Air date: October 17th, 2004 (UK), November 21st, 2004 (US)
Percy is taking the mail and pulls up alongside James at a red signal. His signal turns to green and James is cross as he was there before Percy, but his driver explains that Percy's mail is more important than James' slow goods. Later, James is still grumpy when Thomas gets to cut in front of him at the water tower because of the same reason.
Later, James is given the important job of delivering coal to all the stations. Feeling important, James refuses to wait to take on more water and will not help Edward with his jobs. However, once he collects the coal trucks and starts his job, James soon runs out of water. Edward arrives with his passengers, but he cannot help James as he is running late with his passenger train, because James did not help him take his trucks to the quarry. Edward warns the signalman up ahead, and soon Salty arrives to help James. Salty scolds James for not helping Edward and reminds him that no job is more important than helping another engine.
With Salty's help, James gets more water and carries on with his deliveries. However, when James sees Diesel who has broken down, he remembers Salty's advice and helps Diesel to the repair yard. After that, he carries on with his coal deliveries, and the next day, the Fat Controller praises James for learning his lesson by helping Diesel and getting his job done.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- An Aesop: Helping your friends is more important than your job, and being useful is better than being important.
- I Just Want to Be Special: Deconstructed. James is tired of having jobs that aren't as important as others. This changes when he's given an important job to deliver coal, but this causes him to refuse to help Edward with his other jobs and runs out of water in the process.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: James may be self-important and refuse to help others, but after a reality check from Salty, he doesn't hesitate to rescue a broken-down Diesel.
- Laser-Guided Karma: James refuses to wait his turn at the water tower, and also refuses to help Edward with his other jobs. Both of these actions lead to James getting comeuppance; James runs out of water and slows to a halt, and Edward is now too busy to help James with his coal delivery (though Edward does stop at a signal box to inform the signalmen about James' dilemma).
- Right on Queue: James encounters a line at the water tower and, feeling too important to wait, ignores it altogether.
- Save the Villain: James, who takes heed to Salty's advice, helps a broken-down Diesel of all engines to the fitter's yard.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: Percy says hi to James when he stops at the signal and then says goodbye to him as soon as the signal turns green.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Salty calls out James for not helping Edward with his other jobs and tells him that no job is more important than helping another engine.
