Adams, also known by the engine's number 488, is a large light green tank engine from the Bluebell Railway.
Biography
Adams used to work on the London and South Western Railway and was later saved from scrap and brought for preservation by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society.
When Stepney visited the Island of Sodor in 1962, he mentioned Adams in a conversation with Edward. He and Cromford did not have names then, so the other engines nicknamed him "Adams", after his designer, William Adams. According to Stepney, his controller was unaware of this name change and intended to keep it a secret between the engines.[1]
Personality
According to Stepney, Adams is a lovely engine who "can stroll away with any load he is given".
Technical Details
Real-life History
Adams is based on the real No. 488, a London and South Western Railway (LSWR) 415 class "Radial Tank" engine, built by Neilson and Company in Glasgow, Scotland on 31 March 1885, for hauling goods and London suburban services on the LSWR. Unlike its counterpart in The Railway Series, it does not have the name "Adams". 488 was sold to the Minister of Munitions during the First World War and worked at Ridham Dock near Sittingbourne. After the War, 488 spent the years 1919 to 1946 on Colonel Stephens' East Kent Light Railway, before being brought back to the Southern Railway for use on the Lyme Regis to Axminster branch line in Devon, along with two other 415 class engines, the rest of which had gone before the Second World War. 488 was withdrawn from revenue-earning service on 31 July 1961, and replaced by the ubiquitous London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Ivatt Class 2MT 'Mickey Mouse' 2-6-2 Tank engines [2]. 488 was then purchased by the Bluebell Railway, as it was the one having the original pattern of boiler.
488 is currently on static display on the Bluebell Railway, with the overhaul expected to start soon, as British Railways (BR) number 30583, the number and livery the engine carried until 1961 on the Axminster to Lyme Regis branch line in Devon.
Livery
Originally, Adams was painted in the LSWR Drummond Green with black and white lining livery. The engine's LSWR number "488" was painted on the engine's front buffer beam in yellow.
For the Bluebell Railway's Branch Line Weekend in March 2019, Adams was repainted in the BR black with red and white lining livery. It's BR number "30583" was painted on the side its bunker in white. It also had the BR Ferret and Dartboard logo on the sides of its cab. Its buffer beams are painted red with grey buffers.
Appearances
The Railway Series
- Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Bluebells of England (cameo) and Stepney's Special (does not speak)
Companion volumes
- 1972 - The Railway Series: Surprise Packet (indirectly mentioned)
- 1980 - Annual (cameo)
- 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection (does not speak)
Trivia
- Adams' Days Out with Thomas face is now owned by Twitter user LewRaccoon. [3] The face is now stored at the Bredgar and Wormshill Light Railway.
- Originally the face was painted with the left-side eye open, peeking out of the shed. At some point before 2003 it was refurbished as a winking face and used with 80151 and later assigned for 75027.
Quotes
- “We've given names to our 488 and 2650. But our Controller doesn't know. It's a secret. Don't tell him, will you?"
"Of course not," smiled Edward.
"They are both very pleased about it, because now they feel part of the family. We call 488 'Adams', after his designer, you know. He's a lovely engine, a South-Western from Devon. He can stroll away with any load he's given.” - ― Stepney mentions Adams and Cromford to Edward
Gallery
References
- ↑ RWS #18: Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - "Stepney's Special"
- ↑ Steaming Around Britain Volume 7: The South West
- ↑ https://mobile.twitter.com/LewRaccoon/status/1426621454808932352
Locomotives | Steam | 87546 and 98462 | Workshop Engines | Big City Engine | Jinty and Pug | City of Truro | Stepney | Bluebell and Primrose | Adams | Cromford | Captain Baxter | Flying Scotsman | Toby's Brothers | 8783 | 1020 | Stephenson's Rocket | Green Arrow | Boxhill | Iron Duke | Mallard | Duchess of Hamilton | Wilbert | Sixteen | Albert | King James I | Bahamas |
---|---|---|
Diesel | Diesel | Diesel 4711 | Diesel 199 | Diesel 40125 | Diesel 31120 | 10751 | |
Rolling Stock | Helena | |
People | Elizabeth II | The Thin Clergyman | The Fat Clergyman | |
Stations | Barrow-in-Furness | Brighton | Carnforth | Crewe | Euston | Horsted Keynes | King's Cross | Lakeside | Norchard | Paddington | St. Pancras | York | |
Railways | Bluebell Railway | British Railways | Corris Railway | Dean Forest Railway | Ffestiniog Railway | Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway | Snowdon Mountain Railway | Talyllyn Railway | Toby's Old Tramway |
Locomotives | Stepney* | Bluebell and Primrose | Cromford | Adams | Captain Baxter | Fenchurch | Birch Grove |
---|---|
Rolling Stock | Metropolitan Railway Coaches |
People | Bluebell Railway Controller |