List of Thomas & Friends railway engines
This article lists, and also profiles, the regular Engine characters of the Television Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. It should be noted that, while many characters have appeared in both the TV series and The Railway Series by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry, only characters who have appeared in the TV series have been profiled on this page. Also, in the case where a character has appeared in both series, only the TV Series aspect has been covered.
List of characters
Engines listed in order of first major appearance in the series. However, Narrow Gauge engines have been placed after Standard Gauge.
It should be noted that characters only appearing in Thomas and the Magic Railroad and Calling All Engines are considered "movie-only characters", as they have no influence on the television series at all. Also, although some engines have numbers which are not listed, these numbers mean nothing to the running of the railways on Sodor, and as such have not been listed.
| Name | Number | Introduced in... | Type of engine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas | No.1 | Season 1 | LBSCR E2 0-6-0T |
| Gordon | No.4 | Season 1 | LNER class A3 4-6-2 tender engine |
| Edward | No.2 | Season 1 | D20 4-4-0 tender engine |
| Henry | No.3 | Season 1 | LMS "Black 5" 4-6-0 tender engine |
| James | No.5 | Season 1 | LMS Jinty(3F) tender version |
| Percy | No.6 | Season 1 | Altered version of GWR Trojan |
| Toby | No.7 | Season 1 | J70 tram 0-6-0T |
| Duck | No.8 | Season 2 | GWR 57xx class 0-6-0PT |
| Diesel | None | Season 2 | Class 08 "Gronk" 0-6-0 |
| Donald & Douglas | No.9 & No.10 | Season 2 | Caledonian Railway 812 Class |
| Daisy | No.2 | Season 2 | Class 101 railcar |
| Bill & Ben | No.13 & No.14 ^ | Season 2 | Bagnall 0-4-0ST |
| Boco | No.5702 | Season 2 | BR Class 28 Co-Bo |
| Mavis | No.1 | Season 3 | Class 04 tram 0-6-0 |
| Oliver | No.11 | Season 3 | GWR 14xx class 0-4-2T |
| 'Arry & Bert | None ('Arry) and No.3 (Bert) | Season 5 | BR Class 08 diesel-electric "Gronk" 0-6-0 |
| Salty | No.2991 | Season 6 | BR Class 07 0-6-0 diesel-hydraulic |
| Harvey | No. 27 | Season 6 | "Dubs" 0-4-0T crane engine |
| Emily | No.12 | Season 7 | Stirling Single 4-2-2 tender engine |
| Fergus | None | Season 7 | Aveling & Porter 0-4-0 TG. Based on 'Blue Circle'. |
| Arthur | None | Season 7 | LMS Ivatt 2-6-2T |
| Murdoch | None | Season 7 | BR Class 9F 2-10-0 tender engine |
| Molly | None | Season 9 | GER Claud Hamalton D15 4-4-0 tender engine |
| Neville | No.33010 | Season 9 | SR Class Q1 |
| Dennis | No.11001 | Season 9 | SR Prototype Diesel Shunter 11101 |
| Rosie | None | Season 10 | USA dock tank engine 0-6-0T |
| Whiff | No.66 | Season 11 | NER No.66 Aerolite |
| Billy | No.1361 | Season 11 | GWR 1361 0-6-0ST |
| Narrow Gauge | Corresponding Talyllyn Railway locomotive | ||
| Duke | No.10 | Season 4 | Prince (Ffestiniog Railway) |
| Sir Handel (Falcon) | No.3 | Season 4 | Sir Haydn |
| Peter Sam (Stuart) | No.4 | Season 4 | Edward Thomas |
| Skarloey | No.1 | Season 4 | Talyllyn |
| Rusty | No.5 | Season 4 | Midlander |
| Duncan | No.6 | Season 4 | Douglas |
| Rheneas | No.2 | Season 4 | Dolgoch |
| Mighty Mac | No.8 and No.9 | Season 9 | Livingston Thompson (Ffestiniog Railway) |
| Fearless Freddie | No.7 | Season 10 | Russell (Welsh Highland Railway) |
| Guest characters | |||
| Stepney | No.55 | Season 4 | LBSCR A1X 'Terrier' 0-6-0T "Stepney" |
| Spencer | None | Season 7 | LNER A4 4-6-2 Tender engine |
Standard Gauge Engines
Thomas
Thomas is a 0-6-0 blue tank engine. He lives and works on the Island of Sodor, and is locomotive number 1 on the island's main railway. He has become the main star of the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (now known as Thomas and Friends). Thomas first appeared in The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry. His appearance on TV, however, has made him arguably the most widely recognised and well-known locomotive in the world.
Thomas' character can change from time to time, from cheeky like Percy to wise like Edward. He is always, however, extremely proud to run his own branch line, and is very fond of his two coaches, Annie and Clarabel.
Edward
Edward was the first character to appear in The Railway Series by the Rev W. Awdry, and is part of the central group of characters in the TV Series. He is a blue 4-4-0 tender engine with red stripes, about the same size as James, and bears the number 2 on his tender.
Edward is the oldest and wisest of the engines in the core fleet, and other engines often find themselves indebted to his knowledge and experience.
Henry
Henry is a 4-6-0 engine, one of the first engines to appear in The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry. Henry is engine number 3 on the railway, and is painted green with red stripes. In the first season, Henry had an accident caused by ice and snow, after which he underwent extensive reconstruction, giving him a new shape, which he has had ever since.
Henry's character can be difficult to pinpoint. Sometimes, he is somewhat pompous like Gordon, at other times he is sensitive, others still he is somewhat depressed. Henry has also from time to time suffered from "illness". Since the third season, however, Henry has had a more consistent character trait added, being portrayed as having an admiration for nature, particularly trees.
Gordon
Gordon is a 4-6-2 tender engine, the second engine to appear in The Railway Series written by the Rev. W. Awdry. He is train number 4, painted blue with red stripes, and was the largest and strongest engine in The Fat Controller's fleet until Murdoch arrived.
Gordon has always viewed himself as the most important engine, mostly because of his size and strength, and that his main task is to pull the Express. At times, this can lead to him feeling superior, even to the point of uppity. However, he usually learns his lesson, realising that all engines have their place in the team.
James
James is a tender engine from Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends who also featured in The Railway Series. James is engine number 5, coloured red with gold stripes & dome, and is a 2-6-0 mixed-traffic engine, which means he can pull both coaches and trucks.
While James is one of "the big engines" (a trio with Gordon and Henry), he is certainly the most junior member of this clique, often resulting in him getting too big for his boots. He often brags about his red paint, as though this makes him superior to other engines (a notion which is usually dispelled quickly enough).
Percy
Percy is a part of The Fat Controller's railway on the TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, and in the Railway Series books. He is a green 0-4-0 saddle tank engine with red stripes, and has been given the number 6.
He is the youngest engine of the whole fleet, and in later seasons this youthful inexperience has been heavily portrayed. He is quite a cheeky engine, often looking to trick or tease other engines. Percy does, however, have utmost respect when it is needed, referring to The Fat Controller as "Sir" every few words when addressing him.
Toby
Toby is a tram engine who works on the same branch line as Thomas. He is a funny-shaped engine with cowcatchers and sideplates covering his wheels. Some say that he doesn't look like a steam engine at all. He doesn't mind this, just so long as nobody asks him if he's electric! His main job is taking stone to and from the quarry with his coach Henrietta, but he also helps with other jobs. He is painted brown, and is engine number 7.
Toby is old and wise, and is always willing to share his experience and knowledge with other engines. He is careful in everything he does, which means he very rarely has any accidents.
Duck
Duck is a character in The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry, as well as the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Although his real name is Montague, he was given the nickname "Duck", which everyone now calls him. He is a green pannier tank engine, who was given the number 8 on arrival, and works efficiently as part of The Fat Controller's fleet. He currently runs his own branch line.
Duck holds great pride in being Great Western, and this results in him having a strong work ethic. This can, however, be a cause for friction with his colleagues, when he insists that his way ("the Great Western way") is the only right way to do things, but other engines understand this, and by and large give Duck their full respect.
Donald & Douglas
Donald and Douglas are twin 0-6-0 tender engines who feature in both the TV Series and the Railway Series books. They came from Scotland and, although The Fat Controller was only expecting one engine (not wanting to be separated they decided to travel together and hope for the best), he decided to keep both engines in his fleet, giving them the numbers 9 and 10 respectively, as well as nameplates. They are painted black, and have red name plates with gold writing.
If not for coming to Sodor, Donald and Douglas would surely have been scrapped. Because of this, not only are they grateful to have a home, but they are always very sombre and serious when it comes to the topic of scrapping – a sensitive issue among the steam engine characters.
Oliver
Oliver is a 0-4-2 tank engine who has appeared in both the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends as well as The Railway Series books. In the TV Series, Oliver was introduced in Season 3, being saved from scrap by Douglas, along with his brake van, Toad.
On arrival at Sodor, Oliver was restored, being painted olive green, and given the number 11. He was allocated to work with Duck on his branch line, The Little Western.
When Oliver arrived on Sodor, he was not used to handling trucks. While shunting his first ballast train, an incident resulted in Oliver landing bunker-down in a turntable well. On his return from the Works, Oliver learned how to deal with them (albeit after having pulled one truck apart! - see S.C.Ruffey for the full story)
Although Oliver has appeared with some regularity between Season 3 and Season 7, his character has not been given the opportunity to develop to the same extent as other engines. From Season 11 onwards he joined the Steam Team.
Oliver is based on a Great Western Railway GWR 1400 Class 0-4-2 tank locomotive. These engines were fitted with a mechanical system allowing the driver to control the locomotive remotely from the cab of an 'autocoach', such as Isabel.
Diesel
Diesel, sometimes known as Devious Diesel, was the first diesel engine to arrive on the Island of Sodor. He is coloured black, has six wheels, and has a very distinctive appearance.
Diesel is a scheming, oily trickster who likes to cause trouble wherever he goes. He first came to Sodor in Season 2 to help Duck, but he spread mean-spirited rumours that caused the Fat Controller to send him away. Despite the Fat Controller telling him he would not be welcomed back to Sodor, Diesel has returned a number of times when the other engines need an extra hand and no other engine is available. At present, he appears to be living on Sodor.
Like many other major characters from this TV Series, Diesel first appeared as a character in the Railway Series book Duck and the Diesel Engine - see Diesel.
Daisy
- See also: Daisy (the Railway Series)
Daisy is a diesel railcar, who was bought by the Fat Controller to help out on Thomas' branch line. She is green with yellow lining, and is very long and sleek in appearance.
Daisy arrived on Sodor after Thomas had an accident and needed major repairs. She refused to pull any freight for some time, making up excuses, but after a scolding from the Fat Controller, she performed her duties as requested. She still, however, thinks she is better than any of her colleagues, and will use any opportunity to boast to them.
Daisy is based on a Class 101 diesel multiple unit, but is unique as she is actually a rail-car - a single-carriage unit with a cab at either end.
Daisy is one of the engines who has been absent in recent series of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, having only been featured in three stories: "Daisy" and "Percy's Predicament" from Season 2, and "Bull's Eyes" from Season 4, although she did have a cameo in the feature-length special, Calling All Engines. In Season 2 of which Daisy appeared she used Boco's faces but with make up and eyelashes. She does not appear again until Season 12. From that season onwards she is given the number D2.
Bill & Ben
- See also: Bill and Ben (Railway Series)
Bill & Ben are twin tank engines who work for the Sodor China Clay Company. They are painted yellow, have four wheels each and have their names attached to their sides on brown nameplates. Apart from their nameplates, they are absolutely identical – which can be confusing to engines who don't know them well. They are smaller than the other engines they work with.
They are young and cheeky and love playing jokes on the big engines, but are kept in order by Edward and Boco. They work in the china clay quarry and at Brendam Docks, where they are kept busy shunting trucks. The Fat Controller sometimes allows them to carry out special jobs, like taking Boco's heavy goods train and running 'Brake Van Specials' for visitors, who sometimes come to the quarries to see the twins.
Bill & Ben are based on two 0-4-0 tank engines built by Bagnall's of Stafford that worked at Par in Cornwall named Alfred and Judy. They are unusually low, allowing them to fit under bridges that taller engines could not. The real examples are both preserved at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway.
Bill and Ben are the only engines depicted in the TV Series with steam whistles containing all of the working parts; the whistles on the other engines lack the lever and operating cable. They are also the only standard gauge steam engines with sealed cabs (you cannot see inside).
Bill & Ben were introduced in Season 2 and have appeared since on several occasions (except season 8). From Season 11 onwards they joined the Steam Team and wore the numbers 13 and 14.
Recently, pictures of the Bill/Ben models during the production of season 2 were found, in which they bore numbers above their faces in similar fashion to the Railway Series. For reasons unknown, they were removed and have not been seen in any episodes or canon photos.
Boco
- Also see: BoCo (Railway Series)
Boco is a green diesel who works mainly on Edward's Branch Line.
Boco is a very kind engine, and is by and large considered the most sensible diesel engine on the Fat Controller's railway. Bill & Ben misunderstood him at first, going out of their way to trick him, but this was soon sorted out and good-natured Boco even managed to laugh about it later.
While his name in The Railway Series has a capitalised C (ie. "BoCo"), this capitalisation is not present in the TV Series. Boco made his first appearance in Series 2, and was last seen in Series 5. He won't be seen again until Season 12.
Boco is based upon the British Rail Class 28 "Metrovick Co-Bo" Type 2 diesel electric engine, named after its unusual Co-Bo wheel arrangement. The bogie beneath the power plant carries three powered axles ('Co') and the other carries two ('Bo'). This arrangement was designed to maximise the routes over which the engine could work. Another unusual feature of the Metrovick Co-Bo is the use of a two stroke diesel power plant in favour of the more standard four stroke. Twenty of these engines were built by Metropolitan-Vickers in 1958 as part of British Railways' Modernisation Plan. One 'Metrovick' (D5705) has survived and is preserved at the East Lancashire Railway in Bury.
In the Railway Series, BoCo carries his NWR number 'D2', whereas in the TV series he carries the number D5702, which is in the range of numbers assigned to the real "Metrovick" locomotives by British Railways.
Mavis
Mavis is a diesel; she is mostly black, with yellow-and-black "hazard" stripes on her front and rear. Like Toby, her six wheels are concealed by sideplates and a cow-catcher. She also has her name, and "The Ffarquhar Quarry Co." written on both sides. To begin with, she had a tomboyish, rebellious attitude. In later seasons, however, she became much more settled, and became a role model for Bill and Ben.
Mavis works at the quarry at the end of Thomas' Branch Line, where she mostly works with Toby. She is filled with youthful enthusiasm, and this often leads to her doing more work than is required of her – which wouldn't be so bad, if this didn't lead to incidents like endangering Toby. After the fifth television series, Mavis was transferred to the 'Centre Island Quarry', where she works with Bill and Ben (and the occasional visitor)replacing Boco who won't be seen again until Season 12.
Mavis was the last of the Standard Gauge engines to make the transition from The Railway Series to the TV Series.
She is based on the British Rail Class 04 shunter. She wore the number D1 from Season 12 onwards.
'Arry & Bert
The brothers 'Arry & Bert are diesel engines who work at the "Sodor Ironworks", the scrapyards and smelters' sheds of Sodor. Their bodies are green-grey, but their fronts and rears have yellow-and-black "hazard" stripes, like Mavis, so that people working in the smelters' sheds can see them coming. They love nothing more than breaking up steam engines, and when they can't do that (often because the Fat Controller stops them), they enjoy making other engines' lives difficult with spiteful tricks.
'Arry & Bert are British Rail Class 08 diesel-electric shunters. Hundreds of these engines and similar types were built for service in Britain and Europe. They were very successful, and many are still at work today.
'Arry & Bert were introduced in Season 5, and were the first engines to appear in the series without first appearing in the Railway Series. Along with Diesel, they served as the only real 'villains' in the TV series, most notably in the eighth ninth and eleventh seasons. From the twelth season onwards Bert carries the number D3.
In the toy lines, the twin diesels are known as Iron 'Arry & Iron Bert.
Salty
Salty is a battered old diesel who works at Brendam docks. He loves the sea more than anything, and has a fund of sea stories and shanties. Bill and Ben enjoy hearing these tales, but Cranky the Crane is not so fond of them.
Apart from the yellow-and-black "hazard" stripes, on his front and rear, Salty is mostly painted dull red, and carries the number 2991. He speaks with a West Country accent and, naturally enough, uses a lot of nautical slang. He even likes the smell of fish!
Salty works well with trucks, but how he manages to keep them in order is a closely-guarded secret. He is also one of the few diesels who has no quarrel whatsoever with steam engines. Therefore, he is a friend to all.
Salty is based on a British Rail Class 07 dock shunter. He first appeared in Season 6, and has appeared intermittently since.
Harvey
Harvey is a crane engine: he has a crane arm mounted on top of his boiler, which makes him look rather unusual. The other engines teased him at first, but when he was able to rescue Percy after an accident they realised that his difference was what made him special. Since then, he has proved very useful, using his crane arm for maintenance, building and clearing up.
With perhaps the most distinctive appearance of any engine on the show, Harvey is painted dull red, with some gold. His name appears on both his sides, as well as the number 27 – which, including the Narrow Gauge engines and excluding Diesel, accurately reflects him being the 27th addition to the fleet of engines working on Sodor.
Harvey is based on real crane engine No. 4101. He first appeared in Season 6.
Emily
Emily is a "Stirling Single" engine. She is painted dark green with gold stripes, and has a unique shape since she has only one pair of driving wheels. She speaks with a Scottish accent, and has a 'hot and cold' running temper.
She caused upset for Thomas when she accidentally "stole" Annie and Clarabel, but after saving Oliver from an accident, she was rewarded a pair of coaches of her own. She sometimes acts as an older sister figure to the smaller engines -- Thomas and Percy in particular -- but other times she can get too big for her wheels. All in all, she's still a kind engine despite her overbearing attitude. Emily is the second engine to pull Annie and Clarabel. Emily first appeared in Season 7, and from Season 8 has been a part of the core group of characters, known as the Steam Team. From Season 11 onwards she wore the number 12.
Fergus
Fergus is an Aveling & Porter railway traction engine who mainly works at the cement works and thus calls himself 'The Pride of the Cement Works". He is painted blue-purple with red wheels, and although he vaguely resembles Trevor the Traction Engine, Fergus runs on rails, unlike Trevor.
Fergus knows the Rule Book by heart, and his catchphrase is "Do it right!" His insistence on doing everything absolutely according to the rules can annoy the other engines. However, he is a decent engine at heart and will not hesitate to help other engines who are in trouble.
His flywheel can be hooked up to machinery, and this feature is first seen in the Season 7 episode Salty's Stormy Tale, when he uses it to save a ship from crashing into the rocks by powering the lighthouse lamp generator.
Fergus made his debut in Season 7, but has not been seen beyond this season so far.
Arthur
Arthur is a big, maroon tank engine with 'LMS' on his side featured in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends TV Series. When he arrived on the Island of Sodor, he was as excited to work for The Fat Controller as he was proud of his spotless record. He was bought to shunt trucks and haul freight, but then was transferred to the Fishing Village line, on which he enjoys working.
Arthur is an LMS Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2T tank engine developed for the London Midland & Scottish Railway (hence the initials "LMS" on his tanks), but only really came properly into service with British Railways. These engines were equally capable of pulling goods and passenger trains, particularly on branch and secondary services. There are many engines of this class preserved all across England. They performed so well that they survived right to the end of steam on British Railways, and were one of the last classes to be sent for scrapping.
Murdoch
Murdoch is Sodor's largest and strongest engine, with ten driving wheels; he is bigger and stronger than Gordon. He is painted orange, with green and red lining, gold stripes, and is one of the few engines on the Standard Gauge railway to have nameplates fitted.
Murdoch helps haul long goods trains on the Main Line, and is good friends with Salty and Harvey. But in spite of his size, Murdoch is a gentle giant, who is often shy and prefers some peace and quiet when the hustle and bustle of the city life becomes too much – and there is nothing better for him than a quiet run through the countryside.
Murdoch is based on the BR standard class 9F freight engines; the last steam engines to be built for British Railways in 1960. BR standard class 9F 92220 Evening Star is one of these.
First appearing in Season 7, Murdoch has also appeared in Season 8.
Molly
Molly is a large, powerful, bright yellow engine. She is based on a GE Claud Hamilton 4-4-0 tender engine. Aware of what the other engines think of her, she is rather sensitive and often hurt by the unkind things they say. This was proven when, on her first day, she was teased for pulling empty wagons. She felt inferior to the other engines, and wanted to feel just as useful as them. However, in the end, Molly saw sense (thanks to Thomas) that even empty wagons can be just as important as loaded ones.
Molly made her debut appearance in Season 9 and has made frequent cameos since.
Neville
Neville is based on a Bulleid "Q1" Engine, and is painted black with the number "33010" on the sides of his cab. When he first came to Sodor, the engines held a grudge against him. Neville is seen to be a kind and friendly engine, who has the misfortune of being a steam engine who looks like a diesel. Thomas misinterprets him talking with 'Arry & Bert, and soon a rumour spreads that he was planning to bump the steam engines. Luckily the rumour was rectified, and Thomas be friends with Neville.Neville is the third other engine to pull Annie and Clarabel.
Neville made his debut appearance in the show's ninth season.
Dennis
Dennis is an exceptionally lazy diesel engine, who used to do just about anything to get out of doing work until Thomas showed him how to be a really useful engine.
One of a number of characters to debut in Season 9, Dennis is painted grey, and is not as tall as many of his colleagues. He carries the number 11001.
Dennis is based on a prototype Southern Railway diesel shunter, No. 11001.
Rosie
Rosie is a light purple and grey engine with red wheels who came to the Island and idolises Thomas, whilst he's trying to deliver a special Birthday post train to Alice at Hill Farm. Thomas gets annoyed, as she continues to follow him. But after he has an accident and she helps him he starts to respect her. Her first appearance in the series was in the tenth season.
Rosie is based on a USA class 0-6-0 "Dock Tank" engine.
Whiff
Whiff is a dark green 2-2-4 garbage-collecting tank engine with dark green wheels and a pair of eyeglasses. He will also be the first engine character to wear glasses in the TV series.
When he has to work with Emily, they become friends. However, Emily is quickly teased for spending time with a smelly engine. But Whiff is the only engine who doesn't mind moving trucks full of garbage. He shows up and takes the garbage trucks away for Emily, who was blocked and is no longer afraid to call Whiff her friend.
Whiff is based off NER 66 Aerolite found at the National Railway Museum.
Billy
Billy is a small orange tank engine with noticably buck teeth. When he first arrived, The Fat Controller asked Thomas to show him the right way to do things, but he thought Thomas was being bossy. He runs off and then runs out of coal and water. Thomas arrives and helps him to a station and after that, he doesn't think Thomas is bossy. He is based on GWR 1361 0-6-0ST despite being orange.
Narrow Gauge Engines
Skarloey
- See also: Skarloey
Skarloey is the oldest engine on the narrow gauge Skarloey Railway. Skarloey has appeared in both the television series and The Railway Series books. He is painted red, and sports the number 1 as well as nameplates bearing his name on both sides.
When Skarloey first appeared in Season 4, he had not worked in some time, but soon proved his worth once more. Throughout the TV Series, he has been a dedicated worker and a very wise engine. However, in later seasons, there has also been an element of timidness, and occasional childishness, adding depth to his character.
Rheneas
- See also: Rheneas
Rheneas is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor, and first appeared in The Railway Series. Rheneas is painted red-orange, and has nameplates and the number 2 on each of his sides.
Rheneas was first featured in the fourth season, when Skarloey told the story of Rheneas' dedication saving the railway despite considerable obstacles. This dedication earned Rheneas extensive repairs, and he was touted as a hero on his return. Since returning, Rheneas has worked diligently on the Narrow Gauge railway on Sodor.
Sir Handel
- See also: Sir Handel
This engine is first introduced to the TV Series as Falcon, working alongside Duke and Stuart on a line which has since closed. He has always been painted blue, and has a nameplate on each of his sides.
When Falcon was bought to work on the Skarloey Railway, he was given a new name, Sir Handel, and also given the number 3. In The Railway Series, he was also given a red coat of paint, however in the TV Series he retained his blue colour. He was also given a set of wheels with broad tyres, which the other engines referred to as his "steam roller wheels".
Sir Handel can be hot-headed and always has to have his way, which makes the trucks and coaches dislike him. Deep down, however, he seems to be quite a reasonable engine.
Sir Handel made his debut appearance in Season 4, but was not seen again until Season 10. In his returning episode, his absence was stated as due to working at the stone quarry all summer.
Peter Sam
- See also: Peter Sam
Peter Sam is a kind and well-mannered, green engine, with nameplates and the number 4 on both his sides. He is also known for his special funnel; following an accident with some trucks, his funnel became 'wobbly', and fell off when it hit an icicle in a tunnel. The replacement funnel was most strange-looking, and the other engines made fun of it until they discovered how useful it was.
Peter Sam came from the same railway as Sir Handel and Duke, and was known there as Stuart. In The Railway Series, he was also given a red coat of paint, however in the TV Series he retained his green colour. He was bought to work on the Narrow Gauge railway at the same time as Sir Handel, and often ended up apologising for his old friend's behaviour. Coaches and trucks alike found him polite and easy to get along with, so he quickly became a useful addition to the railway.
The first appearance of Peter Sam in the TV Series was in Season 4, and he has made appearances in every season (except Season 8) since.
Rusty
- See also: Rusty the Diesel
Rusty is the only diesel engine on the Narrow Gauge railway. He was one of many engines to make the transition to the TV Series from The Railway Series, however his appearance is significantly different. In the TV Series, Rusty is mostly orange, whereas he was painted black in The Railway Series. He has a name plate and a number plate with 5 on it.
This little diesel carries out all the odd jobs on the narrow gauge railway, from repairing the track to clearing up after accidents. He is a fearless and practical sort of engine, who is well respected by all. Even Duncan was forced to admit that Rusty has his uses.
Duncan
Duncan is one of the more recent additions to the Narrow Gauge fleet, arriving as a spare engine while Skarloey was being repaired. Duncan is the tallest of the narrow gauge engines with his long funnel and high-roofed cab, which can make tunnels a tight squeeze. He is painted amber (but remained red in The Railway Series). Like his colleagues, Duncan has nameplates on both his sides, as well as the number 6. He speaks with a Scottish accent.
Peter Sam described Duncan as "bouncy and rude". He is a boisterous engine who likes nothing more than the opportunity to complain about something, indeed in Season 4 the narrator states that Duncan "likes to complain". He is famous for "rock 'n' rolling" along the line, which has got him in trouble more than once such as the time he bounced so high he cause the end of a tunnel to collasps on him. He likes being polished and he hates being overworked, which he always feels he is.
Duncan first appeared in Season 4 of the TV Series, and reappears frequently, seemingly forgetting the lessons he had learned in previous seasons.
Duncan is based on the engine 'Douglas' on the Talyllyn Railway in Wales. Currently, the real version of the engine carries a character face, name and colour.
Fearless Freddie
Fearless Freddie is an old grey warhorse engine who returned to the Thin Controller's Railway after many years. Although the reason for his absence is not stated, we can presume that Freddie was either on loan to another railway, or undergoing an extensive overhaul. He carries the Number 7, and has grey and red livery. He was close friends with Sir Handel during his earlier days.
Upon returning home, Freddie challenged Rheneas and Skarloey to a series of races up and down the mountain. Upon realising that he wasn't as strong as he once was, Freddie used his knowledge of the mountain routes and short-cuts to secure victories. However, when his cheating placed Rheneas in danger, Freddie was forced to put his knowledge to better use.
Freddie is competitive, but has since learned his lesson. He is now well respected by the younger engines on the Thin Controller's railway.
Fearless Freddie is based upon Russell, a locomotive found on the Welsh Highland Railway in North Wales.
Duke
Duke is considered a hero among most of the engines on the Island of Sodor. He is a narrow gauge engine. Coloured light brown, his name is displayed on nameplates on both sides. He was named after the Duke of Sodor, and whenever anything went wrong he would exclaim, "That would never suit His Grace!"
Duke lived and worked on the now-closed Mid Sodor Railway with the engines Stuart and Falcon. He was the oldest engine on the line, and liked everything to be "just so". This prompted Falcon and Stuart to give him the nickname "Granpuff". When the railway closed, Stuart and Falcon were bought (and later renamed), but Duke was abandoned in his shed until, many years later, he was found. Duke now works on the Skarloey Railway.
The story of Duke was based upon a true story about an engine abandoned in the Brazilian rain forest. Duke himself is based on the engine Prince, a tender engine on the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog, North Wales. Duke is also one of the few engines without buffers.
Duke was introduced in Season 4, but this is the only season to date in which he was featured.
Mighty Mac
Mighty Mac is a Double-ended Fairlie locomotive, and the newest addition to the Skarloey Railway. Despite the opposing personalities of the two ends, they are technically one engine, painted a rich royal blue with gold and orange stripes. Mighty is the older of the two, and is distinguished by a small flick of hair. Mac is the younger half, and is distinguished by his youthful features and freckled cheeks.
Prior to their instalment into the Skarloey family, Mighty Mac had only ever 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), which places 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.
Mighty Mac made their debut in Series 9 of Thomas & Friends, in an episode of the same name. Since their initial appearance they have had a number of cameos, but have not been the featured characters in any subsequent stories. They have not appeared in The Railway Series books.
Guest Characters
Stepney
Stepney was saved from scrap by Rusty, and now he works on a distant branch line known as the Bluebell Railway. He wears the cheery yellow livery of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.
Stepney loves long runs and even pulling trucks. This enthusiastic attitude, together with his friendliness, means that he is always a welcome visitor on the Fat Controller's railway. Although his main role was in the fourth season of the TV Series, he has occasionally visited since, working closely with Rusty and Edward, and occassional relief duties at the quarry.
Stepney is based on the real engine of the same name, an LB&SCR A1 Class 'Terrier' 0-6-0T tank locomotive.
Stepney also appears in Volume 18 of The Railway Series, Stepney The "Bluebell" Engine, as described here.
Stepney first appeared in season 4, but has not been seen since season 7.
Spencer
Spencer is the sleekest and fastest engine ever to visit Sodor, and looks the part with his streamlined silver casing. He is the private engine of the wealthy Duke and Duchess of Boxford.
He is also one of the most arrogant engines to visit Sodor, which does not make him popular with the other engines -- especially Gordon. However, his pride has been his downfall more than once. First he had to be rescued by Gordon when he ran out of water, then on his next visit he lost a race with Edward. He does not seem to be humbled by his mistakes.
His distinctive shape is that of the LNER Class A4 express engine. Another of these, Mallard, holds the record for being the fastest steam locomotive in the world.
Spencer made his debut in the Season 7 episode "Gordon and Spencer", and made further appearances in Seasons 8, 10 and 11.
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