Big Mickey

"Two cranes working in perfect harmony!" "Don't you mean three cranes? What?" "So NOW you speak? You've been standing there silent all these years, Big Mickey, and you've never said a single word!" "Well, you've never said a single word to me either!""

- Salty, Big Mickey and Cranky, New Crane on the Dock, twenty-first season

Big Mickey is a large hammerhead crane that works at Brendam Docks, alongside Cranky and Carly. He was originally a character from Thomas & Friends' sister show, TUGS.

Bio
When Big Mickey first arrived on Sodor, he was originally stationed at Knapford Harbour, where he used to work as seen during the third and fourth seasons. In the fourth season episode, Special Attraction, Big Mickey was fitted with a grapple bucket.

Later on in the fifth season, Big Mickey was moved to Brendam Docks. In the seventh season episode, Edward's Brass Band, Big Mickey was unloading a huge boiler from a ship. Suddenly, he swung the boiler, which caused it to knock Edward onto his side.

Later in the twenty-first season, he took everyone by surprise after not making communication with anyone for many years and became part of the dockside crew with Cranky and Carly.

Persona
As Big Mickey was said to be silent for a long time, mainly because Cranky has "never said a single word to him", very little is known about him (casting aside his known persona from TUGS), although it can be assumed that he is not the best at communicating, as Salty put it.

Basis
Big Mickey is based on a 350-ton Hammerhead crane. He most strongly resembles the US Navy's "League Island Crane" built in 1919 by the McMyler-Interstate Company for the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. At a height of 100 feet and a weight of 3,500 tons, it was the world's largest crane at the time. It was scrapped in 1996 following the yard's closure.

Livery
Big Mickey used to be painted in a light shade of grey during the third, fourth and fifth seasons. However, ever since his overhaul in the sixth season, he has been painted in a warm shade of grey.

On the set of TUGS (1989)
Big Mickey and his model were carried over from Thomas & Friends' sister show, TUGS. He was the yard's biggest crane and voiced by the late Timothy Bateson. Originally stationed at the Steel Company dock and later used by the Navy. In the episode Munitions, a fire causes his dock to collapse and he sinks. After the show's cancellation, his model was refurbished and modified with a warmer shade of grey paint and losing his megaphone.

Appearances
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Television Series

 * Season 3 - Thomas, Percy and the Dragon (faceless), Diesel Does it Again (faceless), No Joke for James (faceless), Thomas, Percy and the Post Train (faceless) and All at Sea (faceless)
 * Season 4 - Henry and the Elephant (faceless) and Special Attraction (faceless)
 * Season 5 - Cranky Bugs (faceless), Horrid Lorry (faceless), Put Upon Percy (faceless), Stepney Gets Lost (faceless), Something in the Air (faceless), Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach (faceless) and Make Someone Happy (faceless)
 * Season 6 - Salty's Secret (deleted scene; faceless), Harvey to the Rescue (faceless), No Sleep for Cranky (faceless), Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry (faceless), The Fogman (faceless), It's Only Snow (deleted scene; faceless), The World's Strongest Engine (faceless), Middle Engine (faceless), James and the Red Balloon (faceless), Gordon Takes a Tumble (faceless), Thomas, Percy and the Squeak (faceless) and Thomas the Jet Engine (faceless)
 * Season 7 - Bill, Ben and Fergus (faceless), Edward's Brass Band (faceless, not named; does not speak), What's the Matter with Henry? (faceless), The Spotless Record (faceless), Bad Day at Castle Loch (faceless), Salty's Stormy Tale (faceless), Something Fishy (faceless), Peace and Quiet (faceless) and Not So Hasty Puddings (faceless)
 * Season 8 - Thomas to the Rescue (faceless), James Gets a New Coat (faceless; cameo), Percy's Big Mistake (faceless), Thomas and the Circus (faceless), Fish (faceless) and Percy and the Magic Carpet (faceless)
 * Season 9 - Thomas and the Rainbow (faceless), Thomas and the Toy Shop (faceless), Thomas and the Birthday Picnic (faceless), Toby Feels Left Out (faceless), Thomas Tries His Best (faceless), Henry and the Flagpole (faceless) and Thomas' New Trucks (faceless)
 * Season 10 - Toby's Afternoon Off (faceless), Seeing the Sights (faceless), Edward Strikes Out (faceless) and Thomas and the Treasure (faceless)
 * Season 11 - Gordon and the Engineer (faceless), Smoke and Mirrors (faceless), Thomas Sets Sail (faceless), Hide and Peep (faceless), Thomas and the Runaway Car (faceless) and Percy and the Left Luggage (faceless)
 * Season 12 - Steady Eddie (faceless), Rosie's Funfair Special (faceless), Henry Gets it Wrong (faceless) Heave Ho Thomas! (faceless) and Tram Trouble (faceless)
 * Season 13 - Creaky Cranky (faceless), The Lion of Sodor (faceless), The Early Bird (faceless), Percy's Parcel (faceless), Thomas and the Runaway Kite (faceless), The Biggest Present of All (faceless) and Buzzy Bees (faceless)
 * Season 14 - Thomas' Tall Friend (faceless), Thomas in Charge (faceless), Merry Winter Wish (faceless), Henry's Magic Box (faceless), Thomas' Crazy Day (faceless) and Merry Misty Island (faceless)
 * Season 15 - Gordon and Ferdinand (faceless), Toby and Bash (faceless), Percy's New Friends (faceless), Happy Hiro (faceless), Up, Up and Away! (faceless), Henry's Happy Coal (faceless), Surprise, Surprise (faceless), Stop that Bus! (faceless) and Percy the Snowman (faceless)
 * Season 16 - Percy and the Monster of Brendam (faceless), Bust My Buffers! (faceless), Percy and the Calliope (faceless), Salty's Surprise (faceless), Sodor Surprise Day (faceless) and Happy Birthday Sir! (faceless)
 * Season 17 - Kevin's Cranky Friend (faceless), Henry's Hero (faceless), Not Now, Charlie! (faceless), Too Many Fire Engines (faceless), Santa's Little Engine (faceless), Away From the Sea (faceless), Gone Fishing (faceless), The Afternoon Tea Express (faceless), The Smelly Kipper (faceless) and No More Mr. Nice Engine (faceless)
 * Season 18 - Old Reliable Edward (faceless), Disappearing Diesels (faceless), Thomas the Quarry Engine (faceless), Missing Gator (faceless), No Steam Without Coal (faceless), Toad's Bright Idea (faceless), Long Lost Friend (faceless), Emily Saves the World (faceless) and Timothy and the Rainbow Truck (faceless)
 * Season 19 - Who's Geoffrey? (faceless), The Truth About Toby (faceless), Toad and the Whale (faceless), Salty All At Sea (faceless), A Cranky Christmas (faceless), Diesel's Ghostly Christmas (faceless), The Other Side of the Mountain (faceless), The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead (faceless), No Help at All (faceless), and Wild Water Rescue (faceless)
 * Season 20 - Henry Gets the Express (faceless), Diesel and the Ducklings (faceless), Bradford the Brake Van (faceless), Saving Time (faceless), Pouty James (faceless), Henry in the Dark (faceless) and All in Vain (faceless)
 * Season 21 - Dowager Hatt's Busy Day (cameo), Stuck in Gear (cameo), Cranky at the End of the Line (cameo), New Crane on the Dock, A Shed for Edward (cameo) and Emily in the Middle (faceless)
 * Other - Thomas & Friends in 4-D: Bubbling Boilers (faceless)

Specials: }}
 * Calling All Engines! (faceless)
 * The Great Discovery (faceless)
 * Hero of the Rails (faceless)
 * Misty Island Rescue (faceless)
 * Day of the Diesels (faceless)
 * Blue Mountain Mystery (faceless)
 * King of the Railway (faceless)
 * Tale of the Brave (faceless)
 * Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure (faceless)
 * The Great Race (faceless)
 * Journey Beyond Sodor (cameo)
 * Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie]

Voice Actors

 * Rob Rackstraw (UK/US)

Trivia

 * Big Mickey had many modifications throughout the television series. These include:
 * Season 3 (from TUGS):
 * He was repainted a warmer shade of grey.
 * His megaphone was removed.
 * Season 5:
 * His top railing became thinner.
 * His walkway became more detailed.
 * Season 6:
 * He had riveted steel sides.
 * His hoist end became covered.
 * His wheelhouse walkway became square.
 * He gained a new base.
 * Hero of the Rails
 * His crane arm became taller.
 * He became more cream coloured.
 * Season 21:
 * He gained a face.
 * In episodes of the twenty-first season prior to New Crane on the Dock, Big Mickey was always positioned facing away from the camera to hide his face.
 * Big Mickey is currently the only TUGS character to be referred to by their original name in Thomas & Friends.
 * Big Mickey is one of two characters to have been given a face after so many seasons being without one, the other one being Henrietta.

Merchandise

 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)