Skarloey

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

- Neil, Very Old Engines

    Skarloey   Skarloey, a narrow gauge saddletank engine, is the oldest engine on the Skarloey Railway.
 * Number: 1
 * Built: 1864
 * Builder: Fletcher, Jennings and Co.
 * Configuration: 0-4-2ST, originally 0-4-0ST
 * Arrived on Sodor: 1865

Bio in the Railway Series
Skarloey was built at Fletcher, Jennings, and Co., Whitehaven in 1864 as a 0-4-0ST with no cab, which caused him to bounce a lot. He was the first engine to arrive on the newly-developed Skarloey Railway in 1865. His young antics proved bothersome but he soon matured when he received his cab and trailing wheels.

Skarloey was put aside in 1945, fit for steam only in extreme emergency.

In 1952, Skarloey was sent for repairs to the Gibbons Brother's Brierly Hill engineering works at Lenches Bridge in Pensnett for an overhaul. A new boiler, saddletank and bunker were added and Skarloey returned to service in 1958.

Bio in the television series
When Skarloey first appeared in the fourth season he had not worked in some time, but soon proved his worth once more. Since then, he has been a dedicated worker and a very wise engine. However, since the seventh season, Skarloey has acted like a very young engine and has tried to prove his bravery by getting hauled up the winch on the incline and by having a race with Rheneas and Freddie. He has also acted timid, being scared of an old wooden bridge, the wharf, and storms. This new personality isn't what you'd expect for an old wise engine.

He may revert to his old, kind, and wise persona in Blue Mountain Mystery.

Appearances
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Railway Series

 * Four Little Engines
 * The Little Old Engine
 * Gallant Old Engine
 * Mountain Engines
 * Very Old Engines
 * Duke the Lost Engine
 * Great Little Engines
 * New Little Engine

Television series

 * Season 4 - Granpuff (cameo), Sleeping Beauty (cameo), Four Little Engines, A Bad Day for Sir Handel, Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady, Home at Last, Rock 'n' Roll, Special Funnel (cameo), Steamroller, Passengers and Polish, Gallant Old Engine, Rusty to the Rescue (cameo), Bowled Out (cameo), and Fish (cameo)
 * Season 5 - Bye George!, Toby's Discovery (cameo), Make Someone Happy (cameo), Duncan Gets Spooked (does not speak), Rusty and the Boulder, and Snow
 * Season 6 - Dunkin' Duncan, Rusty Saves the Day, and Faulty Whistles (does not speak)
 * Season 7 - The Old Bridge, Edward's Brass Band (cameo), James and the Queen of Sodor (cameo), The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop, Rheneas and the Roller Coaster (cameo), The Runaway Elephant, Harold and the Flying Horse (cameo), The Grand Opening, and Trusty Rusty
 * Season 9 - Mighty Mac (cameo), Tuneful Toots, Rheneas and the Dinosaur, The Magic Lamp, and Skarloey the Brave
 * Season 10 - Follow that Flour (cameo), Duncan Drops a Clanger, Thomas' Tricky Tree, Fearless Freddie, Which Way Now? (cameo), Wharf and Peace, Duncan's Bluff (cameo), Missing Trucks, and Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out
 * Season 11 - Thomas and the Big Bang (does not speak), Duncan Does it All, Sir Handel in Charge (cameo), Cool Truckings (cameo), Skarloey Storms Through, and Wash Behind Your Buffers
 * Season 12 - Mountain Marvel (cameo), The Party Surprise (cameo), Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon (cameo), The Man in the Hills, and Push Me, Pull You
 * Season 16 - Don't Bother Victor!

Specials:
 * The Great Discovery (does not speak)
 * Blue Mountain Mystery

Magazine story
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 * 1997 - Duncan
 * 1998 - Too-Wit Too-Woo!
 * 2000 - Creepy Cutting!
 * 2001 - A Special Story About Skarloey
 * 2007 - Uphill and Down (cameo)
 * 2008 - Wash Behind Your Buffers!
 * 2009 - Thomas and the Big Bang (cameo)
 * 2010 - Big Ideas
 * 2011 - Flight Sight

Livery
In the Railway Series, Skarloey is painted in the Skarloey Railway's red livery and blue-and-yellow lining with his name painted in gold on his saddletank. In the television series, Skarloey is painted red with white and gold lining.

Persona
When he first arrived, Skarloey was pompous and arrogant, believing himself fit only to pull coaches. His attitude changed after being sheeted until he learnt sense, but after receiving a pair of trailing wheels and cab he reverted to his old tendencies. He boasted so much about it that Rheneas refused to talk to him until Skarloey apologised after Rheneas rescued him from a mudslide. Now, Skarloey is a wise old engine who doesn't stand for nonsense, but is still fair and friendly.

In the television series, Skarloey had a similar personality to the one he had in the Railway Series. Since the seventh season, however, he has acted very young and immature. With his return to CGI, he may return to his old persona.

Basis
Skarloey is based on the Talyllyn Railway's Talyllyn.

Voice Actors

 * Keith Wickham (UK/US; Season 16 onwards)

Trivia

 * His name means "Lake in the Woods" in Sudric.
 * Skarloey's name in the Japanese Thomas website is backwards.
 * In the French adaptation of the television series, Skarloey is called "Barnabé".
 * The wooden railway prototype of Skarloey has Percy's face.
 * Skarloey's large scale model was used as The Ghost Engine in Duncan Gets Spooked.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (metallic and regular; discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (reintroduced)
 * Bandai Tecs
 * Take-Along/Take-n-Play
 * TOMY/TrackMaster
 * My Thomas Story Library
 * Brio (discontinued)
 * Wind-up Trains (regular and metallic)