Porter

"What's with all the domes? You've got more humps than a camel!"

- Salty, Away From the Sea, seventeenth season

   Porter   Porter is a dockside tank engine who works at Brendam Docks, alongside Salty.
 * Builder: H.K. Porter Inc.
 * Configuration: 0-6-0ST

Bio
When Salty was experiencing engine trouble, Sir Topham Hatt brought Porter to Sodor to work at Brendam Docks while he arranged for Salty to be mended at the Sodor Dieselworks. When Porter arrived to help out, Salty was convinced that Porter had been sent to replace him. After some mishaps, Porter managed to stop Salty from having an accident, then using his sand domes to sand the rails after Salty accidentally spilt oil on them. Later, the Fat Controller told Salty that he was to work with Porter and that he was not going to be replaced.

Later, Porter helped arrange "The Flying Kipper" for James after he made Henry late the previous night. When Bill and Ben teased Harvey about "going fishing" and made fun of Porter's three domes, Porter helped Harvey see the positive side of being both a crane and an engine.

In the eighteenth season, Porter joined in singing with the others at Brendam Docks. He also gave Paxton some more diesel oil.

Persona
Porter is a kind and helpful character, with a good sense of self-confidence and does not worry about what other engines say about him, such as calling him a ‘camel’ because he has so many humps. Porter is not above engaging in a bit of friendly dockside banter himself, but when another engine is feeling low he can be very supportive. Porter’s easy-going manner makes him very popular. He is a hard worker, although he can be a bit of a perfectionist at times. He is also very brave and can keep his cool in a crisis.

Basis
Porter is based on a H.K. Porter 0-6-0ST, built in Butler, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. These mainly worked in the dockyards on the east coast of the United States. The Brooklyn Eastern District Terminal Railroad, which served the dockyards in Brooklyn, New York, owned several examples of Porter's design.

Livery
Porter is painted viridian with yellow stripes and lining and a gold nameplate with black lettering. He has a gold star on each side of his lamp.

Television series

 * Season 17 - Away From the Sea, Gone Fishing, and The Smelly Kipper
 * Season 18 - Disappearing Diesels (does not speak), Thomas the Quarry Engine, Missing Gator (cameo), No Steam Without Coal, Spencer's VIP (cameo) and Toad's Bright Idea

Specials:
 * Tale of the Brave

Magazine stories

 * 2014 - Salty's New Friend

Voice Actors

 * Steven Kynman (UK)
 * David Menkin (US)
 * Miłogost Reczek (Poland)
 * Junichi Kanemaru (Japan)
 * Moisés Iván Mora (Mexico)
 * Anders Sundstedt (Norway)
 * Stan Limburg (The Netherlands)

Trivia

 * In the US narration, Porter has a Brooklyn accent reflecting his basis' origin.
 * Porter has been modified for use on British rail lines, given loose couplings with added buffers, and appears to have been significantly scaled down compared to his basis, to the point where even open trucks are taller than him. As a result, his buffers and couplings appear to be very low to the tracks, which in reality would make it difficult for him to be coupled to typical British rolling stock. In addition, his cab doors, as well as his cab in general, are too small for crew members to fit through comfortably.
 * One engine of Porter's prototype, B.E.D.T. 15, was rebuilt into an operating replica of Thomas by the Strasburg Railroad for use during Day Out with Thomas events throughout the US.
 * In Spills and Thrills/No More Mr. Nice Engine!, Porter is referred to as "Baldwin". This may have been his original name, and presumably the term originated from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, where Stanley, Hank, Caitlin, and Victor's basis were built. His final name comes from his builder, H. K. Porter.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster
 * Take-n-Play (normal and talking)
 * Wooden Railway