One evening at Tidmouth Sheds, James is teasing Percy about being scared of the dark, so Henry challenges him to take The Flying Kipper that night.
When James arrives at Brendam Docks, he notices a terrible smell. Porter, who is shunting the trucks for the Flying Kipper, explains that it is the fish. James explains that he usually pulls coaches, so he goes back to Tidmouth Sheds to wake Henry up.
Henry remembers the promise James made, however, James tricks the big green engine into thinking that it was just a dream, so Henry, without dillydallying, sets off straight away in order to pull the Flying Kipper.
However, the deliveries were late, getting Henry into trouble with the Fat Controller the next morning. Henry explains the "dream" he had last night, but Thomas and Gordon explain that they heard Henry and James' conversation, thus telling him it was not a dream after all.
James starts to feel silly and explains to the Fat Controller that the fish were too smelly for him, but the Fat Controller decides that, smelly or not, James is to pull the train that night to make up for his broken promise.
That night, when James arrives to take the Flying Kipper and the trucks teased James for being scared of fish. James was so distracted from the trucks teasing him that he bumps into Cranky's hook while he was unloading, and the red engine is covered in fish. Soon James takes the Flying Kipper, and is praised by the Fat Controller the next morning.
James soon notices a fish on his running board and he is immediately sent away to the washdown.
Tropes featured in the episode:
- Bittersweet Ending: James suffers through his run with the Flying Kipper and is teased mercilessly by the other engines afterwards. However he is commended by the Fat Controller afterwards and told to have a wash down, much to James' relief.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: The Fat Controller applauds James for pulling The Flying Kipper on time in compensation for his trick on Henry and is given a washdown.
- The Freelance Shame Squad: All of the engines laugh at James when he smells like fish, especially when one of them were in front of his smokebox.
- Mythology Gag: The episode borrows some elements of "Sliding Scales" from Henry and the Express and the magazine story "Fish and Fog" in which James is pulling the Flying Kipper.
- The Prankster: James tricks Henry into thinking he dreamed daring him to take the Flying Kipper.
- That Was Not a Dream: James tricks Henry into taking the Flying Kipper for him by telling him that he dreamt that he said he would pull the Flying Kipper. When Henry arrives back to Tidmouth Sheds after making his deliveries late and explains the situation to the Fat Controller, Thomas assures Henry that is wasn't a dream.
- What the Hell, Hero?: The Fat Controller makes clear James is pulling the Flying Kipper the following night after finding out he weaseled out of his promise to Henry.
