Bulstrode

Bulstrode is a highly disagreeable barge who used to work on water. He now resides at Tidmouth Beach as a children's playground.

Biography
Bulstrode was used to carry cargo like coal and stone to Knapford Harbour, but always complained about not being loaded fast enough. This annoyed the trucks, but one day Bulstrode ended up getting what he deserved when Percy accidentally pushed stone trucks off the quay and into his hold, bursting a hole in his hull. He was then towed to a beach, where he was turned into a children's playground. He remains there today, most likely still grumbling, but the children take no notice.

Personality
Bulstrode is rude and bad-tempered, and complains endlessly.

Basis
Bulstrode is based on a 1920s self-propelled coastal barge.

Livery
Bulstrode is painted with a cream cab, brown deck, a black hull and a red keel. His name is painted on his bow in white. In the "My First Thomas" range he is painted blue, red and yellow.

Appearances
 Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Toby, Trucks and Trouble - Bulstrode

Companion Volumes

 * 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines
 * -|Television Series=

Thomas & Friends

 * Series 4 - Special Attraction
 * Series 5 - Oliver's Find (faceless; cameo), Happy Ever After (faceless; cameo) and Something in the Air (faceless; cameo)
 * Series 6 - No Sleep for Cranky (deleted scene cameo)

Music Videos

 * Series 4 - Thomas' Anthem Grand Finale, Gone Fishing and Don't Judge a Book By its Cover
 * Series 5 - Accidents Will Happen, Night Train (faceless), Percy's Seaside Trip
 * Series 6 - Little Engines
 * Series 7 - Troublesome Trucks

His faceless model made numerous appearances at the Norramby Fishing Village in the fifth series. His surprised face was also used on some trucks in the eighth and tenth series episodes, Fish and The Green Controller respectively.

He also appeared in the books, Thomas the Really Useful Engine and The Secret of the Mine.
 * -|Other Media=

Magazine Stories

 * 1998 - The Big Speech!
 * 2001 - Down at the Docks (does not speak) and Bulstrode the Hero (does not speak)
 * 2002 - Take Cover!, The Beach and Safe as Houses!
 * 2003 - Shipwrecked! and Tour of Sodor
 * 2004 - On the Beach
 * 2005 - Too Wet
 * 2006 - Wait with Freight and Caroline's Cruise

Bulstrode also appeared in the magazine stories, Boat Afloat, Bulstrode the Engine, Gone Fishing and Pirate Passengers. 

Voice Actors

 * Ryōichi Tanaka (Japan)

Trivia

 * Bulstrode's appearance in the television series is rather different from his Railway Series appearance: in the Railway Series he has two cargo holds and his face is the same colour as his cab, while in the television series he only has one hold and the standard grey face.
 * Bulstrode is currently the only non-human character created by Christopher Awdry to be introduced into the television series.
 * According to Abi Grant, Bulstrode was meant to have a large scale model built for the Wharf, but this never happened due to budget reasons.
 * Bulstrode's original model began to deteriorate during the production of the fifth series, and was subsequently damaged while being shipped to/from Canada during the production of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. A new model of Bulstrode was built to replace the original and had different dimensions. The newer model of Bulstrode is currently on display at Drayton Manor on a beach near Bluff's Cove.
 * Despite being beached in both the television series and the Railway Series, he is still depicted as being used in forms of media such as Video Games, and DVD Minigames.
 * Busltrode is usually depicted with his surprised face in the promotional material and merchandise

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Take Along (discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play (discontinued)
 * Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
 * TrackMaster (discontinued)
 * My First Thomas (discontinued)
 * Trading Cards (discontinued)
 * My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
 * Wind-up Trains
 * Bath Squirter (Bath Buddies and Water Strainer)
 * Wood
 * Nakayoshi (discontinued)

Bulstrode בולסטרוד バルストロード Byczek Булстроуд