Stepney

"Bluebells forever!"

- Stepney, "Stepney gets Lost", fifth season

Stepney, named after a district in London, is a tank engine.

Bio in real life and the Railway Series
Stepney was built in 1875 and later rebuilt in 1912. In 1963, he come on loan to Sodor and worked briefly with Duck at Tidmouth before working on Thomas' branch line, during which time he caught a cricket ball in a truck while passing the Elsbridge cricket field. Towards the end of his stay he returned to Tidmouth, and on his last day double-headed the Express with Duck after the diesel pulling the express failed.

Bio in the television series
Stepney was hiding from scrap when Rusty found him and convinced him to travel with him to Sodor to run the Bluebell Railway. Stepney later visited Sodor to have a change from his line, and again to help Toby and Mavis to help at the quarry - this exurcusion nearly ended in disaster after Arry and Bert tried to scrap Stepney, luckily without success, after Stepney accidentally ventured into the scrapyards. Stepney later visited for unknown reasons in one episode, apparently to help Duck again, and was later helped by Edward with the running of a new loop line.

Appearances
Stepney appeared in "Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine" and was mentioned in "Thomas and the Great Railway Show". In the television series, he appeared in the fourth and fifth seasons, and later in the sixth and seventh seasons with no speaking roles, and a brief cameo in season 11.

Basis
Stepney is based on the real engine of the same name, an LB&SCR A1x Class "Terrier" 0-6-0T tank locomotive.

Bluebell Railway
For a link to Stepney's page on the Bluebell Railway website, visit http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/stepney.html.