View source for BoCo (T&F)/Behind the Scenes

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{{Behind the Scenes}}
==Background Information==
BoCo is a fictional standard gauge diesel created by the [[Wilbert Awdry|Rev. W. Awdry]]. BoCo lives and works on the [[North Western Railway (T&F)|North Western Railway]].

BoCo first appeared in the [[Series 2|second series]] episode ''[[The Diseasel]]'', which first aired in 1986. His last appearance was in the [[Series 5|fifth series]] episode ''[[Double Teething Troubles]]'', which was released in 1998.

BoCo is a Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2 Class 28 diesel-electric locomotive, named after its wheel arrangement, which is known as "Co-Bo". Originally, BoCo carried the number D5702, which belonged to a real BR Class 28. The real D5702 was built in 29 September 1958, and was withdrawn on 7 September 1968, before being scrapped at J. Cashmore Scrapyards the following year.
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:D5702.jpg|BoCo's basis, D5702
</gallery>

In a 2015 interview with Sodor Island Fansite (SiF), railway consultant [[Sam Wilkinson]] expressed his interest to reintroduce BoCo into the CGI Series,<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190317132748/http://www.sodor-island.net/interview_samwilkinson_official.html Sam Wilkinson | Sodor Island Fansite interview]</ref> however this never came to fruition. As a result, BoCo has not appeared in the ''Thomas & Friends'' television series since 1998.

==Gauge 1 model==
[[File:MainBoCoModel.png|thumb]]
BoCo's model was custom built with a plastic body shell. It was painted using glossy car body paint and the numbers were custom cut vinyl stickers. BoCo's buffer housings were sourced from a gauge 1 locomotive made by [[Märklin]], the BR 80. The original buffers were replaced with custom oval buffers. The coupling frame and brake pipes were sourced from [[Tenmille]]. The model was built to a 1:32 scale.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20220125171728/https://pinewoodgroup.com/pinewood-today/credits/thomas-the-tank-engine-friends-series-2-12 Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (Series 2 -12) on Pinewood Studios]</ref>

<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:Marklin.png|The Märklin BR 80
</gallery>

The eye mechanism had two servos, one for up and down movement and one for left and right movement. The up/down servo was attached to the body. The left/right servo had a rod attached to the arm, which connected to a bracket. The eye balls were coupled to the bracket and locked in by the face-plate, so whenever the servos were powered, the eye balls would move however the crew member desired.

BoCo had a custom built chassis that was shared with [[Daisy (T&F)|Daisy]].<ref>[https://x.com/TomsProps/status/1250942495636238337 @TomsProps on X]</ref> The back bogie carried the motor while the front bogie was unpowered so that it could be changed between a four-wheeled bogie and a six-wheeled bogie depending on which diesel was using the chassis. The powered bogie utilised a heavily modified [[Märklin]] "25" Diesel Shunter. 

<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:Märklin25DieselShunter.jpg|The Märklin 25 Diesel Shunter
File:BoCo&Daisy'sChassis.png|BoCo and Daisy's shared chassis
</gallery>

Despite appearing on-screen for the final time during the fifth series, BoCo's model was refurbished during the production of the eighth series. It was, however, never used in an episode.  

<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:WrongRoad40.png|BoCo's debut in the [[Series 2|second series]]
File:RingoOnSeason2Set.jpg|Filming on the [[Tidmouth Sheds (T&F)|Tidmouth Sheds]] set for the second series
File:TheThomastheTankEngineMan(Bookmarkdocumentary)24.png|Shepperton workshop during production of the [[Series 4|fourth series]]
File:Episode22ThomasAndTheSpecialLetter2.jpg|Filming of ''[[Thomas and the Special Letter]]'' for the fourth series
File:DoubleTeethingTroubles82.png|The model's final appearance in ''[[Double Teething Troubles]]''
</gallery>

===Reference Sheets===
====[[Series 2]]====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:Series 2 - Boco Side.jpg
</gallery>

====[[Series 3]]====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:4-14.jpg
File:4-12.jpg
File:4-15.jpg
File:4-13.jpg
</gallery>

====[[Series 8]]====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:BoCoS8Ruler.jpg
File:BoCoS8Ruler2.jpg
File:BoCoS8Ruler3.jpg
File:BoCoS8Ruler4.jpg
</gallery>

===Fonts===
The following fonts were used on BoCo's Gauge 1 model:
* Univers Condensed {{Note|number}}

===Modifications===
BoCo has had some modifications throughout the television series. These include:

* [[Series 3]]:
** His horn sound changed completely to a two-toned horn that he used which is Mavis', but slower and nine steps lower-pitched.
* [[Series 4]]:
** His horn sound changed back to its original, sharing Daisy's horn from the same series.

===Faces===
Seven different facial expressions were sculpted for BoCo, although only five were used on-screen and two, a sleeping face and a laughing face, were used in some promotional images. The faces were first sculpted in clay and from that resin casts were made using a silicone mould. Some of BoCo's faces have shared the same sculpt appearance as Daisy's but with added make-up on. Some of BoCo's faces were duplicated in case the crew needed a face to look dirty and clean on the same day of shooting.

====Reference Sheets====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:Engine Facemasks.png|[[Series 2]] - 1985/1986
File:Series4FaceReference-BoCo.jpg|[[Series 4]] - 1994
File:BoCoSeries6FaceReferences.jpg|[[Series 6]] - 2001/2002
File:BocoS12FaceReferences.jpg|[[Series 12]] - 2008
</gallery>

====Usage and Evolution====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:TheDiseasel33.png|BoCo's angry/cross face as it first appeared in the second series without eyebrows... (1986)
File:JamesandtheBees2.jpg|...which later gained some eyebrows during the third series and the fifth series (1992, 1998)
File:TheDiseasel42.png|BoCo's shocked face that only appeared in the second series episode, ''[[The Diseasel]]'' (1986)
File:TheDiseasel44.png|BoCo's happy face as it first appeared in the second series... (1986)
File:Buzz,Buzz11.png|...which was later recasted and gained some teeth during [[The Britt Allcroft Company]] era (1992-1998)
File:WrongRoad44.png|BoCo's smiling face that only appeared in both the second and third series (1986-1992)
File:Edward'sExploit56.jpg|BoCo's concerned face that appeared in the second, third and fifth series (1986-1992, 1998)
File:OneGoodTurn82.png|BoCo's sleeping face that only appeared in a deleted scene image of the third series episode, [[One Good Turn]] (1992)
File:BoCoModel.jpg|BoCo's laughing face that only appeared in his promo image from the eighth series... (2004)
File:BoCoSeries4GrinningFace.png|...and at some point, during the Britt Allcroft Company era, it gained more teeth to resemble a grinning face but was reverted back to a laughing face later on during production of the sixth series (1994, 2002)
</gallery>

====Present Day====
Four of BoCo's original faces are currently owned by X user [https://x.com/TomsProps/status/1266007719011631104 TomsProps]. 
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:Bocofacemasks.jpg|Four of BoCo's faces owned by X user TomsProps
File:BoCoModelFacesBackTP.jpg
File:BoCoOriginalHappyFace.jpg|BoCo's happy face owned by X user TomsProps
File:BoCoOriginalLaughingFace.jpg|BoCo's laughing face owned by X user TomsProps
File:BoCo'sCrossFace.jpg|BoCo's angry/cross face owned by X user TomsProps
File:BoCoShockedFace.jpg|BoCo's shocked face owned by X user TomsProps
</gallery>All six of BoCo's faces have also been displayed at the 'Clearwater Weekend' events at the Midland Railway Centre, the happy, laughing, angry/cross and shocked faces displayed were duplicates, while the sleeping and neutral faces were the original casts.
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:BocoClearwaterEvent5.jpg|BoCo's faces at the 'Clearwater Weekend' event at the Midland Railway Centre in 2021
File:BoCoDuplicateHappyFace.jpg|BoCo's duplicate happy face in 2021
File:BoCoDuplicateShockedFace.jpg|BoCo's duplicate shocked face in 2021
File:BoCoDuplicateLaughingFace.jpg|BoCo's duplicate laughing face in 2022
File:BoCoDuplicateCrossFace.jpg|BoCo's duplicate angry/cross face in 2022
File:BoCoDuplicateSleepingFace.jpg|BoCo's sleeping face in 2022
File:BoCo'sNeutralFace.jpg|BoCo's neutral face in 2022
</gallery>In 2025 as part of [[Propstore's Thomas & Friends Online Charity Auction 2025]] BoCo's duplicate sleeping face would be put up for auction.<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:BoCoDupSleeping.png|BoCo's duplicate sleeping face as up for auction in 2025
</gallery>

===Present Day===
[[File:BoCoClearwaterEvent2022SmurfyDan1.JPG|thumb|left]]
After production of the model series wrapped in 2008, most of the models and sets would be put into storage, with some being put on display at [[Drayton Manor Theme Park]]. All other models would be logged and referenced from 2010 till early 2011 by [[HiT Entertainment]], from this HiT would decide on which models were to enter storage once again, which would be given to crew members and which to be disposed off. Due to only having one model made in gauge 1 scale, BoCo's model would stay under HiT and later [[Mattel]]'s ownership.

In August 2021, BoCo's model was displayed at the 'Clearwater Weekend' event at the Midland Railway Centre. However, the body rested in an express coach bogie, as BoCo's original [[Märklin]] "25" Diesel Shunter bogie was being used for Daisy in Drayton Manor at the time. BoCo would be displayed again in August 2022, this time featuring his original chassis which was removed from Drayton Manor for the event. On 15 March 2025, the model was put on display at [[The World of Thomas the Tank Engine Exhibition]] at the Kyoto Railway Museum.

====August 2021 Clearwater Weekend====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:BoCo2021.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEvent.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEvent2.jpg|BoCo's angry/cross face
File:BocoClearwaterEvent3.jpg|The model without a face
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202110.jpg|BoCo's eye mech
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202111.jpg|The underneath of BoCo's model
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence2021.jpg|Ruler reference of the model (Courtesy of X user Alex Hargreaves)
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20211.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20212.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20213.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20214.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20215.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20218.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20216.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20217.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202112.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202114.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202116.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202117.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202118.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202120.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202121.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202122.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202123.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202126.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202127.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202124.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202125.jpg
</gallery>

====August 2022 Clearwater Weekend====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:Boco2022.jpg
File:BoCoClearwaterEvent2022SmurfyDan2.JPG
File:BoCoClearwaterEvent2022SmurfyDan3.JPG
File:BoCoClearwaterEvent2022LeadPaintCrisis.JPG
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20221.jpg|Ruler reference (Courtesy of X user Alex Hargreaves)
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20222.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20223.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20226.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20224.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20225.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202210.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20227.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202214.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202211.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20228.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence20229.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202213.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202212.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202217.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202215.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202216.jpg
File:BocoClearwaterEventRefence202218.jpg
</gallery>

====2025 The World of Thomas the Tank Engine Exhibition====
<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:BocoModel2025.jpg
</gallery>Two sets of spare unused lettering sheets for BoCo's "D5702", in both white and red, are currently owned by X user TomsProps.<gallery position="center" spacing="small" captionalign="center" bordersize="none">
File:HaroldBulgyThumperRustyDecals2.jpg
File:HaroldBulgyThumperRustyDecals1.jpg
</gallery>

==Voice Actors==
* [[Shinobu Satouchi]] {{Note|Japan; second and third series}}
* [[Naoki Kinoshita]] {{Note|Japan; fifth series only}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Behind the Scenes]]
[[Category:Images of BoCo]]
[[Category:Images from behind the scenes]]