Not long ago, Rebecca had started assisting Gordon with the Express. Gordon had learned that they each had their own way of doing things and inside, he was grateful for the extra help.
One evening, Rebecca returned to Tidmouth Sheds. She had pulled the Express again that day and the Fat Controller was pleased with her. "Phew! what a day," she panted. "Tiring, but fun."
"Did you enjoy pulling the Express?" Thomas asked.
"Oh, yes. It's such a grand train. I'm sure every engine wants a chance to pull it at least once."
"Well, once was enough for Thomas and I," chuckled Percy.
"I'm sure." Then, Rebecca stopped. "Wait…when did you and Thomas take the Express?"
"It was a long time ago," said Thomas, "but we weren't alone. It may sound strange, but we were the only engines available."
"What happened?"
"We'll tell you."
And with that, Thomas and Percy began.
Gordon was resting in a siding. It was a hot day and the Express had been heavy. "I get so out of breath now," he complained.
"Get the Fat Controller to give you tanks and a bunker," said Thomas cheekily. "You'll feel a new engine. We tank engines never get out of breath you know." Lucky for Thomas, Gordon didn't have the energy to reply.
The men worked hard on Gordon, but they couldn't make him better. "You need new tubes," they said. "You'll have to go to the Main Works."
While Gordon was being mended, Henry pulled the Express, but one morning, before Gordon was due back, Henry was ill too.
"We've no spare engines except Thomas," said the Inspector, "but he can't pull the train on his own."
"Could Percy help?" asked the Fat Controller.
"The two of them with Duck might manage. It's only as far as Crovan's Gate."
The three tank engines were coupled together: Thomas to the coaches, then Duck with Percy in front. Then, when the Guard blew his whistle, they slowly started, and the heavy train drew out of the platform.
"Come on, come on," fussed Percy.
"We're doing it, we're doing it," puffed Duck.
"Pull harder, pull harder," grumbled Thomas.
The three engines couldn't go as fast as Gordon, but the passengers didn't mind. They knew that Percy, Thomas, and Duck were doing their best, but Expresses don't stop at all the stations and the engines don't have a chance to get their breath back.
Soon, the engines began to feel tired. They struggled and strained valiantly up Gordon's Hill, but it proved too much for Percy. When they reached the bottom, they stopped the train.
"We can't take you off, Percy," said Thomas' Driver. "Do your best to keep your brakes off. It's not far now."
This made things harder for Thomas and Duck, but they struggled gainly on. "We're nearly there, we're nearly there," they puffed together and summoned a last brave effort. Poor Percy had no steam left to say anything.
At last, they were almost at Crovan's Gate, but Duck found he could go no further. Thomas couldn't pull the heavy train on his own and the cavalcade came to a standstill just outside the Station and there, watching from a siding…was Gordon.
The Fat Controller had been on the train. "I am proud of you," he said. "You did very well to get so far and now, you deserve a rest."
Duck, Percy, and Thomas were uncoupled, and another engine took charge of the train. As they puffed wearily away, Gordon looked to Thomas, smiled, and winked. He didn't need to say anything; Thomas knew exactly what he meant.
"Wow," murmured Rebecca. "It sounds like you three had a very hard time."
"We did," said Thomas, "but we couldn't let the passengers down."
"They worked really hard in in their time of need," agreed Gordon.
"It's like Rex, Bert and Mike always say," added Thomas, "never overlook a little engine."