Spencer

"Spencer's just a big silver showoff!"

- Gordon, "Edward the Great", eighth season

    Spencer the Streamliner

Spencer is a private engine belonging to the Duke and Duchess of Boxford.

Bio
Spencer was built at Doncaster Works in 1935. During his first visit to Sodor, Spencer took the Duke and Duchess of Boxford on a trip around Sodor, but ignored Gordon's warnings about taking on water and thus ran out - Spencer attributed the incident to a leaky tank.

Upon his next visit, Spencer challenged Edward to a race and maintained a lead for the majority of the race, but vainly fell asleep while the Duke and Duchess stopped to take photos and narrowly lost to Edward after he got onto the summer-house branch line first.

Spencer has since developed a rivalry with Thomas, with the latter often trying to outshine Spencer - largely without success.

Spencer always wants to be clean and shiny.

Personal
Spencer is rather boastful and stuck-up. Spencer is arrogant and pompous, and considers himself to be above doing menial duties, such as shunting, and is quick to boast about how important and special he is. Usually though, he is put in his place when an unknown fault, such as being a slow starter when being steamed, or when he makes careless mistakes, such as falling asleep on the job and forgetting to replenish his water supply. Spencer never likes to be patient, he always wants every engine to make it snappy with their jobs.

Basis
Spencer is based on an LNER Class A4. Mallard is a member of this type.

Appearances
Spencer has appeared in the seventh, eighth, tenth, and eleventh seasons.

Livery
Spencer is painted silver with blue-grey cylinders and wheels, olive brown buffers and black lining. He has red nameplates with gold writing.

Since Season 10, Spencer has a "shiny-silver" livery.

Trivia

 * Despite being closely related, Gordon and Spencer have never gotten on very well with each other. This is mainly because of his pompous behavior, which exceeds even that of Gordon's. Another would be Gordon's dislike of domeless engines, which Spencer is.
 * Spencer is the fourth engine to not have a dome (the first three are City of Truro, Iron Duke and Emily). He is also the fourth engine to have a tender with eight wheels (the first three are Gordon I, Flying Scotsman and Mallard).
 * Spencer is the second engine to have both a whistle and a bell, (the first being Toby in Season 4, but in this case, the whistle in the main auditory device)

Merchandising

 * ERTL model (discontinued)
 * LC Wooden model
 * Take-Along model (available as normal and in metallic; both versions of Spencer with a 2-6-2 wheel arrangement and a six-wheeled tender)
 * TOMY/Trackmaster model
 * 'My First' model (talking)
 * Hornby model
 * Bachmann model
 * My Thomas Story Library 'Spencer'