Job-Swap Day!
With credit to Scrubb1910 for the story idea.
It was a start of an early morning at Tidmouth Sheds, as the engines all got ready to start their day's work.
Thomas yawned and rolled slowly out of his berth, as he watched James chuff off the turntable and head towards the water tower.
"Ah," he sighed, rolling slowly forward towards the table. "Another beautiful morning."
POOP-POOP
Thomas was startled as Gordon cut quickly in front of him.
"Out of the way, little Thomas!" he told him, as the table stopped on his track. "I must go first so I can make it early enough for the express." Then he made his way slowly onto the table.
Thomas was speechless, as the table turned Gordon round and he made his way quickly off.
"Huh," he wondered, as the table turned towards him, and he made his way on. "My Branch Line is just as important as the express."
James was about to reach the water tower when Gordon cut rudely in front of him.
POOP-POOP
"Gordon!" he glared, as the big engine switched tracks and cut in front of him. "What was that for?!"
"Sorry, little James," he said, smirking sarcastically. "But I have to go first. The express is a guaranteed connection."
James seethed with frustration, as the other engines were llining up behind him.
At last, Gordon's water tank was full and he made his way over to the coal chute.
"Big blue showoff!" he complained to the others, as he watched Gordon set off. "I'll show him!"
PEEP-PEEP!
And he raced off after Gordon, startling the workmen at the water hose and causing them to splash water over the tracks.
"James?!" Thomas called. "Your water tank!"
"Stop, James!" Emily called.
But James heard neither of them.
"Oh, dear," Nia sighed. "I've got a really bad feeling about this."
At Knapford Station, Gordon was just about to take on coal when James cut in front of him.
PEEP-PEEP!
"James!" Gordon fumed, stopping with surprise right in behind him. "Whatever are you playing at?!"
"Sorry, Gordon!" James sarcastically responded, as he was filled up with coal. "Forgot the express was a guaranteed connection"
"But...but…" Gordon gasped, then groaned. "Oh, the indignity."
James chuckled, as he was filled up with coal and left the chute to catch his train, Gordon slowly under it and glaring at James as he switched tracks and backed down towards the station platform.
But as Gordon rolled under the coal chute, he realized there wasn't much left.
The last portion poured down into Gordon's tender but it didn't fill him all the way up.
"Hmm," Gordon wondered. "That's strange. I wonder what…"
"Oh, sorry, Gordon," said the chute operator, walking up to him. "It appears we forgot to fill up the chute yesterday. Not to worry though. Stanley's on his way over with some more from the Coal Depot."
Nia whistled as she backed away from the back of the line to fetch Gordon's coaches, so his passengers wouldn't have to wait too long.
"I'm going late with the express!" Gordon groaned with dismay, as he waited under the coal chute for more coal to arrive. "James!" he seethed quietly with frustration.
By the time James had reached the station, Nia had already brought Gordon's express coaches to the platform.
"Huh," she wondered, as the passengers wondered curiously about the platform and quietly started chattering. "Where's…Gordon?"
"Search me," James responded smugly, closing his eyes and letting out a deep breath of justice.
Soon enough, Stanley brought some coal trucks over from the Depot and the chute was refilled. Gordon's tender was entirely filled up with coal and he made his way over to Platform 1. His passengers began to board the train, but they weren't very happy about the delay.
Gordon and James both watched with surprise as the passengers noisily boarded the train, chattering aloud enough for The Fat Controller to hear from the office. At last, the stationmaster came in and cleared his throat, looking at him so as to imply the obvious.
"Oh, dear," the Fat Controller sighed, rising slowly up from his desk.
"Oh, goodness," Gordon groaned. "I'm going to be late to Vicarstown now."
"Oh, my," James wondered sarcastically. "Looks like the express isn't such a guaranteed connection after all, huh?"
Gordon glared over at him.
"This is all your fault, James!" Gordon scolded.
"My fault?" James spluttered, his eyes widening.
"Yes! There was only so much coal left in the chute, and I needed it to pull the express!"
"Well, if you hadn't cut in front of me in the first place, than maybe I wouldn't have cut in front of you!" James argued.
"I had to go first!" Gordon told him. "The express is important. Far more important than doing dirty odd jobs." Than he smirked condescendingly at him and remarked, "that's what weak and slow engines like you are for, little James."
James was taken aback by such a remark that he tried hard to think of a snappy comeback.
"Weak and slow?!" he responded, "well, at least I don't always need a banker engine to get me up the hill! Not like an engine as slow and lazy as you, Gordon!"
"Hah!" scoffed Gordon. "Well, you're the one to talk, James, considering how I had to push you up that hill myself!"
"Oh, really?" James argued back. "Well, as many times as I've pulled the express, at least I've never once lost my way!"
The Fat Controller came out in time to witness all the commotion and watched the passengers walk hurriedly about the platform to escape the banter between the two engines. Gordon was shocked and before he could think of what to argue back, his guard's whistle blow.
"I have no time to argue with you, James," he said. "The express waits for no one."
POOP-POOP!
"See you later, little James!" he teased, as he quickly left the station.
James' face was almost as red as his paintwork, as Nia brought him his coaches.
"I say, Nia, that Gordon!" he complained to her, as she brought his coaches further in. Thinking he can blame me for his own delay, as if I was supposed to know that there wasn't any coal left at the chute."
"You did cut right in front of him, James," Nia calmly reminded him, as she stopped outside the station.
"Yeah, but he did it to me first," James justified, and then spoke in a mocking way about Gordon. "And he calls me weak and slow, and says I do dirty odd jobs. 'The express is a guaranteed connection'".
His passengers quickly boarded the train, as Nia was uncoupled from the coaches.
"You should just try and simply ignore Gordon," Nia told him encouragingly, as she whistled and backed away. "That way, you won't let him bother you."
"Huh!" James scoffed, as his guard's whistle blew and he was off in a flash.
Gordon raced along the Main Line to make up for lost time.
"Mustn't be late! Mustn't be late!" he panted, as his wheels pounded the rails.
Inside the express coaches, the passengers found that the train was going faster than usual.
"Oh, my," a lady sighed, gripping her arm to the edge of her seat and holding her hat with the other.
"I say!" a smartly dressed man complained, leaning back tight against his seat.
In one of the dining coaches, a waiter pushing out a service cart suddenly tripped from surprise at how fast the train was going. The cloth from the tray was pulled out, and jams and scones were flying everywhere. A lady was reading a menu while sipping her tea when jam and scones landed all over her table and startled her, her face splashed slightly with jam. Plates and teacups shattered all over the floor.
"Uh, oh," Gordon gasped, as he heard the sound of the shattering.
"Oi! Gordon!" a passenger called, leaning his head out the window. "You think you can slow it down a bit?!"
"This is an express, NOT a horseback ride!" another passenger shouted, leaning her head out the window.
"Eh, sorry, sirs," Gordon responded sheepishly, slowing down a bit. "Er, and ma'ams." He chuckled nervously as he continued along the line. But his thoughts quickly returned to James, and he seethed slightly with frustration as he made his way along
As Gordon reached Vicarstown Station, he looked up at the clock and discover that he only just made it on time.
"That James is just lucky I wasn't late," he said to himself, then listened with embarrassment as the passengers excited the train, chattering noisily as other passengers slowly got on.
"Say!" one passenger complained. "Is this a railway or a theme park?!"
"I for one would consider canceling my return ticket," the lady from the dining coach complained, using her cloth to wipe the jam off her face.
"Hmph!" a third passenger grunted, heading towards the ticket booth.
All at once, passengers were demanding their money back from the round trip for the journey home.
"Oh, dear," Gordon groaned. "If only James hadn't…"
"Good morning, Gordon!" Henry whistled, as he backed into the station, Rosie bringing his coaches steadily into the platform. "How are you?"
"NOT all that great to be honest, Henry!" Gordon snapped back, catching him and Rosie by surprise. "All thanks to James, of course!" The guard's whistle blew, and Gordon whistled loudly as he left the station with his coaches, the express passengers still shouting at the ticket booth.
"Oh, dear," the stationmaster sighed. "I think the Fat Controller should hear about this." And he walked away to his office.
"What do you suppose got into him?" Rosie asked Henry.
"I don't know, Rosie," Henry responded, as his guard's whistle blew. Then he whistled, "something to do with James, I suppose," as he left the station with his coaches, Rosie watching after him."
"Hmm…" she wondered, rather puzzled.
Gordon returned to Knapford all in good time, as Nia was ready to take his coaches away.
"That James!" he complained. "Who does he think he is?! Thinking he can cut in front of me like that and almost make me late with the express!"
Nia was becoming a little exhausted.
"You did cut in front of him first at the water tower, Gordon," she reminded him.
"Yes, but I had an excuse!" Gordon explained to her, as he puffed slowly out of the station. "I couldn't risk being late with the express! Not like he almost made me!"
He backed into his usual siding for a rest and yawned, as Nia left his express coaches in a siding, feeling exhausted.
PEEP-PEEP!
"Are you alright, Nia?" Percy asked, as he pulled in with some trucks.
"Hmm," Nia wondered. I think I'm going to have a word with the Fat Controller, Percy." Then she chuffed away towards Knapford, leaving Percy puzzled.
The Fat Controller was on the platform, discussing the complaints from the passengers with the stationmaster.
"The passengers over in Vicarstown are demanding money back for their return trip" he explained.
"That's not so easy, sir," the stationmaster replied. "They all paid for the round trip."
"Oh, dear," The Fat Controller sighed. "There seems to be quite a bit of confusion and delay going on today."
"I think I have a solution, sir," Nia whistled, as she pulled into the platform.
"You, Nia?" The Fat Controller wondered, surprised.
"James and Gordon have been complaining about each other all morning, sir, and it is getting out of hand."
"Mmm." The Fat Controller nodded in agreement.
"Which is why I've come up with a plan to get them to be friends again."
"You have? Go on then, Nia."
Nia explained her plan to The Fat Controller, who listened carefully.
"That…" the Fat Controller wondered, "...sounds like a wonderful idea." He beamed at her, rather impressed.
"It does, sir?" Nia was surprised.
"Well, yes. I only wish I thought of it myself. Perhaps we shall just wait for James to get back from his morning train before I make the arrangements."
Nia whistled happily as she backed out of the station, the Fat Controller continuing to confer with the stationmaster.
James whistled as he pulled up to Platform 1 with his coaches. His passengers got off and Nia came to take his coaches away.
As soon as James returned, Gordon's crew came to wake him up from his nap.
"Wake up, Gordon," his fireman called, as they hopped aboard.
Gordon awoke rather startled, but calmed down as his crew got his fire going.
"Hmm," he thought. "Almost time for the express anyway."
"Come on, Gordon," said his driver. "The Fat Controller would like to see you at the station."
Gordon was somewhat puzzled as he made his way quickly over to the station. However, when he got there, he was surprised to see James waiting around at the express platform.
"James!" he spluttered, as he switched tracks and reversed into the platform beside him. "Move aside, little James! Platform 1 is my platform!"
"Oh, really?!" James retaliated. "Than how come it doesn't have your name written on it, Gordon?!"
"If only you were only as fast and strong as me…"
"That's quite enough, Gordon and James!" the Fat Controller boomed, taking them both by surprise as he walked up to the platform before them.
"I have heard nothing but complaints regarding you two all morning," he sternly explained. "Your silly arguing has caused bad atmosphere throughout the station. And neither do our VIPs liked being bounced about like peas in a pod, Gordon."
Gordon felt slightly ashamed, but still attempted to explain himself.
"I'm sorry, sir. But it wasn't my fault, you see. James started it by almost making me late…"
"I started it?" James snorted. "Gordon cut me first, sir…"
"I don't care who started it!" The Fat Controller said, putting a hand forward so as to silence them. "If neither of you two can behave, then you leave me no other choice." The two engines looked at him with confusion. "I'm giving you both a job swap day."
"Job swap day?" they wondered, rather puzzled.
"Yes," the Fat Controller responded, as Nia brought the express coaches to James' platform. "I'm having you two swap duties for the day. Perhaps it'll clear your smokeboxes, and help you both to see what hard work means to one another. Gordon, you are due to take the first goods train on James' schedule…"
"A goods train?!" he gasped, horrified.
"...and, James, you shall pull the express."
"The express?!" James beamed excitedly. "Yes, sir."
Gordon groaned miserably as the Fat Controller walked back to his office, and James whistled and left the station to take on water as his passengers boarded the train.
As soon as James had finally taken on water, he was ready to go.
Gordon listened sadly as the guard's whistle blew and James passed him as he left the station.
"See you later, lazybones!" he taunted, Gordon glaring at him. Then he shouted, "express coming through!" as he took off.
"Hmph!" Gordon grunted, reversing into the station, as Percy brought his scrap trucks to the platform. "Hurry up, Percy!" he whistled impatiently.
"Coming, Gordon," Percy responded, swiftly pushing the trucks towards Gordon, but accidentally hit his tender.
"Oof!" Gordon was rather startled as he felt a sudden jolt from the trucks bumping him.
"Whoops!" Percy chuckled nervously. "Sorry, Gordon."
Percy rolled away, as the stationmaster walked up, a pen and paper in hand.
"Make sure you have these scrap trucks delivered to Reg at Crocks Scrap Yard, Gordon, on the double," he told him, "then take them to Blue Mountain Quarry to be filled up with stone to bring to Ffarquhar Quarry."
"O the indignity," Gordon groaned, as he rolled slowly out of the station. "A goods train! A goods train!" he grumbled, as he made his way along. "The shame of it! Oh, the shame of it!"
Meanwhile, James was having the time of his life as he pulled the express steadily along the line.
"This is the life," he sighed relaxedly to himself, the coaches gliding along behind him. He took some time to observe the lovely scenery all around him and took in a deep breath of fresh air before sighing with relaxation. Up ahead in the distance was Toby with Henrietta.
"Look at me, Toby!" he whistled as he passed him, surprising both him and Henrietta. "Regular as clockwork."
James made his first stop at Wellsworth Station...
James pulled into the platform and whistled at Edward, who whistled back as he pulled out of the station with a goods train. Some passengers got off, the porter managed train their luggage as he pulled a trolley off one of the express coaches, and the guard's whistle blew, signifying the journey onward.
...before stopping at Crovan' Gate.
James whistled as he pulled into Crovan's Gate with the express, as Duncan whistled back and pulled out with his own coaches.
"Ah," he sighed, as his passengers got off and on the train. As soon the guard's whistle blew, he was ready to go again.
James' penultimate stop was at the station at Kellsthorpe Road.
"Here's James!" he called, as he pulled steadily into the station, coming to a stop and letting off steam.
Passengers got off and on the train and James watched with interest as others walked about the platform, some boarding Bulgy who was getting to leave the station.
"Say," James thought to himself. "Maybe The Fat Controller can let me do this job more often. It sure does feel nice to pull more important passengers for a change.
"Huh!" Bulgy sniffed, as he rolled slowly out of the station. "Railways!"
James shot him a dirty look as he watched him leave, then his guard's whistle blew. He felt much better as he made his way along towards Vicarstown.
Gordon was waiting at Crocks Scrap Yard for Reg to unload the scrap from his trucks, but he wasn't very happy.
"This is indignified," he muttered, as Reg listened with surprise.
"Indignified?" he gasped, then chuckled. "Not for me, it isn't, Gordon. I'm always ready to pick up more lovely scrap to keep so it never goes to waste."
"You wouldn't feel that way if you were an express engine!" Gordon snapped, as Reg unloaded his second to last truck. He only felt worse when he heard a familiar pair of whistles.
"Ooh, look, Ben," Bill remarked, as they pulled by with some waste trucks. "Who do we have here?"
"Erm, Gordon?" Ben responded, slightly confused.
"Sure looks like Gordon. But it can't be. Can it?"
"Not if he's pulling trucks," Ben replied jokingly, slightly chuckling.
"If you ask me," Bill teased, "it's just another heap of scrap for the scrapyard."
The twins chuckled, as they continued on their way, and Gordon's face went red with embarrassment.
"Please, Reg!" he begged. "Please hurry up before someone else sees me!"
Reg just laughed, and responded, "don't mind them, Gordon. Bill and Ben are always saying teasy things to other engines. It's in their nature. You just to know how to not let it get to you."
"Huh!" Gordon scoffed, as his last truck was being unloaded.
As soon as Reg had emptied all the trucks of scrap, Gordon was on his way again.
POOP-POOP!
"Bye, Gordon!" Reg called, as Gordon left the the Scrap Yard.
"Dirty trucks!" Gordon groaned to himself. "Ugh!"
James reached Vicarstown Station all in good time, and there were no complaints regarding the other express that afternoon.
"Ah," James sighed, as he looked up at the clock, and observed the passengers exiting the train and walking about the platform. "One in the headlamp for that big blue showoff. Who's to say he can only pull the express now?"
Then he heard an unfamiliar whistle, and looked over to see a green tender engine with two tenders back into the station.
"Oh," he thought, confused, as he looked over at James, then chuckled. "Hello there. I would've usually expected to see my little brother here."
James looked at him, puzzled.
"Huh," he muttered.
"Ah, well, no matter at all," Scotsman continued, as passengers boarded the train. "At least you're here on time. What's your name then?"
"I'm James," the red engine smugly replied. "And you must Gordon's big brother, the Flying Scotsman."
Scotsman chuckled.
"You stand correct, little fellow." James gasped at such a comment about his size. "Though he doesn't necessarily like being referred to as my 'little brother', no matter how many times I remind him of it."
"Huh!" James snorted, then muttered to himself, "and he calls me weak and slow."
"I must say, though," Scotsman admitted, "I am surprised to see a smaller engine of your size here instead."
"Well!" James huffed, trying his best not to be offended, "Gordon and I happen to be having a job swap day." Scotsman listened on, surprise yet intrigued. "While he's learning his lesson by having to dirty odd jobs he thinks I'm supposed to do, I happen to be having the time of my life pulling the express in his place. And I have no regrets about it whatsoever." He sighed and smiled smugly, as Scotsman shot him a look
"Hmm," he thought, then cleared his throat. "Yes, well, it surely was nice chatting with you, James. However, I must warn you that smaller engines like you are bound to get stuck on hills. I'd keep on the lookout if I were as short as you." He smiled condescendingly.
"Ha!" James scoffed, as his guard's whistle blew. "You bigger engines never think I can do anything. But surely I know what I'm doing when it comes to climbing hills. Goodbye!" Scotsman watched with surprise as he stormed out of the station, muttering , "huh! Silly bigger engines! I'll show them!"
"Huh," Scotsman wondered. "Surely I meant him no offense."
At the Blue Mountain Quarry, Gordon waited as his trucks were filled up with stone.
"Come on!" he whistled impatiently, then sighed, "the sooner I'm done with this job, the sooner I can get back to pulling passengers with James' local train."
His thoughts were rudely interrupted, as Rheneas pulled into view, whistling loudly.
"Hello, Gordon!" he greeted. "How are you today?"
"Not so well as to be confined to pulling dirty trucks!" he bluntly responded. "And James is probably having the time of his life, flying along the line with the express!"
Rheneas listened, quite puzzled, as Sir Handel whistled and pulled into view, chuckling immensely.
"My, oh my," he teased, giving him a look of sympathy. "Surely you wouldn't be pulling trucks if you pretended to be ill, eh?" Then he smiled smugly, Gordon looking at him with surprise. "After all, that is the best way to get out of doing jobs you don't like, isn't it?"
Rusty chuckled, as he honked and rolled past, and Peter Sam also chuckled as he passed over with trucks from the upper incline.
Gordon could feel Reg's words going around in his head.
"You just to know how to not let it get to you. You just to know how to not let it get to you."
Just then, the last truck was loaded up and Gordon was on his way again.
POOP-POOP!
Rheneas and Sir Handel looked at each other with confusion, as Gordon pulled the stone trucks sternly out of the quarry, than they set back about their work.
Gordon wasn't very keen on being teased by the little engines, but decided to carry on with his work anyway, as he left the quarry to make his first delivery of stone.
James was waiting at Crovan's Gate for passengers to board and exit the train. He looked at the clock and was beginning to get a little impatient.
"Come along!" he whistled hastily. "I do want to make it back to make it back to Knapford all in good time. It should teach Gordon a thing or two about calling me weak and slow."
POOP-POOP!
James heard a familiar whistle from behind him and sighed with slight irritation.
"Oh, boy," he groaned. "Speak of the devil."
Gordon stopped just inches behind James' express and glared at him. As soon as the guard's whistle blew, James was ready to go.
PEEP-PEEP!
"Goodbye, Gordon!" he called rudely. "Hopefully that job swap day is serving you right." And he puffed pompously away.
"Hmph!" Gordon huffed, pulling slowly up to the platform to drop off his first delivery, then glared as James took off in the distance.
James thought he was being very clever by teasing Gordon about doing the jobs he would usually do. Up ahead was Gordon's Hill and James was ready to make his way towards it.
"I had no problem getting over that hill on the way over here," he boasted to himself. "I shall make my way steadily over it." Then he charged at it with the coaches gliding behind him. "I won't stick," he assured himself, "not like silly old Gordon."
James was certain he could prove the Flying Scotsman wrong by making his way over the hill. However, as he made his way up the slope, gusts of wind started to pick up.
"Oh, dear," James thought to himself, as he felt the wind blew past. "I wasn't expecting this."
James bravely made his way up further up, but as he did so, his wheels started to slip and tug.
"I can do it," he panted to himself. "I can do it."
He had just made it halfway up the hill when the wind became stronger and blew fiercely.
"I...can...do it," he groaned.
But no matter how hard he tried, his wheels still slipped and he couldn't pull the heavy train. At last, they stopped altogether.
"Help!" James wailed, as the train went backward down the hill.
His driver tried what he could to let off steam and apply the brakes, but it wasn't fast enough, as Gordon came up the line with his stone trucks.
POOP-POOP!
"Oh, no!" James wailed, and the train came to a complete stop.
The guard ran out and waved his red flag as Gordon came racing up the line and saw it.
"Woah!" he gasped, and quickly applied his brakes, shutting his eyes tight as he came braked slowly to a halt. Passengers were shouting and chattering from inside the coaches.
Gordon had stopped just mere inches before James' express, but he didn't seem very happy about it.
"James!" he demanded. "You silly engine! Whatever are you playing at now?! You nearly caused me an accident!"
"Me?" James snapped back. "I wasn't the one racing up the line. You almost yourself an accident, Gordon!"
"Huh!" Gordon huffed, raising an eyebrow at him.
Both their drivers met at the end of the train and started conferring with one another as the guard hopped back into the last coach.
"It's no good," James' driver sighed. "The winds are too strong for James to pull the train up himself."
"Hmm," Gordon's driver thought. "Might've happened to any other engine in particular, don't you think?"
James' driver nodded in agreement, as James sighed sadly from the front of the train.
"Scotsman was right," he said sadly to himself. "It sure is easy for smaller engines like me to get stuck on hills. Now the express is going to be late unless I succeed at taking another run at it."
"O the indignity," Gordon groaned, so much at the thought of the express being late.
Both drivers thought hard, as they paced about the field.
"I've got it!" Gordon's driver, surprising the other, then he turned towards his engine. "Gordon, how bout if we helped push the express over the hill."
"What?!" he spluttered.
"What?!" James gasped, horrified, raising an eyebrow.
"No way!" Gordon responded hesitantly.
"Ahem!" His driver gave him a sharp look.
"I guess it is the only way to move the train along and get these passengers to their destinations all in good time," James' driver thought, walking back towards his engine.
"Do we have to do this?" James whimpered, as his driver hopped in his cab.
"Yes, James," he responded. "There's simply no other solution. We can't make these passengers late."
"You and James are going to have to work together on this one, Gordon," his driver told him, as he boarded his cab.
Gordon groaned reluctantly, but nevertheless rolled slowly up to the train.
"Come along, little James," he said, pushing into the express and trying to push it along.
"Hey, watch it!" James snapped. "I never said I was ready."
Gordon backed down from the train, slightly fuming. The guard leaned out from the back of the coach.
"Ready, driver?" he asked.
"Ready, guard," the driver responded. "Come on, Gordon."
POOP-POOP!
Gordon rolled up to the train and began pushing it with all his might.
PEEP-PEEP!
James pulled the express slowly up the hill, as Gordon pushed from behind.
"Come on, Gordon!" he demanded, as he pulled the train steadily along, then sarcastically remarked, "a little more puff and we might actually be on time to Wellsworth Station."
"I'm...pushing...as hard...as I can!" Gordon grunted, shutting his eyes and panting as he pushed the train steadily along.
The wind picked up once more, and both engines panted as they pulled and pushed the train slowly along. Emily was making her way over the other side of the hill with her coaches and she looked in surprise as she saw the efforts between the two engines.
"You can do it, James!" she whistled, as she passed him, and glanced over at Gordon from the back of the train. "Go on, Gordon!"
The two engines continued panting as they made their way slowly towards the top. The Fat Controller was driving in his car over the hill, humming to himself until he saw the cavalcade making their way up the hill. He thought hard with surprise and sped quickly over the hill and towards Wellsworth Station.
"Just...a little further," James grunted, as they neared the top of the hill.
"Nearly there, I expect," Gordon groaned, as he pushed the train along.
At long last, they reached the top and James was able to make his way over.
"We made it!" James whistled excitedly, and soared quickly down the hill at a tremendous speed.
"Phew!" Gordon sighed from the top, looking as James reached the bottom of the hill and chuffed beyond. "Glad that's over." And he rolled quickly down the hill and switched tracks as he made towards Wellsworth Station.
James pulled the express steadily as Gordon whistled and caught up with him just before Wellsworth.
"Guess I'm not the only engine after all who gets stuck on hills. Eh, little James?" he taunted, smirking at James, who just sighed sadly to himself.
James felt very sorry for himself, as he and Gordon made their towards Wellsworth Station.
PEEP-PEEP!
POOP-POOP!
The Fat Controller was waiting for them at the platform.
"James! Gordon!" he called, walking over to them, both engines looking rather nervous. "I've seen both your efforts from the top of the hill, and I must say…" The two engines looked at him with surprise, as he beamed at them and finished, "a fine piece of work."
James and Gordon were rather speechless.
"Oh, well, erm, thank you, sir."
"I-i-it was really nothing, sir. You see…,"
"Oh, of course it was, Gordon," the Fat Controller chuckled. "And in fact, I've gotten many good reports and it turns out that the both of you have worked extra hard despite the circumstances." James and Gordon looked over at each other in surprise as the Fat Controller finished his sentence. "So hard that I think I'm willing to put you both back on your usual schedules."
"You are, sir?" the two engines both asked at once.
"Why, yes," the Fat Controller smiled. "I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. James, you shall finish delivering the stone trucks and before taking out your next passenger train, and Gordon, you shall take the express to make up for lost time."
"Yes, sir," both engines replied, as they were uncoupled from their trains. James rolled up beyond the points and waited as Gordon switched tracks and backed down on the express. Then James switched points and backed down on the stone trucks. Both their guards' whistles blew and they were ready to go.
PEEP-PEEP!
POOP-POOP!
And so it was arranged. James went back to his usual jobs by taking Gordon's stone trucks, while Gordon himself was proud to be back pulling the express.
"Mmm," he sighed happily, as he pulled the express steadily through the countryside.
James made his last delivery of stone to Knapford, then waited as Nia brought his coaches to the platform.
"Oh, James," she wondered confusedly, as the red engine was coupled up and his passengers got quickly on board. "I thought you and Gordon were having a...job swap day."
"Not anymore, Nia," James replied, as his guard's whistle blew. "The Fat Controller has put us back on schedule." Then he pulled his coaches quickly away.
Nia was rather surprised, as she watched the train leave the station, then heard Gordon whistle as he pulled his coaches quickly into the station. She just smiled and backed down, then switched tracks and rolled up to take his coaches away.
"Hmm," James wondered, as he pulled his coaches out of Knapford Junction. "This could be just as fun as pulling the express."
Later at the end of the afternoon, James was resting at Knapford after having taken his last train when Gordon pulled in with the express.
"Hmm," Gordon thought, as he watched James just standing about in the siding, and chuffed over to him as soon as he was uncoupled from the train. Nia watched him, as she rolled up to take his coaches away.
POOP-POOP!
James looked over as Gordon stopped beside him, giving him a look of remorse.
"I'm...um...glad to hear you've done well with the express today, James," he told him. "You were quite brave to try and charge that hill by yourself."
"Eh, erm, thanks...Gordon," James slowly replied, looking rather surprised, then sighed and decided what he wanted to say to the big blue engine. "But truth is, I could have never made it over without your help." Gordon looked at him, slightly confused, as he finished by saying, "I'm sorry if I called you slow and lazy. It does take a big strong engine like you to pull the express, Gordon."
Gordon sighed and decided to be honest with his friend.
"Not exactly," he denied, as James looked at him with surprise. "Edward always has to help over the hill because half of the time, I'm not even trying. But you did, James, and I'm sorry if I called you weak and slow. The responsibility I had today for doing what I first considered to be odd jobs helped me remember that every job on this railway is important."
"Thanks, Gordon," James smiled. "It sure does feel good to be friends again."
"Much obliged," the big blue engine responded, whistling as he made his way back towards the shed, James following after him.
"Say," James wondered, as they rolled together side-by-side. "Did I not tell you I talked with your brother the Flying Scotsman today at Vicarstown?"
"You did?" Gordon gasped, his eyes widening as he looked over at James. "Well, erm, did you both talk me about me at all?"
"Mmm, just a bit," James admitted. "Mostly how often he has to remind that you are indeed his little 'little brother."
Gordon gasped with embarrassment.
"I mostly am not!" he spluttered.
"Oh, really?" James teased jokingly. "That's not what I heard."
"Well, you must've heard it all wrong," Gordon huffed. "We're exactly the same size, only he has one tender more."
"Hmm," James thought cheekily. "Guess that makes him your 'bigger brother'."
Gordon groaned, as they both took off away in the distance, towards Tidmouth Sheds, James chuckling slightly.
"Wow," Thomas thought, as he watched them set off, Nia rolling up beside him. "It sure is great to see them being friends again."
"Quite right, Thomas," Nia smiled. "In fact, I think it's safe to say that my plan with The Fat Controller for a job swap day worked after all."
"A job swap day?" Thomas thought, rather surprised, then chuckled. "You are a very clever engine, Nia. Any engine can always count on you to solve problems."
And they both shared a good laugh as they returned home to Tidmouth Sheds.
Another summer over, another semester started, and six stories down in my second set of 26. This one was a real blast to write. It was nice to have finally found a storyline fitting enough for Gordon where his ego would clash well with James'. Nia's role in the story enhances her character trait as a good problem solver to have arranged for the Job Swap Day with the Fat Controller. I really hope I can write Steam Team episodes more often, though my next couple stories in the pipeline will have some variety in which characters I give the chance to shine. I really enjoyed the supporting cast I devised here: Bill and Ben's interactions with Gordon was just meant to be harmless S2 nostalgia, and Sir Handel's interactions with Gordon was also meant to be mirror their dynamic back in the day. It was also fun giving the Flying Scotsman a role in my set by having me interact with/bounce off against James, an engine who's smaller than Gordon and one he can easily pick on as much, if not more. Thanks again, Scrubb1910 for the story idea. I was really lost on what to do for a Steam Team story until this one came along, because I didn't want to treat the main cast as less important than characters I wish could be used more in the show. The next story is a rewrite, so it should be coming rather quickly, quick enough that the two after that could take a bit of time depending on how busy my semester will be. Hope you all enjoyed this story, and as always, stay tuned for…
Frank To The Rescue (based on We Need Another Engine by Christopher Awdry) - Frank the Diesel engine feels under appreciated at having been missed out of the Thin Clergyman's book and grumbles dreadfully about it, but feels more like a hero after coming to Rex's rescue.
Alfie's Secret - (based on canceled episode Alfie Has A Secret) - Alfie has a secret method to dig a trench for a hedgehog crossing, and Jack and Isobella are curious about what he's up to.
Lighten The Load! - Duke is scheduled for a trial run up to the Blue Mountain Quarry, but is teased by his two protégés Sir Handel and Peter Sam, and vows to prove to them that he can handle stone trucks just as well as they can.
Welcome, Jock! (based on Sticking Power and Jock by Christopher Awdry) - after hearing of a new engine being built, Bert lets the others in on the secret, and not long after, the engine arrives and is named Jock.
And coming this Christmas…
Thomas & Friends in Seasons Of Giving!
Thomas and his friends learn the true spirit of Christmas in these five heartwarming tales about giving and helping others. Percy comes to Elizabeth's rescue in an attempt to deliver Christmas trees to market, while Jack jumps into heroic action to save the schoolchildren of Harwick from a heavy snowfall! As Frankie feels rather out of the Christmas spirit, Theo attempts to bring holiday cheer to Beresford at the canal. Rosie learns through her giving ways that persistence pays off, and Millie searches hard around the castlegrounds for a safe spot for the New Year's Eve firework display! It truly is the Season of Giving!