Class 40

"It's not your fault, but your controller should scrap you and get engines like me. A fill of oil, a touch on the starter and I'm off. No bother, no waiting. They have to fuss around you for hours before you're ready."

- The Diesel, Bowled Out, fourth season

The Diesel, also known as Class 40, D4711 (in the Railway Series), D261 (in the TV series), or simply Diesel is a diesel who once came to the North Western Railway on loan from the Other Railway.

The Railway Series
The Diesel was built at the Vulcan Foundry in Newton-le-Meadows, Lancashire, England. The Diesel was sent to Sodor in 1962 to assist the engines with goods and express work toward the end of Stepney's visit, but he only insulted the other engines by saying they were out-of-date, and bragged about his modernity. He got his comeuppance when an inspector's bowler hat jammed in his air intake, causing him to break down and be as sick as boiler sludge. He sulked in the shed while Duck and Stepney took the Express for him.

While everyone was fare-welling Stepney, the Diesel crept away, leaving behind "a rather nasty smell of bad manners and a battered bowler hat".

Thomas & Friends
As in the Railway Series, the Diesel was sent to Sodor in 1962 to assist the engines with goods and express work toward the end of Stepney's visit, but he only insulted the other engines by saying they were out-of-date, and bragged about his modernity. He got his comeuppance when an inspector's bowler hat jammed in his air intake, causing him to break down and be as sick as boiler sludge. He sulked in the shed while Duck and Stepney took the Express for him.

While everyone was fare-welling Stepney, the Diesel crept away, leaving behind "a rather nasty smell of bad manners and a battered bowler hat".

Personality
The Diesel is snobbish, believing that diesel engines should take over from steam engines. Despite this, in the magazine stories, there are some occasions in which the Diesel helps the steam engines.

Basis
The Diesel is based on a BR Class 40 1Co-Co1. Old Stuck-Up and D782 are other members of this class. The Diesel's television series number belonged to a real Class 40. The real D261 entered service on the 26th of February 1960 and was withdrawn from service in 1983, being scrapped at Crewe in March the following year. It was renumbered to 40 061 in 1973. Seven Class 40s are preserved, the first built, D200, at the National Railway Museum.

Livery
The Diesel is painted in British Railways' two-tone green livery with a black roof and yellow warning panels. In the television series, the Diesel is painted in British Railways' Brunswick green livery, with a thin, lighter green stripe running along his top and yellow warning panels. His number is painted on his cab sides in yellow.

In the Railway Series, his face was yellow, while in the Television Series, it was grey like the other engines.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Bowled Out

Companion volumes
Television Series=
 * 1976 - Famous Engines
 * 1980 - Annual
 * 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
 * 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

 * Season 4 - Rusty to the Rescue (cameo) and Bowled Out

Music Videos
Other Media= {{Scroll box|
 * Thomas' Anthem Grand Finale, Come for the Ride and The Whistle Song

Books

 * 2004 - Oliver (cameo)
 * 2008 - Thomas' Sticker Express
 * 2011 - Oliver the Great Western Engine (cameo)
 * 2017 - Oliver (cameo)

Magazine Stories

 * 1997 - Rusty the Diesel
 * 2001 - Diesel Day! and Dusty Diesel
 * 2002 - Just Right and Dusty Diesel!
 * 2003 - The Big Hero
 * 2006 - Heavy Load, Sounds Better and Bridge Bother
 * 2008 - Superhero! and Left Alone (cameo)
 * 2010 - Proud Puffers
 * 2011 - Team Effort
 * 2012 - Tender Trouble, Team Effort!, Story Time with Thomas and The Railway Show (mentioned)

The Diesel also appeared in the magazine stories, Blowing About!, Diesel Display, and Rusty and the Cheeky Boys.

Video Games
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 * 2002 - Begins Educational Learning

Voice Actors

 * Michio Nakao (Japan)

Trivia

 * The Diesel's Railway Series livery is inaccurate as none of the Class 40 diesels received British Railways two-tone green livery.
 * According to some VHS descriptions for Bowled Out, the Diesel was brought to Sodor to take over Daisy's work while she was ill.
 * His Hornby model depicts him as a Class 37 diesel.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Hornby (Re-used Class 37 Diesel tooling; labelled as Diesel; discontinued)
 * Brio (discontinued)
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
 * Nakayoshi (discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play (labelled as Class 40)
 * Trading Cards (discontinued)
 * De Agostini (discontinued)