Thomas And Friends: The North Western Engines Series One

Gordon Goes Foreign

One morning, Gordon arrived at Vicarstown with his local service, Barry was there with the breakdown train.
"Good morning Gordon, how are you today?" He smiled.
"Very well, thank you Barry." Gordon replied.
Just then, The Flying Scotsman backed down onto a line of coaches.
"Ahh, good morning, little brother." He smirked.
"Morning Scot." Gordon frowned.
"I see you've been limiting your speeds since that 'Great Race' fiasco. Sensible engine!" Scotsman teased.
"Scotsman!" Gordon snapped.
"That's my name! Don't wear it out, Little brother!" Laughed the Pacific.
"Scotsman's guard blew his whistle and he set off.
"London here I come! Flying Scotsman coming through!" He called grandly.
Gordon just groaned and rolled his eyes.
"Have you ever been to London Gordon?" Barry asked.
"Yes, but it was many years ago. How about you?" Gordon replied.
"I wish I could have, but I was withdrawn a few years after being built and worked away from London." Barry sighed. "Could you tell me about your journey there please?"
"I don't see why not." Gordon smiled.
And this was the story he told.
'Lots of people were travelling on our railway, The Fat Controller and the Other Railway had made an agreement for them to run trains to Vicarstown and for us to be allowed to run trains to Barrow. When we brought our passenger trains to Barrow another engine would take them on to London. These engines would sometimes stay the night and go back home the next day.
Duck and I were talking to one of these.
"When I was young and green," I said, "I remember going to London. Do you know the place? The station is called Kings Cross."
"Kings Cross! London's Euston! Everyone knows that!" Snorted the engine.
"Rubbish!" Cut in Duck, "London's Paddington, I know that because I was station pilot there!"
We argued until we went to sleep, we argued when we woke up. Me and Duck were still arguing when the other engine went away.
"For the last time Duck! London is Kings Cross!" I grunted.
"It's Paddington! Pad-ing-ton! Do you hear?" Duck retorted.
"Stop arguing," James grumbled as he arrived with a goods train, "I could hear you from the other end of the yards! You're both agreed on one thing anyway!"
"What's that?" Duck and I asked.
"London's not Euston! Now do me a favour and shut up!" James laughed and left before we could respond.
"Still Paddington!" Duck smirked and hurried off.
"I'm sure it's Kings Cross! I'll go and prove it!" I grumbled. But that was easier said than done. London lay far beyond Barrow, I would have to stop there so another engine could take on the train while I would take theirs to Knapford.
"If I didn't stop," I thought, "I could go to London!"
One day I tried to race right through the station, another time, I tried starting before my coaches could be uncoupled. I tried all sorts of tricks but my driver stopped me every time.
I eventually gave up.
"It's no use, I'll never get there." I sighed.
One day, I brought my train to Barrow and moved to a siding to wait until I could go home.
The coaches waited and waited, but the engine never came!
"Either time seems slow, or the engine is ridiculously late!" I grumbled.
The station master strode over.
"The Fat Controller is on the platform," he said to my driver, "he wants to see you."
My driver went to the station and came back a little later looking exited!
"Hello, what's happened?" The fireman smiled.
"The engine bound for London derailed on the points, The Others Railway wants us to take the train to London and The Fat Controller agreed!" The driver beamed.
"Hear that Gordon? You can go to London after all!" Chuckled the firemen.
I was very exited.
"Come on! Let's go!" I called and hurried to the platform.
The guard blew his whistle a few minutes later but I thought it was ages!
"Come on! Come on! Comeon! Comeon! Comeon!" I panted in exitement.
"We're going to town! We're going to town!" The passengers sang, slowly at first, then faster and faster.
I found that London was a Lond way away.
"Nevermind!" I smiled, "I like a good long run to stretch my wheels!" But all the same, I was glad when London came into sight.
When I arrived I met another engine there.
"Hello there, what station is this?" I smiled.
"It's St. Pancras my dear engine. Didn't you know?" She smiled.
"What in the name of Gres...!"
I returned to Sodor the next day.
The Fat Controller was waiting at Knapford for me.
"I saw in the news you had a grand welcome in London," he chuckled.
"Indeed we did Sir, we signed autographs til our arms ached and Gordon's picture was taken from so many angles that he didn't know which way to look!" Laughed my fireman.
"I'm sure Gordon had a wonderful time, didn't you Gordon?" The Fat Controller smiled.
"No Sir, I didn't." I sighed.
"Whyever not?" The Fat Controller asked.
"London's all wrong, they've changed it. It isn't Kings Cross any more, it's St. Pancras."
Duck was equally surprised too.'
"Wow Gordon! What a story!" Barry smiled. Are you sure you weren't supposed to be a story teller?" He added cheekily.
"Very funny Barry!" Gordon smirked.
"Although, I thought London had more than one station." Barry ventured.
"It does, but Duck and I were young and naive back then. Just shows how much engines grow!" Gordon smiled.
Just then Gordon's guard blew his whistle.
"And that's my signal to leave, see you later Barry!" Gordon said kindly and steamed away with his return train.