Gordon was feeling grumpy, and this was making James cross.
"Gordon, why are you complaining when there is nothing to complain about?" the red engine asked.
"Because," Gordon huffed, "I am a big blue engine and I know everything. Thus, I can complain about what I want, when I want. You, on the other hand, are just a small red engine with ideas above his station."
"Good Heavens!" Rarity exclaimed. "How rude!"
Percy looked over, confused. "I can't see any," he said. "Where are they?"
"Any what?" Gordon huffed.
"Ideas above the station. I can't see any. The sky is blue and clear of clouds."
Rainbow Dash sighed. "Oh, not this again. Ideas above your station is a metaphor for having ideas unsuitable for your position or temprament. It's a leftover of the class system."
James snorted. "The sky may be empty, but so is your smokebox, Percy!"
"It's not! It's got tubes, a blastpipe, a smokebox door (which can only be accessed when my boiler is lifted from its frames)..."
Gordon interrupted as Percy went on, James' point having flown completely over his funnel. "One day, I shall show you just what a big engine can do."
"Get stuck on hills with goods trains?" offered Edward.
"Be scared of cows?" added Thomas.
"Suffer a burst safety valve, a malfunctioning whistle, and then fall in a ditch?" James observed.
Gordon groaned. "Oh, the indignity. I shall never live those down." And he puffed away.
Twilight looked over in concern. "I think Gordon may be upset about something," she said. "Whenever he's having trouble, his first response is to push others away."
"Oh, honestly darling!" Rarity said. "Speaking rudely to others can never be justified."
"But you can try to understand why they feel the way they do," Fluttershy said quietly.
"Which is why Ah suggest we speak ta him later, when we've finished work," Applejack finished.
The girls agreed, and set off for their days.
Later that day, Gordon got a visit from Sir Toppham Hatt. "Gordon," he said, "We've got some new rolling stock that needs testing, and on top of that we're introducing a new timetable to try and cope with passenger demand. I need you to work a dummy run from Tidmouth to Vicarstown with the new stock."
"Why can't Henry do it?" Gordon asked. "He would love the chance to gallivant about whilst doing nothing productive."
"Engines on my railway do as they are told," Sir Toppham Hatt replied. "I thought the strike taught you as much."
"The sooner we get this over, the sooner we can do a proper run," Rainbow Dash told him, and off they went.
At Vicarstown, there are two stations, both of which were built at different times. The original Vicarstown was a terminating station, built in the early days of the Sodor and Mainland. This small, three platform affair was soon swamped with demand, and became too small for purpose. To this end, the Sodor and Mainland built a new, sprawling station two miles away to act as a junction with trains from the Furness Railway, and the old station was turned into a parcels depot.
Gordon was rolling along the approaches to Vicarstown New, and felt funny. "I seemed to be having trouble getting up to speed!" he said.
"Maybe you're due for an overhaul!" Rainbow Dash said, as they clattered into the platform and stopped.
"At least I called here, and not that boring parcels depot," Gordon smiled. "That depot only has a brick wall to look at, and another engine has to remove my train before I can leave and be turned." Soon, Gordon was turned and attached onto the other end. This was a real, timetabled run, so Gordon was keen to get as much speed up as he could.
Unfortunately, on the way he began to have problems. Gordon was losing steam pressure, fast, and before long something began knocking. "That doesn't sound good!"
Just then there was a loud bang, and something fell off and into the centre of the track. Rainbow Dash slammed the brakes on and brought him to a dead stop.
"What happened?" Gordon asked.
Rainbow Dash walked back up the track, holding some parts. "These came from your middle cylinder," she said. "That will need to be replaced at Crovan's Gate. We'll need a diesel to rescue your train now, and it's not safe for you to run."
BoCo soon arrived to take the coaches away. "Terribly sorry to hear about your prang, Gordon!" he said. "I hope you get better soon."
Gordon returned from the works a few days later. In the meantime, they had decided to overhaul him completely, and had done a stunning job. Unfortunately, it meant he was now worse than ever.
"I am the finest engine in the world," he said. "Nothing can match me!"
"So splendid that your left hand buffer is crooked," a workman said. Just then, Sir Toppham Hatt arrived.
"Come on Gordon!" he said. "I've decided to join Rainbow Dash on the footplate for your shakedown run. You'll be working from here to Vicarstown to check all is in order."
Gordon smiled. "That will be good."
All seemed well at first, but as they approached the Vicarstown approaches, Rainbow Dash tried to close the regulator. Nothing happened. "Uh oh," she said.
"What's wrong?" asked Sir Toppham Hatt.
"Gordon's regulator is stuck!" she replied, pulling on it again. "I can't get it to move!" She applied the brakes, but that only had a minimal impact. Gordon was a very powerful engine, and this was more than the brake blocks could handle, which were glowing white hot and screeching horrendously.
Suddenly, they swung to the left. They had been routed into the parcels depot! "Get out of the way!" Gordon shouted, as he barrelled towards the buffers.
He went into the buffers... and through them... and through the wall... and out the other side, falling clean out of the building before crashing into the warehouse opposite the parcels depot (which was thankfully empty at the time).
Gordon looked about. "Rainbow Dash? Sir Toppham Hatt?" he called. "Are you alright?"
There was no reply.
Gordon looked down. "Please let them be alright."
"You're the one I'm more worried about!" Rainbow Dash suddenly said, appearing nearby. "We bailed out. I've got a few bruises from the landing, but nothing serious."
"As for you," said Sir Toppham Hatt, "I know I wanted the parcels depot remodelling, but this wasn't what I had in mind. Looks like we'll be overhauling you... again."
Gordon sighed. "When can you get me out of this warehouse?"
"As soon as we can."
Safe to say, Gordon no longer complains about things. He knows that it is better to stay on his tracks, where he is safe.