Keeping Time (1992 magazine story)

Keeping Time is a magazine story.

Plot
Every morning, Bertie brings passengers from across the island to the main station for Gordon to take on the express. One day, Bertie does not find Gordon waiting for him and wonders where he is. The stationmaster informs Bertie that the express has already left and points to the station clock. The express leaves at nine o'clock and the clock, as well as the stationmaster's watch, reads five past nine.

Bertie is surprised he is late as the roads this morning were clear with very little traffic. Bertie's driver checks his own watch and says that it is just now nine o'clock. Some of the passengers check their watches too and agree. The stationmaster is shocked and says the station clock must be fast and that he had set his own watch by it earlier. The Fat Controller is informed of the issue and arranges for Henry to take an extra train for Bertie's passengers.

Some engineers are called to fix the clock. They discover some parts are old and dirty and soon replace them. The stationmaster sets his watch correctly and The Fat Controller decides to have every station clock on the railway cleaned. Next morning, Bertie is pleased to find Gordon waiting for him, who has been told about the issue with the clock. Gordon insists he is always on time and it is just the clocks that sometimes are not.

Characters

 * Gordon
 * Bertie
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Henry