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Peter Sam

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This article is about the engine. You may be looking for the controller, the magazine story or the Story Library book.


Peter Sam, named after the Skarloey Railway's previous controller, Mr Peter Sam - originally known as Stuart, after his builder, Kerr Stuart - is a narrow gauge saddle tank engine who lives and works on the Skarloey Railway.

Biography

The Railway Series

Stuart was built by Kerr Stuart & Co at their California Works in Stoke-on-Trent, England in 1920 to their standard industrial pattern. He was delivered by rail to Cronk and hauled from there to the Mid Sodor Railway's station at Peel Godred by traction engine. Following a pattern of the MSR naming its engines after their builders, he was named "Stuart".[2]

While living on the Mid Sodor Railway, he was cheeky and occasionally made fun of Duke until he was told about what happened to Stanley. One time, he teased Duke because of his age and had to take him and his train to Arlesdale after the tender engine failed. Stuart received his comeuppance during the journey when Duke gave a tremendous effort in helping to pull the train. Stuart was embarrassed by the whole ordeal especially when a boy asked why two engines were working together, to which his father replied that Stuart needed assistance and so Duke came to help.

When the Mid Sodor Railway closed in 1947, he and Falcon were sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company at Peel Godred for an expansion project. Following the project's completion in 1951, they were oiled, greased and sheeted under tarpaulins ready for disposal and stood for a year in the Company's yard. In 1952, they were purchased for the knockdown price of £50 (£25 each) by Sir Handel Lloyd Brown for service on the Skarloey Railway, overhauled and repainted in SR livery at Crovan's Gate Works and renamed Peter Sam and Sir Handel respectively.[3]

Since arriving, Peter Sam has had many adventures. When he was new to the railway, he had a mishap with Henry who jokingly threatened to leave without Peter Sam's passengers if he was late. He left so quickly that he left the Refreshment Lady behind, who explained that Henry was only joking and that he has to wait, as he was a guaranteed connection. One of his more notable story arcs involved his funnel, which was severely damaged after an accident at the incline in 1958 with the Slate Trucks. In 1961, the funnel was knocked-off as he passed under a tunnel and it was temporarily replaced with a rusty pipe. Peter Sam was soon given a new funnel, a Giesl ejector, which suits him much better and has improved his performance.

When Skarloey and Rheneas' centenary was to feature a duke to open a new part of the line of the railway, Duck told Peter Sam that all Dukes were scrapped, causing Peter Sam to fear that the centenary would be ruined. It was not until the real duke came to open the new loop line that proved him wrong, although Peter Sam was left disappointed as it was not the Duke he and Sir Handel knew. Their Duke was later discovered and brought to their railway.

In 1982, Peter Sam, not wanting to miss James' train, damaged his valve gear after he recklessly ploughed through some branches, which got caught in it. Although the passengers and the guard managed to cut him out, his front was left sore for several days.

For most of the 1990s, Peter Sam visited the Talyllyn Railway in Wales. During his visit, he took on bad water and when he got to the station, it sprayed sludge out of his funnel. Unfortunately for him, he had to stay in a siding while Talyllyn took his train, as the visitors wanted to see him. He soon learned that the water used on the Talyllyn Railway had a special powder that was used to enhance its flavour and too much of it was used. Peter Sam was soon cleaned and when he got back home in 1996, he told his story to two young volunteers named Kathy and Lizzie, who found the story very funny.

Thomas & Friends

Peter Sam has always been a cheery little engine. He often works closely with his friend Rusty. Once, after Rusty helped him to a water tower, Peter Sam's trucks decided to break away. They did and rolled down the track, derailing on the Old Iron Bridge and plunging into the ravine below. Because Peter Sam and his crew did not secure the trucks properly, the Fat Controller made Peter Sam work in the yards until he could be trusted again. He was next seen at the Skarloey Coal Yard and after that, he was seen moving trucks about in the slate yard when the railway was shut down.

Through the valiant effort of Rusty, Elizabeth, Skarloey and Rheneas, the railway was reopened and Peter Sam was out and about again. Unfortunately, he was promptly relegated to not working again when a low-hanging tree branch knocked his whistle right off. Duncan told him that an engine's not an engine without a whistle, but Peter Sam did not let Duncan get to him. When Duncan came back to the depot, having lost his own whistle, he found Peter Sam with a shiny new one. Peter Sam felt sorry for "Duncan the musical engine" and complimented him for managing to deliver his goods without a whistle. All the same, he could not help but echo the "An engine's not an engine without a whistle" line.

Peter Sam also helped the Refreshment Lady find a place to put her new tea shop, in an old restored coach. He once had to deliver a new winch for the incline at night, but got lost trying to find the magic lamp from the legendary engine, Proteus. In result, Harold helped him find his way home by shining down his light.

Peter Sam was once put in charge of the Skarloey Railway while Mr. Percival was away, but ran out of coal. In result, Victor came and brought him coal and fixed Skarloey, Sir Handel and Duncan afterwards.

Percy later informed him and Sir Handel about a railway show for little engines being held at Ulfstead Castle. Peter Sam wondered aloud if his funnel would win a prize there and added that there was no funnel quite like it. This led to Sir Handel bragging about his special wheels, to which Peter Sam teased him by referring to them as "steamroller wheels". Peter Sam was later seen in the queue of engines waiting to get into the castle for the show.

He is currently working on the Skarloey Railway in the Blue Mountain Quarry with the other narrow gauge engines.

Personality

Peter Sam, named Stuart in his younger days while being brought up under the instruction of Duke, is extremely enthusiastic, eager and bubbly. He can be occasionally cheeky, but is kind-hearted, well-meaning and good mannered. He can also be somewhat prone to being a little naïve at times and perhaps take things a little too literally. With an infectious attitude and high spirits, Peter Sam is kind and hard-working to a fault and seldom grumbles about late hours and/or extra work. He accepts whatever job he gets and is always nice to the coaches and trucks, unlike Sir Handel.

Despite being friendly with everyone, when the bigger engines, such as Henry or Duck, tease him or cause him to misunderstand something, he can get very angry and wish to go crook on them.

Technical Details

Basis

Peter Sam is based on the Talyllyn Railway's Edward Thomas, a Kerr Stuart Tattoo Class 0-4-2ST that originally worked on the Corris Railway. Interestingly, Edward Thomas only donned the Giesl ejector funnel for a limited time, while Peter Sam has used it since he first received it. Four other Tattoo locomotives are also preserved, including a replica on the Corris Railway.

Livery

In the Railway Series, Peter Sam was painted dark green until coming to work on the Skarloey Railway, where he was painted in SR standard red with cerulean and yellow lining, with his name painted on the sides of his saddle tank in yellow.

In the television series, Peter Sam has always been painted dark green with red lining and brass fittings (the same colours from when he was formerly Stuart on the Mid Sodor Railway). He has red and gold name and number plates on the sides of his saddle tank and coal bunkers respectively.

In The Thomas Way DVD, the Mr. Perkins segment features a re-illustrated version of Trucks!. In this, Peter Sam is painted dark green, like in the television series.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Thomas & Friends

Specials

Music Videos

Magazine Stories

Peter Sam also appeared in the magazine stories, Hello, Skarloey!, Ride and Slide, Smoke Signals, The Cliff Railway, The Mountain Railway and The Tiny Engine.

Annual Stories

Books

Audio Files

Whistles

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 4
 Series 4


First used Last used Sound Effect
Special Funnel Special Funnel

In the US Sleeping Beauty when Peter Sam and Sir Handel go to meet Duke at the sheds Peter Sam has Smudger's Whistle.

in You Can't Win Peter Sam has Stepney/Rheneas' main Whistle but when he leaves Rheneas Station with Duke he has Sir Handel's main Whistle.

in Trucks when Peter Sam leaves with the coaches and Sir Handel's trucks he has Skarloey's main Whistle.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 6 Series 7

In Series 9-12 and some games, Peter Sam and Freddie have Emily's original whistle from the seventh series only.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 9 Read and Play!

Peter San's CGI Whistle

First used Last used Sound Effect
Blue Mountain Mystery Active

In The Great Little Railway Show, Peter Sam is incorrectly portrayed with Sam's whistle.

First used Last used Sound Effect
The Great Little Railway Show The Great Little Railway Show

In Don't Bother Victor (in the mobile app, Read and Play!), Peter Sam is incorrectly portrayed with Duck's whistle.

First used Last used Sound Effect
Don't Bother Victor! (Read and Play!) Don't Bother Victor! (Read and Play!)

Trivia

  • His original Wooden Railway toy along with Thomas' both made a cameo appearance in an episode of Australia's Funniest Home Videos.
  • In most magazine stories, some books based on the television series and some forms of merchandising, Peter Sam gains his old funnel.
  • In his both model and CGI form, Peter Sam lacks his valve gear. 
  • Peter Sam's small scale model and a slate truck were put up for sale at Vectis and auctioned off for £2,600 and was or is wearing his smiling face mask while his large scale model is currently on display at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan and is wearing his laughing face mask.
  • Peter Sam holds the record of being the only narrow gauge engine to gain a nickname from a standard gauge engine in the television series[4], excluding Freddie's nickname given by BoCo in a magazine story.
  • Peter Sam and Whiff are the only two characters in the television series with smudged standard headlamps.
  • So far, Peter Sam's giesl ejector has been referred to as a 'Special Funnel' in five episodes. Those being, Special Funnel, Steam Roller, Passengers and Polish, Duncan Gets Spooked, and The Great Little Railway Show.
  • His whistle sound from the rest of the fourth series was reused for Skarloey in A Bad Day for Sir Handel and a scene in The Old Bridge. It was also reused for Rheneas in the sixth-twelfth series.

Quotes

“I'm Peter Sam, I'm running this line! I'm Peter Sam, I'm running this line!”
―Peter Sam singing happily, Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady, Four Little Engines
“Peter Sam's said again and again,
his new funnel will put ours to shame.
He went into the tunnel
lost his old funnel.
Now his famous new funnel's a drain!”
―Sir Handel teasing Peter Sam, Special Funnel, Gallant Old Engine

Merchandise

References

  1. ↑ T&F "Peter Sam (Story Library book)"
  2. ↑ "Sodor: Reading Between the Lines" p.13
  3. ↑ "The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways" p.82 & p.133
  4. ↑ T&F S4 #7 "Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady"


* RWS only | ** T&F only
Locomotives Steam Skarloey | Rheneas | Sir Handel | Peter Sam | Duncan | Duke | Ivo Hugh* | Bertram** | Mighty Mac** | Freddie** | Luke**
Diesel Rusty | Fred* | The Hunslet Diesels*
Other Mark V
Former The Ghost Engine** | Proteus**
Rolling Stock Coaches Agnes, Ruth, Lucy and Jemima* | Gertrude and Millicent* | Ada, Jane and Mabel* | Saloon Coaches* | Coaches** | Refreshment Coach**
Trucks Trucks | Slate Trucks | Gunpowder Vans** | Quarry Trucks** | Flatbeds* | Conflats | Well Wagons** | Slab Wagons** | V-Tipper Wagons*
Other Beatrice* | Cora* | Brake Vans | SR Breakdown Train** | The "Weedkiller"* | Art Transporters* | The Sleigh Wagon*
Non-Rail Vehicles Madge** | Colin** | Merrick** | Owen**
People The Owner (Sir Handel Brown I, Sir Handel Brown II)* | The Thin Controller (Mr. Mack, Mr. Robert Sam, Mr. Peter Sam, Mr. Roger Sam)* | Mr. Hugh (David Hugh I, Ivo Hugh, David Hugh II)* | Sir Topham Hatt** | Mr. Percival**
Locations Crovan's Gate (Engine Sheds) | Cros-ny-Cuirn | Glennock | Rheneas (Viaduct, Tunnel) | Lakeside | Skarloey (Slate Quarry) | The Depot** | Bluebell Valley** | Valley View** | Sodor Castle** | Standard and Narrow Gauge Tunnel Runby** | Old Iron Bridge** | Tea Room Station** | Mountain Village Station** | Blue Mountain Quarry** | Strawberry Grove** | Rumblin Bridge** | Elephant Park** | Boulder Quarry** | The Old Wooden Bridge** | Ulfstead Castle** | Sodor Steamworks** | The Transfer Yards** | The Wharf** | Skarloey Coal Yard** | Green Hills Junction** | The Old Trestle Bridge | Culdee Fell (Caves, Hill)** | Middle Station | Vicarstown Goods Yard

 

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