Bill, Ben, and BoCo

## Episode Overview

### Writer

Rev. W. Awdry, Britt Allcroft, David Maidment, Andrew Brenner, & David Mitton (*original*)
Jacobacranmer (*adaptation*)

## Release Details

### Number

72

**Bill, Ben, and BoCo** is the thirteenth episode of the Engine Friends miniseries.

## Plot

Bill and Ben are tank engine twins who work at a china clay quarry. Their jobs are to take the china clay in trucks along the main line for engines and ships.

One day, Bill and Ben arrange some trucks and leave to pick up more, but return to find them gone. Their drivers find a patch of oil on the ground and realise a diesel is responsible for taking the trucks. Mishearing this as "diseasel," the twins argue who is responsible stating that "coughs and sneezles spread diseasels." The drivers stop the twins from arguing and make a plan to get the trucks back which involves removing the twins identifying plates and making them identical.

The twins find the trucks in a yard, with a large green diesel at the front. Ben hides behind, with Bill going forward to demand the trucks back. The diesel claims the trucks are his and tries to shoo Bill away, but when Bill disappears Ben rides forward surprising the diesel (thinking it's the same engine). This continues for a while, causing the diesel to get dizzy. The twins then reveal themselves to him.

Edward arrives at the scene and asks what Bill and Ben are doing there. They explain that the "dieseasel" stole their trucks, but Edward scolds them for their rudeness. The twins apologise and the diesel forgives them. He introduces himself as BoCo and explains that he got his trucks mixed up with Bill and Ben's. Edward then sends the twins to pick up BoCo's trucks.

After the two leave, Edward tells BoCo that Bill and Ben do not mean any harm but can be maddening at times. BoCo laughs and replies that "maddening is the word."

Later, Bill and Ben are sent to help in the yard at Wellsworth. When the arrive they tease BoCo like usual, and then start shunting. Soon they finish and as a reward for their hard work, they are allowed to have a go on the turntable.

Bill goes first and stays on the table until the foreman orders him off. Unfortunately, Bill is sent onto the same line as Ben, and they end up buffer to buffer. They argue about who is in whose way until the Fat Controller finally silences both of them.

Each blames the other for the incident, and the next day, they decide to give each other the silent treatment and badmouth one another to BoCo and Edward. Eventually, Edward and BoCo, at the end of their tether, make a plan to get Bill and Ben back to together, their plan is then carried on to the Fat Controller.

The Fat Controller tells the twins to take BoCo's heavy goods train, and Ben claims to be able to pull it himself. When he discovers the train is too heavy for him, the twins realise their mistake and work together to pull the train, therefore making up for their quarrel.

One day, Bill and Ben indeed become very naughty and argue over who has rights to some trucks in front of them. When BoCo shows up he tells the twins to stop quarrelling and tries to warn the two of getting in trouble with the Fat Controller, but the two ignore him and collide into each other at the points when they both try to take the trucks. The Fat Controller eventually intervenes and warns Bill and Ben to behave better, and then decides to send a diesel to help them, and hopes that he will make a good impression. BoCo also suggests that the twins just simply go back to work right away. Meanwhile, the Fat Controller has doubts about the idea, as he is concerned that the new diesel may have teething troubles more than confusion.

The Fat Controller is right; the new diesel, Derek, is having issues while going up Gordon's Hill, and, while halfway up his engine coughs causing black smoke to billow out of his exhaust. BoCo is then prompted to rescue him, who apologises for the breakdown and explains he has teething troubles. The news soon spreads, and Thomas explains the issue was caused by a malfunctioning cooling system, which is called "teething troubles". Percy misunderstands Thomas, and thinks this means the diesel has "toothache." Percy then tells Bill and Ben about Derek and wishes them good luck, as they know they need another to help out. The manager then arrives and sends the twins to take their loads from the quarry to the docks, where they will be resting as there is hard work to be done the next morning.

That evening, Bill and Ben take their loads to sidings by the quay and head off to the sheds where Duck is resting. Duck, noticing the twins' worried looks, tells the twins that "teething troubles" means that Derek is new but is having frequent breakdowns, making the twins even more nervous.

The next day, Bill and Ben prepare their load of trucks until Derek arrives at the Clay Pits and helps the twins with a long train of China Clay trucks by pushing from behind with Bill and Ben pulling at the front. However, during the journey, they come to a hill and another breakdown from Derek occurs from overheating. Bill and Ben pull him and the trucks and it works.

That night, the Fat Controller arrives at the sheds and congratulates Bill and Ben for their hard work and explains that Derek is sent to the works. Bill and Ben agree to manage their work alone, and apologise to BoCo for being rude and, explain that Derek was very friendly. Then Duck explains that friends always say goodnight to each other, and so they do, but all four engines still talk about Derek and his teething troubles all night long.

## Characters

* Thomas
* Edward
* Percy
* Duck
* Bill and Ben
* BoCo
* Derek
* Sir Topham Hatt
* Jem Cole (*cameo*)

## Locations

* Knapford Harbour
* Wellsworth
* Sodor China Clay Company
* Suddery Junction
* Arlesburgh Harbour
* Three Tier Bridge
* Sir Topham Hatt's Office
* Shunting Yards
* Brendam Docks
* Gordon's Hill

## Trivia

* This episode is an adaptation of the second season episode, *The Dieseasel*, the third season episode, *One Good Turn*, and the fifth season episode *Double Teething Troubles*.

**Engine Friends**