THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS IN THIS BLOG POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF ZACK WANZER, NOT THE THOMAS FANDOM IN GENERAL
(special thanks to the Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the images)
Jock the New Engine
Written by Christopher Awdry
Illustrated by Clive Spong
Published August 6, 1990
In 1987, in The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways mentioned a fourth steam engine on the Arlesdale Railway alongside Mike, Rex, and Bert. Who is he? That's what we're about to find out!
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
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
The latest Railway Series book featuring the Arlesdale engines has been published, but Frank the diesel is not featured - since the Thin Clergyman wasn't aware of his presence - and he isn't happy about it at all. Next morning, he crashes into a shed support at the back of the shed, but later on, he makes up for it when Rex's steampipe leaks and Frank is the only engine who can help out. The Small Controller forgives Frank, but he doesn't want the diesel to do all the rescue work himself and comes up with a plan...
Now, the story takes place in 1967, but Frank is based upon Perkins' (his real life counterpart) 1984 rebuild. Unless Frank was intended to have a steam outline, his presence makes no sense; wouldn't it have worked better with Sigrid of Arlesdale, if she was featured? Further, the railway had acquired the Radio Control system from the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway around 1977, about a year after the last story takes place. I don't hate the story, but its timeline is extremely confused...
Now, the story takes place in 1967, but Frank is based upon Perkins' (his real life counterpart) 1984 rebuild. Unless Frank was intended to have a steam outline, his presence makes no sense; wouldn't it have worked better with Sigrid of Arlesdale, if she was featured? Further, the railway had acquired the Radio Control system from the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway around 1977, about a year after the last story takes place. I don't hate the story, but its timeline is extremely confused...
Rating: 6 out of 10
Poor Bert has been feeling unwell lately, but Rex and Mike are not sympathetic. Whilst his fitter gives his tubes a good clean, Bert learns from him about a new engine being built. On his return trip home, Bert's rear coupling breaks, and a comment from him gives the driver an idea by gluing Bert to the coaches with glue. Bert makes it home without further trouble, and he teases Rex and Mike for not having "sticking power" after telling them of his adventure.
This one is a good step up; at first, I thought that glue being used to keep a train coupled together was a bit... sketchy, but the way Bert's driver had done so was actually very clever and inventive. Also, Bert felt hurt when the others teased him, but in the end, he came out on top and got his own back with Rex and Mike.
This one is a good step up; at first, I thought that glue being used to keep a train coupled together was a bit... sketchy, but the way Bert's driver had done so was actually very clever and inventive. Also, Bert felt hurt when the others teased him, but in the end, he came out on top and got his own back with Rex and Mike.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Bert informs Mike and Rex about what he heard from his fitter, and they wonder what the Small Controller will name the new engine. A few weeks later, the new engine comes out for testing in a chartreuse yellow undercoat. When Douglas sees the engine, he recalls some engines from the Highland Railway in yellow who gained the nickname "Jocks", and so the Small Controller gives the new engine the name "Jock" to give his undercoat color some point.
Well, what do you know - looks like yellow isn't a silly color for an engine after all, is it? The Highland Railway was known for its yellow locomotives, as seen below:
On whole, it's a pretty simple story introducing Jock, and it does have some illustration mistakes here and there, which I'll discuss later on.
Well, what do you know - looks like yellow isn't a silly color for an engine after all, is it? The Highland Railway was known for its yellow locomotives, as seen below:
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Jock proves himself popular to the holidaymakers, and he becomes cocky about it, even more so when he moves a lorry's trailer into the yard by himself. The next day, Mike is surprised and annoyed that Jock is double-heading with him due to popular demand, and the red engine and his driver decide to teach Jock a lesson by shutting off Mike's steam to let Jock do all the work. At the Green, Jock has another reason to pull Mike when the red engine's injector fails. Afterwards, both engines apologize for their antics.
The story's pacing felt rather... rushed. So Jock becomes cocky after receiving a lot of praise, and later, he shifts a lorry's trailer by himself. Afterwards, Mike decides to show Jock up but his plan backfires on him, and Jock apologizes for being cocky. They could've spread it out to two stories, and the pacing would've been a little smoother. It's still a good story, but the pacing ought to slow down a little.
The story's pacing felt rather... rushed. So Jock becomes cocky after receiving a lot of praise, and later, he shifts a lorry's trailer by himself. Afterwards, Mike decides to show Jock up but his plan backfires on him, and Jock apologizes for being cocky. They could've spread it out to two stories, and the pacing would've been a little smoother. It's still a good story, but the pacing ought to slow down a little.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Stray Observations and Illustration Nitpicks
In We Need Another Engine, Frank crashes into the back of the shed facing forwards, but he hit the shed support backwards.
Despite what Sticking Power says, Bert is actually older than Rex and Mike; both are younger than him. In addition, Bert should have been rebuilt by the time the book took place.
Jock has a lot of illustration goofs:
Despite what Sticking Power says, Bert is actually older than Rex and Mike; both are younger than him. In addition, Bert should have been rebuilt by the time the book took place.
Jock has a lot of illustration goofs:
- Mike winked at Rex, but it's the other way around.
- In the fourth illustration, the coaches were visible beside Bert, but in the next illustration, they vanish! In said illustration, Duck is beside Douglas, but in the final illustration, he puffs away two lines across from Douglas.
- In the story, Jock's nameplate is seen before Douglas arrives, but the final illustrations don't show his nameplate. Thankfully, that was fixed in the 2013 reissue.
- Jock's yellow livery is said to be an undercoat, but his lining and other details were already painted on.
Overall
It sounds like I've been bashing the book, but honestly, I do think it's a good book, but it is significantly weaker than Small Railway Engines due to timeline goofs, wonky pacing, and various illustration errors. A bit of a shame that Clive Spong's illustration mistakes let this book down...
Overall Book Rating: 7.9 out of 10
The Railway Series Scorecard
1. The Three Railway Engines: 8.4
2. Thomas the Tank Engine: 9
3. James the Red Engine: 7.5
4. Tank Engine Thomas Again: 9.5
5. Troublesome Engines: 8.1
6. Henry the Green Engine: 8.4
7. Toby the Tram Engine: 9
8. Gordon the Big Engine: 8.6
9. Edward the Blue Engine: 9.3
10. Four Little Engines: 8.8
11. Percy the Small Engine: 8.9
12. The Eight Famous Engines: 8.8
13. Duck and the Diesel Engine: 8.5
14. The Little Old Engine: 8.9
15. The Twin Engines: 9.1
16. Branch Line Engines: 9.3
17. Gallant Old Engine: 9.3
18. Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine: 8.5
3. James the Red Engine: 7.5
4. Tank Engine Thomas Again: 9.5
5. Troublesome Engines: 8.1
6. Henry the Green Engine: 8.4
7. Toby the Tram Engine: 9
8. Gordon the Big Engine: 8.6
9. Edward the Blue Engine: 9.3
10. Four Little Engines: 8.8
11. Percy the Small Engine: 8.9
12. The Eight Famous Engines: 8.8
13. Duck and the Diesel Engine: 8.5
14. The Little Old Engine: 8.9
15. The Twin Engines: 9.1
16. Branch Line Engines: 9.3
17. Gallant Old Engine: 9.3
18. Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine: 8.5
19. Mountain Engines: 8.9
20. Very Old Engines: 9.1
21. Main Line Engines: 9
22. Small Railway Engines: 9.3
23. Enterprising Engines: 9.5
24. Oliver the Western Engine: 8.9
25. Duke the Lost Engine: 9.4
26. Tramway Engines: 9.1
27. Really Useful Engines: 8.3
28. James and the Diesel Engines: 7.5
29. Great Little Engines: 9
30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.5
31. Gordon the High-Speed Engine: 9.3
32. Toby, Trucks and Trouble: 9.1
33. Thomas and the Twins: 9.3
34. Jock the New Engine: 7.9
20. Very Old Engines: 9.1
21. Main Line Engines: 9
22. Small Railway Engines: 9.3
23. Enterprising Engines: 9.5
24. Oliver the Western Engine: 8.9
25. Duke the Lost Engine: 9.4
26. Tramway Engines: 9.1
27. Really Useful Engines: 8.3
28. James and the Diesel Engines: 7.5
29. Great Little Engines: 9
30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.5
31. Gordon the High-Speed Engine: 9.3
32. Toby, Trucks and Trouble: 9.1
33. Thomas and the Twins: 9.3
34. Jock the New Engine: 7.9
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