Diesel

"Your worthy Sir Topham Hatt thinks I need to learn. He is mistaken. We Diesels don't need to learn, we know everything. We come to a yard and improve it. We are revolutionary!"

- Diesel, Duck and the Diesel Engine

   Diesel    "Devious" Diesel is a devious diesel shunter, originating from the Other Railway.
 * Class: BR Class 08
 * Designer: British Railways
 * Builder: Crewe, Darlington, Derby, Doncaster, or Horwich Works
 * Configuration: 0-6-0
 * Built: 1952
 * Speed: 15-20 mph
 * Arrived on Sodor: June 1957

Bio in the Railway Series
When Diesel came on trial to the North Western Railway, Duck was asked to show him around. Duck was unimpressed by Diesel's claims of being "revolutionary" and left him to his own devices. As a result, Diesel was made into a laughing stock by the trucks for trying to pull some rusty old trucks and failing spectacularly, and Diesel blamed Duck for not helping him. Diesel swore a vendetta, and spread rumours that Duck had given the big engines rude nicknames. Duck was sent to Wellsworth pending an inquiry into the matter, but Diesel got too big for his buffers and tried telling lies about Henry. He was found out and sent home in disgrace.

Several years later, Diesel was brought back to help on Thomas' Branch Line whilst Percy was being repaired. Diesel tried to win Thomas and Toby over, without success, and after he destroyed several trucks he was to be sent away. However, on his day of departure, Clarabel slipped on oily rails left by Daisy and came off at some points near Dryaw. Diesel, realising that Thomas  was blocking his only way home, went to the rescue. Clarabel put in a good word for Diesel, and Diesel, although he returned to the Other Railway, is always welcome on Sodor.

Bio in the television series
Diesel first arrived on Sodor in the same way he did in the Railway Series and was sent away, but returned when Duck and Percy needed help at Brendam. Diesel proved to be as bad as ever and was sent away for good after shunting some trucks of china clay into the sea, but he mysteriously snuck back to give Mavis advice, taunt Gordon about the triumph of Diesel power on the mainland, and shunt trucks in the Shunting Yards. It is possible that these events happened during Diesel's stay or that Diesel returned at some point with goods from the Mainland.

When Henry was derailed by some trucks, Diesel was brought back as a last resort to do his goods work, but his attempt to prove his worth resulted in him falling in a barge, and he was sent back to the mainland yet again.

Later on, Diesel returned yet again, this time to assist Fergus at the Cement Works. Diesel became jealous of Fergus' reputation as the "pride of the Cement Works" and concocted a scheme to make Fergus run away. Diesel was partially successful - he managed to make Fergus abandon his post for a time - but was ultimately foiled. Amazingly, Diesel was not sent back this time round and remained on the North Western Railway where he was stationed to work at the Smelters Yard.

Despite remaining tricky and devious, Diesel learned how useful steam engines can be when Thomas brought fresh diesel fuel for him and the other diesel engines and James pushed him back to the Repair Yard when he broke down. However, he tried to convince Gordon that he is old and clapped out, Ben about there was a monster inside a tunnel, and Thomas about the "Curse of the Cliffs" and make him scared at Halloween.

But Diesel proved to have a good side inside him when he told Emily about his record he made for shunting lots of trucks, and proved to Thomas that he didn't ruin the photograph for the billboard on purpose.

Although Diesel made fun of James when he was painted pink, he tried his best to prove himself to be as useful as the steam engines when he took all of the Jobi wood to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre - only to put himself in danger requiring Thomas to rescue him. However, Diesel tried again to prove how special he is when he took Thomas and Rosie's loads to market and stole James' pigs so that the children could see them. But, it was only when Diesel brought the load of slate for the school that he proved himself Really Useful.

Diesel was also one of the Diesels that took over the Sodor Steamworks. He later teased Flynn for just standing around and doing nothing.

In Blue Mountain Mystery, Paxton told Diesel about Luke and Diesel tried to get Luke sent away from Sodor.

Diesel was annoyed when Percy thought he was the Monster of Brendam and later teased Thomas for being a stinky engine and teased Gordon when he was fitted with a yellow and black Diesel bufferbeam. When he and Percy collected a calliope, he thought Percy would not be able to make it play, but was surprised when he did.

In King of the Railway, Diesel teased Stephen about being old and boasted about being a "modern engine".

In the seventeenth season, Diesel was one of the diesels that brought the Christmas decorations to Tidmouth Sheds. Later, he was biffing trucks around even when Edward told him to stop. Diesel spilled the milk in the trucks, and when the Fat Controller opened the truck doors, the milk splashed all over his trousers. When Hiro told Diesel, he told Hiro to toughen up with the trucks. But when Hiro would not listen, he coupled himself up on the back of his train and helped the trucks play tricks on Hiro. To make the trucks stop, Hiro brakes suddenly before the platform, causing three barrels of cream to splash all over Hiro, Edward, and the Fat Controller. Diesel tried to get away, but was blocked off by Thomas. As punishment, Diesel has to learn the proper way of handling trucks by Hiro.

In the eighteenth season, Diesel and Thomas argued over who should be the back engine for a train of trucks from Ffarquhar Quarry to Brendam Docks, which resulted in Thomas taking the train by himself and causing an accident. Later, he, along with Sidney, Den, and Dart hid from Paxton, which resulted in Diesel running out of fuel on Thomas's Branch Line, and Paxton helped him to the next station, so he could get some more. Diesel has since then learned to be friends with Paxton.

Persona
Diesel is, in essence, the average pantomime villain. He is oily, malicious, devious, scheming, and full of ideas to get revenge. It appears Diesel has a good side in him, but one would still have to look deep to find it. He does want to be a really useful engine, however, since his arrival, he has given Diesels a bad reputation. He is also very proud to be the first Diesel on Sodor.

Basis
Diesel is a BR Class 08 0-6-0. Over seventy members of this class survive today in preservation. They were in fact the most successful shunting engines in the world, with 996 of them built. The Diesel Shunter, Splatter, Dodge, 'Arry, Bert, Paxton and Sidney are also members of the class.

Livery
Diesel is painted in the black livery used by British Railways for shunting engines in the 1950s. His siderods were silver until the sixth season and have been black in every season after.

Appearances
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Railway Series

 * Duck and the Diesel Engine
 * The Little Old Engine (mentioned)
 * Thomas and the Evil Diesel

Television series

 * Season 2 - Percy Takes the Plunge (cameo), Pop Goes the Diesel, Dirty Work, A Close Shave (mentioned), and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (cameo)
 * Season 3 - Gordon and the Famous Visitor (cameo), Thomas, Percy and the Dragon (cameo), Diesel Does it Again, Mavis, Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party (deleted scene), Tender Engines, and Escape (cameo)
 * Season 4 - Rock 'n' Roll (mentioned) and Rusty to the Rescue (cameo)
 * Season 6 - The World's Strongest Engine
 * Season 7 - Fergus Breaks the Rules
 * Season 8 - Thomas to the Rescue, Squeak, Rattle and Roll and James Goes Too Far (does not speak)
 * Season 9 - Respect for Gordon, Bold and Brave, and Flour Power
 * Season 10 - Thomas and the Shooting Star (mentioned) and Emily and the Special Coaches
 * Season 11 - Don't be Silly, Billy (does not speak) and Thomas and the Stinky Cheese
 * Season 12 - Thomas and the Billboard and Don't Go Back
 * Season 13 - Tickled Pink, Percy's Parcel (cameo), A Blooming Mess (cameo), and Thomas and the Runaway Kite (cameo)
 * Season 14 - Thomas' Tall Friend (cameo), James in the Dark (cameo), Toby and the Whistling Woods (cameo), Diesel's Special Delivery, Victor Says Yes (cameo), Thomas in Charge (cameo), Thomas' Crazy Day (cameo), O the Indignity, and Jitters and Japes (cameo)
 * Season 15 - Surprise, Surprise (cameo), Stuck on You (cameo), Kevin the Steamie (cameo), Tree Trouble, and Fiery Flynn
 * Season 16 - Percy and the Monster of Brendam, Thomas and the Rubbish Train, Bust My Buffers!, Percy and the Calliope, and Emily's Winter Party Special (cameo)
 * Season 17 - Henry's Hero (cameo), The Missing Christmas Decorations, Away From the Sea (cameo), Gone Fishing (cameo), and No More Mr. Nice Engine
 * Season 18 - Disappearing Diesels and Thomas the Quarry Engine

He also cameoed in two fifth season songs.

Specials:
 * Calling All Engines!
 * The Great Discovery (cameo)
 * Hero of the Rails (cameo)
 * Misty Island Rescue
 * Day of the Diesels
 * Blue Mountain Mystery
 * King of the Railway

He is also likely to appear in the upcoming WWII movie.

Magazine stories

 * 1989 - Diesel's Christmas, The Party, Diesel's Race, Showing Off, and One Good Turn
 * 1990 - One Bump Too Many, Daisy and Diesel, and Too Hot
 * 1992 - Diesel Pulls Hard
 * 1993 - Roof Repairs!
 * 1994 - A Special Treat!
 * 1995 - Watch Out, Gordon! (does not speak)
 * 1996 - Percy Saves the Day, Thomas Takes a Ride! (does not speak), and Singing in the Rain!
 * 1997 - Showing Off, Percy's Puzzling Trip!, Diesel and the Trucks, and Diesel Becomes a Coach
 * 1998 - Runaway Percy!
 * 2000 - Back to Front! and The End of the Rainbow! (mentioned)
 * 2001 - A Special Story About Diesel, Diesel Day! (does not speak), and Down at the Docks
 * 2003 - Shady Business!, and New Year Promise!
 * 2004 - More Mischief!, Place to Play, Broken Biscuits, Engine Trouble, Toby's Troubles!, and Night Lights (cameo)
 * 2005 - Spooky Shape, Perfect Percy, Snow Drop, and Pop Goes the Diesel
 * 2006 - Monster Mistake, Shower Power, and Well, well!
 * 2007 - Flour Power, Look and Hook, Rusty's Rescue!, Everyone's Friend, and Emily's Present
 * 2008 - Fast and First!
 * 2010 - Diesel's Special Delivery, Disgusted Diesels, Creepy Causeway (cameo), and Proud Puffers (cameo)
 * 2011 - Flaming Flynn, Monster Mistake, Musical Trucks, The Treasure Hunt, (cameo), Scaredy Cat, Tickled Pink (mentioned), O, the Indignity (does not speak), Show Time, Slowcoach Diesel, and O, the Indignity! (does not speak),
 * 2012 - Clever James, Bubbling Boiler, A Whoosh of Water! (cameo), and Thomas and the Rubbish Train
 * 2013 - Caught on Camera and Coal and Treacle
 * 2014 - No More Mr. Nice Engine

Diesel also appeared in the magazine stories, A Special Story about Steam, April Fools, Ben's Blunder, Blowing About!, Brave Thomas, Bulgy's Dream, Clean Getaway!, and Come back, Please!, Diesel Display, Diesel's Drums, Diesel's Nasty Turn, Diesel Causes Delay, Duck and Diesel, Engine Plates, Fishy Diesel!, Glider Rider, Henry's Freight Cars, Henry and Diesel, Making a Mess!, Mountains and Mess!, Nice Neville, Percy and the Trucks, Rhyming Engines, Ride and Slide, Road Ride, Rocking About, Slick Trick!, Sodor's Strongest Engine, Special Places, Stick with Steam, The Christmas Sacks, The Posh Coaches, The Runaway Percy, and The UFO. }}

Voice Actors

 * Kerry Shale (UK; thirteenth season onwards)
 * Michael Brandon (US; thirteenth season - Blue Mountain Mystery)
 * Martin Sherman (US; King of the Railway - eighteenth season)
 * Jorge Ornelas (Mexico; fourteenth season onwards)
 * Daisuke Gōri (Japan; second, third, seventh, and eighth seasons)
 * Hisao Egawa (Japan; sixth season only)
 * Ken Sanders (Japan; Calling All Engines! onwards)
 * Paweł Galia (Poland; thirteenth season only)
 * Janusz Wituch (Poland; Misty Island Rescue onwards)
 * Christoffer Staib (Norway; thirteenth season onwards, excluding Day of the Diesels, Blue Mountain Mystery and King of the Railway)
 * Helge Winther Larsen (Norway; Day of the Diesels, Blue Mountain Mystery and King of the Railway only)
 * Eberhard Haar (Germany; twelfth-fifteenth season)
 * Martin May (Germany; Day of the Diesels onwards)
 * Reinder van der Naalt (The Netherlands)

Theme Instrumental
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Trivia

 * Diesel was the first diesel to be introduced in both the Railway Series and Television Series.
 * According to the magazines and the DVD Bingo game, he and Bulgy are good friends.
 * In the fourteenth season and parts of the fifteenth, Diesel has a generic diesel horn sound. He regained his original second season horn in Day of the Diesels.
 * Diesel's siderods were originally silver, but were changed to black in the sixth season.
 * In the same season, his brakepipe began facing upwards instead of downwards.
 * Between the thirteenth and sixteenth seasons, Diesel was the only character from the model series to still be voiced by the narrator, though this was only in the US narration.
 * Diesel's Lionel prototype picture in a 2007 catalogue was his season 6 model.
 * In some merchandise lines he is referred to as "Devious Diesel". It wasn't until the season 18 episode Disappearing Diesels that he referred to himself by this name.
 * Diesel has travelled at well over his top speed of 20 miles per hour on numerous occasions.
 * As of 2015, Diesel will have had the most voice actors in the UK and US versions of the CGI era.
 * Diesel's face in the magazine stories is often smaller than in the television series.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (normal in two versions, oil splattered, battery powered, and bronze)
 * Take-Along (several versions; discontinued)
 * Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
 * TrackMaster (normal, talking, and R/C versions)
 * Motorized Railway (coming soon)
 * My First Thomas
 * Bachmann
 * Hornby (discontinued)
 * Lionel (discontinued, later reintroduced with Trainchief remote)
 * My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
 * Bandai (several versions; discontinued)
 * Tomica
 * Trading Cards (discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play (normal and pull back)
 * De Agostini (discontinued)
 * Brio (discontinued)
 * Mega Bloks
 * Discover Junction
 * Nakayoshi (discontinued)
 * Wind-up (Japan and Australia only)
 * Collectible Railway
 * Push Along
 * Pullback Racers