Since I arrived on this railway in 1923, trains have become heavier and longer, and timetable requirements more demanding. 'Ms Hatt, you said yourself that the railway needs to be competitive in order to survive. Gordon objects to this, and gives a little speech: When Gordon explains he was trying to keep to the new timetable, the Fat Controller apologizes, and offers to talk to the Other Railway about keeping the old timetable. The next morning, the Fat Controller comes to see Gordon, and she's not happy. As the other engines go to sleep, Gordon finds he has a lot on his mind. That night in the sheds, Henry and James tease Gordon about the incident. Geoff later comes to take Gordon away to the Steamworks. Gordon begins to defend himself, but realizes what he had done was pushing himself too much beyond his limits.

While he's waiting, Evan arrives and tells Gordon off for being careless. Owen takes his passengers on, after shunting Gordon in the shed to wait for Geoff. On his return run, Gordon is pushing himself harder, and has a breakdown at Vicarstown. He explains about the new timetable, but Alice is still concerned when he leaves. She saw him running fast on the trip up, and is worried. At Barrow, while he's resting, Alice talks to Gordon. Sure enough, he's unable to make up the time needed at Crovan's Gate or at Barrow. But as he heads to the station for that morning's run, he doubts if he can. The Fat Controller tells Gordon that the schedule will need to be tightened up at the request of TransPennine, and he replies that he'll do the best he can. We then flash back a week, to a rainy morning. He then tells them that the turn of events that lead to Gordon's retirement started a week ago, when the Fat Controller came to see him. In the sheds that night, James voices his objections to Pip and Emma's new position as the NWR's express engine, but Gordon replies that this takeover only seems a bit sudden. Thomas is a bit worried about this, but Gordon takes it quite well. Secondly, with competition from a hovercraft running from Sodor to the mainland, the railway needs to remain competitive. Firstly, the Other Railway is concerned about the time taken to change engines at Barrow. The Fat Controller explains to Gordon and Thomas that this is due to two reasons. One morning in 2011, as Gordon's getting ready to take the express, Pip and Emma arrive.

Sodor island 3d 2011