A printing system includes first and second marking engines in series which each include an image applying component for applying an image to print media and a fixing device for at least partially fixing the applied image. One or both marking engines are operable in first and second modes of operation. In the first mode, the fixing device at least partially fixes the image applied by the respective image applying component. In the second mode, the fixing device is used to further fix an image on the print media which has been applied by the image applying component of the other marking engine without an intermediate application of an image to the print media by the second image applying component. A processing component controls the marking engine to operate in a selected one of the first and second modes of operation.