Oliver

"Oliver's no use at all; thinks he's very clever. Says that he can manage us; that's the best joke ever! When he orders us about, with the greatest folly, We just push him down the well. Pop - goes old Ollie!"

- The Troublesome Trucks, "Oliver the Western Engine"

    Oliver the Western Engine 
 * Number: 11
 * Former Number: 1436

Oliver is a Great Western tank engine who works on Duck's branch line. He has two coaches, Isabel and Dulcie.

Bio in the Railway Series
Oliver was built by Charles B. Collett at Wolverhampton Works in 1932 and worked on the Great Western Railway. Sometime during the 1960s, he ran away for fears of being scrapped with Isabel and a brakevan named Toad, and were forced to hide between signalboxes and rely on the goodwill of signalmen to pass at safe times. When Control got wind of the runaways, they hid in an old quarry branch and had the cutting blocked by rubbish to avoid the fatal sight of the diesels outside. The runaways decided it was safe to leave at some point, but before they could reach the greener pastures of Sodor Oliver ran out of coal. Luckily, Douglas was able to rescue Oliver and hid him on a siding at Crovan's Gate. The Fat Controller soon found out and arranged for the three to be repaired and painted in Great Western colours. Toad decided to be Douglas' brakevan to thank him, and the Fat Controller rescued an autocoach named Dulcie and gave her to Oliver. Oliver was then sent to work on the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch line, but became conceited after the big engines gave him their respect in recognition of his adventures and pushed his weight around, prompting several ballast trucks to push him into a turntable well. Oliver received little respect from the trucks after the incident, but got his own back by pulling the ringleader, Scruffey, apart. Oliver is now well-respected by the trucks, for fear they will be pulled apart too.

Bio in the television series
Oliver and Toad were saved from scrap by Douglas and brought to the North Western Railway. Oliver later ignored Duck and Donald's advice about trucks and several pushed him into the turntable well. Upon his return from the Works, Oliver regained his respect after pulling the ringleader of the trucks, Scruffey, apart. Oliver has since had many adventures, such as running Thomas' branch line during the engines' trip to England, discovering an abandoned house which was later turned into a tea-house and spending a night as a snowman after crashing into one in the village. According to some sodor island forums, Oliver might return in season 12.

Persona
Oliver is considered brave and a good role model by the engines. This went to his smokebox and led to his incident with the ballast trucks, but Oliver learnt his lesson and started to behave like a role model. He is also very proper.

Basis
Oliver is based on a GWR 14xx 0-4-2T.

Appearances
Oliver's Railway Series appearances are listed below, in chronological order:


 * "Enterprising Engines"
 * "Oliver the Western Engine"
 * "Duke the Lost Engine" (cameo)
 * "Jock the New Engine" (mentioned)
 * "Henry and the Express" (cameo)
 * "Wilbert the Forest Engine" (non-speaking role)

Oliver first appeared in the third season and has had speaking roles in the fourth, fifth and seventh seasons. He also made several cameos in the sixth season. Judging by a bulletin post on youtube, Oliver might not be returning in Season 12.

Livery
In the Railway Series, Oliver is painted in the GWR green livery. In the television series, his paint had faded by the time he was rescued, leaving him a rusty-red colour. After his rescue, he was repainted green and has remained so since.

Oliver is currently painted in the GWR green livery with yellow lining and green wheels.

Praise

 * ''"Yon's an enterprising engine," Douglas thought. "I won away here with Donald; but I'd've been feared to do it on my own."

- Douglas praising Oliver's courage, "Enterprising Engines"