another one for Donald after the one on his train had broken a coupling."

"Och, we're haein a bit o' ill luck, aren't we?"

"Indeed. Duck, can you take Douglas's train."

"Yes sir," the great westerner answered.

"Good. Douglas, be sure to take Bradford with you."

The two engine both looked at each other, knowing this train was going to be difficult now. "Good luck, Douglas."

The Caledonian sighed before he buffered up to the bossy brake van, rather roughly. "Careful!" Bradford ordered. Douglas just rolled his eye before puffing away to help his brother.

At Arlesburgh Harbour, Donald waited with his mixed goods containing fish vans, ballast trucks, and coal cars. The only thing he was missing was a brake van. He heard his brother's whistle and puffed up alongside.

"Och, Dougie, am ah happy tae see ye," Donald sighed with relief.

"Dinna fash yirsel Donnie," Douglas reassured. "We'll hae this train delivered in na time."

"Indeed," Bradford said. "Now, couple me up and get moving." Douglas had enough of these bossy orders. He angrily shunted Bradford to the back of the train, irritating most of the trucks. They were about to complain until Bradford spoke up. "Now, listen up! I don't want any trouble from any of you. This train is run safely and..."

"Ah, shut up!" called a voice.

"...Who just talked back?!" The voice had come from one of the coal trucks. It was orange and was unfazed by Bradford's orders.

"You think you can keep all of us in line? We've earned our name of troublesome trucks for a reason."

"And that's what brake vans like me are for; to keep trucks like you in line."

"Do what you like," the orange truck said, "But you can't keep us in control forever." Donald was starting to worry.

"Fred is one of the worst," he said to Douglas.

"If Bradford kin keep duck in order fur o' some messy trucks, he kin keep a trauchle in his steid," Douglas remarked. "He's kept th' ballast trucks in order. Noo, where's this train suppose tae gang?"

"Vicarstown."

"A'richt, let's git movin`." The twins coupled themselves to the front of the train and with a great pull, they slowly started moving out of the harbor. Ryan whistled them good luck, which caused Bradford to slam his brakes on. "Again?!"

"It's one thing for you to use your whistle at a signal," Bradford said, "But using it while you're stuck in siding is another thing." The twins have had enough of this and gave a great heave. Bradford's wheels screeched before he let his brake go. They were starting to feel a little sore at his point.

The journey was quite uneventful as they traveled along the mane line. The twins were happy to be working as the noise their pistons were making and the distance between them and the end of the train, Bradford could barely be heard. Whilst the twins couldn't hear him that well, the trucks did.

"That's it. Keep steady," Bradford ordered.

Many of the trucks, especially the ones closest to the end of the train listened to what they were told. The trucks near the front, however, were making a plan to get back at Bradford. Fred seemed to be the one coming up with ideas. Douglas could hear part of this, but he was so tired of being stopped and explained what he did wrong, he was happy to have some peace and quiet.

Eventually, the twins made it to Gordon's Hill. Donald and Douglas charged at the incline with incredible speed. Bradford would stop them, but he had been told about many engines getting stuck here. Braking while climbing the hill would surely mean they would get stuck. The trucks knew this too well, and so some of them let their brakes slipped on.

Douglas was very cross. "That's it," he grumbled. "I've had enough of him." He surged forward, much to the shock of his brother and crew. This jolt caused one of the couples to start straining. Fred chuckled before he slipped his brake on. It was too much for the chain to bear. With a loud "SNAP!" it broke.

The twins felt the train get lighter as Douglas's fireman looked back. "Oh, crumbs! Look!" The engine and their crews could see they only had a third of their train with them. The rest started rolling back down the hill. Bradford knew what to do and slammed on his brake.

"On! On!" cried to trucks. Bradford fought hard, but the force was becoming too much for his brake to handle. The trucks could tell he was starting to struggle and they pushed him with all their might until there was a loud. "CRACK!" He cried out in pain as he could feel his wheels starting to roll much easier.

"My brakes!" Bradford cried. Despite his damages, he tried to stay brave. "Pin down your brakes and stop immediately!"

"We're the powerful ones now," Fred laughed. "Give him what you've got boys.

"Faster! Faster! As fast as you want!" screamed the trucks. The train picked up speed and thundered through Wellsworth. The station master quickly phoned to warn others up the line.

Bradford was now scared. He couldn't slow the train down, they wouldn't listen to what he said, and he could ask his guard for help because he had jumped clear. A signalman set the runaway train onto the express line to keep it from crashing into anything.

Knapford, Percy had been ordered to shunt some trucks into a line on the track Bradford was traveling on. "Sir, what's this train for again?" the saddle tank asked.

"We're using it as a stop block," the station master said. "Now, you better get out of the way." Percy listened and raced off just as Bradford came into view. He smashed into a line of trucks breaking some of them into pieces. The momentum of some of the trucks caused them to come right off the rail just like the brake van.

When the dust settled Bradford lied on his side, blocking some of the tracks. The station master called the Search and Rescue Center for Rocky. When they arrived, Sir Topham Hatt was on board. "Bradford!" he called. "How did this happen?"

"I believe it was my brakes, sir," Bradford said. His pride seems to be more damaged than himself. Edward steamed in, shocked by the mess. He helped clean it until Rocky arrived, being pulled by Belle. When Bradford was being loaded onto a flatbed, Donald and Douglas steamed in.

"Och na, Bradford!" Donald gasped.

"Don't blame yourself for this. I snapped my brakes, making me lose control."

"Oh, ah think ah ken howfur thay broke," Douglas said. "If ye didnae stoap me 'n' Duck fur na reason, ye wouldn't be intae this mess."

"Douglas," Edward cried. "Show so passion."

"Ah wid if this brake van didnae cause me ony delays."

"Douglas, I don't appreciate my engines talking like this," Sir Topham Hatt said. "You'll help clean up this mess before you go back to your regular jobs.

"But sir..."

"I think you should learn to control what you say. Especially around others that are damaged. Edward, Donald, you may return to your normal jobs." The two engines puffed away, leaving the angry Caledonian to help clean up.

He shunted the unhurt trucks into a siding while Belle moved Rocky and the flatbed into the right spots so they could load Bradford. Douglas was ordered to take him to the Steamworks. As the engine and brake van traveled down the track until the latter spoke up.

"You were right Douglas," Bradford sighed.

"Excuse me?"

"If I hadn't kept using my brake to give orders, I wouldn't have been in that mess."

"Sae, tis kind o' lik' whistling while stationary?"

"...You could say that. I just wanted to make sure that the railway kept to the rule book."

"Dinnae slam yer breaks oan again. Ye kin be as loud as yi'll waant bit they trucks wilnae aye listen." Bradford didn't say anything else as they made their way to work.

When they arrived, Toad was sitting in one of the sidings waiting to be taken back to the Little Western. He smiled as he saw the Scottish engine puffed in. "Hello, Mr. Douglas," the Great Western brake van said. "I'll all fix and... What happened to the other brake van?" Toad's expression changed from joy to worry.

"Some trucks git th' better o' him. His brakes snapped 'n' he collided wi' a stoap block."

"I did bring it upon myself though," Bradford sighed. "I should never play around with my brakes like that."

"That ah kin gree wi'." Douglas uncoupled himself from the flatbed and while Bradford was being unloaded, the engine coupled up to Toad.

"I'm guessing that he wasn't a very good?" Toad asked.

"Tae guid. He talked aboot th' rules sae muckle a'd be surprised if he didnae write th' rulebook."

"Well, I do hope he gets repaired soon."

"Same. Ah hawp he learns nae tae be sic a bossy boot." Toad remembered a certain brake van that gave Douglas and Donald trouble in the past before he came to the island. Still, he hoped if they met Bradford again, they would get along much easier.