Starr: I see that James has got himself in a bit of trouble there.

Britt: Yeah. Here's how he'll try and redeem himself.

Carlin: This will be great.

…

As Thomas shunted some trucks in the foreground, having come back to do some shunting while Eagle took the breakdown train to go and rescue 87546 from an accident that involved milk and stone.

After the Bootlace Incident as headlines called it, James had not been out to push coaches or trucks in the yard for several days, 13 days to be exact as his driver had counted them. As a result, James was feeling miserable.

"Ohhh dear! I wonder how long I'll have to stay in the shed. Will anyone ever see my red coat again? Why did I go so fast, I made a hole in one of the coaches that had to be fixed up with some bootlace?" pondered James as he shed a couple of tears.

"There there, bud." soothed his driver as he wiped James' tears. "I'm sure TFC will let you out of the shed soon."

At last, STH arrived.

"Or right now." said the fireman.

"I know you're sorry, James, and I know that you want to be a useful engine. People are laughing at my railway, and I hate that completely." said STH sternly.

"I'll try hard to do my best now." said James.

"That's a good engine now. There's nothing like determination. Anyway, I want you to pull some trucks for me." said STH.

James was delighted and puffed off.

…

At Knapford Station, Thomas was shunting James' train of trucks into place.

"Alright, here's your train!" said Thomas.

"Thanks, Thomas." replied James.

"Have you got some bootlaces ready?" Thomas asked cheekily.

And he ran off laughing himself silly.

James, unsurprisingly angry about this, mentally noted to himself to beat the crap out of Thomas after all this.

James then backed down on his train, but the trucks didn't like this.

"OH NO!" said a truck.

"WE WANT A PROPER ENGINE, NOT A RED MONSTER!" protested the other trucks.

James tried to not take notice as the guard was ready.

"Come along, and cooperate already!" said James

"We won't" screamed the trucks.

But James pulled the screeching trucks out of the station, as he didn't care.

…

While James puffed down the line, the trucks tried to make him give up, but he ignored them. But the trucks' brakes would slip on, debatably intentional or not, and their axles would run hot. The trouble had to be put right each time, and James would start back up again, determined not to let the trucks beat him.

"Give up! You can't pull us!" protested the trucks.

"I can and I will, I can and I will!" puffed James as he went up Gordon's Hill.

"Look out for trouble, James!" warned his driver. "We'll go fast and get them up there before they know it, now don't let them stop you!"

"Oh we'll stop him alright." said a truck.

James went faster, and was soon halfway up the hill.

"I'm doing it, I'm doing it! Will the top never come?!" panted James.

Then with a sudden jerk, it all became easier. As the five trucks and brake van broke loose and slid back down the hill.

"I've done it, I've done it!" crowed James happily.

But his driver shut off steam.

"They've done it again, we've left our tail behind!"

"Wha-" asked James.

Sure enough, those last five trucks and brake van ran backwards down the hill.

"WHEE!" laughed the trucks.

They slowed down as the guard understandably slammed on the brakes. The coupling had snapped as a result of the workmen's crappy job at coupling things up. As they came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, the guard came out to warn any approaching engines.

Edward, having finished his passenger train offscreen, was just enjoying a stroll along the line when he saw the guard and quickly stopped.

"Huh." pondered Edward.

"I swear these trucks can't do anything right. There might've been another accident." grumbled James as he reversed.

…

He was soon coupled back up, with better coupling this time.

"Should I help?" called Edward.

"No… THANK YOU." said James. "I'll do it myself even if it kills me." He started back up again and began puffing.

"Good! Don't let them beat you badly." advised Edward.

James struggled up the hill due to the trucks holding back.

"Even Thomas can pull us better than you can!" mocked a truck.

James pulled and puffed and pulled as hard as he could.

"Hold back!" cried a truck.

"I am!" said another truck.

"We are holding back!" said the other trucks.

"Dammit! He's winning!" said a truck angrily.

James soon reached the top.

"I've done it!" he panted, and let out a triumphant whistle.

…

Later, they reached Maron Station and dumped the trucks there. James was just resting in the yard when Edward pulled up.

"PEEP PEEP!" whistled Edward.

James then saw STH almost instantly.

"OH NO! WHAT WILL HE SAY NOW?!" he thought.

But STH was smiling this time.

"I was in Edward's train and I saw everything." said STH.

"But, isn't Edward pulling a couple of trucks there?" asked James.

"There was a small mishap that Marklin caused with some trucks, but anyways, you've made the most troublesome trucks on the line behave." continued STH as Edward puffed off to rest somewhere.

"After that performance, you deserve to keep your red coat." said STH as James beamed proudly.