the tales of sodor's engine

trial of trust

James was in disgrace after his accident with Gordon's coaches. The coaches had played a trick on the red engine, who had retaliated by bumping the coaches hard. James had forgotten that his passengers were on board, but thankfully, no one had been hurt.

The Fat Controller had punished James by making him stay in the sheds until he could be trusted again. James felt miserable as he watched the other engines fly by. He most hated to see Gordon, who wouldn't stop whistling at him and saying:

"Poop poop! Little James just isn't ready for the Big Express!"

One morning, the Fat Controller visited James.

"James, I hope you have had time to think about your accident," he said, sternly.

"Yes sir," James replied.

"It will take more time for me to trust you to pull coaches again, but in the mean-time we do need your help with the trucks."

"Oh yes, please, sir!" said James, who was desperate to be out of the sheds.

"Good, once you are cleaned and fired up, run along to the big station to fetch your train. Consider this a trial of trust."

James ran happily along to the station, where he found a small goods train to take to the junction. He was coupled up and waited for the signal. He glanced over to the other platform, where he saw the express sitting, waiting for Gordon the Big Engine. He admired their new, shiny paint and was smitten, but he remembered what The Fat Controller had said.

"I must learn to control my temper," he said to himself, "Or I might never pull the express again."

James' journey to the junction went smoothly. The trucks were well-behaved and James looked forward to his return trip. At the junction, he ran around his new train and awaited the guard's whistle to set out back toward the big station, but the guard's whistle never came.

"We'll be late if we don't hurry," James said.
"I know," said his driver, "The guard is on the telephone. An important message just arrived from up the line."

James waited and waited and finally the guard came up to tell them the news.

"Gordon came off the rails just outside the big station," he said, "They're asking for another engine to help. You'll have to go, James. Be quick now!"

Without delay, James was uncoupled from the train and hurried up the line.

When James arrived, he found Gordon on the side of the line, his coaches still on the rails. There was a lot of commotion as the crews argued about what to do about the big engine. The Fat Controller joined the crews and looked very grim.

"This is the second accident we've had with the express this week," he said. "Gordon, what happened?"

Gordon was too embarrassed to speak.

"If I may, sir," said the leading coach, "this big engine would not stop talking about how clumsy James the Red Engine is, and in his gloating, he left the station without waiting for the points to be changed."

"Is this true, Gordon?" TFC asked.

Gordon reluctantly muttered an agreement under his breath.

"I see," TFC said. He turned to James.

"James, you'll have to pull the express as there are no other engines available."

James knew that this was his chance to regain TFC's trust. He coupled to the coaches and was careful with them. The guard blew his whistle and the train continued its journey down the mainline.

"Just let me know if I'm going too fast," he said to the coaches, "I want you to be comfortable."

"Thank you, James," they replied, "we are going smoothly."

Soon, James made the last stop and ran around the coaches to return home. The Fat Controller was pleased.

"You've done a splendid job," he said, "You have shown me that you have learned from your mistake. I would like to put you on Express duty for a while until Gordon has learned his lesson."

"Oh, THANK you sir!" James steamed happily.

When James returned to the sheds that night, he found Gordon, sulking.

"It seems to me that we both have a lot to learn about coaches," James said.

Gordon smiled.

"Indeed, even veterans like me."

Together, they agreed to be more cognizant of the needs of their coaches.