Rex

"Consider my feelings. When we were both green, passengers kept calling me Mike!"

- Rex, "Small Railway Engines"

    Rex the Arlesdale Leader Engine 
 * Number: 1

Rex is an green engine who enjoys nothing more than teasing Mike. He is a hard worker, but sometimes has problems with traction.

Bio
Rex was built by Henry Greenly at Davey Paxman & Co. in 1923. He was first employed on stone trains, however soon found more use on passenger traffic. During a rebuild in 1928 by the Yorkshire Engine Co., he received a Poultney steam tender, although he was still a 2-8-2-0-6-0. He proved unsuccessful and was soon removed, instead being utilised nearly forty years later as part of Mike, after languishing at Murthwaite. After Rex's old line in England closed down in 1968, he, Mike and Bert, who was then named Merlin, were brought by Sir Topham Hatt and transferred to the Arlesdale Railway for mining and tourist traffic. After the railway secured a deal to transport wool to Arlesburgh, Rex was chosen to pull the first train, but after a negligent farmhand spilt some wool bales on the rails he was derailed. His train was rescued, but Rex had to remain there for several days until being lifted out. He survived into preservation era and received a new six-wheel tender in 1970. In the 1980s, Rex was fitted with a gas-producer boiler and received an award from Sudrian Coal, however this has been placed in recent years.

Appearances
Rex made a few appearances in the Railway Series.


 * Small Railway Engines (introduced)
 * Enterprising Engines
 * Oliver the Western Engine (cameo)
 * Jock the New Engine
 * Wilbert the Forest Engine (mentioned)

Basis
Rex is based on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway's "River Esk", built in 1923 in Colchester by Davey, Paxman and Co. Rex has a six wheel tender while River Esk has a eight wheel tender.

Livery
Rex is painted lime green with red and yellow lining, a brass dome, red nameplates with gold writing mounted each side of his smokebox and "Arlesdale" written in gold on his tender.

Quotes

 * ''"Where did you spring from?" asked Duck.
 * ''"I've been here all the time," smiled the small engine. "I'm Rex, and you, I'm sure, are Duck."
 * How did ''you know?"
 * ''"That's easy; there's only one Great Western engine in these parts."

- Duck meeting Rex, "Small Railway Engines"

Trivia

 * Although the Arlesdale engines have numbers, they're not seen in The Railway Series.
 * Rex is the sixth engine to have oval buffers (the first five are Gordon, 98462, Sir Handel in the Railway Series, Peter Sam in the Railway Series, Rusty in the Railway Series and Duncan in the Railway Series. He is also the ninth railway engine to have oval buffers (the first eight are Gordon, 98462, Sir Handel in the Railway Series, Peter Sam in the Railway Series, Rusty in the Railway Series, Duncan in the Railway Series, The Diesel and BoCo).