Rebecca is a large streamlined tender engine that originates from The Mainland. She sometimes helps Gordon pull the Express during busy periods, but otherwise performs mixed traffic duties on the Main Line.
Biography
Thomas & Friends
Rebecca first arrived on the Island of Sodor after Henry moved out of Tidmouth Sheds and Sir Topham Hatt wanted another engine to help with Gordon and the Express, though she arrived a day earlier than what Sir Topham Hatt expected and nearly bumped him and Winston off the rails when she tried to stop at Knapford. Her first job was to pull the express, though she caused a small mishap when she accidentally collected Flying Scotsman's passengers at Vicarstown early. After hearing how the other engines of the Steam Team mention how fast and strong they were, Rebecca decided that she would leave the stations early to prove how she can get things done fast, but this caused a lot of confusion and the passengers got angry. Sir Topham Hatt scolded her at the end of her first day about what was happening and Rebecca apologised for what she did, making up for it and even surprising the Flying Scotsman.
Rebecca met Belle, Marion, and Harvey and complimented them on their respective special features (Belle's water cannons, Marion's digger, and Harvey's crane), only to feel as if she was not special due to not having one. After hearing Duck mention that the crew at the Sodor Steamworks "can do anything", Rebecca went there to get the features fitted on her, but to no avail. Thomas and Marion helped Rebecca realise that complimenting others and making them feel good about themselves is her special quality.
When Sir Topham Hatt arrived asking for an engine to take the Troublesome Trucks, Thomas, James, and Percy placed the special's responsibilities on Rebecca, leaving the entire Steam Team concerned about their tricks. Contrary to expectations, she pulled them just fine, leaving the trucks confused and Thomas, James and Percy in their own predicaments. She arrived back at Tidmouth Sheds almost bumping Sir Topham off the rails.
In an attempt to get the other diesels into trouble for a change, Diesel had Rebecca do their jobs improperly. Unfortunately, he did not count on her honesty and he was punished by Sir Topham Hatt.
Later in Emily to the Rescue, during a practice emergency drill, Rebecca went to get Rocky, however ended up in an accident with James and Percy - who were also going to get Rocky - on the way.
Personality
Despite her large size, Rebecca is shy and sometimes clumsy, but not afraid to stand up for herself and is not intimidated by the older engines. At times, she feels the need to be on the same level as the other engines, which can make her anxious or overhasty. But despite her insecurities, Rebecca loves to see the best in everyone and all her friends appreciate her kindness and enthusiasm. She also has the uncanny ability to work with Troublesome Trucks without trouble on the first try, something that confuses even the trucks themselves. Because Rebecca is so willing to see the good in others, she can occasionally be gullible, as shown when she fell for one of Diesel's tricks, but she is also very honest, willing to tell the truth if needed. Rebecca has a big heart and is usually happy-go-lucky and cheerful. Unlike Gordon at times, Rebecca acts very humbly whenever she causes a mishap.
Technical Details
Basis
Rebecca is based on a Southern Railway (SR) "West Country" and "Battle of Britain" class (also known as "Light Pacifics"), a class of 4-6-2 tender locomotives designed by Oliver Bulleid and built between 1945 and 1951. These engines were classified as mixed-traffic locomotives when introduced and used for a wide variety of passenger and goods trains, including famous expresses such as the 'Golden Arrow' and the 'Atlantic Coast Express'. The "West Country" and "Battle of Britain" class engines were smaller and lighter versions of Bulleid's earlier "Merchant Navy" class, originally built with 'air-smoothed' casing, chain-driven valve gear and tenders with tall streamlined sides. Ten un-rebuilt members of the class have been preserved, one of them, Blackmoor Vale on the Bluebell Railway and another, Winston Churchill at the National Railway Museum. Another preserved member of the class, Swanage, appeared in Thomas and the U.K. Trip when the Ponkickies characters, Gachapin and Mukku were visiting several heritage railways.
While Rebecca is modelled on the un-rebuilt version of the locomotive, her tender design resembles the cut-down version used by rebuilt and un-rebuilt members of the class in British Railways service. Additionally, she features several differences over her real-life basis, including an altered front end with a larger and lower buffer beam, driving wheels which share the same design as Hiro's and plain disc wheels for her front bogie, trailing truck and tender, as opposed to the Bulleid Firth Brown disc wheels found on her prototype. Rebecca's cylinders and cab roof also have a significantly different shape compared to those on the real "Light Pacifics".
Livery
Rebecca is painted sunshine yellow and navy with white lining. Her wheel rims are painted white, her front end is painted red and she has red and orange stripes painted along her sides. Rebecca also has two blue nameplates on her smoke deflectors with her name painted on them in white. Her number (22) is painted on the sides of her cab in white and the initials "N.W.R." are painted on the sides of her tender, also in white.
Appearances
Books
Audio Stories
Video Games
|
Audio Files
Whistles
| First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Series 22 | Active |
In Rangers of the Rails, Rebecca is incorrectly portrayed with Nia's whistle.
| First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Rangers of the Rails | Rangers of the Rails |
In Thomas' Magical Birthday Wishes, Rebecca is incorrectly portrayed with Raul's whistle.
| First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Thomas' Magical Birthday Wishes | Thomas' Magical Birthday Wishes |
In Emily's Best Friend, Rebecca is incorrectly portrayed with Emily's whistle.
| First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Emily's Best Friend | Emily's Best Friend |
Trivia
- At one point during her creation, Rebecca was originally going to be called Miranda.
- According to Ian McCue, Rebecca was initially written to debut in the twenty-first series, however her introductory episode was later pushed back.[2]
- An official Thomas & Friends magazine incorrectly states that Thomas meets Rebecca on the Mainland in Big World! Big Adventures!. This idea was most likely dropped during production.
- She is the third character numbered 22, the first two being Isobella and Luke. Her number is a reference to the series she was introduced in.
- Rebecca is the third engine to have NWR lettering painted on her, with Emma being the first and Rosie second.
- Rebecca is also the only member of the Steam Team to have it.
- Rebecca holds the reputation of being the only Steam Team member to speak with a British accent in the US dub.
- Rebecca is the newest, second-youngest (by built date of her basis) and second-fastest member of the Steam Team, with Gordon being the fastest and strongest. Despite this, Rebecca is visually taller, wider, longer, and faster than Gordon.
- Rebecca uses Mighty's original whistle sound at a full step higher in pitch, and it sounds similar to Bert's whistle, which is Mighty's original whistle at a half-step higher in pitch, as well as Sir Handel's whistle from the tenth series onwards, but at six steps higher in pitch.
- Her basis appears in some episodes before she was introduced, such as in the ninth series episodes, "Mighty Mac" and "Thomas and the Birthday Picnic".
- Rebecca is the only member of the Steam Team to not appear in any of the feature-length specials of the series since they all take place before she arrived on Sodor.
- Rebecca shares her name with Hilary Fortnam's granddaughter. Fortnam was the youngest daughter of The Railway Series creator Wilbert Awdry.
- Rebecca, along with Henry, are the only members of the old and new Steam Team to never be seen pulling Annie and Clarabel.
- Rebecca is the only member of the new Steam Team not to be featured in Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go! so far.
Quotes
- “My name's Rebecca. And, I don't know why you keep on calling Gordon 'little brother.' You look the same size to me. If anything, I think Gordon looks bigger!”
- ― Rebecca introduces herself to Flying Scotsman as well as chastising his teasing to his brother, Confusion Without Delay
- “Hello, sir. And, uh, sorry, sir. I miscalculated how long it would take me to stop...by, uh, quite a lot!”
- ― Rebecca unexpectedly arrived, Confusion Without Delay
- “Yay me!”
- ― Rebecca, What Rebecca Does
- “I love pulling trucks along, I love pulling trucks along, I love pulling trucks along, they're lots of fun!”
- ― Rebecca singing, Chucklesome Trucks
- “Whoopsie! Oooh, what am I like? (giggles)”
- ― Rebecca, Gordon Gets the Giggles
- “(giggles) People do say vegetables are you go for you. (giggles) Salad anyone? (she and Thomas laugh)”
- ― Rebecca, Gordon Gets the Giggles
- “(giggles) Hi again! (giggles) Sorry about earlier. (giggles) Honestly (giggles), somethimes I don't know whenever I'm coming or going! (giggles)”
- ― Rebecca, Gordon Gets the Giggles
Merchandise
- Wood
- TrackMaster (discontinued)
- Motor Road and Rail
- Adventures (cancelled)
- Minis (Classic, Advent, Classic 75th, Racing and Galaxy)
- Push Along
- Capsule Plarail
- Motorized
Video
References
- ↑ T&F Storytime "The Story of Rebecca the Happy Engine"
- ↑ https://twitter.com/ThomasFan2002YT/status/1376992518680813568