Sidney

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This article is about 'the diesel engine'. You may be looking for 'the steam engine'.

Sidney the Forgetful Diesel
Background Information
First appearance	Day of the Diesels (T&F)
Last appearance	Steam Team to the Rescue (T&F)
Creator(s)	Sharon Miller Ian McCue
Voice Actors
UK/US voice actor	Kerry Shale (2011) Bob Golding (2013-present)
Overview
Name	Sidney
Nicknames	Sid Twinkle Toes (by Diesel 10)
Gender	Male
Country	Island of Sodor England (formerly)
Affiliation	North Western Railway Thomas Percy Vicarstown Dieselworks Paxton Norman Diesel Diesel 10 Den Dart
Technical Details
Basis	BR Class 08
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Power type	Diesel–electric
Vehicle	Locomotive
Type	Diesel shunter
Fuel type	Diesel
Configuration	0-6-0DE
Wheels	6
Top speed	20 mph (32 kph)
Designer(s)	British Railways
Builder(s)	Crewe, Darlington, Derby, Doncaster or Horwich Works
Year built	Sometime between 1952 and 1962
Railway	North Western Railway
Owner(s)	Sir Topham Hatt

Sidney is a forgetful blue diesel shunter. He often takes goods trains to the Mainland.

Biography

Thomas & Friends

Sidney was one of the diesels who laughed at Percy's joke when the tank engine first arrived at Vicarstown Dieselworks. He appeared very briefly on a hoist without wheels. Two years later, he was still on the hoist and was often referred to as a Christmas decoration by the other diesels, literally being used as one by Diesel 10 as well. As a Christmas present, Percy gave Sidney a new set of wheels, and now he is now a really useful engine again. 

In the eighteenth series, he, along with Diesel, Den and Dart hid from Paxton, but after Paxton was unable to find them, Sidney, along with Den and Dart started to think that Diesel's joke went a little too far, but Paxton managed to find them again at the end of the day.

In the twentieth series, Sidney was sent by the Fat Controller to collect new wheels for Percy. Sidney was worried he would forget his job and let Percy down, but Thomas, Annie and Clarabel suggested that he sing a song to remind himself what to do. Sidney thought this was a great idea and started to sing his song until he stopped at Wellsworth to talk with Gordon. After talking with him, Sidney completely forgot the words to his song and while trying to remember what he was supposed to do, ended up running all around Sodor, first to Whiff's Waste Dump, then to the Sodor Animal Park. Eventually, he decided that it would be best to go back to Knapford to confess to Sir Topham Hatt that he had failed to complete his special job, but upon arriving, he found a crowd of passengers waiting impatiently for their train to Brendam Docks. Thinking that taking the passengers was his special, Sidney found some coaches and took them to the docks, where the Fat Controller was waiting by Percy's new wheels, grumbling about the forgetful diesel's lateness. When Sidney arrived, the passengers praised him and the Fat Controller reminded him that he still had to take Percy's wheels to the Steamworks. Sidney, who thought he had already completed his special, gladly accepted the supposed second special and took the wheels to the Steamworks, where Percy was waiting.

In the twenty-second series, Sidney shunted a flatbed with parts for a diesel engine but he did not know who they are for. So he became Special Agent Sidney and he and Paxton solved the case of the puzzling parts. The answer turned out to be Sidney himself who needed repairing.

In the twenty-third series, he was one of the diesels who got into trouble by not doing their jobs properly due to Diesel playing a trick on Rebecca so she could bring his steel to Ulfstead Castle. Later he got trapped in the Dieselworks along with the other Diesels.

Personality

Sidney is a very helpful diesel engine, but he is also very absent-minded. He starts his day at one location and ends up at another, not remembering how he got there. When it was his turn for repairs at the Dieselworks, he was hoisted up and had his undercarriage removed. Being patient, Sidney was happy to wait and wait and wait. He sat there happy to pass the time with any engine that happened to be visiting. Two years later, he still had no wheels, so Percy helped him at Christmas to get a new set of wheels and now he is back on track.

Technical Details

Basis

Sidney is based on a British Rail (BR) Class 08 diesel-electric shunter. In the real world, BR Class 08s were in fact the most successful shunting engines in the world with 996 of them built. Over seventy of them are preserved by heritage railways, such as the Dean Forest Railway and museums, such as the National Railway Museum. Around one-hundred BR Class 08s also remain in service on the national rail network.

Diesel, 'Arry, Bert, Splatter, Dodge, Paxton, Ulli, the Mainland Diesels and Fernando are also based on BR Class 08s along with the international orange, blue and Chinese diesels. Two BR Class 08s also appear in the Railway Series.

Sidney's basis

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Livery

Sidney is painted navy blue with yellow lining and hazard stripes under his face. His coupling rods and front buffer beam are painted grey, but have faded into a rusty red colour. His paint is chipped in places and shows signs of weathering.

Appearances

Thomas & Friends Series 17 - The Missing Christmas Decorations Series 18 - Disappearing Diesels Series 20 - Sidney Sings, Diesel and the Ducklings (cameo) and Pouty James (cameo) Series 21 - Springtime for Diesel, A Most Singular Engine (cameo), P.A. Problems (cameo), Philip's Number and The Big Freeze Series 22 - Forever and Ever (cameo; fantasy) and The Case of the Puzzling Parts Series 23 - Diesel Do Right and Steam Team to the Rescue Specials 2011 - Day of the Diesels (not named) 2016 - The Great Race 2017 - Journey Beyond Sodor (cameo) 2018 - Big World! Big Adventures! Music Videos Day of the Diesels - Day of the Diesels Series 18 - It's Christmas Time Thomas' YouTube World Tour - A World Around You The Great Race - Will You Won't You and I'm Full of Surprises (cameo) Journey Beyond Sodor - I Want to Go Home (cameo) Series 21 - Set Friendship in Motion and Trying Big World! Big Adventures! - Where in the World is Thomas? Series 22 - Engine Roll Call Series 24 - How Does it Work?

Books

• 2011 - Day of the Diesels: The Movie Storybook (mentioned) and The Ultimate Diesel Guide
• 2015 - Thomas Takes a Vacation (sticker only)

Magazine Stories

• 2017 - The Kind Diesel

Songs

• Will You Won't You (partially performed)
• Where in the World is Thomas? (partially performed)

Audio Files

Horn

First used	Last used	Sound Effect
Series 17	Active

Trivia

• Despite Sidney's bio which claims he is always called by his nickname "Sid", he has been consistently referred to by his full name rather than his nickname. He shares this dilemma with Norman and Paxton.
• In some merchandising and books, Sidney's name is misspelt as "Sydney".
• Sidney gained a headlamp in the same style as Diesel's in Big World! Big Adventures!, as well as a taillamp.
• Sidney shares his name with Edward's fireman.
• Sidney's horn sound is Paxton's current, but three steps higher-pitched.

Quotes

“Sidney, how long have you been up there?"
"Erm, not very long Percy. I mean.. er.. I forget".
It's been about two years!"
"Two years?! That's a very long time".
"Yeah, I'm waiting for my wheels. I think the order's been misplaced.”

―Percy, Sidney and Norman discussing how long Sidney has been on the hoist waiting for new wheels, The Missing Christmas Decorations, seventeenth series

“Ha ha ha, he he he, a very special job for me.
All the way to Brendam Docks, to fetch a very special box!”

―Sidney singing his song, twentieth series

Merchandise

• Take-n-Play (discontinued)
• Wooden Railway (normal version, Holiday and Seaside versions; discontinued)
• Minis
  • Classic Minis
  • Chillin' Minis
  • DC Super Friends Minis (as Mister Miracle and The Penguin)
  • Sweets Minis
  • Back to School Minis

North Western Railway

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* RWS only | ** T&F only | --- Dropped