Thomas & Friends: Power Shovel
Chapter 2: Two's Better Than One
It was a beautiful and sunny morning on the Island of Sodor. All of the engines were doing their jobs, and being really useful on the Fat Controller's railway. But not everyone was really useful on the rails. In the Ffarquhar Quarry, Becky the Diesel Cable Shovel was hard at working filling trucks full of stone that were to be hauled off to the mainland.
That morning, Sir Topham Hatt came to see Becky in the quarry, "Becky, it is good to see you doing well, you are a really useful cable shovel," said the Fat Controller, "I feel that your job is most challenging, and you may need help to do your tasks, so a new shovel is coming from the mainland her name is Marcy," Becky beamed with excitement.
"How wonderful!" Becky exclaimed at the big news of the new arrival on Sodor,
"We can always use more helping shovels around here," said Mavis happily to the big news,
"That's true, the stone around here can't dig itself," said Becky
Becky proved herself to be a workhorse in the quarry. Later that morning, Becky was filling up trucks with stone when she was greeted by a new friend. Marcie was a dashing diesel shovel just like her but with parallel black, red, and grey paintwork. Thomas and Edward pulled in the shovel to the quarry, "Hello Becky, this is Marcy," said Thomas,
"How'd you do?" asked Marcy to Becky, the two shovels look nearly identical. They had the same 'shovel-faces', and moved around on steel tracks. It appeared the two cable shovels would become good friends, but their strength was soon to be tested. Early that afternoon, Sir Topham Hatt arrived. He had a big task for the two diesel shovels.
"Marcy, I see you have met Becky, now I have a special task for the two of you," said the Fat Controller,
"You two are to dig up stone to repair an old trestle, I need for you to work together," he instructed,
"You got it, let's do this, Marcy," Becky said, confident in Marcy's strength as a shovel just like her
"You can count on us, Mr. Controller," said Marcy, and off to work they went. Line after line of trucks were filled with rock and stone for the damaged trestle. The two of them enjoyed working together, digging up the stone and filling them into waiting trucks. Then there was trouble, they dug so well that they had dug too much stone for the trestle.
Sir Topham Hatt came to see them. He was cross, "Becky, Marcy, you've both caused confusion and delay, you have dug up enough stone for the trestle, but you both dug up too much, now the railway is blocked, and I need you both to clear the way," he said to the cable shovels, Becky and Marcy felt silly. They did not pay attention to their work.
"Yes, Mr. Controller," Marcy sighed,
"That's Sir Topham Hatt to you, Marcy," he reminded them before making his leave,
"Don't worry Marcy, we all make mistakes, it's all a part of working around here," Becky said to comfort her,
All the stone had to be scooped up, and hauled back to the quarry to be used for another day. That next day, Sir Topham Hatt came to see Marcy and Becky, "Marcy, I have news for you," He said, Marcy was nervous. She did not want to go back to the mainland. The Fat Controller then smiled, "the Blue Mountain Quarry is looking for a shovel"
Marcy was delighted at the opportunity given to her, "Thank you so very much Mr. Controller...I mean Sir Topham Hatt!" with that, Marcy was put on a flatcar and she nuzzled her shovel with Becky's, "don't worry, I'll try and come visit sometime," said Marcy, although their time to bond was short, a friendship did grow between the cable shovels.
"I hoped we could have spent more time together," said Becky,
"I know, but look at it this way, you're not the only diesel shovel on Sodor," replied Marcy,
"You never know, maybe they'll call on both of us for another job," reassured Becky as the two of them nuzzled buckets
Marcy was met by Merrick and Owen, "Oh? You're our new shovel? Welcome to the Blue Mountain Quarry, I'm Merrick and this is Owen," said the gantry crane, "well, aren't you a dashing shovel? Let's see if you got the brawn to go with that bucket," Marcy scooped up heaps of slate, crowding, hoisting, and swung her bucket to the waiting trucks.
Marcy hoped she would see Becky again one day. Marcy found her place in the Blue Mountain Quarry just like Becky found hers at Ffarquahr Quarry. They worked hard to be really useful. Every scoop they made and dumped into troublesome trucks, they felt they could move mountains. If there is a site that needs digging, call on Marcy and Becky.
Character Profile
Name: Marcy
Engine-Machine Type: Marion 111-M Cable Shovel
Original Home: New Athens, Ohio
Workplace: Blue Mountain Quarry
Paintwork: black, red, and grey. Her cab and house are red and grey. Her catwalk is painted black. Her boom stick and bucket are also black.
Personality: Coming from an iron ore mine in New Athens, Ohio, Marcy works hard but doesn't always have an off switch and often digs herself into trouble. Still, she proves her strength everyday with her bucket as she lifts loads of slate at the Blue Mountain Quarry. She's Becky's best friend, and some would say her 'sister'.
Likes: Birds (songbirds like sparrows are her favorites), digging and being really useful in the quarry or on a digging site
Dislikes: Diesel 10
Friends: Becky (her best friend), Mavis, Thomas, Marion (friendly rival)