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Derek, also known as Paxman Diesel and The Paxman[4], is a large green diesel engine who is known for his initial "teething" troubles.

Biography

The Fat Controller realised Bill and Ben needed help with their work and sent for Derek, but Derek's cooling system overheated and breaks down on Gordon's Hill and BoCo had to come to the rescue. The news of the rescue went through the North Western Railway's rumour mill in due course until a confused Percy informed Bill and Ben that Derek had a toothache. Bill and Ben were apprehensive of Derek as a result but forgot their fear when Derek's cooling system overheated and breaks down yet again and they had to help him home. Derek was then sent to the Works to be mended.

Derek returned later and was seen pulling a goods train up Gordon's Hill, passing Gordon on the way. According to the song, Derek was straining up the hill, but could have possibly made it up.[5]

According to the Official Website, Derek now spends most of his time at the quarries and clay mines near Brendam Docks working with Bill and Ben. Although, according to the Thomas and Friends Writers' Bible, Derek would normally work in the yards or stations.

Personality

Derek is a jolly, enthusiastic diesel engine, keen on making an impression, who was brought in to assist Bill, Ben and BoCo at the China Clay quarry. Unfortunately, due to his engine, he is highly prone to teething troubles, namely overheating and suffering frequent breakdowns, for which he is apologetic for the inconvenience. As a result, he spends many a day having his engine tended to, which is unfortunate since he really wants to work hard. However, Derek is a likeable chap and even Bill and Ben decided that they liked him due to his friendly nature. Derek has an infectious charisma, is keen to help anyone around him and has a passion for sorting things out in a jiffy - if his cooling system lets him.

Technical Details

Basis

Derek is based on a British Rail (BR) Class 17, also known as the Clayton Type 1. 117 members of this class were built between 1962 and 1965 by the Clayton Equipment Company of Derbyshire, England. Derek's problems were undoubtedly inspired by those of his basis, as the Paxman engines fitted to most of the real Class 17s were prone to a series of many mechanical issues. [6]Because of these, all Class 17s were withdrawn by the end of 1971, after less than 10 years of service. One Class 17, D8568, is preserved at the Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway in South Oxfordshire, England.[7]

According to David Maidment, Derek was originally envisioned as a BR Class 14 (also known as the D95XX series, nicknamed "Teddy Bears") diesel-hydraulic locomotive.[8] Fifty-six of these engines were built at Swindon Works between 1964 and 1965. Some of these engines worked as bankers at Ebbw Vale and had a tendency to run hot, leaving the Class 37 diesels to pull both the train and the banker to the top. These incidents became the basis for the story of Derek's debut in Double Teething Troubles.[8] A total of 19 engines of this class are preserved on various heritage railways around the United Kingdom.

Livery

Derek is painted in the BR Deep Bronze green livery. He has yellow warning panels on his front and back ends. He has white lining on his window frames and he has the BR Ferret and Dartboard crest on his sides.

Appearances

Official Description

From Official Website:[1]

Paxman Diesel: Paxman looks the part, but he sadly suffers a lot from overheating and various other teething troubles. The twins, Bill and Ben, who work the quarries and clay mines near Brendam Docks discover that as much as they dislike diesels, Paxman is a kindly soul; and they feel sorry for him after he tries his best to help them.


Historical Note: Paxman is based on British Rail's Bo Bo diesel electric locomotive, Type 1 900 HP Clayton Class 17/1 D 8500 series.

From Official Website:[2]

Derek the Diesel: Derek looks the part, but he sadly suffers a lot from overheating and various other teething troubles. The twins, Bill and Ben, who work the quarries and clay mines near Brendam Docks discover that as much as they dislike diesels, Derek is a kindly soul; and they feel sorry for him after he tries his best to help them.


Historical Note: Derek is based on British Rail's Bo Bo diesel electric locomotive, Type 1 900 HP Clayton Class 17/1 D 8500 series.

From Official Website:[3]

Derek: Derek is a large Diesel engine who spends most of his time at the quarries and clay mines near Brendam Docks. At first Bill and Ben disliked Derek, but because of Derek's kind soul, they soon became good friends.


Fun Fact: Derek is also known as Paxman Diesel, named after the type of engine he has.

From Official Website:[4]

Derek: Derek is a large Diesel who's engine causes him constant trouble by overheating. Derek spends most of his time at the quarries and clay mines near Brendam Docks working with Bill and Ben.


Fun Fact: At first Bill and Ben disliked Derek, but because of Derek's kind soul, they soon became good friends. Derek is based on the BR Class 17 Diesel-Electric Type 1.

Audio Files

Theme

First used Last used Composers Theme Song
Series 5 Series 6 Mike O'Donnell
Junior Campbell

Derek's theme is reused in the sixth series for Mavis, but at a slighter faster pace. This theme is also used in the seventh series in the same faster pace, but in a higher pitch for her.

Only used Composers Theme Song
Series 7 Mike O'Donnell
Junior Campbell

Horn

Only used Sound Effect
Series 5

Trivia

  • Derek was the first non-Awdry standard gauge engine to be introduced into the television series.
  • Derek was not named in any of his appearances as in his debut episode, Double Teething Troubles: he was only referred to as the new Diesel, or simply Diesel and in the music video Trying, the lyrics say "Who's that straining up the hill?" rather than Derek's usual name. This makes him the first character to only be named in merchandise ranges.
  • Inside the production team and in some early promotional material such as The Official Website, Derek's name was Paxman, it was changed on merchandising due to fear it would offend the manufacturers of the Paxman brand of diesels, or be a possible reference to celebrity Jeremy Paxman.
  • The BR crest on Derek's ERTL toy reads "Thomas Tank" instead of "British Railways".
  • In his Wooden Railway prototype, Derek is seen with a greyish engine, unlike the black one presented in his final toy. His 2007 reissue sports the correct yellow engine.
  • Derek's ERTL prototype shows him with a darker and different face and a darker colour scheme. His second Ertl promotional artwork incorrectly depicts him with steam engine type wheels, a darker colour scheme, a grey undercarriage, square buffers and with no red buffer beam.
  • According to Sharon Miller, she wrote Derek into a sixteenth series episode with a non-speaking role.[9] Bust My Buffers! was the episode in which this was to happen, but it never materialized due to "Paxman" in the script being mistaken for "Paxton".
  • Derek's theme tune from Double Teething Troubles is an arrangement of Mavis' theme from the third series.
  • Derek is one of the few characters from the classic series to not get a Capsule Plarail model, along with Daisy, 'Arry, Bert, Bertram and the Horrid Lorries.
  • Despite himself not appearing in CGI, Derek is mentioned in a 2019 (May/June) magazine.
  • Derek's horn was later used for Mavis in the sixth series, the foghorn in the sixth series, Salty for Day of the Diesels to the twenty-fourth series, Diesel 10 in some merchandise and video games and Diesel in Fun Cubes.
    • His horn is a stock sound effect that can be heard in various TV shows, movies, commercials, and other medias.

Quotes

“You do look glum", sighed Duck.
"It's the new diesel's fault",
replied Bill. "He's got toothache!"
"Toothache? He's got teething troubles. That means he's new and is causing some problems. In his case it's his cooling system.”
― Duck, Bill and Ben talk about Derek, "Double Teething Troubles", fifth series
“Hello! I'll soon sort this train out. You pull from the front and I'll push from the back. What fun.”
― Derek when he arrived to help Bill and Ben with their train, "Double Teething Troubles", fifth series
“Come on, push harder you silly diesel!”
― Ben pressuring Derek, "Double Teething Troubles", fifth series
“I'm overheating again.”
― Derek overheating, dragging the train to a stop, "Double Teething Troubles", fifth series

Merchandise

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 #Trivia
  2. Thomas and Friends Writers' Bible
  3. 3.0 3.1 T&F S5 #12 "Double Teething Troubles"
  4. https://twitter.com/SteamTeam3211/status/1569758464485769218
  5. T&F: Calling All Engines!
  6. Sayer, A.P. (2021) The Clayton Type 1 Bo-Bo diesel-electric locomotives - British Railways Class 17: Development, design and demise. Havertown, PA: Pen & Sword Books Limited.
  7. https://www.chinnorrailway.co.uk/article.php/12/d8568
  8. 8.0 8.1 SIF Interview with David Maidment
  9. @ElliotKW on Twitter (archived)



* RWS only | ** T&F only

--- Dropped | * 1991-1994 maps only | ** 2014 map only

* RWS only | ** T&F only
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