James' Funfair Nightmare

One day, James was taking a passenger train. He was proud of this job. Well, it's not as big or important as the express, but he'd liked it. "I am shiny!" James said excitedly. And boasting about it.

Meanwhile, at the quarry, Thomas was stunting trucks. "You troublesome trucks have been a pain to me today," Thomas said. "We don't care!" the trucks giggled. "That is true about them," a voice said. "Who said that?" Thomas asked.

The voice came from a steam shovel. His name is Hardworker. "Hello," said the steam shovel, "I take it that you're Thomas, right?" "Yes," answered Thomas, "But who are you?" "I am Hardworker," said the steam shovel. "Nice to meet you, Hardworker," said Thomas, "Once these truck have been loaded, I'll be on my way."

"That' the way to go," Hardworker said in response. "Yes," Thomas replied. An hour later, Thomas' trucks had been loaded, he is ready to go. "Take care, Thomas," Hardworker said. "I will!" Thomas called back and he set off.

Thomas was about to leave when James thundered by with his passenger train. "Out of my way, Thomas!" James boasted. "Oh, brother," Thomas groaned. "Never mind him, Thomas," Hardworker said, "He's just full of himself." "That, I'm aware of," Thomas replied. Then Thomas left with his stone train.

Meanwhile, James continued on with his jobs and cutting in front of other engines as well. "Great," Emily groaned, "Now I'm going to be late! But not James!" Nonetheless, James carried on with his work. Even when cutting off Percy with his mail train.

But James couldn't outdo Gordon's express. When the work was done for the day, James proudly returned home and fell fast asleep. But the other engines were not impressed with his behavior today. "We must do something about this," Henry said. "I know!" Emily replied. "I'm trying to think of something," Duck said.

But none of the engines knew what to do. Soon enough, they all had fallen fast asleep.

Next morning, it was a special day. It is the annual funfair on the island and all of the engines were excited to help out. So excited that they've forgotten about James' behavior from yesterday. Well, most of them.

After the Fat Controller arrived and had given the engines their jobs for the day, James stayed. "James," the Fat Controller said, "You will be put in charge of a special train for the funfair." "Oh, thank you, sir!" James whistled.

"But not right now," the Fat Controller said. "WHAT?!" James retorted. "You have other jobs to do first," the Fat Controller explained, "Then you can help out." "Oh, man!" James groaned, but he knew he had to do the work. Gordon chuckled. "This will serve him right," he said. "Yes," Percy agreed.

For the whole day, James had done his regular jobs from taking slow goods train to small passenger trains who wanted to go to places other than the funfair. To James, it was ordinary.

It wasn't until the end of the day when the funfair closed for the day and James had been called to the funfair. "All right, sir," James said, "I'm here." "Now you will be put in charge of a very special train," the Fat Controller explained. "Oh, yes!" James said excitedly, "I can't wait!"

James had been put in charge of something special for the funfair. He was put in charge of taking away the trucks full of garbage that been collected in dumpsters. "Oh why?!" James cried, "Why did I get this job like this!"

"Serves you right, James!" Emily said. Nonetheless, James had to do this job. He was miserable for the rest of the day. "Well," the Fat Controller said, "I had to do it. I've heard about what he's done yesterday." "Right," said Percy. "And I've learned from my own engines," the Fat Controller concluded, "Right, Gordon?" "Yes," Gordon agreed.

So, for the rest of the day, even past midnight, James took the rubbish train from the funfair to the waste yards. "This is awful!" James cried. But no one paid any attention to him. At all.