Trama

James calls Toby and Henrietta "dirty objects" because of their shabby look. He tells them that you will never see his paint dirty. However, it's Toby who has the last laugh when James collides with some tar wagons.

Toby and Henrietta are settling into their new lives on the Island of Sodor, but due to their bad paintwork and old-fashioned style, the two become a subject of scorn for James who calls them "dirty objects". One day, after being Offended, Toby asks James why he's red and James says that it's because he's a splendid engine who's ready for anything and never dirty. Toby then teases James by reminding him of the bootlace incident, causing James to become angry.

Later, at the end of the line, James leaves his coaches and prepares for his next train, a slow goods in which he has to stop at each station to picks up and set down trucks. James' mood is worsened as he hates slow goods trains. Although the trucks start off behaving well, James is so rough with them that they end up being determined to pay him back. As James starts to climb up Gordon's Hill, he is supposed to stop and have his brakes pinned down. James had an accident with trucks before and should remember this, but forgets as he's too busy thinking of what he'll say to Toby next time they meet. Seeing their chance when they reach the top of the hill, the trucks push James. Unable to stop, James runs out of control through Maron station, crashes into two tar tankers, and derails.

Although James isn't badly hurt, he's covered from smoke box to cab in tar, while the tar tankers and some of the trucks are completely destroyed. Toby and Percy come to help clean up the mess and Toby makes fun of James, reminding him that as a red engine he's supposed to look splendid and ready for anything. An embarrassed James pretends he hadn't heard them. Percy and Toby take James back to Tidmouth Sheds where the Fat Controller is waiting. He commends Percy and Toby for their hard work and tells James he needs to be cleaned.

The Fat Controller awards Toby a new coat of paint and accepts Toby's request that Henrietta have one as well. Toby happily runs off to tell her the good news while James remains silent, knowing full well that he's the "dirty object".