Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
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Millie is a light blue narrow gauge engine from France. She helps run Sir Robert Norramby's Estate Railway at Ulfstead Castle. Her duties include assisting the Groundskeeper and taking visitors on tours of the estate. For this, she has her own set of open-topped carriages.

Biography

Thomas first met Millie when he visited Ulfstead Castle. She had been left in her shed while the Earl was travelling the world, but was brought out again upon his return to Sodor to help with the restoration of Ulfstead Castle.[2]

Millie once swapped jobs with Luke. Although she struggled to adjust, she ended up loving the Blue Mountain Quarry, but was pleased to return to her own job at the castle and even more pleased to have made friends with Luke.[1]

While she was helping with construction of the Dinosaur Park, she was teased by Samson and Harvey for being afraid of the Megalosaurus model. She decided to pay them back by asking the groundskeeper to make a bonfire by the model volcano to create the illusion that it was actually active. When it was finished, she had the honour of taking the Earl, Sir Topham Hatt and Dowager Hatt around the completed park.[3]

When Glynn arrived on the Estate Railway, Stephen became jealous of the Coffee Pot; Millie, however, was more welcoming. When Glynn asked her what the Earl was planning, she suggested he was planning on building a railway museum. After Stephen stated that he would conduct tours while Glynn would become an exhibit, Millie joked the opposite would be true. After the two old engines decided to have a race, a concerned Millie decided to tell the Earl. The Earl met the two at Knapford, where he confirmed Millie's theory that he was building a railway museum.[4]

Once, when Millie was given extra work and spent the day collecting gravel from the Blue Mountain Quarry, Stephen neglected to do her regular chore of moving the garden waste. Fed up, Millie decided to teach Stephen a lesson by dumping the waste in front of his shed, only to get even crosser when Stephen mocked her in retaliation. The following day, Stephen could not find Millie, and worried that she had run away because of his teasing. Stephen left the estate to look for Millie, but ended up running out of water near Crovan's Gate. Luckily, Millie and the Earl found him and explained that they had only left to pick up a new motor for the castle turntable. Millie and Stephen made up their quarrel, and, once Stephen had taken on more water, headed back to the castle together.[5]

Personality

Millie is a youthful, fun-loving, friendly engine who is full of spirit. When crossed, Millie can be quite fiery and is unafraid to stand up for herself, but she is also fair-minded and not particularly spiteful. That said, she will take it upon herself to teach an uppity engine a lesson, should she feel the need.

Having worked on the his Estate Railway for many years, Millie is very loyal to the Earl and her relationship to him is like that of a personal servant. They have fun together and are as close as any friends, but there is also a certain formality to their relationship. She always wants to do the best by the Earl and will defer to his judgement in all things, but when it comes to other engines, she has a mind of her own.

Technical Details

Basis

Millie is based on a 0-4-0 well tank No. 8069 Tabamar, built in 1911 by Borsig, under contract from Decauville. Tabamar is preserved at the Chemin de fer des Chanteraines in Paris, France. In 1995, Tabamar visited the Ffestiniog Railway, where it served on drive-an-engine duty at Boston Lodge. Unlike her basis, Millie has a rear coal bunker, chain coupling hooks, and has been regauged from 1ft 11 5⁄8in to 2ft 3in.

Livery

Millie is painted French blue with white lining and brass fittings. She has a golden running board, boiler bands and wheel spokes. Her front buffer beam and the front of her cylinder blocks are painted red. Sir Robert Norramby's crest is painted on her cab sides, while her name is painted in white on the sides of her boiler. Her smokebox, funnel, frames and rods are a very dark purple colour, while her cab roof is plain black.

Appearances

Magazine Stories

Books

Audio Stories

Thomas & Friends Storytime

Audio Files

Whistle

Since her first appearance, Millie has reused Lady's whistle sound.

First used Last used Sound Effect
King of the Railway Active

In the mobile game, Thomas & Friends: MINIS, Millie has Freddie's whistle sound at ten steps higher in pitch.

Only used Sound Effect
Thomas & Friends: MINIS

Trivia

  • Millie is the first and/or only of a few things:
    • The first engine on the Estate Railway.
    • The first narrow gauge engine to be modelled by Arc Productions, the second being Duncan.
    • The first French-speaking engine in the series.
    • The first and only female narrow gauge engine in the series.
    • The only new narrow gauge character to be introduced following the Mattel takeover, and the final new narrow gauge engine introduced in the original series.
  • Millie is the most modern of the Estate Railway engines, having been built at a later date than both Stephen and Glynn.
  • Millie is incorrectly portrayed as a 0-4-2 saddle tank engine in Thomas Land US.
  • According to Sam Wilkinson, she originally had a different name.
  • Miranda Raison gives Millie a French accent, reflecting her basis' origins.

Merchandise

  • Wooden Railway (discontinued)
  • TrackMaster (cancelled)
  • Take-n-Play (normal and dusty; both discontinued)
  • Adventures (discontinued)
  • Capsule Plarail
  • Minis
    • Classic Minis
    • Robo Minis
    • DC Super Friends Minis (as Bumblebee, Harley Quinn and Catwoman)
    • Warrior Minis
    • SpongeBob SquarePants Minis (as Sandy Cheeks)
    • Construction Minis
    • Night Time Minis
    • Animal Minis (peacock)
    • Fruit Minis (watermelon)
    • Neon Glow in the Dark Minis
    • Pet Minis (parrot)

References


International Characters

* RWS only | ** T&F only | ✦ Changed location
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