The Winx Club's Sodor Adventures - Season 3
Episode 10: The Trouble With Mud
One morning, Thomas was being cleaned when Gordon arrived with Aisha. Mud had blown all over his smart blue paint.
"Hello, Gordon," called Thomas. "You look as if you've had a mud bath. Be a sensible engine and have a shower instead."
"I hate to admit it, Gordon," said Bloom. "But Thomas is right. You really need a washdown."
Gordon snorted. "I haven't time to dawdle over my appearance like fussy tank engines do."
The wind blew stronger.
"Gordon, slow down!" called Aisha.
This made Gordon crosser still. "Now I'll be dirty and late! Dirty and late!" he hissed.
At the next station was a sign: "ALL TRAINS MUST WASH DOWN DAILY." James had just finished being cleaned.
"There you go, James," said Stella. "We also washed behind your buffers."
"Thanks, Stella," said James. "I feel much better."
"Come on, Gordon," said Aisha. "You feel better too after a good hose down."
"Bah!" said Gordon, and angrily let off steam, causing mud to fly all over Aisha, the workmen, Stella and even James.
"You're a very naughty engine!" Aisha said to Gordon. "Now James will need another shower. You'll have to wait your turn till later."
"Good riddance," huffed Gordon. "I'm far too busy to waste time with water."
He finished his journey safely and steamed into Knapford Station. Sir Topham Hatt was waiting. So were Gordon's coaches and the passengers.
"Goodness gracious!" said Sir Topham Hatt. "You can't pull the train! Henry and Flora will have to do it! Gordon, you'd better get cleaned straight away!"
Gordon was soon being washed. "Mind my eyes!" he grumbled.
Then he and Aisha pulled cars for the rest of the day.
"Freight trains! Freight trains!" he spluttered. He felt his position deeply.
"That's for you!" Gordon shouted as he bumped them fiercely. "And you! And you!"
"Cars will be cars," laughed James.
"They won't with me," snorted Gordon. "I'll teach them."
James and Stella got ready to take the express when Gordon and Aisha returned.
"Be careful," warned Gordon. "The hills are slippery. You may need help."
"We don't need help on hills," replied James huffily.
"Yes," added Stella. "We're still mad at you for throwing mud at us."
"Suit yourself," Aisha said, "but don't say we didn't warn you."
As Gordon and Aisha set off to collect their goods train, James said, "Gordon thinks he knows everything." Then they set off with the express.
Earlier, a storm had swept Gordon's Hill, blowing leaves on to the tracks, which made them slippery. Even though the storm had passed, the hill was still difficult to climb. James and Stella knew this.
The signal showed line clear, and James and Stella began to go faster. "I'll do it! I'll do it!" he puffed.
Halfway up, he was not so sure. "I must do it! I must do it!" But his wheels slipped on the leaves. They couldn't pull the train at all.
"Help, help!" whistled James.
"We're slipping back!" cried Stella
James' wheels were turning forward, but the heavy coaches pulled him backwards. The whole train started slipping down the hill. Stella shut off steam and put on the brakes. Then carefully, she stopped the train.
Gordon and Aisha were there, and saw everything. "Ah, well! We live and learn! Never mind, little James. I'm going to push behind."
Clouds of smoke and steam billowed from the snorting engines as they struggled up the hill.
"We can do it!" puffed James.
"We will do it!" puffed Gordon.
At last, they reached the top.
"We did it!" shouted Aisha and Stella together.
"Peep, peep! Thank you! Good-bye!" whistled James.
"Poop, poop!" answered Gordon. "Good-bye!"
That night, Sir Topham Hatt came to see the engines and their friends. Gordon was miserable.
"Please, sir?" said Thomas. "Can Gordon pull coaches again now?"
"Yes," agreed Bloom, "he did learned his lesson about being clean."
"If you understand that having a washdown is essential to every engine, then yes, Gordon. You may."
"Thank you," grunted Gordon. "Dirty or clean, I'm a famous machine!"
But no one heard, but him.
The End