Chapter 1: Tickled Pink

Based on the episode by Allan Plenderleith

Adapted by Henryandbrunodude1234

James rolled down the line and into Knpaford Station. He was craving a good old chat with Gordon. They would chat at the station every morning before Gordon left with the express. James heard rattling on the tracks.

"Hello Gordon", James smiled. But Gordon did not pull up on the line next to him. It was Pip and Emma.

"Hello James", Pip answered brightly.

James growled. He had forgotten. Gordon had been retired from the express and replaced with Pip and Emma. James grinded his teeth in anger. The North Western Railway was supposed to be a safe place for steam engines away from the terrors on the other railway. But here they were, two electric engines, pulling the express.

James would never get used to it so he was very happy when the guard blew his whistle and James set off with his train.

That night, James was resting in the shed when Sir Topham Hatt approached him.

"James", the controller began, "I am very proud of how hard you are working and as a treat, I am sending you to the steamworks for a fresh coat of paint".

"That's wonderful Sir!" James shouted happily. And he dreamed happy dreams as he thought of showing off his new paint to Pip and Emma.

James woke up early the next morning and quickly set off. He arrived at the steamworks before almost all the workmen (along with Victor and Kevin) had arrived.

James complained about being kept waiting (even though he had only been waiting for ten minutes), so the painters started early. They began by painting James in a pink undercoat. James hated the undercoat and was hoping to get painted back in red before his friends saw him.

Kevin ran over with the red paint on a wooden tray. He wasn't paying attention and collided with a bucket of water. He began to tip over, and the paint splashed onto the floor.

"Kevin!" screamed Victor angrily. "Now we have no red paint for James!"

"Sorry boss", Kevin chuckled. "Just a slip of the hook".

James gasped in shock. "No red paint! What will I do? I can't go out like this!"

"But James", Victor protested, "Sir Topham Hatt needs you to do your work!"

James thought about it. As long as no one sees me, he thought, then I should be okay.

"Fine", James said, snapping out of his thoughts, "I'll go out".

"Atta boy, James!" Victor cheered.

James set off, still worried. He ran into the station and left after collecting his trucks.

James had been doing quite well. He was chugging down the mainline with no Pip and Emma in sight. Then, he heard something coming down the rail's quickly.

"Pip and Emma!" James shrieked. He ran into a siding and hid. Pip and Emma zoomed by, not knowing James was there.

"I better stay off the mainline", James told himself and went down another path to Wellsworth.

However, James kept finding himself in close encounters with Pip and Emma and kept taking detours. He eventually approached Wellsworth where he decided to switch onto the mainline. But all of a sudden he stopped in the middle of the mainline. James gasped in shock! He had forgotten to refuel! Pip and Emma passed by laughing.

"Not so splendid now, are you James?" Pip teased. "You're a disgrace to the railway!" Emma added.

James would have been stuck there for a while had Edward not been watching from the station. Edward pulled James into the station. Poor James began to cry.

"I looked like a fool in front of the whole express!" the poor pink engine sobbed. "I'm an embarrassment to the railway!"

"James", Edward told him soothingly. "It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside. It's about who you are on the inside. In fact, I beg you're ten times better than Pip and Emma".

"You really do?" James asked as he began to calm his tears.

"You bet I do! Now get out there and show who you are! Who are you?"

"I'm James the Pink Engine, and I'm proud of it!" James shouted.

He ran to get his trucks and set off. "Thank you Edward!" he cheered as he sped away.

James was puffing happily on the mainline when he heard screaming. Pip and Emma flew down the line dangerously fast.

"Look at us James! We're ten times better than you are!" they teased.

"They're going too fast!" James said and he gave chase.

James was right. Pip and Emma's brakes soon failed and they had became a runaway. James pulled up along side them.

"I'll save you!" he called. He pulled ahead of them and switched onto the line. The electric engines smashed the trucks to pieces. James applied his brakes.

The engines crashed into his tender, damaging it quite a bit. James eventually held the train to a halt. Before anyone could react...

"You fools!" James shouted angrily. "You could've killed the passengers!"

James was right, and Sir Topham Hatt was very upset.

"You two have showed you are not responsible enough for the express", he scolded. "James, as a reward for your bravery and the fact you continued on while painted pink, I am giving you the express".

James was delighted. "Thank you Sir!"

James still pulls the express, proving that Sodor is a safe place for steam engines. He doesn't where pink anymore and has went back to wearing pink. It suits him quite well, he and the other engines told me.