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Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
Thomas the Tank Engine Wiki
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Breakdown Train

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“The cranes are for lifting heavy things like engines and coaches and trucks.”
―Thomas' driver, Thomas and the Breakdown Train, first series

The Breakdown Train is composed of two cranes, flatbeds and a coach for the workmen.


The Breakdown Cranes


The Breakdown Cranes are manned by workmen and deployed at accident scenes to lift engines, coaches and trucks onto the rails.

Biography

The Railway Series

Thomas once brought the Breakdown Cranes to rescue James after a crash caused by the Troublesome Trucks.

Thomas & Friends

Since Rocky's arrival, the breakdown cranes have rarely appeared, but the works unit coach - in various colours - has regularly appeared in the CGI series.

The Breakdown Train returned in The Adventure Begins, in the form of Judy and Jerome, gaining new colours and increasing in size. Additionally, the works unit coach is now painted orange-brown, its Railway Series livery.

In Big World! Big Adventures!, another Breakdown Train was seen in China helping Nia back on the track.

When Thomas derailed, Rajiv brought the Breakdown Train to put Thomas back on the rails.[1]

Personality

According to Railway Rhymes, "The Breakdown Train, he has no name. He is quiet, strong and spare. But if there's a crash and a train go smash, the Breakdown Train is there."

Technical Details

Basis

In the Railway Series, the Breakdown Train was based on a Cowans Sheldon 30 ton breakdown crane. In later volumes, it was replaced by a Cowans Sheldon 45-ton breakdown crane.

In the television series, The Breakdown Train was consistently based on the 30 ton Sheldon.

Livery

In The Railway Series, the cranes and flatbeds were originally painted dark green. They were later painted red with the top of the cranes painted cream. Finally, they were painted in a dull green-brown.

In the television series, the cranes and flatbeds are all painted grey-green. In the CGI series, Judy and Jerome, the breakdown cranes, are painted dark green-grey with yellow hazard stripes along their sides. They have brass nameplates on the sides of their cabs.

The Chinese cranes and flatbeds are painted light green with yellow hazard stripes. The Indian cranes and flatbeds are painted yellow.


Works Unit Coach


The Works Unit Coach is a type of coach used for workmen.

Personality

In a promo illustration for Time-Life, the Works Unit coach is depicted with a face.

The works unit coach is based on some apparently freelance coaches, although they do bare a resemblance with some pre-grouping company builds (from the Great Northern and Great North of Scotland railways). However, in The Railway Series, it appears similar to the non-corridor suburban coaches operated by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.

The works unit coach is based on the old coaches that do appear to be freelances though they do bare a resemblance with some pre-grouping company builds such as those on the Great Northern and Great North of Scotland railways. In The Railway Series, the coach resembles the non-corridor suburban coaches operated by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.

Livery

In The Railway Series, the works unit coach is painted orange with a white rooftop.

In the television series, the works unit coach is all painted grey-green. There are also several other works unit coaches, all painted in different liveries, such as blue, grey, brown, dark green and orange with a white rooftop.

Appearances

Thomas & Friends

Specials

Music Videos

Learning Segments

Storytime


Trivia

  • In the television series, two Breakdown Train models and one works unit coach was constructed. One of Breakdown Train's models along the works unit coach used to be on display at Drayton Manor; it is now in storage. Two of the flatbeds were on display as well. One had a tractor and some hay bales, and the other had the water wheel from Steady Eddie. One of the flatbeds is now in storage. All of them were later put on display at the Clearwater Event.
  • In the UK dub of the game Trouble on the Tracks, the Breakdown Train is referred to as the "Breakdown Truck" for unknown reasons.
  • In Thomas and the Magic Railroad, the cranes both had posters reading “Sir Topham Needs You” on the back of their cabs.
  • Since the fourteenth series, many recoloured versions of the works unit coach have been seen, mostly being used in goods trains. The coach also gained front windows.
  • In The Railway Series, the Breakdown Train is sometimes seen with two vans, presumably loaded with crane equipment.
  • Despite being protrayed as faceless and non-sentient, the Breakdown Train is referred to as a sentient male character and acknowledges he does not have a name in the book, Railway Rhymes[2].

Merchandise

All merchandise but Hornby and Capsule Plarail had only one crane and flatbed and without the works unit coach, although it was sold separately in TOMY.

References

  1. ↑ T&F S22 #4: "Trusty Trunky"
  2. ↑ Railway Rhymes "Railway Rhymes character description"


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Diesel Daisy | BoCo | Bear* | The Works Diesel* | Pip and Emma* | Diesel** | Mavis** | Derek** | 'Arry and Bert** | Diesel 10** | Salty** | Dennis** | Den** | Dart** | Paxton** | Norman** | Sidney** | Philip**
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Brake Vans Brake Vans | The Spiteful Brake Van | Toad
Other The Breakdown Train | Rocky** | Judy and Jerome** | The Circus Train | The Funfair Train** | The Flying Kipper | Gordon's Snow Machine** | Pump Trolley** | The Photographer's Draisine**
Non-Rail Vehicles Kevin** | Cranky** | Carly** | Big Mickey** | Reg**
People Sir Topham Hatt (Stephen Hatt*) | Albert Regaby* | Kevin Volley* | Old Bailey** | Mr. Conductor** | Mr. Arkwright** | Mr. Perkins**
Lines The Main Line (Main Line Loop**) | Ffarquhar Branch Line | The Little Western | Brendam Branch Line | Kirk Ronan Branch Line | Peel Godred Branch Line | Norramby Branch Line | Toby's Branch Line** | Stepney's Branch Line** | Misty Valley Branch Line** | Killdane Branch Line** | The Loop Line** | Ulfstead Branch Line** | Harwick Branch Line** | Coaling Plant Branch Line**
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