Neil

"So ye're boun' for the wee railway. Ye must put some order into those trucks. The havers they make, it's hard to believe."

- Neil to Skarloey, Very Old Engines

Neil was a dark green tank engine with an unusual box shape and a Scottish accent. He was a simple but kind engine, who befriended Skarloey when he was young.

Bio
Built at the Neilson and Company Works in Glasgow, Scotland in 1856, Neil was part of the Sodor and Mainland Railway and helped to ferry Skarloey from the port of Kirk Ronan to his home at the Skarloey Railway terminus of Crovan's Gate. Very little is known about Neil, but he and his brothers were all scrapped by 1901 which also brought services to an end.

Persona
Not much is known about Neil, but Skarloey says that he's "ugly but kind".

Basis
Neil is based on a Neilson 0-4-0 box tank, a simple and robust class of engine built in Glasgow and sold all over the world. This basis is reflected in his name and class. His country of origin also explains his accent.

Livery
Neil is painted dark green with "S & M 2" written on his tank sides in yellow.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Very Old Engines - Crosspatch and Bucking Bronco (possible cameo)

Companion volumes
Other Media=
 * 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned)
 * 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
 * 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)

Books

 * 2003 - Skarloey (not named; mentioned)
 * 2008 - Thomas' Sticker Express

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Trading Cards (discontinued)