It was a busy time on the Island of Sodor; the Railway Inspector was coming. Signals were checked; platforms were scrubbed. Everyone wanted the railway to look its best. The Railway Inspector came to look at the Railway every year and checked everything was spic and span.

At last, the big day was here. "The Railway Inspector arrives today," the Fat Controller said, "and this year, he is to give a special prize to the best engine."

"A special prize," puffed Thomas.

"I wonder if we could win," said Percy.

"Pah!" Gordon snorted, "he's bound to give it to an Express engine."

"Or one with big wheels," said Emily.

"I think he'll give it to a red engine," James beamed proudly.

"Don't listen to them," said Thomas to Percy. "A Really Useful Engine can look as grand as any engine."

That afternoon, Thomas and Percy arrived at the Quarry…but as the trucks were being loaded, a big cloud of stone suddenly whooshed down and landed right on top of Thomas. "Bother," Thomas coughed.

"Now, you'll never win first prize," Percy moaned.

"Don't worry, Percy," Thomas puffed, "all I need a good washdown after we finish work."

Soon, the trucks were all in line. "You're so dirty, Thomas," peeped Percy worriedly.

"I might be dirty, but I can still be Really Useful," whistled Thomas, "and as soon as I'm clean, I will look as grand as any engine."

Thomas and Percy had to take the stone to Brendam Docks. As they passed through Maron Station, Emily was at the Washdown covered in soap suds. "I'm going to be the grandest engine at the inspection," she said to herself.

"I'll still win first prize," Thomas huffed as they steamed away.

Thomas and Percy puffed across the countryside. When they arrived at the Docks, they saw the Fat Controller; he was with the Railway Inspector. The Railway Inspector looked very serious, and that made Thomas feel nervous.

As the two engines passed the Washdown, James was there. "Look at me, Thomas," James sniffed. "I'm going to be the shiniest at the inspection. There's no point in you even being there."

This made Thomas feel cross; he wanted to win first prize more than ever…but James' red coat did look very shiny. "I hope my blue coat can look as shiny as James," Thomas puffed to himself.

Percy and Thomas shunted the Quarry Trucks into place. When they had finished, Percy was dirty, and Thomas was dirtier than ever. So, they raced to the Washdown as fast as they could. When they arrived at Knapford Station, Gordon was already there.

"All done," Gordon puffed proudly. Thomas thought Gordon looked splendid.

Then, James and Emily pulled into the Station; they looked splendid too. Emily's wheels looked shinier than ever, and James' red paint sparkled in the sun.

Now, Thomas was worried. "There's no point in going to the inspection," he puffed sadly. "We'll never win."

"Of course we can win," said Percy. "We just need a good clean."

But then, the Yard Master appeared. "Thomas and Percy, there is some trouble in the Shunting Yard and the Fat Controller needs you to sort it out right away." Now, Thomas was sad; he thought he would never look as grand as the other engines.

Later, James, Emily and Gordon were waiting for the Railway Inspector. "The sunlight here makes my dome sparkle," Gordon puffed proudly.

"It makes my red paint look shiner than ever," said James.

"And my wheels glimmer," Emily added.

The Fat Controller and the Railway Inspector arrived. "These are some fine engines," the Railway Inspector said and started checking them over and wrote in his notebook. "And what have you all done today?" he asked.

"I pulled the Express across the whole island," replied Gordon.

"I took passengers up to Black Loch," said Emily.

"And I took my coaches all the way from Peel Station to Brendam Docks this afternoon," finished James.

"I see," the Railway Inspector said thoughtfully. "Now, the only engines I have left to see are Thomas and Percy."

Just then, Thomas and Percy arrived; they were still dirty and looked very tired. When they saw the Railway Inspector, they gasped.

The Railway Inspector stared at them. "Ah, Thomas and Percy, and what jobs have you had today?" he asked.

"We collected heavy stone and took it to the Docks," wheeshed Thomas quietly.

"And we sorted all the trucks in the Shunting Yard," Percy panted.

"I hear that they were very big jobs for both of them," the Fat Controller added.

The Railway Inspector wrote some more notes, checked them over…and smiled. "Well, Thomas and Percy, it seems that you both have been the best engines I've seen today."

Gordon James and Emily were shocked. "But they've only been moving dirty trucks around," protested James, "and just look at their paint!"

"They may be the dirtiest engines I've seen all day," replied the Inspector, "but it seems that they have still worked harder than any of them."

Thomas and Percy could hardly believe it; they had both won first prize. They were both given a well-earned washdown and when they were clean, the Railway Inspector gave them each a special rosette. Thomas and Percy beamed with pride.

"I'm glad we came to the inspection after all," smiled Thomas.

"It's just like you said," puffed Percy, "a Really Useful Engine can look as grand as any engine.