James in a Mess and Other Thomas the Tank Engine Stories, Rev. Awdry [free novels .txt] 📗

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends®

Based on The Railway Series by The Reverend W Awdry

Text © 1993 Gullane (Thomas) Limited

Photographs © 1985, 1986 Gullane (Thomas) Limited

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and Thomas & Friends are trademarks of Gullane (Thomas) Limited

HIT and the HIT Entertainment logo are trademarks of HIT Entertainment Limited

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Random House Childrenʼs Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto. PICTUREBACK, RANDOM HOUSE and colophon, and PLEASE READ TO ME and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.

www.randomhouse.com/kids/thomas www.thomasandfriends.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

James in a mess and other Thomas the tank engine stories / photographs by David Mitton, Kenny McArthur, and Terry Permane for Britt Allcroftʼs production of Thomas the tank engine and friends. p. cm. — (A Random House pictureback) “Based on the Railway series by the Rev. W. Awdry.” SUMMARY: Sir Topham Hattʼs railroad engines, Harold the helicopter, and Bertie the bus learn about good manners and hard work.

eISBN: 978-0-375-98621-5 [1. Railroads—Trains—Fiction. 2. Behavior—Fiction.] I. Mitton, David, ill. II. McArthur, Kenny, ill. III. Permane, Terry, ill. IV. Awdry, W. Railway series. V. Thomas the tank engine and friends. PZ7.J1557 1993 [E]—dc20 92-25654

v3.1

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

James in a Mess

Bertie’s Chase

Percy and the Signal

Percy Proves a Point

Other Thomas & Friends e-books

Toby and Henrietta were enjoying their new job on the Island of Sodor, but they do look old-fashioned and did need new paint.

James was very rude whenever he saw them. “Yecch! What dirty objects!” he would say.

At last, Toby lost patience. “James,” he asked, “why are you red?”

“I am a splendid engine,” answered James, “ready for anything. You never see my paint dirty.”

“Oh!” said Toby innocently. “That’s why you once needed bootlaces—to be ready, I suppose.”

James went redder than ever and snorted off. It was such an insult to be reminded of the time a bootlace had been used to mend a hole in his coaches.

At the end of the line, James left his coaches and got ready for his next train. It was a “slow freight,” stopping at every station to pick up and set down cars.

James hated slow freight trains. “Dirty cars from dirty sidings! Yecch!”

Starting with only a few, he picked up more and more cars at each station till he had a long train.

At first, the freight cars behaved well, but James bumped them so crossly that they were determined to get back at him.

Presently, they approached the top of Gordon’s Hill. Heavy freight trains halt here to set their brakes. James had had an accident with cars before and should have remembered this.

“Wait, James, wait,” said the Driver, but James wouldn’t wait. He was too busy thinking what he would say to Toby when they next met.

The freight cars’ chance had come.

“Hurrah! Hurrah!” they laughed, and banging their buffers, they pushed him down the hill.

“On! On!” yelled the cars.

“I’ve got to stop! I’ve got to stop!” groaned James.

Disaster lay ahead.

Something sticky splashed all over James. He had run into two tar wagons and was black from smokebox to cab. He was more dirty than hurt, but the tar wagons and some cars were all to pieces.

Toby and Percy were sent to help and came as quickly as they could.

“Look here, Percy!” exclaimed Toby. “Whatever is that dirty object?”

“That’s James. Didn’t you know?”

“It’s James’ shape,” said Toby, “but James is a splendid red engine, and you never see his paint dirty.”

James pretended he hadn’t heard.

Toby and Percy cleared away the unhurt cars and helped James home.

Sir Topham Hatt met them.

“Well done, Percy and Toby.” He turned to James. “Fancy letting your cars run away. I am surprised. You’re not fit to be seen; you must be cleaned at once. Toby shall have a new coat of paint.”

“Please, Sir, can Henrietta have one, too?” said Toby.

“Certainly, Toby.”

“Oh, thank you, Sir! She will be pleased.”

All James could do was watch Toby as he ran off happily with the news.

“Stop, stop! I’ve got Thomas’ passengers!” wailed Bertie, roaring up to the gates. It was no good. Edward was gone.

“Bother,” said Bertie. “Bother Thomas’ Fireman not coming to work today. Why did I promise to help the passengers catch the train?”

“That will do, Bertie,” said his Driver. “A promise is a promise, and we must keep it.”

“I’ll catch Edward or bust,” said Bertie.

“Oh, my gears and axles,” he groaned, toiling up the hill. “I’ll never be the same bus again.

“Hurray! Hurray! I see him,” cheered Bertie as he reached the top.

“Oh, no! Edward’s at the station. No … he’s stopped at a crossing. Hurray! Hurray!”

Bertie tore down the hill.

“Well done, Bertie!” shouted his passengers. “Go it!”

Bertie skidded into the yard. “Wait! Wait!” cried Bertie. He was just in time to see Edward puff away. “I’m sorry,” said Bertie.

“Never mind,” said the passengers. “After him, quickly—third time lucky, you know. Do you think we’ll catch him at the next station, Driver?”

“There’s a good chance,” replied the Driver. “Our road keeps close to the line, and we can climb hills better than Edward. I’ll just make sure.” He spoke to the Station Master. Bertie and the passengers waited impatiently.

“Yes, we’ll do it this time,” said the Driver.

“Hurray,” called the passengers as Bertie chased after Edward once more.

“This hill is too steep! This hill is too steep!” grumbled the coaches as Edward snorted in front.

They reached the top at last and ran smoothly into the station.

“Peee-eep!” whistled Edward. “Get in quickly, please.”

The Conductor blew the whistle, and Edward’s Driver looked back. But the flag didn’t wave. Then he heard Bertie.

Everything seemed to happen at once—and the Station Master told the Conductor and Driver what had