Axel

Axel is a Belgian streamlined engine who participated in the Great Railway Show. He was a contender in the Great Race.

Thomas & Friends
Axel, along with the other international engines, accidentally arrived on the Island of Sodor when the ferry they were travelling on stopped at Brendam Docks instead of the Mainland. He was the engine approached by the Dock Manager to explain their presence and was informed they had got off at the wrong place. Embarrassed, Axel proceeded to order the other engines back onto the ship.

Axel competed in the Great Race alongside Gordon (known as "the Shooting Star" at the time), the Flying Scotsman, Spencer and Etienne. He spent the majority of the race in last place, but after Scotsman slowed to express concerns on the explosion of Gordon's boiler, he managed to overtake Flying Scotsman and finish third.

After the Great Railway Show ended, Axel left the Mainland and returned to Belgium.

Personality
Axel is a smooth, streamlined tender engine built for speed; his good looks and style have made him very popular with fans of steam. Effortlessly cool, he will be sure to win over more fans at the Great Railway Show.

Basis
Axel is based off of an NMBS/SNCB Type 12. One of these locomotives, 12.004, is preserved at the Train World railway museum in Brussels, Belgium.

Livery
Axel is painted red with black and yellow lining, the same colour scheme as the Belgian flag.

Appearances
Television Series=

Specials
He may appear in the twenty-second season.
 * 2016 - The Great Race

Music Videos

 * The Great Race - The Shooting Star Is Coming Through (does not speak)
 * Season 21 - Let's Set Friendship in Motion

Videos

 * 2016 - Meet the Contenders - Axel of Belgium (does not speak)
 * 2017 - Great Race Friends Near and Far: Gina the Smart Steam Engine (cameo) and Axel Goes to the Mountains
 * -|Other Media=

Books

 * 2016 - 6-Movie Coloring Collection (not named), Off to the Races! (cameo), The Great Railway Show (not named), The Great Race (not named), The Great Race: Sticker Activity Book and The Great Race: The Movie Storybook (not named; does not speak)
 * 2017 - Thomas and the Trains of the World
 * 2018 - Character Encyclopedia

Voice Actors

 * Rob Rackstraw (UK/US)
 * Kunihiro Kawamoto (Japan)
 * Marcos Patiño (Latin America)
 * Achim Buch (Germany)
 * Leopoldo Ballesteros (Spain)

Trivia

 * Axel is the second French-speaking engine in the series, the first being Millie and the third being Etienne. He and Etienne are the first standard gauge French-speaking engines in the series.
 * He shares Luke's whistle sound.
 * Axel's Take-n-Play toy has a few errors:
 * His tender is backwards, although this was fixed on his Adventures/Collectible Railway model since it has connectors, and aren't one directional. This could also be fixed by using the Adventures to Take-n-Play adapters as well.
 * He has buffers at the back of his cab above the magnet.
 * His Take-n-Play prototype had Vinnie's tender repainted, this was corrected on his final model.
 * His name is possibly derived from a photograph of his basis taken by Axel Vermeulen.

Merchandise

 * Take-n-Play
 * Adventures (coming soon)
 * Collectible Railway

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