Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
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This article is about the characters. You may be looking for the episode or the Story Library book.

Mighty and Mac, collectively known as Mighty Mac, are a blue double-ended engine and conjoined twins. Despite the opposing personalities of the two ends, they are technically one engine.

Biography

Prior to their adoption into the Skarloey Railway family, Mighty Mac had only worked in the shunting yards. Their lack of knowledge beyond their boundaries created much conflict between the two halves (for example, which end is in charge of doing what) when they pulled their first train, which placed themselves and their passengers in great danger whilst running an important errand. But, with advice from Thomas in mind, they were able to complete their task and realise the value of working as one.[1]

Personalities

Mighty Mac are two beings in one engine. He is Mighty on one end and Mac on the other- making them one of the most unusual engines working on the Skarloey Railway. When they work together, Mighty Mac is the strongest engine on the Railway. But when they do not, Mighty and Mac pull each other backwards and forwards, only to end up right where they began. Mighty is usually more talkative of the two, while Mac is usually not talking unless spoken to, and cheerfully peeping in. Mighty has a deeper voice and is more humble, but he also bares a more gentle giant side, and Mac has a higher voice and is more straightforward with what he is saying. Mighty also can be more informative and helpful as he helped Freddie with Mr. Percival's bike. The twins are still kind unless they feel threatened, and will not be afraid to speak up for themselves.

Technical Details

Basis

Mighty Mac is based on a Ffestiniog Railway Double Fairlie engine. Little Giant shares the same class.

Mighty Mac has been modified in order to work on the Skarloey Railway. Whereas their original basis was built to 1 ft 11 1⁄2 gauge, Mighty Mac was built to 2ft 3in gauge and they have been given bufferbeams, buffers and screw-link couplings in order to work with the other engines and rolling stock.

Livery

Mighty and Mac are painted reflex blue with yellow and red lining. On Mighty's side, his cab windows and tank caps are lined with yellow, while on Mac's side, they are lined with red.

Appearances

Audio Files

Whistles

Mighty

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 9 Series 9
Series 10 Mountain Marvel
Series 11 Read and Play!

In the mobile app Read and Play!, Mighty has two alternate versions of his regular whistle sound: one at one step lower in pitch, and another at three steps lower in pitch.

Only used Sound Effect
Read and Play!

Mac

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 9 Series 9
Series 10 Mountain Marvel
Series 11 Series 11

In the mobile app Read and Play!, Mac has his regular whistle sound at a step lower in pitch.

Only used Sound Effect
Read and Play!

Trivia

  • Mighty Mac's creation may have been influenced by Little Giant, a dropped character from the sixth series who shared the same basis and a similar traits.
  • Mighty Mac was the first narrow gauge engine introduced to the television series to have neither a 0-4-0 or 0-4-2 wheel arrangement.
  • Mighty is the only engine to have hair on top of his face.
  • Mighty Mac has a whistle at both ends of their model, unlike most real Double Fairlies.
  • Mighty Mac's whistle sounds have also been used elsewhere in the series:
    • Mighty's original whistle sound from the ninth series was later reused for Bert and Rebecca, albeit at a step higher in pitch.
    • Mac's original whistle sound from the ninth series was later reused for Rex.
    • In the tenth series and Mountain Marvel, Mighty Mac share Sir Handel's current whistle.
    • Mighty Mac's eleventh series whistle sounds are Harvey's current whistle sound from the twelfth series onwards, but at ten steps higher pitched (Mighty) and twelve steps higher-pitched (Mac) respectively, before Harvey's current whistle sound was first heard and used.
  • Mighty Mac is the only new vehicle character introduced between the ninth and tenth series not to be mentioned in the song There's Always Something New.
  • In the German dub since the tenth series, Mighty Mac has been called Big Mac, which is also the same name of a character from TUGS.
    • In the ninth series, they were called Mac Nic.
  • Mighty Mac is the first narrow gauge character not to have a small-scale O gauge model.
  • Mighty Mac's television series model used to be on display at Drayton Manor Theme Park.
  • Mark Moraghan gave Mighty Mac cockney accents in the mobile app Read and Play!

Merchandise

References


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