Big Strong Murdoch

**Big Strong Murdoch** is the seventeenth episode of the first season.

## Plot

Philip is a new engine that was recently brought to help on the Fat Controller's railway. He is a little diesel boxcab who is very bubbly and enthusiastic, but is still young and has a lot to learn. On Philip's first day, he challenged Gordon the big engine to a race and won, so he says, Philip has told lots of engines this already, but to Gordon, he finds it too irritating to listen to. One day, the Fat Controller had sent Philip to work at the docks, and when he got there, he was bumping trucks all over the place. The trucks groaned in every siding they were bumped into.

"Ow! Ow! Careful!" they cried. Porter could see Philip bumping and pulled up alongside him.

"Woah! Steady there." he called. "You could cause an accident."

"Oh, sorry." said Philip sheepishly, "I'm just **so** excited to be working here, I haven't worked here in a while."

Porter laughed. "I know you haven't, Philip." he said, "But we have work to do. Now come on."

"Okay." Philip replied and he got to work.

Philip had shunted a goods train for an engine to collect it, the engine was Murdoch, Philip gasped when he saw how big Murdoch was, he was long, he had orange paintwork and ten drive wheels. Philip quickly grew excited. "Wow!" he said astonished. "I've never seen a engine like that before." Philip then looked at the nameplate on the side of Murdoch. "So, his name is Murdoch? It must be." Philip thought to himself. Then he had an idea. "I know," he said, "maybe I could go and talk to him." And he pulled alongside Murdoch. Murdoch however was enjoying the peace and quiet, but not until Philip pulled up alongside him. "Hello Murdoch!" said Philip cheerily. "My name's Philip! I love racing! I love racing! Oh, and didn't you hear the race I had with Gordon? and guess what... I won!" he said.

Murdoch just rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Can you please be quiet?!" he asked loudly, "I can't stop to talk as I have to take this goods train to the Other Railway!" and Murdoch puffed away, leaving a down Philip behind.

Murdoch was chuffing happily through the countryside, he was enjoying the peace and quiet, he was very satisfied, he chuffed through Henry's Tunnel, and was approaching the Vicarstown Bridge, there he saw Hiro taking a goods train to Knapford Yards. "Hello Murdoch." Hiro whistled.

"Hello Hiro." replied Murdoch meekly.

"Isn't it a lovely day?" Hiro asked.

"Yes indeed." muttered Murdoch, but he didn't look happy. Hiro could see the expression on Murdoch's face.

"What's wrong, Murdoch?" asked the wise Japanese engine.

Murdoch sighed. "Today I met this boxy engine at the docks, he's so chatty and he never stops talking." he explained.

Hiro chuckled. "Well Murdoch." he said. "That's what little engines like that do."

"I know." said Murdoch. "But they can get so irritating sometimes."

"I have to agree with you there, Murdoch." Hiro steamed. "Anyway, I can't stop to talk, I have to take this train to Knapford Yards. I'll see you later." and Hiro puffed away. So did Murdoch who continued on his way to the Other Railway.

Meanwhile, Philip was shunting in the yards, he kept thinking about Murdoch. "That engine is amazing." Philip said to himself. "He is very strong, like me." but Philip wasn't really strong, he just likes to show the other engines that he can be. Then Philip heard a whistle, he knew who it was, his face brightened and was eager to see him. "It's him!" he cried out aloud. Murdoch had chuffed into the yard to collect another train so he could take it to the docks. Philip had to shunt his train for him, but Philip was too excited to shunt the train and he instead raced over to Murdoch, who was unaware of Philip's surroundings. "Hey Murdoch!" cried Philip. "Look at me, I'm very strong." and he coupled up to a long line of empty trucks. "Look how many trucks I can pull!" he bragged, but Murdoch just simply rolled his eyes.

"I don't care how many trucks you've got and just please shunt my train." Murdoch snapped.

"Oh... o-okay." Philip stammered and he shunted Murdoch's goods train into place quickly, Murdoch puffed away leaving Philip sad and down.

That evening, Murdoch backed into Knapford Sheds, he was thinking about Philip because of how chatty he was, Harvey saw the unhappy expression on his face, he cocked an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Murdoch?" asked Harvey.

Murdoch sighed. "Today I met this boxy diesel and he is so irritating." he explained.

Harvey understood Murdoch. "I see," the crane engine muttered, "I'm sure he won't be annoying you if you stay doing your jobs all day." This gave Murdoch an idea.

"Harvey, you're right, I will stay doing my jobs tomorrow." he said confidently. Harvey was pleased that his plan had worked.

The next morning, Murdoch woke up so he could do his jobs. He arrived at the docks where the Fat Controller was waiting. "Murdoch," he said, "I want you to take a goods train to the Other Railway."

"Yes sir." said Murdoch quietly and he chuffed away to the yards. Murdoch arrived at the yards and he waited for Sidney to shunt his train. "Well at least that boxy little diesel won't be shunting my train today." he sighed, but as Murdoch was waiting, Sidney had not arrived. Murdoch was beginning to grow impatient. "Where is that diesel?" he thought. At last Sidney arrived.

"Sorry Murdoch." Sidney panted. "I forgot where your goods train was." Murdoch just rolled his eyes and puffed away quickly. "Wait a minute, did those trucks just move on their own?" thought Sidney. "And who was that engine pulling them?" Murdoch was chuffing along the line as fast as he could, he wanted to make sure that Philip wasn't around. "Philip isn't here." he chuffed to himself. "Well, I'm fine." said Murdoch and he continued on his way.

Philip was sent to the docks again that night and now he had to shunt the Flying Kipper for Henry, but Philip couldn't find the Flying Kipper anywhere and Henry had already arrived, Henry could see that the Flying Kipper wasn't there. "Come on, Philip!" Henry puffed impatiently. "I need to pull the Flying Kipper or else I'm going to be late." Philip had finally found the Flying Kipper, but he felt quite tired.

"Here you go Henry." Philip wheeshed.

"Finally, I can deliver the fish." Henry snorted and he chuffed away. But Philip was still thinking about Murdoch however, he started to feel like he'd never see him again.

The next day, Philip was back in the yards again, he was very sad as he bumped the trucks into sidings, but he bumped them too hard, plus causing them to crash through the buffers. "Oop, sorry." Philip muttered. Stanley was shunting trucks nearby and he could see Philip looking sad, he wanted to know why.

"What's wrong, Philip?" Stanley asked. "You're usually bright and cheery, not down and miserable."

Philip sighed. "It's Murdoch," he muttered, "I'm trying to be his friend, but he doesn't seem to like me." the boxcab explained.

Stanley could see Philip's problem. "Philip!" exclaimed Stanley. "The reason why Murdoch doesn't like you is probably because as you're a boisterous little boxcab, Murdoch is a quiet and peaceful tender engine." he explained. "He prefers the peace then the noise."

"What! Really?" asked Philip who was a little confused.

"Yes of course." chuckled Stanley, "sorry Philip, but I can't stop to talk to you." he said. "I have shunting to do, I'll see you later Philip." and Stanley carried on shunting. Philip also carried on shunting all day still thinking about Murdoch.

"I only want to show him that I'm strong." he said miserably.

A while later, Murdoch was at Knapford Sheds resting up until his next goods run was coming up, then the Fat Controller arrived. "Murdoch, I need you to go and get Rocky." he said. "An accident has occurred down near Henry's Tunnel."

"Yes, sir." Murdoch said and he steamed away to get Rocky. He arrived at the Search and Rescue centre. "Rocky!" Murdoch exclaimed. "There's apparently been an accident at Henry's Tunnel."

"Yes, I know." Rocky replied, "That's why the search and rescue alarm went off."

"Oh." Murdoch said. "Anyway, let's get going." and Murdoch chuffed away. The engine who had the accident was BoCo, the troublesome trucks were up to their tricks again. Murdoch arrived at the scene of the accident. BoCo groaned meekly.

"Ow." he muttered.

"Don't worry, BoCo." said Rocky, "I'm here to put you back on track again."

"Thanks, Rocky." BoCo replied, feeling quite hurt. Rocky had finally lifted BoCo back onto the tracks. BoCo was pleased.

"Thanks you two." he said, still a bit damaged. "But I can't move on now." he sighed.

"Don't worry, BoCo, I'll take you to the dieselworks." Murdoch steamed.

"Oh thanks, Murdoch." replied a meek BoCo. After all of BoCo's trucks were put back onto the tracks. Murdoch shunted BoCo to the Dieselworks.

An hour later, Murdoch was resting in a siding. Toby pulled up beside him. "Hello Murdoch." said the brown tram engine energetically. "What's up with you? You look annoyed."

"Oh, Toby." said Murdoch. "Today I met this boxy diesel called Philip and he is so loud and irritating." he explained.

Toby laughed, "Oh, Murdoch, I know all about Philip, at first he mistook me for a diesel boxcab like him."

"What, really?" Murdoch asked.

"Yes!" giggled Toby, "And he was so overwhelming, he even made me race him because Henrietta said that I'm too old to race."

"But you're Toby." Henrietta retorted. "You're one of the oldest engines on Sodor."

"I know Henrietta." huffed Toby and he turned to talk to Murdoch again. "Anyway Murdoch about Philip," he began, "It took a while for me to try and become his friend and I did in the end." he explained. Murdoch could see Toby's explanation.

"I see now." the big orange engine sighed gently.

"Besides that Murdoch." said Toby. "I can't stop to talk, I have to take the quarry workers home for their tea. I'll see you later." and Toby puffed away.

"See you Toby." called Murdoch, but he was still feeling annoyed, but a little pleased. Philip however was still shunting trucks in the yard, his eyes sighted on Murdoch and he grew very enthusiastic.

"There he is!" he cried enthusiastically and he raced up alongside him, though he suddenly remembered what Stanley had said, he felt a little worried. "Hello Murdoch." Philip said quietly, Murdoch looked at him and snorted.

"Oh, it's you again." he muttered. "What do you want?"

Philip took a deep breath and sighed. "Murdoch," Philip said, "I was just wondering, but can we be friends?" the little boxcab asked quietly.

Murdoch smiled and laughed. "Oh, Philip, I am your friend." he said. Philip was confused.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes of course." Murdoch chuckled. "The reason why I didn't want to talk to you is because you were being very chatty and loud and I prefer the peace and quiet." he explained.

"I know," said Philip, "I can be quiet too you know." he said.

"I know, Everyone can." steamed Murdoch. "Now I have to take a goods train to the yard at Tidmouth station, can you shunt my goods train for me please?" Murdoch asked kindly.

"Yeah, sure." said Philip and he raced away to fetch Murdoch's goods train, feeling quite glad that Murdoch was finally his friend. Philip had shunted Murdoch's goods train for him and Murdoch chuffed deliberately away.

Philip and Murdoch are now good friends, they talk to each other every time they meet, even if Philip was being a bit too loud. "Hello Murdoch!" called Philip, "Goodbye Murdoch!" Murdoch rolled his eyes and smiled. "Goodbye Murdoch! GOODBYE!!" shouted Philip as he raced into the distance far away.

## Characters

* Henry
* Toby
* Harvey
* Murdoch
* Stanley
* Hiro
* Porter
* BoCo
* Sidney
* Philip
* Henrietta
* Rocky
* The Fat Controller
* Douglas (*cameo*)
* Arthur (*cameo*)
* Charlie (*cameo*)
* Belle (*cameo*)
* Salty (*cameo*)
* Paxton (*cameo*)
* Stafford (*cameo*)
* Cranky (*cameo*)
* Gordon (*mentioned*)

## Locations

* Knapford Yards
* Brendam Docks
* Henry's Tunnel
* Vicarstown Bridge
* Knapford Sheds
* Sodor Search and Rescue Centre
* The Mainland (*mentioned*)
* The Other Railway (*mentioned*)
* Tidmouth (*mentioned*)

## Trivia

* This episode is similar to the twentieth season episode *Toby's New Friend*.
* This episode marks the first of two things:
	+ Philip's first appearance in The Adventures on Sodor and his only appearance in the first season.
	+ Henrietta's first speaking role and her only speaking role in the first season as well.