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It was a cool evening on the Island of Sodor, at Tidmouth Shed as the engines returned from their jobs for the day. Gordon backs in to his berth of the shed and settles in as the engines went to their own berth. Gordon looks outside the shed then to the others, deep in though, Alice and the other engines took noticed on this.

“Are you alright Gordon?” asked Alice.

“Yes, just deep in thought” said Gordon.

“About what?” asked James.

“About when I was first built” said Gordon.

The other engines all looked at one another rising a eyebrow, then looked at Gordon. The big engine could tell what they were wondering about, he hasn't brought up much detail about when he was built before. Alice was the only one who knew about this, since she worked at the same yard as Gordon back in the old days before the grouping of 1924 began and soon being reunited with him back in the late 1980s.

“Why not you tell them about it” said Alice giving some advice to Gordon.

“Tell them about what?” asked Gordon.

“About a event that happened back when you were built” said Alice.

“It would be interesting to hear how you were like before you come to Sodor” said Murdoch.

“I suppose so” said Gordon “plus I come here just a year after being built, so not mange has happened”.

“Apart from the news being brought here” Henry pointed out “like when Flying Scotsman made his 100mph run or the development and built of the A4 Pacific Class”.

“That is all very true” said Gordon.

“So you didn't run that much trains back then?” asked Bear.

“Oh no, I ran many trains before I've arrived here” said Gordon “since Nigel Gresley did talk with Sir Topham Hatt about letting me become the express engine for the railway”.

“That was during the early days of when the North Western Railway was coming around” said Henry “plus being the only railway not to be part of the grouping”.

“That will be right” said Alice, she looks over at Gordon, “why not your first train?”, giving him a idea of what to tell the others.

“That would be interesting to tell them” said Gordon.

“Your first train” said James “was it like a test one?”.

“Well sort of, since I was built just a week before” said Gordon.

“Well hearing about a engine pulling he or her first train will sound interesting” said Murdoch, he looks at Gordon and Alice “I'm sure you both will like to tell us about it”.

“Yes, we will be honoured to” said Alice.

“Indeed” agreed Gordon.

“Well let's hear it then” said James.

“Patiences James” said Henry “let them get themselves ready”.

“Thank you Henry” said Alice, she sees all the engines were standing quietly ready to hear the story, “this how our story begins in the early summer of 1922” she started as the story went on the way.

1922

At a small yard in London, a young tender engine was in a siding looking around the yard seeing different engines going by with their trains. The engine seems to be a new design which made him stay out from the others, the engine saw a GNR Class C1 coming up to him.

“Good morning” she smiled as she pulls up next to him, “I'm Alice, what is your name?”.

“I'm not sure, although I heard Mr Gresley call me Gordon” said the engine.

“That could be your name” said Alice.

“Oh I see” said the engine known calling himself Gordon.

“New design I see” said Alice, looking over Gordon.

“I suppose so” said Gordon, he saw his crew coming up to.

“Well see you soon Gordon” said Alice, and she puffs away.

Gordon was taken on to a turntable and turned backwards so that he is facing the shed, he looks at his driver rising a eyebrow. His driver explains that he turned around so he is facing the right way to get to the platform.

“You're taking your first train” said his driver, as he climbs in to his cab and reverses Gordon to the platform.

“First express, how amazing” smiled Gordon.

Gordon arrives at the station backing on to some coaches, he noticed a group of men looking over him with another one that he knew was his designer, Nigel Gresley.

“Gentlemen allow me to show you the experimental engine of my design, Gordon” said Mr. Gresley.

“Excuse me sir” said Gordon, looking at him, “what did you mean as in experimental engine?”

“You are a prototype of a new class being built” said Mr Gresley kindly “you're known as a “A0” Pacific, whiling the others will be known as the A1 Pacific”.

“I see” said Gordon.

“Let's see how well you can do” smiled Mr Gresley as he and the group of men went in to the first coach.

Gordon smiles proudly as his crew got him ready for the journey, when the guard blow his whistle, Gordon puffs out of the station whistling cheerfully as he picked up speed as they went along.

Gordon speeds off the yard whistling to Alice as he passes her, Alice whistles to him as he headed out of the yard. The big engine looked around at his signings on the mainline, seeing older engines going by with their own trains.

“You're doing so well” said his driver.

“Thank you sir” said Gordon as he puffs further on.

Gordon noticed another big station coming in to view, he finds himself slowing down as he pulls in to one of the platforms and come to a gentle stop. His coaches where soon removed as he was moved in to one of the sidings to be prepared for the journey back.

“Good work Gordon” said his driver “Mr. Gresley will be pleased how you are going”.

“I'm sure he will” said Gordon.

Soon Gordon went back to his train, he looks around to see the group of men and Mr. Gresley entering the coach again. The guard's whistle blow and Gordon puffs out of the station and headed down the mainline once again.

Gordon sped along the line as he heading towards the familiar station, which his driver told him it was called King's Cross.

Gordon soon pulls in to the station, and his coaches where removed, he saw Mr Gresley and the group of men once again.

“Good work Gordon” said Mr. Gresley “you did very well, these men are railway inspectors”.

“That's correct” said one of the inspectors “you did a good job on the express Gordon, the A1 Pacific will built right away”.

“Thank you sir” said Mr. Gresley “now all the first two engines made a good run”.

Gordon was taken back to the shed where he saw Alice again, and another engine that looked like him with Great Northern on his nameplate.

“We heard of what happened” said Alice.

“Yes, exited work Gordon” said Great Northern “you deserve a good rest after this”.

Gordon agreed as he backs in to the shed next to the two engines, who smiled at him as he settles down and begins to rest. Mr Gresley was watching nearby with a smile on his face, happy now that Gordon shown himself to be a really useful engine.

2008

“So that is the story” Gordon finished off.

“How amazing” said Murdoch.

“Yes, what a story” agreed Henry.

“I pulled express trains regularly after that” said Gordon “keeping up good service within a few months of the Great North Railway”.

“Yes, then kept good service for the North Western Railway from then on” said Henry.

“Giving a good run of the line as I would say” added Murdoch.

“Indeed” agreed Henry.

“What was it like when you first come here?” asked James.

“Maybe I'll tell you some other time” yawned Gordon.

“Yes, we should all get some sleep” said Alice.

All the engines agreed and they went to sleep as the shed fell in to silent.