The next morning, the crews arrived to start getting the engines ready for the day. Gordon's driver ended up glancing at Edward, and noticed how depressed he was.

"Why are you sad?" he asked, walking over to the K2. Edward didn't reply: he just sighed and kept looking down at his buffers. "Would you like to come out today?" Gordon's driver asked. Edward suddenly grew excited!

"Yes please!" said Edward.

So the crew set to work cleaning all the dust and cobwebs off of Edward. Once that was done, the fireman lit the fire and made a nice lot of steam. Then the driver pulled the lever and Edward puffed out of the sheds.

"Peep peep!" he whistled. "Look at me now! Look at me now!"

Gordon, Olive, Dante, and 87546 were very cross about being left behind.

"How dare my crew betray me!" shouted Gordon. "It's…It's…Disgraceful!"

"Disgusting!" snorted Dante.

"That should've been me! That should've been me!" complained Olive. The other engines stared at her.

"What's got you so upset?" asked 98462.

"Nothing!" Olive said quickly. Nobody believed her, but their own anger soon took control again.

Away went Edward to get some coaches.

"Be careful Edward!" called the teaks. "Don't bump and bang us like those bigger engines do!" So Edward came up to the coaches very, very gently.

"Thank you Edward," said the coaches. "That was kind, we are glad you are taking us today."

It was at that moment the shunter noticed something.

"Hang on, what happened to the coupling?" he asked. Sure enough, the coupling on the coach behind Edward was missing!

"One of the other engines, that's what," said the coach. "They were very rough and pulled the coupling off!"

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Edward. "That is indeed worrying. I have no doubt 87546 is the one behind this."

Edward and his crew waited while a new chain and hook was fitted. This took so much time that the guard got tired of waiting.

"You stay here if you want," he said, "I'm gonna have my eleveness. See you back at the station." And he walked off.

"Gee, what's his hurry?" Edward asked.

"Orsen's always been a guy trying to get things done quickly," remarked the driver.

At last, the new coupling was ready. Edward was coupled on.

Then they went to the station where the people were waiting.

"Peep peep," whistled Edward, "get in quickly please."

So the people got in quickly and Edward waited happily for the guard to blow his whistle, and wave his green flag.

Back at the sheds, Olive and Gordon were still sulking. Jewelie was surprised to see Gordon.

"What're you still doing here?" she asked. "Shouldn't you be at Vicarstown?"

"You mean you hadn't heard?" snorted Gordon. "My crew abandoned me and took Edward out instead! The nerve of them! The nerve of them!"

"And why wasn't I told about this?" asked Jewelie.

"Nevermind why you weren't told, what about me?!" Gordon asked.

"I'll be sure to find another crew to fire you up," said Jewelie. "I'll also be having a word with your crew afterwards."

"Under what authority, my lady?"

Jewelie smirked a bit. "I'm the shedmaster here. Changes have to be notified to me."

Gordon suddenly began to smirk.

Meanwhile, Edward was waiting at platform 1. Everyone was already aboard, but the guard was nowhere to be seen.

He waited and waited-there was no whistle, no green flag. "Peep, peep, peep, peep-where is that guard?" Edward was getting anxious.

The driver and fireman asked the stationmaster, "Mr. Willis, have you seen the guard?"

"Which one?" he asked. "There's several."

"I believe," said the fireman, "we're referring to Orsen Laurence."

"Oh! No," said Mr. Willis.

They asked a porter, "Have you seen our guard, Orsen Laurence?"

"Yes," said the porter. "Last night at the pub. He managed to bust me out in poker."

Edward began to get cross. "Are we ever going to start?" he said.

Just then, a little boy shouted, "Here he comes!" and there Orsen was, running down the hill with his flags in one hand and a sandwich in the other.

He ran onto the platform, blew his whistle, and jumped into the brake coach.

Edward puffed off. He did have a happy day. All the children ran to wave as he went past and he met old friends at Crovan's Gate and Tidmouth. He couldn't go as fast as Gordon, but the passengers didn't seem to mind. The driver was impressed, as Edward was highly responsive to his commands.

The K2 was exhausted when he got to Tidmouth, and rather unusually, desired to have a rest.

"I…can't…remember…my…last…express…" he panted, as he took on more water.

"You do know we could get in trouble for this, right?" asked the fireman.

"Rather get in trouble than work with Gordon again," said the driver. "Besides, I couldn't leave Edward there: he was depressed!"

"I guess that's fair," sighed the fireman.

"I'll be sure to have the Vicarstown Shedmaster put me on Edward more than Gordon when we get back," said the driver.

"Good luck with that," said Edward. "She won't be pleased with you two taking me out without checking with her first."

"You're having me on," said the driver.

"Oh no I'm not," said Edward. "The Shedmaster at Vicarstown is indeed a woman. There's nothing wrong with that."

The fireman disagreed.

"Women aren't meant to have jobs, they're meant to serve us men," he said.

"You got some nerve insulting women," said Edward sternly.

"Like you think it's not true," scoffed the fireman. "Honestly, if you ask me, women…" A punch to the face interrupted him.

"This engine is many years older than us, so if he says there's nothing wrong with women, there's nothing wrong with women!" the driver shouted. "Now shut up!"

"And you're lucky her husband didn't hear you," Edward said. "Then he'd really tear you a new one."

"Honestly, I don't see why you've been stuck inside the sheds," said the driver. "You work harder than Gordon ever does and never complain. You deserve to be out working, not cramped up inside a shed gathering dust."

"The board believed that I was too old, and refused to listen to either the Fat Director or Lord Harwick. They locked me up in 1920, only letting me out on special occasions, such as wedding trains."

"In that case," said the driver, "the board is stupid." Edward couldn't agree more!

Afterwards, Edward went to look for a turntable, so he could turn around when it was time to make the return run, which wouldn't be until the afternoon.

Back at Vicarstown, Olive wouldn't stop sulking.

"Come on, girl, why are you so upset?" asked her driver.

"Today was my perfect chance to do a 100 mph run, and Edward stole it from me!" she shouted.

"Might want to keep it down," said her driver. "Do you really want others to hear you?"

"Let them," snorted Olive. "It'll bring more attention to my problem. How am I supposed to try it now?"

"Like you could obtain 100 miles per hour," snorted Gordon, who by now was being steamed up by another crew.

"I can. And I'll show you," growled Olive. "I just need to find a way to get a nonstop run to Tidmouth."

Then she remembered the Northern Line.

"If you're thinking of the Northern Line, forget it: it's not as long as the Main Line," 98462 pointed out.

"Isn't it going to be extended to Ballaswein?" she asked.

"Plans are still being finalised," admitted 98462. "Current focus is on the Lasgair and Peel Godred lines, so the Ballaswein line will take a while."

"Well what else am I supposed to do?!" shouted Olive.

"If you want to do a 100 mph run," said 98462, "speak to the Fat Director. He may not approve, but it can't hurt to ask."

"As if he'd approve of a small engine like her to go that fast," said Gordon. "He knows she'll fall apart at those speeds."

"Jumpstart!" shouted Olive. "I'll show you, you giant green sausage!" She steamed out of the sheds to speak to the Fat Director.

The Fat Director was currently about to board the train that would take him to the golf course near Knapford, when Olive came rushing in.

"Sir Topham Hatt, I need to talk to you!"

"What's the hurry, Olive?" asked the Fat Director.

"Sir, I wish to try and attempt a 100 mile per hour run to Tidmouth."

The Fat Director had taken a drink of water, spewing it in sheer surprise.

"100 miles per hour?! Why would you want to do that?!"

"My brother City of Truro did it, I should be able to do it too!" she shouted.

"Calm down, Olive, and tell me: what's got you so riled up?"

"I have to do it! Gordon thinks he's soooo fast?! Well, I'm faster! I just need to prove it and a 100 mile per hour run will do just that! Please sir, let me do this!"

"I'm sorry Olive…I'm afraid there's no room in the timetable for such a nonstop run," the Fat Director said firmly. "In order to justify doing such a run to everybody else, I have to find a slot in it and take into account the possibility you wouldn't be able to reach that speed. There's also the case of if such a run would be wanted by the public."

"But…sir…fine," she sighed, defeated, or so it seemed. Deep down, however, she wasn't ready to give up. There was still a way she could do her run, she just needed to do it in secret. All she needed to figure out was how…

Hours later, around 5:00 PM, Edward took the Teaks back into Tidmouth Station and ran around for the return trip. John arrived some 5 minutes later, with a passenger train from Arlesburgh.

"Edward, so nice to see you again!" he exclaimed.

"John, it's been years!" cried Edward. "How have things been? Is your brother doing well?"

"Depends on which brother: Bluey was rebuilt, I think he's a railmotor saloon now, this was done after he tried to plan with a visiting engine to pull Thomas apart. As for Greeny, he's been turned into a stationary boiler, and powers the Graving Dock at Tidmouth Harbour. Ironically enough, he's sometimes used to make tea now."

"Ironic indeed," agreed Edward. "What led to Greeny becoming a stationary boiler?"

"It all started after his driver forced him to collect the coaches of a giant green engine, I believe it was called Godred," said John.

"Gordon, actually," chuckled Edward.

"Speaking of which, I see you're taking his teaks today," John remarked.

"Yes. I decided to try my buffers at taking out these beautiful ladies," replied Edward. "Did take a while though: one of the other engines had managed to pull off the coupling. I assume it was 87546."

"Yes, I heard of that brute," said John. "Didn't he delay the building of the new Peel Godred line?"

"I'm still not sure if that was on purpose or purely an accident," Edward admitted. "It's currently hard to tell with how silent he's being."

At that moment, Orsen blew his whistle.

"Well, that's your cue to leave," said John. "Take care, Edward: I wish you dry rails and smooth running!"

"You too, John," smiled Edward. The K2 whistled and set off.

The hardest part of the run was the climb up the Maron Incline. The driver decided to give Edward full steam for this. Even so, he began to slip. It was lucky Hurricane was nearby and able to push the K2 to the top. Edward whistled his thanks and continued on his way.

Finally, around 7:35 PM, he reached Vicarstown.

Great job, Edward," said the driver. "And we'll be sure to do even more tomorrow, I'll make sure of it, whatever the board says. It may not be on the express, but I'll make sure you'll be doing something."

"I'm going out again tomorrow," Edward told the other engines that night in the shed. "What do you think of that?"

But he didn't hear what they thought, for he was so tired and happy that he fell asleep at once, getting a well deserved rest.

The crew tried to sneak away, but it was no good.

"Ehem!" a voice called. They stopped and turned around. There was Jewelie, with a simple blue dress, and a stern look in her eyes.

"And where do you two think you're going?" she asked.

"Home," said the driver.

"And what makes you think I'll let you go without explaining why you didn't tell me you were taking out Edward?" she asked.

"He looked sad," said the driver. "We couldn't just leave him there!"

Jewelie slapped him.

"There exists a pro-ce-dure. Are you not aware of that?"

"You know what? I'm not saying this because you're a woman, I'm saying this because I care," said the driver. "I don't care what the procedure is: Edward is a much better engine to drive than Gordon ever will be. I'm taking him out again tomorrow and no procedure is going to stop me! Do I make myself clear?!"

"I'll report this to the stationmaster," warned Jewelie.

"Then by all means, go ahead," said the driver. "Like I said, I'd rather work with Edward. I don't care what the board says about him needing to stay in the shed."

Jewelie gave him a death glare, and walked away.

"What does that woman know?" snorted the fireman.

"More than you think," came a voice from the signal box. "You better not cause trouble with her, I know from experience what she's capable of."

"Bah! Show your face, coward!" the fireman shouted. "And why do you stand up for her? Is she your wife?"

"No, she's my brother's," Noah answered. "And he doesn't take kindly to those who treat her like shit."

"I want to see it! Show what…AAAAH!"

Noah interrupted him by sniping the fireman's leg with a stone.

"I'd give you sympathy," said the driver, "but you clearly deserved that. Honestly, I've told you several times: women aren't to be disrespected."

The fireman said nothing, and crawled away.