Jock the New Engine

"Well, go on. Aren't you going to impress us with your thoughts after all?"

- Mike

Jock the New Engine is the thirty-fourth book of the Railway Series.

Foreword
Dear Friends,

The Arlesdale Railway is a narrow-gauge line which runs inland along a beautiful valley. It starts at the terminus of Duck's branch line, and Duck and Oliver bring many visitors. So many, in fact, that Rex, Bert and Mike found that they couldn't carry them all on their own. And that was why Jock was built. I like Jock - I hope you will too.

The Author

We Need Another Engine
Small Railway Engines has just been published, but the Thin Clergyman, unaware of Frank the diesel's presence on the Arlesdale Railway, did not include him, much to Frank's fury. Frank refuses to start the next morning, and when he does, he jerks into the back of the shed. Frank feels ashamed, but redeems himself later when Rex's steampipe leaks and he has to rescue Rex's train. The Small Controller is pleased, but doesn't want Frank to have to do all the rescue work and starts thinking...

Sticking Power
Bert is feeling under the weather; Rex and Mike are very unsympathetic. The problem is attributed to his tubes, but Bert cheers up when the fitter tells him that a new engine is being built. Bert makes good time, but when he starts again his coupling breaks. The driver has an idea and glues Bert to the coaches with glue. In the shed, Bert tells the others of his adventure and goes to sleep after teasing the others about not having "sticking-power".

Jock
Bert lets the others in on his secret. A few weeks later, the unnamed engine, who is ochre in colour, comes out for testing. When Douglas sees the engine, he recalls some engines in the Highlands with that colour who were called "Jocks". The engine is delighted, and the happy Small Controller christens the engine "Jock".

Teamwork
By the time the holiday months come again, Jock has proven his worth and becomes cocky, more so when he single-handedly moves a lorry's trailer into the yard. Next day, Mike is surprised to find Jock is double-heading with him due to popular demand. Mike has an idea, and his driver gradually shuts off steam, leaving Jock to do the work. At the Green, Mike's injector fails, giving Jock another reason to pull Mike. In the end, little time is lost, and Jock and Mike apologise for their antics.

Characters

 * Douglas
 * Bert
 * Rex
 * Mike
 * Jock
 * Frank
 * The Small Controller
 * Ivan Farrier
 * Duck (does not speak)
 * Oliver (mentioned)
 * The Highland Engines (mentioned)
 * The Thin Clergyman (mentioned)

Trivia

 * Christopher Awdry acknowledged the late Mr. Douglas Ferreira, long time manager of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway and the help given by members of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Preservation Society in the preparation of this book.
 * This is Rex's final appearance in the Railway Series. He is present during the events of Wilbert the Forest Engine, but is not physically shown in any illustrations.

Goofs

 * Bert should have had to be in his rebuilt form by the time of this book.
 * In "We Need Another Engine", the text says that Frank crashed into the back of the shed whilst going forwards, but the illustrations show him going backwards.
 * In "Sticking Power," it is said that Bert is younger than Rex and Mike, but he is significantly older than both of them.
 * In "Jock":
 * The illustrations of Rex and Mike are the opposite to the text. The text mentions that Mike winked to Rex, but in the illustration it is Rex who was winking. The text also says that Rex is disappointed at Bert's description about what is going on the workshop, but in the illustration it is Mike who looks disappointed.
 * In the fourth illustration, coaches are visible beside Bert, but in the next illustration they disappear.
 * In the fifth illustration, Duck is beside Douglas, but in the final illustration, he is puffing away two lines across from Douglas. What's more, Duck appears to have lost his numberplate.
 * Jock's name is seen written on the nameplate before Douglas arrives. This goof is fixed in reissues of the book from 2007 onwards, where the writing is removed, leaving a blank nameplate.
 * The rear end of Jock's tender is curved like the front, but in "Teamwork", it is not.
 * It is said that Jock's yellow livery is just an undercoat, but he already has his lining and other details painted on.
 * Jock is missing his brakepipe.
 * In the third illustration of "Teamwork", Mike's buffers change from round to oval.
 * The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways mentions that the Arlesdale Railway adapted the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway's radio control system, which began working on it since 1977. However, in "We Need Another Engine", which takes place ten years earlier in 1967, the radio control system seems to be present.

Quotes

 * Bert: Do you know what I think?
 * Mike: News to me that you could, Bert.
 * Bert: I suppose it would be, never having done any yourself.


 * Bert: Something is going on in the workshop.
 * Rex: Work?