Bill and Ben

## Bill & Ben

**Bill** and **Ben** are saddle tank engine twins belonging to the Sodor China Clay Company. They are young and cheeky and love playing jokes on the bigger engines, but Edward and BoCo are known to discipline them.

They woked at the china clay works and at Brendam, until they were destroyed by a rock slide. The two engines were relocated to the Ffarquhar Quarry with Mavis. After the clay pits were reconstructed, the twins were relocated back to their original home.

## Biography

One day, Bill and Ben returned from shunting some trucks to find that some other trucks they had shunted earlier were missing. Their drivers - after examining a puddle of oil on the ground - concluded a diesel was responsible. After the twins argued over who brought the "diseasel" into the yard, the drivers suggested they go looking for the diesel. The twins were horrified at the possibility that the "diseasel" might magic them away as he did with the trucks, but their drivers quickly persuaded them otherwise and so they set off.

At last, the twins found the "diseasel". While Ben ran behind, Bill confronted the "diseasel" over the theft. The "diseasel" claimed the trucks were his and ordered Bill to "go away"; Bill pretended to be frightened and slunk away, remarking, "You'll be sorry". With that, Ben ran up and accused the "diseasel" of being a "truck stealer", before running back so Bill could run up again. This continued until the "diseasel" - under the impression that there was only one very swift and annoying saddletank - became so giddy that his eyes "nearly popped out", just as the twins puffed up beside him. The "diseasel" was initially confused, but then laughed at his ignorance. When Edward arrived moments later (inquiring as to why Bill and Ben were not shunting), the twins angrily claimed that the "diseasel" had sneaked into their yard and stolen their trucks. Edward soon realised what was going on and explained the situation. The twins became embarrassed and apologised to the diesel, who asked to be called BoCo and then left to shunt some more trucks, leaving Edward and BoCo to laugh about the incident.

A few days later, after BoCo took the Express in James' absence, Edward recounted what Gordon had said about branch lines to the twins. The next morning, after Gordon ended up at Brendam after a series of events involving poor preparations and a large floppy green hat, the twins sneaked up beside him and loudly recounted what Gordon had said about branch lines. Concluding that the engine beside them could not be Gordon, the two declared he was nothing more than a pile of old scrap-iron and began to contemplate what they should do (Bill was all for sending Gordon to be scrapped, while Ben favoured the more humane option of dumping him in the sea), all the while ignoring Gordon's protests until BoCo arrived. Gordon begged him to save him and so BoCo threatened the twins to leave with the trucks he had brought. The twins quickly left, leaving Gordon with BoCo. BoCo wisely neglected to tell Gordon the twins were joking.

Sometime later, a group of enthusiasts came to visit the railways of Sodor. When Edward brought them to Brendam, the twins took them to the China Clay Workings in a brake van special.

## Personality

Bill and Ben are Sodor's most mischievous saddle tank engine twins, who have great fun in teasing and playing jokes on other engines of the railway. The two have four wheels, a tiny chimney and dome and a small squat cab. They often work in the China Clay pits and quarries. Their loads of clay can be used for many things such as paper, paint and pottery. They take trucks for engines on the mainline and ships in the harbour and are regularly seen around Brendam Docks. They enjoy attention and love taking visitors and being photographed. They tend to work together, like most twins, but even this youthful pair can have their arguments among themselves and can squabble with one another - particularly about whose fault one of their follies was. They are highly prone to playing tricks and being cheeky. They have even teased Gordon on more than one occasion. Duck has called them "the bees" before, for being terrors when they start buzzing around. Edward and BoCo are the only engines who can really keep them in order enough to put a stop to their games and make them scamper along and behave. There is no real harm to them, but even Edward admits that they are maddening at times. Bill appears to be the quicker-witted leader, while Ben seems to be the follower of the pair.

Despite their cheeky and mischievous antics, if a dangerous event occurs, such as a rockslide, they are shown to be quick-witted and capable to act to rescue anyone in trouble. This was shown when they saved a group of workmen and Thomas from many rockslides. The two also usually try to keep their jokes from becoming harmful, and will show remorse if their cheeky antics go too far and like all engines on the North Western Railway, they want to be Really Useful.