I do not own Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. They are strictly the property of both the Awdry Family and Britt Allcroft, this story is purely for entertainment and never profit.

Episode 25: Off the Rails, Original Airdate: 8th January 1985

It was a rainy night on the Island of Sodor. Inside the Billinton's house in the village of Ffarquhar, Thomas was putting Lucy to bed. Earlier that day she had gotten very dirty after she had fallen into a ditch after Thomas had picked her up from Rainbow's End. After getting home had given her a bath,

"There you go Lucy, all snuggled up?" asked Thomas.

"Yes daddy" replied Lucy.

"You ready for a story?" Thomas asked his daughter, knowing full well she would say yes.

"Yes please" said Lucy happily.

Thomas at his daughter before pulling up a chair next to her crib and sitting down in it. He then thought of which story to tell, suddenly he remembered Lucy falling into the ditch earlier and he immediately knew which story to tell.

"How I tell you the story of how Uncle Gordon drove his engine into a ditch whilst trying to get out of pulling a goods train?" Thomas asked.

"Uncle Gordon ditch?" Lucy asked curiously.

"That's right" said Thomas as he began the story.

(Story Begins)

Gordon Gresley was resting on his engine in the yards at Knapford station.

"Sometimes it's really tiring, being the driver of such a large and splendid engine" he said to himself, "one has to keep up appearances".

PEEP, PEEP, PEEP

"Waa" cried Gordon in surprise as Henry blew his engines whistle.

"Hello lazy bones" called Henry with a mischievous grin on his face.

"Goddamn it Henry" said Gordon in annoyance.

Henry just smirked as his engine puffed out of Knapford with a goods train. Gordon watched him leave from his engine in the siding.

"What cheek" said Gordon, "That Henry is getting too big for his engine's wheels, speaking to me like that. Me whose never had an accident".

Percy who had been doing some shunting nearby decided to have a little fun with Gordon. He then drove his engine over to the siding where Gordon's engine was parked, Gordon then noticed him from the cab and gave an annoyed look.

"Aren't jammed whistles and burst safety valves accidents?" asked Percy innocently.

"No indeed, high spirits" said Gordon quickly, "could happen to anyone's engine. But to come off the rails like Henry's engine did, well I ask you. Is that right? Is it decent?".

Percy said no more and just drove off in his tank engine, laughing cheekily much to Gordon's annoyance. Later it was Henry's turn to take the expressed he backed his engine down on the Green Express coaches that were waiting on the platform, Gordon then came over to him.

"Be careful Henry" said Gordon, "you're not pulling the Flying Kipper today now. Mind you keep on the rails today".

Henry just huffed at Gordon's comment. The guard then blew his whistle and Henry drove his engine out of the yard and was soon out of sight. Meanwhile Gordon went back to his engine so that he could take a short nap, however he wasn't able to. When he reached his engine, he saw that the stationmaster was waiting for him.

"Hey there Geoffrey" greeted Gordon, "what's up?".

"I have a message from Sir Topham Hatt" said the stationmaster, "a special trains coming, and he wants you to pull it".

"Is it coaches or trucks?" asked Gordon, hoping that it would be coaches.

"It's truck I'm afraid" replied the stationmaster.

This didn't go down well with Gordon at all.

"Trucks" exclaimed Gordon in disgust, "puh".

Gordon was furious at this and didn't want to pull the train. The stationmaster however wouldn't have it and told Gordon to suck it up, Gordon climbed into his A1's cab and tried to light the fire. However it was slow lighting properly and so Edward was called to shunt Gordon's engine to the turntable at Knapford sheds.

"I won't go, I won't go" grumbled Gordon angrily.

"Don't be silly, don't be silly" replied Edward sternly.

Edward and Gordon both soon arrived at Knapford sheds. Edward then pushed Gordon's A1 onto the turntable and then left to do his own work, the movement at checked Gordon's A1's fire and it was now burning nicely. Gordon however was still cross about having to pull a goods train.

"I'll show them" growled Gordon angrily.

An idea then flew into his head. Gordon decided that once the turntable was half round, he would move his engine slightly forward and as a result, jam the turntable. Once that was done, his engine would be stuck on it and Sir Topham Hatt would have to find somebody else to pull the goods train.

Gordon smirked to himself at the thought of it. The man operating the turntable then began to turn it, so that Gordon's A1 could be turned around. Once it was halfway, Gordon carried out his plan. He then moved his A1 forward to jam the turntable, however he moved his engine too fast and couldn't stop it in time and slithered into a ditch.

"Ah shit" said Gordon in shock, "help me, someone get my engine out!".

"Not a chance" said the yard manager angrily, "your engine's stuck you silly ass, can't you understand that?".

Gordon didn't feel so proud anymore, he felt like a complete idiot. Meanwhile, over in Knapford station, Sir Topham Hatt was in his office having a cream bun and some coffee when the phone began to ring.

"Bother that telephone" he said in annoyance as he answered it, "hello?".

"Sir Topham Hatt Sir" came a voice on the other end.

"Martin" said Sir Topham Hatt in surprise, "what is it?".

"Look out your office window Sir" replied the yard manager.

Sir Topham Hatt did just that and sure enough, much to his surprise, could see Gordon's A1 stuck in the ditch in the distance.

"What happened?" asked Sir Topham Hatt in shock.

The manager explained to Sir Topham Hatt about what had happened. Sir Topham Hatt listened to every word he spoke, especially to what Gordon had told him.

"So Gordon didn't want to take the special train and ran his engine into a ditch in order to get out of it?" asked Sir Topham Hatt.

"Looks like that Sir" replied the yard manager, "but who's going to take the train by the way, its waiting in the yard?".

"The special's waiting?" said Sir Topham Hatt, "tell Edward to take it".

"Right away Sir" said the yard manager, "but what about Gordon's A1?".

"Gordon, oh leave his engine where it is, we'll deal with it later" said Sir Topham Hatt.

Back at the ditch, Gordon was feeling very foolish at what he had done. He was hoping that his situation wasn't going to get any worse than it already was, but unfortunately for him it was going to.

Gordon heard some snickering coming from across the ditch. He looked to where it was coming from and he saw three little boys across the ditch, Gordon was embarrassed by this.

"Look guys" cried one of the boys, "Gordon's got his train stuck in a ditch".

"My engine stuck in a ditch" said Gordon in a feeble attempt to cover up his mistake, "this isn't my engine, this was James's engine".

"Liar" said one of the boys, "James' engine is red and has a number 5, yours is number 4".

Gordon face palmed that was the worst lie he had ever attempted; even little children weren't fooled by it at all.

"Doesn't he look silly" said the leader of the boys said, "they'll never get his engine out".

"Hey guys here's a song I just made up" said one of the boys.

"Sing it for us Liam" they said.

"Oh no" groaned Gordon, clearly dreading what it was about.

"Silly old Gordon fell in a ditch, fell in a ditch, fell in a ditch" sang the boy, "Silly old Gordon fell in a ditch. All on a Monday morning".

The school bell rang, and the boys then headed off laughing, leaving a very depressed Gordon behind.

"Oh dear" said Gordon sadly to himself, "my engine shall never get out".

Gordon's engine stayed stuck in the ditch all day; Gordon remained by its side for hours. However, when evening arrived Edward brought the breakdown train and some workmen. The cranes lifted Gordon's engine and lay a road of sleepers under its wheels to keep it from the mud.

Strong ropes were fastened to its back end and James and Henry pulling hard managed to bring it to safety. It was hard work, even for their engines. However, they were able to pull Gordon's A1 back onto the rails. once that was done, they reattached Gordon's A1's tender and then Henry took the workmen home.

"Goodnight there Gordon" said James mockingly as he left, "careful you don't get stuck in the ditch again".

Gordon did not reply to James to comment. He crawled back to Tidmouth sheds later that night, a sadder and wiser driver.

"At least Sir Topham Hatt isn't here" Gordon said to himself as he walked through the bunkhouses lounge.

"Think again Gordon" came a very familiar voice.

The light to the lounge was flicked on, there sitting in the chair, much to Gordon's horror was Sir Topham Hatt. Gordon could see that he had a cross look on his face.

"Oh bollocks" said Gordon, knowing that Sir Topham Hatt's words weren't going to be pleasant.

(Story Ends)

"Ever since then Uncle Gordon hasn't never tried to get out of taking a train, whether it was passenger or goods" said Thomas as he finished his story.

Thomas then looked down to see that Lucy had fallen fast asleep. Smiling at his sleeping daughter, Thomas bent down and gently kissed her on the forehead. Thomas then switched off her light and left the room, before heading to his own bed.

Meanwhile over at Knapford sheds, Gordon had gotten himself stuck in the ditch again. Although this time it was by accident, as they were turning the turntable, he had tripped in the cab and pulled the breaks lever accidentally.

Right now, Gordon was on the ground, pounding it with his fists. Sir Topham Hatt and some workmen were currently watching Gordon's over dramatic reaction.

"NOOOOOO" cried Gordon dramatically into the night sky.

"Don't worry Gordon" said Sir Topham Hatt as he put his hand on his shoulder, "we'll send for the breakdown train first thing tomorrow".

"You mean I have to leave my engine in the ditch all night?" asked Gordon.

"I'm afraid so" replied Sir Topham Hatt, "and I'm afraid that Henry will have to take the express tomorrow.

"NOOOOOOOOOO" cried Gordon again.

And done. This must be the shortest chapter in the entire story. Anyway, please be so kind as to leave a preview and as always, see you all next time.