| For other uses, see Oliver. |
Oliver is a green Great Western tank engine who lives and works on the Island of Sodor, and is the North Western Railway's number 11 engine. He helps Duck to run the Little Western with his two autocoaches, Isabel and Dulcie.
Biography
Oliver was built by the Great Western Railway at Swindon Works and was "push-pull" fitted for branch line work. He was originally numbered in the 48xx series, but along with the rest of his class, he was renumbered into the 14xx series in 1946, eventually becoming 1436. He at one point worked autotrains along the Golden Valley Line between Gloucester and Chalford with his autocoach, Isabel.[3]
Oliver reached Sodor in 1967. Following the rapid closure of branch lines in the West Country, Oliver's crew were appalled at the prospect of their engine being scrapped, so they became determined to take a chance and try to save him, along with Isabel and a brake van named Toad. An escape route was carefully worked out with the help of a chain of sympathetic signalmen. It was necessary to travel at night - often over "goods only" lines - and lie hidden by day. They had many narrow escapes, and the journey took longer than planned.
When control got wind of the runaways, they hid in an old quarry branch and had the cutting blocked by rubbish to avoid being spotted by the diesels outside. The runaways decided it was safe to leave at some point, but before they could reach the greener pastures of Sodor, Oliver ran out of coal in Barrow Yard. Luckily, Douglas was able to rescue Oliver and took him to Sodor, hiding him at Crovan's Gate Works. The Fat Controller soon found out and arranged for the three to be repaired and painted in Great Western colours. Toad decided to be Douglas' brake van to thank him, and the Fat Controller rescued another autocoach named Dulcie to work with Oliver and Isabel.
Oliver was then sent to work on the Little Western, but became conceited after the big engines gave him their respect in recognition of his adventures and pushed his weight around, prompting several ballast trucks to push him into a turntable well. Oliver received little respect from the trucks after the incident but got his own back by pulling the ringleader, S.C. Ruffey, apart. Oliver is now well-respected by the trucks, out of fear they will be pulled apart too.
Personality
Despite his heroism and daring feats of escape, Oliver is an engine who is willing to admit every day is a learning curve. When he was still new to Sodor, he let the other engines' responses to his courage, resource and sagacity from his amazing recounts of daring escapes and adventures get to his smokebox and he became conceited. However, when the Troublesome Trucks pushed him into the turntable well, he grew into a much humbler, settled engine and was far warier of trucks. But later, with some help from his brake van Toad, he did gain much respect and authority among the trucks when he showed his strength with the ringleader of the trucks, S.C. Ruffey, a little more than he had perhaps been intending. Oliver still has gumption but is now a more obedient, sensible engine. He feels his responsibility on the railway deeply, is ever thankful for being aided in his escape from scrap by Douglas and is a trustworthy, tenacious, plucky engine. However, he can still be occasionally boastful or temperamental; despite this setback, Oliver is still one of the more really useful and well-behaved engines on Sodor.
Technical Details
Basis
Oliver is based on a Great Western Railway (GWR) 14xx Class 0-4-2T. These engines were fitted with a mechanical system allowing the driver to control the locomotive remotely from the cab of an 'Autocoach'. They were originally assigned numbers in the 48xx series but were renumbered into the 14xx series in 1946. Four engines of this class survive in preservation.
Oliver's number comes from a real 14xx, No. 1436, which was built at Swindon Works in August 1934 as No. 4836 and worked in the West of England, West Midlands and West London until it was withdrawn in October 1958. It was scrapped at Morkot Ltd, Caerphilly on the 1st of October, 1958. According to The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways and Sodor: Reading Between the Lines, "It is doubtful whether this (1436) was the number actually allotted to him in 1946". Restored illustrations from 2015 reveal the number 1420 faded on his front bufferbeam. No. 1420 is a real life 14xx class preserved on the South Devon Railway.
Livery
Oliver is painted Great Western Railway (GWR) Mid Chrome green. He has black wheels, valences and pipes. The GWR 'shirtbutton' logo is painted on the sides of his tanks in yellow. He has brass GWR number plates with black grounds on the sides of his cab with his number (1436) on them as well as a brass safety valve bonnet. He has red buffer beams.
Before he came to Sodor, he was painted in British Railways (BR) Deep Bronze green with orange and black lining and the BR early crest painted on the sides of his tanks.
Appearances
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
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Annual Stories
- 1985 - Oliver Gets the Bird and Donald's Duck (mentioned)
- 1986 - Funnel Trouble and You Never Know (mentioned)
Official Description
From Official Media:[4]
| “ | Oliver (NWR No.11; GWR No.1436): An 0-4-2 tank engine of the 48xxclass introduced in 1932 by Mr Collett, and ”push-pull” fitted for branch line work. The class was renumbered 14xx in 1946. Oliver reached Sodor in 1967. With the rapid closure of West of England branch lines, Oliver’s crew were appalled at the prospect of their engine being scrapped, or left to rust away at Barry. Both were bachelors with no local ties, so they determined to take a chance and try to save their engine.
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” |
From Official Media:[5]
| “ | Oliver (11): Like Duck, Oliver is allowed to wear his Great Western number, 1436, though, again like Duck, there is some doubt as to whether this is his original. Also like Duck, he is to a design by C B Collett, a 0-4-2 tank engine intended for branch line passenger duties, but three years younger having been introduced in 1932. In 1967 his crew, alarmed that Oliver's branch line in the West Country was about to be closed, plotted to escape to the Island of Sodor, along with an auto-coach called Isabel and a Great Western brake van called Toad. Douglas comes across them in Barrow yard and the two crews colluded to smuggle the fugitives across to the Island. After an extensive overhaul, Oliver was put to work on Duck's branch line and the two Great Western locomotives now work happily together. | ” |
Trivia
- Oliver is named after Oliver Wicks, who was a much respected member of Stroud Baptist Church. He was the Rev. W. Awdry's next door neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud.
- Oliver's name may have also been inspired by Bulliver, a member of his class preserved on the Dart Valley (now South Devon) Railway, which is mentioned at the beginning of Oliver the Western Engine. Interestingly, several illustrations in Oliver the Western Engine erroneously depict him with Bulliver's number (1420), further suggesting this engine was used as illustrator's reference.
- Willie Rushton gave Oliver a Yorkshire accent in his narration of Enterprising Engines and Oliver the Western Engine.
Quotes
- “Yon's an enterprising engine. I won away here with Donald; but I'd have been feared to do it on my own.”
- ― Douglas, Enterprising Engines
- “Oliver's no use at all; thinks he's very clever
Says that he can manage us; that's the best joke ever
When he orders us about, with the greatest folly,
We just push him down the well...Pop goes old Ollie!” - ― The Troublesome Trucks and S.C. Ruffey teasing Oliver with a song, Oliver the Western Engine
See also
References
| Locomotives | Duck | Donald and Douglas | Oliver | |
|---|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Alice and Mirabel | Isabel and Dulcie |
| Goods | Toad | Fred Pelham | |
| Former | S.C. Ruffey | |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Bulgy | Bulgy's Friend | |
| Stations | Tidmouth | Haultraugh | Arlesburgh West | |