Transcript/As Good as Gordon

**Narrator:** After failing to deliver Farmer McColl’s timber on time a few months back, Emily was trying her best to improve herself. She had managed to keep to time with her own passenger service and had delivered the iron loads with Thomas that Halloween. Even though he hadn’t said upfront yet, Emily felt as if she was making the Fat Controller proud once again. It was now the middle of November and the Fat Controller came to Tidmouth Sheds with some important news.

**The Fat Controller:** “Gordon has been asked to attend a steam gala on the Mainland with lots of other famous engines.” he announced. “However, he will be gone for a week, so I need an engine to handle the express.”

**Narrator:** The big engines were very excited. They all wanted to have the honour of pulling such an important train, but the Fat Controller chose Emily and James.

**The Fat Controller:** “Since the train is long and heavy, you’ll both take it in turns each day, so the other can do lighter work. And besides, the rest of you have your own jobs to do.” and the Fat Controller left.

**Narrator:** Emily was surprised and so was Gordon. He had his concerns.

**Gordon:** “The express is the most important train on the railway.” he warned. “A lot of people depend upon it. You haven’t been on this railway for very long, so you had better not let me or the passengers down.” and he puffed away to prepare for his long journey.

**Narrator:** Gordon’s concerns were floating around Emily’s smokebox, until James spoke next.

**James:** “You might struggle with the train, Emily, but not me.” he boasted, “I’ve pulled it before after all. I will be just like Gordon and will make it to Vicarstown and back thrice before 4 o’clock.”

**Narrator:** Murdoch rolled his eyes.

**Murdoch:** “Thrice before four?” he thought. “That will be a challenge.”

**Narrator:** But Emily was starting to be more hopeful.

**Emily:** “If I can successfully pull the express,” she thought to herself, “maybe the Fat Controller will forgive me for the timber delay.”

**Narrator:** Later, at 7 o’clock, James was waiting impatiently at the platform for his coaches. The shunter was working as fast as he could, coupling the coaches together. But James was hurrying Percy so much that he shunted the coaches to the station before the shunter could couple the brake coach up. Emily was waiting for her passengers on the opposite platform.

**James:** “Take notes now, Emily,” snorted James, “this is how you pull the express.”

**Narrator:** And as soon as the guard’s whistle blew, he puffed away grandly. It wasn’t long before Emily noticed his first mistake.

**Emily:** “Does this usually happen?” she asked Percy, as he puffed in with the abandoned coach.

**Percy:** “Yep. He’s always too eager to show off than pay attention.”

**Narrator:** James, none the wiser, was thundering down the line, smiling broadly and whistling loudly. He was having the time of his life. He had to stop at Wellsworth station, not only to let off some passengers, but because the train was a guaranteed connection with Brenda the Brendam Bus. But James didn’t know that Brenda had a flat tyre and was being fitted with a spare. James waited desperately for her to arrive. He looked at the clouds to take his mind off the situation, he counted to twenty, twice, he even tried closing his eyes. But with each attempt, he felt as if his boiler would burst.

**James:** “I’m gonna make my passengers late,” he complained, “and it’s not even my fault!”

**Narrator:** James grew so fed up, he left the station. But Brenda had pulled into the car park, mere moments after the last coach was out of sight. At quarter-to 10, he puffed proudly into Knapford, where Emily was waiting.

**James:** “One journey done, two more to go.” he boasted. “See, Emily? I told you I was an express expert.”

**Narrator:** Emily only smiled.

**Emily:** “Oh really? I suppose you’re such an expert, the train feels *lighter* over time?”

**James:** “Lighter? What do you mean?”

**Narrator:** And then, right on cue, Percy came in, with James’ missing brake coach.

**Percy:** “That’s what you get for rushing me,” huffed Percy, “as well as having a branch line to run, too!”

**Narrator:** But James didn’t answer back, he just puffed away to the water tower in humiliation. For the remaining two journeys, James wasn’t smiling or whistling anymore. He felt too ashamed, especially when he later saw Brenda at Wellsworth station. The next morning, it was Emily’s turn to take the express. There were a lot of thoughts racing through her smokebox, as she backed into the coaches.

**Emily:** “I must be as good as Gordon, but I need to be better than James. I can’t afford any silly mistakes.”

**Narrator:** At exactly 7 o’clock, the guard blew his whistle once again. This time the brake coach was coupled up. Emily could tell, as she immediately felt the weight of the train as she pulled out.

**Emily:** “Oh, bust my buffers.” she gasped.

**Narrator:** Emily didn’t have any issues at first. She stopped at all the right stations, she patiently waited for Brenda’s passengers and by the end of the first two journeys, she managed to be on time. However, she was growing more and more exhausted. So, when she stopped at Wellsworth for the third time, she was one minute late. When she stopped at Maron, she was two minutes late and at Vicarstown, three minutes late. Her driver and the stationmasters understood the situation.

**The Stationmaster:** “It’s alright,” they said, “you were only a few minutes late. It’s not that big of a deal.”

**Emily:** “Not that big of a deal?” huffed Emily. “This Is the express we’re talking about. The passengers and the Fat Controller are expecting my best! I need to do better, this is not good enough!” she thought.

**Narrator:** So, in an attempt to make it back to Knapford on time, Emily didn’t stop for coal or water at Maron or at Wellsworth. Wheel turn by wheel turn, minute by minute, the train felt heavier and heavier. But with one more effort, Emily managed to get the express back to Knapford at precisely quarter-to 4. She was completely out of breath and wheeshed a giant cloud of steam.

**Emily:** “Three times… in a row… before… 4 o’clock.” she gasped wearily. “I had hoped I could do it.”

**Narrator:** She felt like she deserved a long rest in the sidings. But when she tried to puff out of the station, she couldn’t. She was running dangerously low on water and she had used up almost all of her coal trying to get to Knapford on time.

**Emily’s Fireman:** “No wonder you look so tired.” said the fireman.

**Narrator:** Percy had to shunt Emily into the siding to refuel.

**Percy:** “Don’t worry,” he whispered, “I think you’ve done a good job.” Emily smiled a tiny bit.

**Narrator:** Later that evening, the Fat Controller came to speak to her and James.

**The Fat Controller:** “You, James, had caused confusion and delay yesterday,” he said crossly, “Not only did you leave the brake coach behind, but you’ve also abandoned Brenda’s passengers. And Emily,” he continued, turning to the big emerald engine, “while I appreciate you leaving no-one behind and keeping to time, I don’t approve of you risking your boiler exploding to do so.”

**Emily:** “But… but I...” Emily stuttered nervously, “I was trying hard to make up for that timber delivery incident a few months back. I know how important the express is, so I wanted to be as good at pulling it as Gordon. I wanted to make you proud, Sir.”

**The Fat Controller:** “But, Emily, all jobs on the railway are important, not just the express. And besides, your safety and well-being means more to me than you being on time.”

**Narrator:** The two engines had a lot to think about that night. For the remainder of the week, James had to deliver the slow goods train. By stopping at every station to collect and unload lots of trucks, he was learning to be more patient next time he pulled the express. Meanwhile, Emily was back pulling the local and she remembered to think of her coal and water supplies than arriving by the dot. And even though they enjoyed most of their time taking the express, they were very pleased when Gordon returned from the steam gala. Emily in particular would rather leave this long, heavy train with the expert.