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: 0-6-0

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 sandboxes 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 arranged "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.

Persona
Porter is a hard-working engine that helps out at the docks. He has a kind nature and does not let little things bother him. A fast learner, Porter gets his work done without fuss.

Basis
Porter is based on a H.K. Porter 0-6-0ST, built in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. These mainly worked in the dockyards on the east coast of the United States. The Brookylyn 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, The Smelly Kipper, and Gone Fishing

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)

Trivia

 * 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 and Victor's basis were built.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster
 * Take-n-Play
 * Wooden Railway (coming soon)