Edward

"People say I'm old fashioned. But I don't care. The Fat Controller says I'm a useful engine."

- Edward, Saved from Scrap, second season

 CGI Series= |-|Model Series= |-|Railway Series=   Edward    Edward is a blue Furness Railway K2 class mixed-traffic engine. He runs his own branch line with BoCo. Edward is one of the oldest engines on Sodor and is occasionally made fun of for his old age. Edward is very wise and optimistic and spreads his knowledge and encouraging attitude towards the other engines.
 * Number: 2
 * Class: FR K2
 * Designer: Sharp, Stewart and Co.
 * Builder: Sharp, Stewart and Co.
 * Built: 1896
 * Configuration: 4-4-0
 * Arrived on Sodor: circa 1915

Bio in the Railway Series
Edward was built by Sharp Stewart and Company in Glasgow, Scotland in 1896; and worked on the Furness Railway before coming to Sodor in 1915 to finish the building of the North Western Railway.

After his work was completed in 1916, Edward was kept in a shed, to the delight of the other engines, who claimed that he was too old and weak to work. Edward was eventually let out again and proved that what he lacked in strength, he made up for in work by pushing a stubborn Gordon and his heavy goods train up Gordon's Hill in 1923.

In 1923, When Thomas was fed up with fetching coaches for the big engines, Edward offered Thomas to take his trucks, however, Thomas, having no experience with trucks, was pushed down a hill and diverted into a siding. Later in 1925, Edward helped James double-head a passenger train when the splendid red engine was acting out.

For some time afterwards, Edward was getting so old that his parts caused him to clank as he went along, which led to the bigger engines teasing him about his age. Gordon and Henry teased him about when a group of cows caused half of his cattle trucks to break away and derail, but later got their comeuppance when they encountered a cow named Bluebell on a bridge. Edward would later save an old traction engine named Trevor from scrap when he encouraged the Vicar of Wellsworth to buy him.

However, James would still talk down to Edward's age and how slow he is, but after he was left running down the mainline without a driver thanks to two naughty boys who played with his controls, Edward proved himself to be a hero when he brought the inspector and James' fireman to slow him down. James couldn't thank Edward enough for his heroic actions and the Fat Controller sent Edward to the works to have his worn parts mended as a reward. When Edward came back, everyone was very pleased to see him again.

Some time afterwards, Edward received his own branch line and had two twin tank engines named Bill and Ben help take trucks from the China Clay Company to Brendam along his line. When the twins were playing tricks on a new diesel named BoCo, Edward put a stop to their tricks and showed BoCo how to handle them. Soon, Edward and Gordon were both talking about branch lines, most to the disapproval of Gordon. That night there was a mishap at Tidmouth, which in favour, Edward's train went first which sent him down the mainline (this was caused when the signalman at Wellsworth was not informed of the delay) and Gordon went down to Brendam. That evening, when Edward was taking a passenger train filled with enthusiasts home to Tidmouth, his crankpin snapped, damaging his wheel splasher and running plate, forcing the driver and fireman to take them off. However, Edward was able to pull the heavy train back to Tidmouth, very late, but with triumph. BoCo looked after Edward's branch line while Edward was sent to the works again for repairs.

In 2007, when an old coach named Victoria was being restored, Edward quickly recognized her from the Furness Railway and listened to her story about when she worked with a tank engine named Albert on his branch line, alongside another coach named Helena. Edward later took her to Knapford Junction for Thomas to take to Toby.

Bio in the Television Series
When Trevor was to be the main star attraction for the Vicar's garden party, Edward wanted to help, but didn't know how. His chance came when the Vicar forgot to promote the party by putting up the posters, so he suggested having them put up on his cab and coaches as part of the party's advertisement. His plan worked, and so many people came to the party that they raised a lot of money for the children. The Vicar later thanked Edward and his crew for their idea.

In the sixth season episode Scaredy Engines, it is revealed that Edward has a penchant for telling spooky stories on Halloween that the other engines enjoy. He tells them a story of a ghost engine that returns to the Smelters in search of his lost whistle every Halloween. In the fifth season episode Haunted Henry, Edward tells Henry that whenever an owl hoots, a mist rolls in, and when the mist's about, there's a ghost about too.

In addition to running his branch line, Edward often acts as a banker for other engines up Gordon's Hill when their trains are too heavy. In spite of Edward's great history with the railway and his good relationship with the other engines, his old age makes some engines think that he's unreliable. Gordon would always still tease and talk down about him, even going as far as suggesting that he should "retire". When Percy, told his driver about this, who told the Fat Controller, he arranged for Edward to show Stepney how to run the loop line, while Duck did his work. Unfortunately, Duck got stuck on Gordon's Hill when the Troublesome Trucks held him back. When Gordon came behind him, he couldn't push Duck up the hill. Edward was sent to help the double train up, and when they arrived at Knapford station, the Fat Controller rebuked Gordon for his horrible comments about Edward. Gordon apologised to Edward the following day and from then on, he never suggested him "retiring".

Since then, Edward's skill as a banker is always valued among Gordon and the others, as seen in Edward the Great and You Can Do it, Toby!; in Chickens to School, Edwards exclaims, "I'm always helping Gordon up the hill!" However, his speed left a lot to be desired. In As Good as Gordon, Emily has to wait for Edward at the crossing. Impatient, Emily snidely tells him to hurry up, calling him "Slowcoach". When Spencer visited the Island of Sodor and beat Gordon's record, he insults the Sudrian engines, who become fed up with Spencer's boastfulness. They want to race Spencer to the Duke and Duchess of Boxford's summer house, but the Fat Controller chooses Edward to go there instead. Gordon thinks that Edward shouldn't be doing an express engine's job, and James thinks that Edward will let the whole railway down. Regardless, Edward tries his best, and has several moments of triumph during the race. Gordon sees how hard Edward is trying and takes back his earlier words, encouraging Edward instead, calling him "a credit to the railway!" Edward eventually won due to Spencer falling asleep and felt like the pride of the Sodor railway—and he was right.

Edward has always been a kind and wise engine, though in some scenarios, he has acted a bit judgmental to newcomers. For example, in Harvey to the Rescue, he claimed that Harvey "doesn't even look like an engine". In Thomas and the New Engine, he was one of the engines to spread rumours that Neville wanted to bump the steam engines. In Edward Strikes Out, he agreed with Gordon's element of doubt about Rocky and called him a "new-fangled nonsense". The narration at the episode's start reveals that this is because Edward has worked on Sodor the longest. In both the first and third of these scenarios, Edward learns of Harvey and Rocky's usefulness by their episode's ends.

In Edward and the Mail, he did not want to embarrass himself in front of the other engines, so he tried to take the mail train without asking Percy, who was in need of repairs, for advice, in result of him delivering the mail to all the wrong places.

Edward has also acted excitable in some episodes. In the twelfth season episode, Steady Eddie, he was given a task of taking the new water wheel to Great Waterton. He ignored the Fat Controller's advice to take the express track, took all the bumpy tracks to show off, and resulted in the water wheel almost being scrapped. In Thomas and the Runaway Kite, he wanted to help Thomas to chase after the Fat Controller's grandchildren's kite. Since then, Edward has tried to regain his usual self, which one day made Charlie think he was too old to have fun in Charlie and Eddie. Edward was upset about this so he tried to be as fun as Charlie, but this only caused even more trouble. Since then, he has just stuck to being the wise and kind engine that he was of old.

In the fifteenth season, Edward was sent to work with Harold for the day, being given the chance to be a hero. After observing Gordon and Rocky in action, Edward resolves to fulfill his hero role by being "strong and fast and stern". On his way to the rescue center, Edward finds a miserable Charile and cheers him up by telling him a joke, collects Dowager Hatt's suitcase when it was sent to the wrong station, and rescues a lost Katie the sheepdog. Edward is still determined to be what he thinks is a hero, but finds that his time spent helping others has made him late for Harold, who isn't at the rescue center when Edward chuffs in. Sir Topham Hatt reassures Edward that being kind, funny, and gentle is Edward being himself, enough to be a hero, and everyone cheers for him. Harold arrives looking for Edward, who just smiles.

In the eighteenth season, he was still being teased by Gordon, who thought he was unreliable for breaking down frequently, but Edward claimed that he had not broken down in ages. When Gordon later got stuck on his hill, Edward came to push him. As they reached the top of the hill, Gordon just carried on without saying "thank you". Edward complained about Gordon's ungratefulness to Thomas, who came up with a plan. Thomas challenged Gordon to a race across the island. As Gordon nearly caught him up, Thomas pulled onto the same track which meant Gordon had no choice but to follow him. At Gordon's Hill, the two engines were going so slowly that Gordon stopped and got stuck again. As Thomas carried on his way, Edward arrived. This time, it was Edward's turn to call Gordon unreliable for always getting stuck on his own hill. Edward then began to carry on his way too, but Gordon begged him to help. Gordon promised to never called him old and unreliable again. Edward forgave Gordon and gave him a push. The big blue engine even said "thank you" once they had reached the top of the hill.

In Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, he tells Thomas, who is being mended at the Steamworks, that Rocky had discovered a pirate ship in the cavern in which Thomas had fell into earlier (despite Thomas discovering it first). Salty later tells him, Henry, James, Porter and Cranky about a "lost pirate".

In The Great Race, Edward was one of the many engines who wanted to go to The Great Railway Show but instead was left on Sodor.

Persona
Edward is kindhearted and always keen to help a friend in need. The small engines trust him to lend a listening ear and sympathetic advice. He is a hard worker too, and always does his best to finish a job. If ever an engine misbehaves or acts out, it's Edward that the Fat Controller turns to in order to soothe things out.

Sadly, the big engines often see Edward as old-fashioned and slow. While it is true he is the oldest engine on the North Western Railway - it must be noted he helped build it - he has proved time and time again that he is more than capable of working as hard as any engine, but he is a more clever and wiser engine, too. In fact, he and BoCo are the only engines who look after Bill and Ben, and know when to put them in their place should they misbehave, and like any other wise old engine, he stands for no nonsense from anyone, especially from the bigger engines.

From the sixth season onward, Edward's kindness was differed, as he has acted very unsympathetic and cold, such as the time when he doubts Harvey in Harvey to the Rescue. From the ninth season and The Great Festival Adventure to the fifteenth season, Edward's persona was altered, despite his reputation of being kind and friendly. He has acted cheeky. Edward also expressed some insecurity in himself in that he keeps secrets from the other engines and Sir Topham Hatt, when he was once leaking steam and likewise when he was told to pull the post train whilst Percy was being repaired.

Since the seventeenth season, Edward has been portrayed with his original personality, such as when he gave Thomas advice to ignore Max and Monty and accepted James' request to bring the Mayor of Sodor to Callan Castle.

Basis
The Reverend W. Awdry stated that Edward is based on a heavily modified Sharp, Stewart and Co. "Larger Seagull" K2 Class, supplied to the Furness Railway in 1896.

Sodor "historian" Martin Clutterbuck notes that Edward bears a close resemblance to an LNER D3/4 "Glen" (NBR Reid Class K) 4-4-0 from the London and North Eastern Railway. At any rate, the Reverend W. Awdry used an engine of this class to represent Edward on his model railway.

Visible Crovan's Gate Works modifications are: making the rear splasher flush with the cab, new cab windows as opposed to cutaways in his cab side sheets, and square cab lookouts as opposed to the original round ones. In both the Railway Series and television series, Edward is depicted with a Fowler tender.

Livery
Edward is painted in the North Western Railway's sky blue livery with red-and-yellow lining and the number "2" painted on his tender sides in bright yellow with a red border. In the Railway Series, he carries two builder's plates on the sides of his cab.

It can be assumed that, before arriving on Sodor, Edward was painted in the Furness Railway's Indian red livery with the letters "FR" written in yellow on his tender sides and black wheels.

Inspiration
The inspiration for Edward himself came from the Reverend W. Awdry's watching trains on the Great Western Railway as a child. He said in an interview with Brian Sibley for The Thomas the Tank Engine Man that, to him, the noise of the locomotives' exhaust almost sounded like dialogue - for example, the larger engine having trouble climbing the hills would appear to be saying, "I can't do it, I can't do it" and the smaller engine helping them would sound like it was saying, "I will do it! I will do it! I will do it!" Later, Reverend Awdry told his son a bedtime story about an engine who was sad because he was never taken out of the shed for being old. Upon being asked what the engine's name was by his son, the Reverend Awdry picked the name Edward out of thin air.

Voice Actors

 * Keith Wickham (UK; Hero of the Rails onwards)
 * William Hope (US; Hero of the Rails onwards)
 * Yasuhiro Takato (Japan; first - eighth seasons)
 * Nozomu Sasaki (Japan; Calling All Engines! onwards)
 * Øyvind Borgemoen Lyse (Norway; Hero of the Rails - Tale of the Brave)
 * Herman López (Latin America; Hero of the Rails onwards; except Tale of the Brave)
 * Christos Topulos (Germany)
 * Henry König (Germany; Audio Books only)
 * Wojciech Chorąży (Poland; Hero of the Rails onwards)
 * Fabrice Trojani (France and French speaking Canada)
 * Petteri Hynönen (Finland; Hero of the Rails onwards)
 * Reinder van der Naalt (The Netherlands)
 * Dan Shatzberg (Israel)
 * Celso Alves (Brazil; Hero of the Rails onwards)
 * Jordi Estupiña (Spain)
 * Anh Tuấn (Vietnam)
 * Alexander Kotov (Russia; thirteenth - sixteenth seasons)
 * Denis Bespalyy (Russia; King of the Railway - eighteenth season)
 * Anton Savenkov (Russia; nineteenth season onwards)
 * Um Sang-hyun (South Korea)

Trivia

 * Edward was the very first character created for the Railway Series, in 1943.
 * Edward is the only engine whose crew has been named in the Railway Series. In the foreword of "Edward the Blue Engine" their names were given as Charlie Sand (driver) and Sidney Hever (fireman). Their surnames came from their duties (one of the driver's jobs is to sand the rails when they are slippery to let the engine's wheels grip, while the fireman "heaves" coal to the firebox); their Christian names came from an engine crew from the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway.
 * Two of Edward's models are currently on display; one at Drayton Manor, and the other is in Japan at the Hara Railway Museum (previously on display at Nitrogen Studios).
 * Edward was not in any known draft of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. According to Phil Fehrle, there was not enough screen time and opportunity to utilise him in a way that added any real value to the film.
 * In Steady Eddie, Charlie and Eddie and Edward the Hero, Edward refers to himself as "Eddie". Charlie also refers to him by this name. "Eddie" also happens to be Edward's real name in the Greek narration and in Italy from the fifteenth season onwards; however, in the Engine Roll call he's referred as Edward.
 * Edward went through several aesthetic changes in the television series:
 * Season 4:
 * His whistle was at a lower pitch.
 * Season 5:
 * In Happy Ever After, his whistle returned to its original pitch.
 * Season 6:
 * His safety valve disappeared.
 * His eyebrows become smaller and longer and are raised up slightly.
 * Season 8:
 * His eyebrows become thinner.
 * Season 9:
 * His eyebrows are lowered and become even thinner.
 * Season 10:
 * The riveting on his front bufferbeam disappeared.
 * His buffers were moved downward and widened in length.
 * Season 12:
 * His face became bigger, now matching his smokebox/boiler size.
 * His pupils also became smaller.
 * His eyebrows become thicker and change shape.
 * The gap between his second and third boiler bands became larger.
 * Hero of the Rails:
 * He slightly decreased in height.
 * His buffers became bigger and moved towards the centre of his bufferbeam.
 * His pupils returned to their larger size.
 * Season 17:
 * He gained a lamp and tail lamp.
 * Season 18:
 * His handrails were painted black.
 * The Adventure Begins:
 * His handrails were painted silver again.
 * The inside of his tender became blue.
 * His side-rods become silver.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (normal and Gold Rail; discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (several versions)
 * Take Along (discontinued normal and metallic)
 * My First Thomas (normal and talking)
 * Motor Road and Rail (normal and talking; discontinued outside Asia)
 * TrackMaster
 * Hornby
 * Bachmann
 * My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
 * Mini Die Cast Collection (normal and with Santa hat; discontinued)
 * Departing Now (discontinued)
 * Thomas Town (discontinued)
 * Capsule Collection
 * Trading Cards
 * Tomica
 * Take-n-Play (normal and talking)
 * De Agostini (discontinued)
 * Brio (discontinued)
 * Pez
 * Mega Bloks (discontinued)
 * Diablock
 * Wind-up Trains (normal, shocked face, clear, and silver)
 * Mini Mini Plarail (discontinued)
 * Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
 * Collectible Railway
 * Departing Now
 * Boss (with Green Express Coach; discontinued)
 * Micro Rubber Engines
 * Push Along
 * Minis
 * Classic Minis
 * Metallic Minis
 * Robo Minis
 * Chillin' Minis
 * Spooky Minis
 * DC Super Friends Minis (As Arctic Batman and Black Adam)
 * Sports Minis
 * Steel Minis
 * Choro-Q
 * MV Sports (with Tidmouth Sheds; discontinued)
 * Adventures
 * Waku Waku