Near Miss (magazine story)

Near Miss is a magazine story.

Plot
One morning, a new buffet coach is added to the express. Duck shunts the coach into place and The Fat Controller tells Gordon to take extra special care of it. Gordon is delighted at the idea of passengers having tea or a meal on board his train.

Gordon does very well with the buffet coach but one day, he almost runs into trouble. One of the crossing gates is jammed and Bertie is sitting on the track watching his driver and the signalman trying to free it. Gordon sees Bertie and screeches to halt. The coaches lurch forward but Gordon stops just in time. He and Bertie are very relieved.

The passengers in the buffet coach are upset, however, as their food has been spilled. The guard explains and some passengers become more understanding but one man is still angry. After everything at the crossing is put right, the man complains to The Fat Controller. The Fat Controller informs the man that people could have been hurt and they are much more important than the man's food. The man is still not happy but Gordon is pleased The Fat Controller acted sensibly.

Character

 * Gordon
 * Duck
 * Bertie
 * Sir Topham Hatt