It was morning in New York City and Thomas was just waking up. Yesterday, his new friend, Tyler, had helped him to a railway show and Thomas could see that some of the engines had left, but the Show Manager told him there would be more visitors that day.

Suddenly, a loud whistle made Thomas jump. "What're you doin' here, shrimp?!"

Thomas looked to see another engine he had met before and one he wasn't happy to see again. "Vinnie?! what are you doing here?"

"I live 'ere, you little waste o' space!"

"Vinnie," huffed Sam, "don't be so rude. Thomas is our special guest."

"And what're you gonna to do about, ya gentle giant?" Thomas was surprised anyone would speak to Sam like that.

The Show Manager approached them. "What are you doing here, Vinnie?" he asked. "I told you to move to the siding over there."

"But won't the visitors get a better view o' me if I'm here? I'm famous ya know."

The Manager was stern. "I know you are, but you should move because I asked you too."

"Fine." Vinnie went off in a huff. "Tiny toy tank engine," he muttered.

Then, two tank engines stopped alongside Thomas and Sam.

"Don't take what Vinnie says too seriously," said one.

"Yeah, he thinks he's better than everyone," said the other.

"I know," replied Thomas. "I met him at the Great Railway Show. Has he always been like that?"

"For as long as we've known him," said the first engine. "He's from up north in Canada, but when we needed another engine around here, he was the only one available."

"He worked here so long that by the time our controller could send him back, his old railway didn't need him anymore," said the other engine.

"Does he miss his old home?" Thomas asked.

"Actually, he never even worked there," the first engine replied. "Oh, where are our manners? I'm Clark and this is Matthew."

"Pleased to meet you," said Thomas politely. "I just wish there was a way I could show Vinnie that I'm just as useful as he is."

"Well, don't go too far," said Matthew earnestly. "The trick is too…well…'trick' without causing trouble."

"I suppose you have experience?"

"Do we ever," Clark chuckled. "Let us tell you about what happened when he came back from the Great Railway Show. And the two engines began their story.

It had been a long journey across the ocean, but at last, Vinnie was back in America. He still had some way to go before he was home, but as he was getting ready to set off from the Docks, the Dock Master came to see him. "Vinnie, perfect timing. We've got some trucks here that you need to take with you to the Big City."

Vinnie was feeling very proud of himself. "No problem. You line 'em up and I'll pull 'em. So, Clarke and Matthew the Dockyard Engines shunted Vinnie's trucks together. "Is that all there is? I'm one of the strongest engines in the world," boasted Vinnie. "I did win the Strength Competition at the Great Railway Show, ya know. I could pull tha' much in my sleep, with a broken wheel, on one cylinder-"

"We get the message," said Clark. He and Matthew didn't like Vinnie's boasting and bullying any more than the Dock Master did. Then, he had an idea. Matthew smiled; he knew that look. "We'll be right back, Vinnie," said Clark innocently and the two Dockyard Engines hurried away.

"What's your plan?" asked Matthew.

"We're going to teach that big boastful brute a lesson."

The engines gathered some more trucks that were meant to go in the same direction Vinnie was. They knew it was a joke, but if Vinnie could pull them, it would save time.

"Don't go yet, Vinnie," Clark called. "Seeing as you can take so many trucks, here's a few more you can take."

The little engines shunted lots and lots of trucks into one long line. Along with Vinnie's goods for the City, there were trucks filled with rocks, timber, fruit, vegetables; there was even a cattle truck filled with cows.

"There you go, Vinnie," teased Matthew. "Take that to the Big City."

Vinnie wasn't so sure he could. He was a strong engine, but not even his trucks at the Great Railway Show seemed that heavy, but he didn't want the smaller engines to tease him. "Yeah, uh, no problem," he sputtered. Clarke and Matthew sniggered quietly to each other. They knew what happened next was going to be very funny.

Vinnie backed up to the long line of trucks and started to pull. He puffed as hard as he could, growling as he pulled. "Pull, pull, pull!" laughed Clark and Matthew together. Vinnie puffed and pulled harder and harder, he groaned and growled louder and louder as he strained…but he couldn't move the long line of trucks.

Vinnie stopped. He was red in the face and feeling puffed out. "Uh…maybe I should leave some o' these trucks for the other engines," he panted. "I might make the other engines feel bad and I wouldn't wanna be the only engine workin' hard.

"Okay, Vinnie," said Matthew, "Whatever you say."

So, the two little engines shunted some of the trucks away. "There you go, Vinnie." they chuckled.

Vinnie tried to smile. "That's great. I'm glad I could do you all a favor." But Clark and Matthew knew Vinnie now felt very silly for showing off.

"In the end," said Clark, "we left some of the extra trucks coupled up and Vinnie had to go past his shed to make an extra delivery."

"He was very cross," added Matthew, "but our Controller praised him for his extra work. He didn't know what to make of it."

Thomas smiled. "That was pretty clever," he said, "and you're right. We should think carefully before playing tricks. All of mine just get me into trouble."

All the engines laughed. "But you still manage to make up for them afterwards," put in Sam," and that's why your Controller calls you Really Useful."

"Really?" said Matthew. "Tell us more."

"Yes, please," agreed Clark. "Didn't you say you met Vinnie at the Great Railway Show?"

"Yes," replied Thomas, "and my friend Ashima and I won the shunting competition."

And as the day went on, the engines continued telling stories to each other and visitors.