Oliver

Oliver is a wise old excavator, who works for the Sodor Construction Company. He carries out demolition and digging work. He is capable of switching between different tools, including his usual bucket, a chisel for digging, a scissor claw, and a wrecking ball for demolition, plus a jackhammer.

Biography

Thomas & Friends

In his first appearance, Oliver was helping to clear room for new railway lines at the quarry. Later, the Foreman assigned Oliver to move some rocks, but Jack wanted to do it and instead toppled over a hill. Jack learned his lesson and after that he allowed Oliver to continue with his jobs. Once, Oliver uncovered a complete dinosaur skeleton while digging a swimming pool. The following day, Oliver was on the front page of the Sodor Times with the headline, "Digger Digs Dino!".

When Max and Monty carelessly crashed into the lightning tree, Alfie, Kelly, and Oliver used their arms to prevent the tree from falling over until it was propped and saved. However, he proved to be unsuccessful after trying to demolish a building with a wrecking ball.

Oliver, along with the rest of the Pack, also helped with the restoration of Great Waterton.

Oliver later helped to construct the Harwick Branch Line with Jack, Alfie, Max, and Monty, he was heading to the site, but he blocked Bertie's way who was very annoyed since he lost a race with Thomas. When Marion first met the excavator, she believed that Oliver the engine had made a wish to Rex, Bert, and Mike, who Marion believed to be magical, to turn himself into an excavator. Oliver tried to explain, but Marion gave the excavator no chance to do so. It was not until the opening ceremony of the new branch line that Marion found out that there were two Olivers on Sodor.

Later on, when he, Jack, Alfie, Max, and Monty was working on Ffarquhar Branch Line, the dump truck twins caused a rock to hit Oliver's hydraulics in his arm causing him to have to be repaired and when he was repaired he helped clear the branch line after Max and Monty dump their loads on the line.

After James' accident at Tidmouth Sheds when his brakes malfunctioned, Oliver helped with the shed's reconstruction.

Personality

Oliver is wise and kind and keeps an eye on the other members of the Pack. He is good-mannered and hard-working and never complains about his work or gets impatient. He has the power and precision capability of moving and digging tons of earth in a single day. He likes to be a leader and treats the younger members of the Pack with respect.

Technical Details

Basis

Oliver's exact basis is unknown and appears to be a freelance design, although his hull bears a striking resemblance to the Russian KV series of Tanks. Adding to this, when Oliver is seen rotating, he's seen turning from the same location as the turret ring of the aforementioned tank.

Livery

Oliver is painted brown with a pale green panel on his back and his number painted on him in red. Oliver has the cap rim of a builder's hat between his forehead and cab windows.

Appearances

Audio Files

Horn

First used	Last used	Sound Effect
The Tortoise and the Hare	Active

Trivia

• An early concept art design for Oliver reveals his name was originally meant to be Buster.
• When Oliver returned in full CGI, his smaller wheels appear to have slightly increased in size.
• Tim Whitnall gives Oliver an Irish accent.
• Oliver is the first character to share his name with another character in the television series, and the second to do so in the entire Thomas franchise, the first being Bert and Iron Bert.

Merchandise

• TrackMaster (discontinued)
• Capsule Plarail (Discontinued: reintroduced)
• Wooden Railway (paired with Oliver the GWR engine; discontinued)
• Adventures (Paired with Jack, Thomas, and a Truck, sold only in Jack and the Pack 4-Pack; discontinued)

References