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Bluebell and Primrose are tank engine twins who live on the Bluebell Railway.
Biography
Bluebell and Primrose were brought for preservation by the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society. They arrived at the Bluebell in 1960 and 1961 respectively, and remained stalwarts in the Bluebell's locomotive fleet.
When Stepney visited the Island of Sodor in 1962, he mentioned Bluebell and Primrose in a conversation with Edward. According to Stepney, they had no names at first, so their controller gave them names. He says it made them over-confident, but they still work hard. [1]
Personality
Stepney describes Bluebell and Primrose as hard workers and being "as like as two peas". They were given the privilege of being named once they joined the Bluebell Railway, though this made them rather cocky.
Technical Details
Real-life History
Bluebell and Primrose are based on the real Bluebell and Primrose, members of the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR) P Class built from 1909-1910 for lightweight passenger trains and later used for shunting.
From March 2011 until 9 February 2019, Bluebell was operational. Unfortunately however, it was withdrawn earlier than expected due to firebox problems. The Bluebell Railway has announced that Bluebell's overhaul will start in 2024, alongside 488 and Normandy; Primrose is currently undergoing restoration, which was expected to end between 2021 and 2023.
Livery
Primrose, and Bluebell in The Railway Series, are painted dark green with red and yellow lining. The initials "SE&CR" are painted on the sides of their tanks in yellow. Primrose's number (27) is painted on the sides of the bunker, also in yellow.
When it was first acquired by the Bluebell Railway, Bluebell was painted blue with white lining. On the sides of its tank, it had a red nameplate with "BLUEBELL" on it in gold. In 1998, it was painted in the livery it carried in World War I. As of March 2011, Bluebell is currently in a variant of the SE&CR pre-war livery, but with blue instead of green and "BLUEBELL" instead of "SE&CR", painted on the sides of its tanks in gold.
Primrose is painted dark green with red and yellow lining. The initials "SE&CR" are painted on the sides of its tanks in yellow and its number (27) is painted on the sides of its bunker, also in yellow.
Appearances
The Railway Series
- Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Bluebells of England (cameos) and Stepney's Special (do not speak)
Companion Volumes
- 1972 - The Railway Series: Surprise Packet (indirectly mentioned)
- 1980 - Annual (Bluebell mentioned; Primrose photograph)
- 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection (do not speak)
Magazines
Bluebell appears in the 54th issue "Play and Learn" edition published in 2002.
Miscellaneous
- 1998 - Collector Cards: Bluebell (Bluebell appears; Primrose is mentioned)
Documentaries
Official Description
From Official Media:[1]
| “ | Bluebell: Bluebell and Primrose are twins, and as like as two peas, according to Stepney. They only had numbers at first and were very pleased when Sir Topham Hatt, The Fat Controller gave them names.
|
” |
Trivia
- Bluebell and Primrose were the first female steam engines to be introduced in The Railway Series.
- At present, neither engine is operational as Bluebell has been withdrawn from traffic and Primrose is undergoing restoration.
- Bluebell's Ertl toy was in fact Thomas merely repainted and with a different smokebox. Bluebell was originally going to have Bluebell's own toy. This prototype had a driver leaning out of Bluebell's door. This would have been the only Ertl toy to have this feature. Furthermore, on the back of Bluebell's Ertl packaging, it incorrectly says Bluebell is an LB&SCR E2 class instead of a SE&CR P class, and that the Fat Controller had given Bluebell and Primrose names. However, the former mistake is understandable as the toy of Bluebell is a repainted Thomas, who is also an LB&SCR E2.
- At Days Out with Thomas events at the Bluebell Railway, Bluebell used a face identical to Stepney. On at least one occasion, Bluebell used the face originally made for Captain Baxter.
Quotes
- “Have they saved other engines besides you?" Edward asked.
"Oh yes," answered Stepney. "You'd like our Bluebell and Primrose. They're twins," he chuckled "and as like as two peas. They only had numbers at first, Bluebell is 323 and Primrose is 27. They were so pleased when our Controller gave them names. Some say he was wrong to do it. It's certainly made them cocky, but they do work hard, and I think our Controller was right. All engines ought to have names."
"Yes," agreed Edward, "it's most important."” - ― Stepney mentions Bluebell and Primrose to Edward
Merchandise
- Ertl (Bluebell only; discontinued)
Gallery
.jpeg "BluebellDOWT(1).jpeg (34 KB)")
.jpg "BluebellDOWT(2).jpg (783 KB)")
Merchandise Gallery
References
| 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 |