- “Why on earth does your controller keep such out-of-date objects? Dirty, smoky, slow things. Ugh! On our railway, steam engines are kept strictly in their place and not allowed on the main line without special permission.”
- ― 40125
40125, formerly known as D325, was a diesel engine who once visited the North Western Railway on loan from British Railways. James nicknamed him "Old Stuck-Up" because of how rude he was to the steam engines.
Biography
BoCo was to show 40125 around, but when he saw steam engines in the shed he refused to go further and insulted the railway for keeping them in service. An angry BoCo left him outside while he went inside the shed himself, and a furious James nicknamed him "Old Stuck-Up".[1]
The next day, Old Stuck-Up was about to leave when he remembered that he needed refuelling. He attempted to use BoCo and Bear's part of the shed to be refuelled and cleaned, but slid on the oily tracks and crashed into the back of the shed. He was sent home in disgrace after being talked to severely by the Fat Controller; BoCo noted that while he could not hear everything, he did not think it sounded particularly polite.[1]
Personality
40125 is pompous, rude and arrogant like a lot of unfriendly diesels, and believes that steam power is inferior to diesel power while also being highly stubborn as he refused to go further into the shed where the steam engines rest. He soon made himself an enemy of the steam engines, particularly James who christened the nickname "Old Stuck-Up". BoCo, who was showing the diesel round, lost patience with him. In addition, he is described as being "particularly haughty" by the author.
In Sodor: Reading Between the Lines the author suggests it's safe to say, that unlike other previous visiting engines, Old Stuck-Up made himself very unpleasant and did not enjoy his visit to the Island of Sodor. Although, he had no-one other than himself to blame.
Technical Details
Basis
40125 is based on a British Rail (BR) Class 40 1Co-Co1 diesel-electric engine. Two-hundred members of this class were built from 1958 to 1962, and the last was withdrawn in 1985. They were given the nickname "Whistlers" because of the strange whistling noise their engines would make. Seven Class 40s are preserved at the National Railway Museum including D200, the first Class 40 ever built. D282 and D4711 are also based on BR Class 40s.
Unlike most diesel engines who visit Sodor in The Railway Series, Old Stuck-Up's number is not fictional. The real 40125 was built in December 1960 as D325 and was the first member of the class built with split headcode boxes. It was renumbered 40125 on 31st January 1974 repainted into BR Rail Blue around this time. It was withdrawn from service in May 1981 and scrapped at Swindon Works in December 1983. It is safe to assume that Old Stuck-Up met the same fate.
Livery
Old Stuck-Up is painted in the BR Rail Blue livery. He has yellow warning panels on his front and back end. His number (40125) is painted on the sides of his cabs in white. His rooftop is painted dark grey. His buffer beams are painted red with dark grey buffers.
Prior to January 31st 1974, Old Stuck-Up would have been painted BR Deep Bronze green with full yellow ends, and before this small yellow warning panels, and the number D325 on his cab sides.
Appearances
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
- 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection (indirectly mentioned)
- 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)
- 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection
Official Description
From Official Media:[2]
| “ | Old Stuck-Up: This is, in fact, a nickname given to a visiting Class 40 diesel (No.40125) in 1984, when the visitor made himself very unpleasant. I think it can be safely said that, unlike the others, he did not enjoy his visit to the Island of Sodor, but he had no-one other than himself to blame. | ” |
Audio Files
| Only used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|
| James and the Diesel Engines and Other Stories |
Trivia
- The events of the story, Old Stuck-Up, took place in the winter of 1983-84. The actual 40125 was withdrawn from service in May 1981 and scrapped in December 1983.
- Unlike most diesels from the Other Railway, Old Stuck-Up does not have a BR crest or logo on his sides.
- Old Stuck-Up's accident was based on a real event that happened to one of the six preserved LNER A4 Pacific, Sir Nigel Gresley.
Gallery
The Railway Series
Main Series
Miscellaneous
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 RWS #28: James and the Diesel Engines - "Old Stuck-Up"
- ↑ RWS "Sodor: Reading Between the Lines" (2005)
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