It was a starry night as the engines returned to Tidmouth Sheds. "Edward," asked Rebecca, "Can you tell us more about the other engines that used to work here?

"Of course."

"You said there were other engines that shared this Shed back then," said Nia. "What were they like?"

"Well, there isn't much to say," Edward replied, "but they were useful engines who always did their best."

"What about Raven?" grinned James. "He taught Gordon an important lesson back then." Gordon's face went red.

"He did indeed." And with that, Edward continued his story.

After the North Western Railway was completed, Thomas, Edward, Henry and Gordon were moved to the new Sheds at Tidmouth. Sometimes, other engines who were borrowed from the Mainland would sleep there too. Unlike Niles and Jasper, they were friendly and worked hard without fuss.

One of them was a red express engine called Raven, but he wasn't as big as Gordon. In spite of his size, Raven was a kind and friendly engine who always liked to help others.

Gordon, on the other hand, thought he knew better. He always pulled the railway's big Express. He was very proud of this and thought he was the only engine strong enough to do it, and I'm sorry to say that he became rather careless.

"You must take care, Gordon," Raven would say. "Passengers are important, and you must make sure they get to their Stations safely."

But Gordon took no notice. "Stuff and nonsense," he said and carried on as he always did.

One morning, sometime after Henry was bricked up in a tunnel, Raven was ready to leave the Sheds for his first train. Gordon's Driver and Fireman were getting him ready to take the Express.

"What a glorious day," said Gordon. "Everyone will be watching me fly along the line. A grand engine like me deserves to be admired."

Raven was not so sure. "I think you should have your boiler checked, Gordon. You were quite puffed-up when you came back to the Shed last night, and I thought I heard something rattling."

"What nonsense," Gordon sniffed. "Nothing has ever happened to me. I am the finest engine that Sodor has ever seen." Raven sighed and left to find his coaches.

Later, Gordon was ready to leave Knapford Station. "Get in quickly, please!" he whistled to the passengers. The people boarded the coaches, the doors were slammed, the Guard blew his whistle and Gordon was on his way with the Express. "Hurry, hurry, hurry!" he called to the coaches as they rolled smoothly along behind.

Gordon knew that he would soon reach the tunnel where Henry was bricked up and he liked whistling rudely at him. "In a minute," he said thoughtfully, "I'll 'poop, poop' at Henry and rush through and out into the open again, just like always." But Gordon was so full of himself that he didn't notice that something was rattling on top of his boiler.

Finally, Gordon saw the tunnel ahead. His boiler bubbled with anticipation, getting hotter and hotter.

Then, it happened.

There was a sudden 'crack' and Gordon was blowing off steam fit to burst. His Driver quickly applied the brakes and the train stopped outside the tunnel.

"What has happened to me?" asked Gordon. "I feel so weak!"

"You've burst your safety valve," said his Driver. "Now you can't pull the train anymore."

Henry heard everything, but he couldn't help laughing. "Oh dear," said Gordon, "we were going so nicely too and look. There's Henry laughing at me."

"I knew I heard something rattling," said the Fireman. "We should've had another engine take the Express."

"Oh, the indignity!" groaned Gordon. He knew he should've listened to Raven. Worse still, the Fat Controller was on the train, and he was cross. So were the passengers.

Later, Raven was at Vicarstown Station waiting to leave. He was puzzled. "I don't understand it," he said to himself. "Gordon should've passed me long before I got here. Something must have gone wrong."

At that moment, a pair of whistles were heard down the line. Everyone looked on as Henry and Edward steamed into the Station with the Express.

Raven was most surprised. "Henry, what are you doing here?"

"Gordon burst his safety valve outside my tunnel," said Henry.

"I was the only engine available," explained Edward. "I tried hard, but I couldn't move the coaches on my own. Then, Gordon suggested Henry should help."

Raven sighed and smiled. "Well, I can't say I didn't warn him." And he set off back to Knapford.

"After that," said Edward, "Henry and I helped Gordon back to the Shed, the Fat Controller gave Henry a good wash-down and a fresh coat of paint and the three of us have been friends ever since."

"To think that it was Gordon who thought of Henry to pull the train," said Thomas thoughtfully.

"Well," said Edward, "it seems that Gordon realized how important passengers are in the end."

"But nonmatter what happens, he will always be Gordon," put in James.

"And our friend," finished Emily.

And after hearing that, even Gordon couldn't help smiling.