The Great Western Way

**The Great Western Way** is the eighth episode of the first season.

## Plot

Montague is a little green tank engine who works on the Fat Controller's railway, but a lot of engines call him Duck because they use to say he waddled. Duck is a Great Western engine who works on his very own branch line.

"Good morning, Oliver." Duck whistled one morning as he pulled into Tidmouth Hault.

Oliver whistled back. "Good morning Duck." he said.

"I do love a bit of sunshine." said Duck.

"Me too." agreed Oliver, "but I do have a lot of jobs to do today."

"So do I," puffed Duck, "First off I have to take these supplies to Arlesburgh Harbour." he said, "then I have to take lumber to the mill and finally, I have to take an important shipment to the docks."

"I have more jobs than you do." Oliver chuckled, "which I'm going to be doing now. See you later!" Oliver called as he steamed into the distance.

"Alright, Oliver." Duck whistled, then he chuffed off to do his first job.

Duck arrived at Arlesburgh Yard to pick up the supplies. "Okay, now let's get these supplies delivered." and he chuffed away to the harbour. The harbour wasn't as busy that day. Duck had dropped off the supplies and went to do his third job. While passing through Harwick, he saw Daisy at the platform. "Hello Daisy." Duck whistled kindly. But Daisy just scoffed and oiled away once the guard blew his whistle. "Oh, how rude." he puffed to himself.

Duck puffed into Knapford Yards and coupled up to a flatbed with lumber. He puffed away, struggling as he began to move. "These logs are... heavy!" Duck groaned.

"Keep your strength up, Duck." his driver called.

"I am." Duck remarked as his wheels moved an inch each time.

It wasn't long before he arrived at the lumber mill. Then he went off to do his third job.

Duck puffed into the works shed beside Tidmouth Sheds, and Gordon, Henry and James snickered when they saw him.

"Well, look who's here." Gordon teased.

"It's Mr. Duckpecker." James remarked.

"Couldn't keep your strength up, eh?" teased Henry.

Duck ignored them. "I'll make sure you big engines stay out of trouble." he steamed to himself, but they could hear him still.

"Oh, really? How?" chuckled Gordon.

"We don't get in trouble... well that often." muttered James.

The big engines just laughed. Duck rolled his eyes. "Don't worry about them." his driver said, "Let's just take this shipment to the docks."

"Right you are." replied Duck, he steamed away, leaving three chuckling big engines behind.

It wasn't long before Duck returned to the sheds once his day's work was finished. Gordon, Henry and James sniggered quietly and then spoke up.

"Hello, quacker." Gordon wheeshed.

"Did you get held up at the docks because the ship had been delayed?" laughed James.

"Yeah, sure he did." commented Henry.

Geoffrey and Emily just rolled their eyes and looked sternly at the three big engines, who were laughing their buffers off.

Duck blew his whistle to give them his attention. "I say, I've got an idea." he puffed, trying to avoid the smirk on his face."

Gordon, Henry and James looked at each other confused.

"What?!" Gordon exclaimed rudely.

"Are you going to squeeze a duck into Donald's tank again?" laughed James.

"Yeah, what he said!" chuckled Henry.

"No, you're all wrong." he smirked. "Today, I'm going to set you three a challenge."

The three engines were confused. "What challenge?" James asked.

"A challenge where all three of you did things... The Great Western Way!" puffed Duck.

The three engines were surprised.

"T-The Great Western Way?" Gordon stuttered

"Why would we be doing things the Great Western Way?" asked James.

"I'll tell you." Duck smirked. "It means you all have to do your work, without complaining or boasting, the latter especially for you, James." Duck chuckled. James snorted, not paying any attention.

"Ha!" burst out Gordon. "I can do things without complaining or boasting unlike little James here." Gordon teased.

"So can I." wheeshed Henry.

"I can too." James added in.

"Yes James," huffed Gordon, "but you're not as big or strong as we are."

James grew cross. "So, I don't have to be big like you or Henry." he muttered.

"Well, whatever." Gordon finished.

"So, what are you going to do things... The Great Western Way or-"

"The Wrong Way!" Gordon, Henry and James finished.

"Well... yes." Duck wheeshed, quietly.

"We'll do things..." muttered Gordon, he sighed knowing it'll be an embarrassing moment. "Th-The-"

"Speak up, Gordon." Duck spoke up.

Gordon felt like he couldn't take it any longer, so he burst out... "The Great Western Way!" he shouted across the whole sheds. Emily, Geoffrey, James and Henry were surprised, but not Duck, he was pleased.

"That's what I would like to hear." Duck happily steamed.

"What about us?" asked James, Duck eyed at the other big engines.

"What about you? Will you do things The Great Western Way?" he asked.

"Well, well," before James could finish, Henry burst out.

"Of course, we will." he said.

"Okay then." Duck chuckled.

"But, hey, I didn't say." James complained.

"But you're doing things now The Great Western Way." Duck chuckled.

"What?" he sighed deeply as Gordon and Henry sniggered quietly at each other.

"When are your next jobs?" Duck asked.

"I'm pulling the Express at 2:00." Gordon puffed.

"And I'm taking a train of coal trucks to all the stations on the Peel Godred line." James said.

"I'm taking a long and heavy goods train to Vicarstown." Henry steamed.

"Well, now's your chance to do things The Great Western Way." said Duck. After a while, the three big engines steamed out of the sheds to do their jobs."

Emily and Geoffrey were surprised. "Wow Duck, you actually got them to do something." said Geoffrey in amazement.

"Incredible!" added Emily.

"Thanks, you two." Duck steamed. "I am good at these things."

So for the rest of the day. Gordon, Henry and James did their jobs without complaining or bragging, especially James, who didn't stop to let people admire his paint, but this experience soon fell when the sun was shining and there were lots and lots of passengers when James was at Bluff's Cove. James went back to being vain. "Hello, all." he puffed. "I am the most shiniest red engine on Sodor. Like my paintwork?" The passengers did like his paintwork.

"Of course, James." chuckled a woman.

"Why wouldn't we?" added a man.

As James was being admired by the passengers, Duck puffed in beside him. "Remember what I said, James." the pannier tank reminded. "You're supposed to be doing things..."

"I know! I know!" James muttered. "The Great Western Way."

"Yes." Duck wheeshed as the passengers disembarked and came on board. Duck puffed away, and once he was gone, James began to showoff again.

"Sorry about that." he whispered as Duck was more further into the distance. "He's just jealous." he said not wanting the passengers to be cross with him.

"That's okay, James." said a woman.

"You're the best ever, James!" a little boy cried.

"Oh, thank you." James puffed, feeling proud. But then suddenly.

"Oh gosh, just look at the time." he cried.

"What?!" asked James.

"I'm supposed to be going home for tea." the man said, "And my wife hates it when I come in late."

"Oh, right." puffed James, feeling more urgent. "Make way!" he announced as he departed the station.

Back on the Little Western, Duck was doing his normal jobs, he was happy that his plan had worked, now Gordon, Henry and James would behave for a while, and not be rude to the pannier tank. He steamed into Arlesburgh Junction and saw Rex who could see Duck's cheery face. "Well, hello Duck." Rex whistled, "You're looking cheery."

"I am." Duck replied, "I've gotten Gordon, Henry and James to do things 'The Great Western Way'" he puffed proudly.

"Wow, you got three engines like them to actually take orders from a small tank engine like you? No offense by the way." said Rex.

"I know." Duck puffed.

"It serves them right," Bert chuckled as he pulled up beside Rex.

"Yes, that's true." Duck muttered.

Then Rex puffed onto the shute with some ballast trucks. "Here you are, Duck!" Rex called.

"Thanks Rex." Duck whistled as he chuffed away.

Duck was passing through Arlesburgh Harbour, it was quiet and no more shipments were being scheduled for a while. Duck was chuffing happily along the line, sniffing the breeze and the smell of fish. "This is what I like." he chuffed to himself. But what he didn't notice was that the tide had rised and water was now swimming atop the dockside. Duck seen this. "Oh no!" he cried as he put on his brakes, but it was too late. Duck had drove right into the puddle and was wet from buffer to wheel. "Oh," he sighed, as no one was there to help him.

However, Oliver was chuffing through the harbour himself with a goods train. "Isn't it a lovely day Toad?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, indeed Mr. Oliver." agreed Toad, "I like the smell of fresh air."

"Me too." Oliver puffed, but then he looked ahead only to find Duck in the puddle. "Oh no," he said, "Duck's in trouble."

"Who is Mr. Oliver?" Toad asked.

"Duck," Oliver said.

"Oh, is he alright?" Toad asked.

"Well, he's only in a puddle." Oliver muttered, "so I'd say so."

Duck just stared at the water, a duck and its ducklings swam across the water. Duck was embarrassed. "Oh no, I don't want to have another issue with ducks." he complained, "when will help arrive?"

"Soon enough." said his driver, but then they heard Oliver's whistle.

"Is that Oliver?" Duck asked.

"I think so." said his driver.

"It is Oliver." Duck cried. "Oliver, I need help!"

"Don't worry, Duck, I'm here." the 14xx auto tank engine said as he chuffed up.

Duck was glad that help had finally arrived.

"What happened to you?" Oliver chuckled.

"Well, for a start it's not really funny and second, I don't want to be teased about it." he puffed.

"Oh, alright." Oliver chuckled.

"This puddle was on the tracks and I drove into it, that's pretty much it." Duck explained. "Think you can get me out?"

"Well, I think so." Oliver steamed, "besides you're pulling five wagons there, I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to pull them as well as you."

"Oh, it'll be fine." Duck said, "try your best Oliver."

Oliver sighed. "If you say so." the Great Western engine muttered. Oliver tried to pull Duck with all his might, he heaved and hauled. "Gosh Duck, you way a tonne." Oliver strained.

"It's only because of the wagons." Duck puffed. Though, he tried, Oliver could not pull Duck by himself.

"Sorry Duck, but I'm afraid, I can't pull you out of the puddle." he said, "Adding five wagons and a brakevan surely makes the train impossible to pull. Anyway, who should we call to help us?"

"I'll call Douglas' driver." Oliver's driver said and he got out his cell phone and rang him. "Yes Ross. Good I need your help here, your coming? Oh, that's good." and he finished ringing. "Douglas is on his way." said Oliver's driver.

"Oh, I'm thankful," Duck moaned.

Douglas soon arrived and saw the accident. "Aye, dinna worry, Duck, 'ave com' ta help 'ya." Douglas wheeshed.

"Thanks, Douglas." Duck muttered.

"Okay Oliver, pull!" Douglas cried and the two engines began pulling Duck backwards out of the puddle. "Hoow much do 'ya way Duck." Douglas asked.

"I don't really want to say now." Duck puffed, "I just want saving."

"Oh, right 'ya are, lad." Douglas huffed. Duck was moving very few inches each time.

"We've almost saved him." Oliver steamed.

"Aye, we just need 'ta use 'th strength we have." Douglas added.

Finally, Duck was out of the puddle, he was wet, but relieved. "Thanks you two." he said quietly.

"Aye, no worries, lad." tooted Douglas.

"You can still move can't you, Duck?" said Oliver, "but he was wrong." The water had went up to Duck's firebox and now he couldn't move, at all.

"Oh, great." he sighed, "now what am I going to do."

"Dinna worry, Duck, I'll take 'ya 'ta the washdown so 'ya can be cleaned." Douglas puffed.

"Thanks." Duck muttered as he was uncoupled from his train and Douglas pushed him to the washdown.

Duck returned to Tidmouth Sheds that night, to find the big engines in their berths, he saw them laughing. Duck was confused. "What are they laughing at?" he wondered.

Gordon spoke up. "Oh, just what were you thinking Duck?" Gordon laughed.

"Steaming into a puddle plus getting your whole footplate wet?" added James.

"Good joke." agreed Henry.

"Oh, great." Duck sighed.

Emily and Geoffrey were sick of listening to the big engines laughing. So Emily blew her whistle to get the others' attention. "Enough!" she said, "I've heard you all day and I don't want to hear anymore." she scolded.

"Oh, sorry Emily." wheeshed Henry, but now, the only two still laughing were Gordon and James, who hadn't been listening to Emily at all. Henry blew his whistle to get their attention.

"Stop laughing, you two." he said, "it's not funny anymore." But they still weren't listening.

Then Duck remembered, "Say, Gordon and James." he said, "have you been doing things the Great Western Way lately?" he asked, trying not to smirk.

Gordon and James stopped laughing, "Why yes of course." Gordon snorted. "We're not lying."

"I have too." James puffed.

"Well, I did see you being a little vain lately, James." said Duck.

"That was only at the station, it doesn't matter, does it?" James asked.

"Well, no not really, but I have to say, that I can't believe you actually did it." Duck said, "You did things 'The Great Western Way' for once." he said.

"I know." huffed Gordon.

"We might never usually listen to tank engines, but there can be certain occasions where we do so." added James.

"Indeed," Henry agreed.

"Well, now that's done." Duck said quietly to himself.

Then Gordon spoke up. "Duck, I have a question." the big blue engine pondered.

Duck stopped. "Oh, really? What?!" he asked.

"Now we've done things the Great Western Way for you, can we do things, *our* way now?" Gordon asked.

Duck couldn't help, but smile. "Of course!" he said, "why wouldn't I say that?"

Gordon smiled, and so did James and Henry, but Gordon suddenly felt guilty. "Say Duck, I'm sorry for teasing you, much earlier in the day." he said.

"Count me in." puffed James.

"And me." wheeshed Henry.

"You can all feel sorry." puffed Duck, "And now, you can do things your way." The three big engines were impressed.

"So can you Duck." puffed Gordon, "You can do things... The Tank Engine way!" and he started laughing. James and Henry looked at each other confused.

"Oh no, not again." groaned Duck.

Then Gordon stopped laughing, "I was only joking, Duck." he puffed. "I say I've learnt a good lesson from you." the big blue engine puffed.

"And us two." said James and Henry in unison.

"Well, good to here." said Duck. Duck was glad that the big engines had now finally stopped teasing him. He no longer minded if they teased him during the day, he also agreed slightly with Gordon's remark. Perhaps he could do things 'The Great Western Way' or the 'Tank Engine Way'.

## Characters

* Henry
* Gordon
* James
* Duck
* Douglas
* Oliver
* Emily
* Geoffrey
* Bert
* Rex
* Toad
* Donald (*does not speak*)
* Daisy (*does not speak*)
* Stanley (*cameo*)
* Flora (*cameo*)
* Charlie (*cameo*)
* Stafford (*cameo*)
* Mike (*cameo*)
* Slip Coaches (*cameo*)
* The Fat Controller (*mentioned*)

## Locations

* Bluff's Cove
* Rail Under Road Bridge and Signalbox
* Tidmouth Hault
* Arlesburgh Yard
* Arlesburgh
* Arlesburgh Harbour
* Harwick
* Knapford Yards
* The Lumber Mill
* Tidmouth Sheds
* Arlesburgh West
* Brendam Docks (*mentioned*)
* Vicarstown (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* A reference to the third season episode *Donald's Duck* is made.