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- “Old engines can't pull trains like the young ones can."
"They can if they're mended, Old Faithful, and that's what will happen to you. You deserve it!” - ― Skarloey and his driver
Skarloey is a red narrow gauge saddle tank engine and is one of the oldest engines on the Skarloey Railway.
Biography
When Skarloey first appeared in the fourth series, he brought people to the closed Mid Sodor Railway to buy the engines, taking Stuart and Falcon but leaving Duke behind. When a group of visitors planned on following the old line into the mountains to find Duke, they used Skarloey. He carried them into the mountains, searching for Duke for several days. Once Duke was found, Skarloey and Rheneas transported him back down to the Skarloey Railway for restoration.
Edward found Skarloey sitting in the shed where he had been sent for a rest. Skarloey told Edward about Rheneas going away to be mended and that he wished he could be mended too and pull coaches again. He received his chance when the coaches derailed Sir Handel, at which point he volunteered to pull the visitors' train in Sir Handel's stead. He scolded the coaches and set off, trying his best as he approached the hill. Downhill, one of his weak springs gave out and left Skarloey crooked. Determined to not let his passengers down, he limped to the station and got the passengers home. The driver promised to have him mended, saying that Skarloey deserved it. When Skarloey came home, Rusty helped him to the sheds. There, the fireman lit his fire and the little engine declared his excitement to be like that of a young engine. After he returned, he helped getting Duncan out of a tunnel, was responsible for Sir Handel's comeuppance when the latter became boastful about his new wheels and changed Duncan's views about passengers by telling him about the time when Rheneas saved the Railway.
In the fifth series, Skarloey was seen annoyed at George for being rude to him. He then got chased by a boulder on his way to Boulder Quarry, until he diverted into a siding. One winter, Skarloey got trapped in an avalanche on his way to the slate mines due to some trucks running down the slope from the incline, causing snow to bury him and his crew. His heat had created an igloo, and inside the men found his crew nonchalantly sipping cocoa.
In the seventh series, Skarloey had an accident on the Old Trestle Bridge. This accident caused him to fear about going over the bridge. However, when he had to rescue his brother Rheneas at the other side of the bridge, he managed to overcome his fear of the bridge.
From the ninth to twelfth series, Skarloey acted like a childish engine and tried to prove his bravery by getting hauled up the winch on the incline and by having a race with Rheneas and Freddie. He has also acted timid, being scared of The Wharf and storms. But Skarloey still was really useful.
In Blue Mountain Mystery, Skarloey became the respected leader of the narrow gauge engines at the Blue Mountain Quarry.
In the eighteenth series, Skarloey once had to take an evening passenger train. Unfortunately, Duncan took his coaches because he was trying to stop a grumpy passenger that was one of his passengers from complaining about the train being crowded. However, this only resulted in angering Skarloey and his stranded passengers. The next day, Skarloey was delayed by Duncan again when he refused to leave the platform until the same grumpy passenger had boarded his train. Later during the Christmas holidays, Skarloey was upset by Duncan's constant grumbling. He, Rheneas and Rusty told the Thin Controller about this, who devised a plan to stop the grumpy engine from moaning all the time.
In the twenty-fourth series, he asked Peter Sam and Sir Handel what Percy was talking about, and Peter Sam answered, "a railway show for little engines".
Personality
Skarloey is the sage of the Skarloey Railway and is an old, faithful little engine. Although once full of enthusiasm and his own ideas in his youth, he is now one of the oldest engines on the Island. He is a calm-natured, quaint and mature engine and may often try to guide or watch over less experienced narrow gauge engines in his firm but fair and friendly manner. Skarloey acts kindly to engines and passengers alike and always enjoys a gentle, smooth journey through the woods by the lakeside and stopping at all the gates and stiles he remembers so well.
From the seventh to twelfth series (except the eighth series where he was absent), Skarloey had an occasional habit of being scared, timid, clumsy and even reckless at some points. His scared persona was seen when he became afraid of the old, iron bridge and thunder. His timid persona was only seen twice in the series when he was afraid of the wharf, while his reckless, childish, and clumsy side can be seen when he demolished trucks (unintentionally), broke the winch to prove to the world he is "brave", caused Rheneas to derail while having a race with Freddie, joined in Thomas' cheeky game of scaring other engines with his whistle causing damage everywhere and played tug of war with Rheneas, sending him out of control three times by crashing into Duncan, Rusty, and then into Percival Pond.
From Blue Mountain Mystery onwards, he is reverted back to his older and more mature personality while working at the Blue Mountain Quarry and the railway.
Technical Details
Basis
Skarloey is based on the Talyllyn Railway's Talyllyn, a Fletcher Jennings Class C 0-4-2ST built in 1864. In the Railway Series, Talyllyn is his twin. Rusty's Ghost Engine shares the same basis.
Livery
Skarloey was originally painted red with white lining. From the ninth series onwards, he is painted dark red with white and gold lining. His name and number are written on the sides of his saddle tank and coal bunkers respectively, on gold plates with red backing.
Appearances
Official Description
From Official Website:[1]
| “ | Skarloey: A very chirpy engine. He shares the workload with Rheneas and, like Rheneas, is a hard worker. He is a very proper engine, dedicated to doing his job well and always eager to work. He became famous by bringing a train full of passengers home through the most awful weather even though he was seriously damaged himself.
|
” |
From Official Website:[2]
| “ | Skarloey: Skarloey is a very chipper, hard worker, who shares his duties with Rheneas. He is a proper engine who is dedicated to his narrow gauge line and is always eager to help out when needed.
|
” |
From Official Website:[3]
| “ | Skarloey: Skarloey is one of the oldest engines on the Narrow Gauge Railway and has his own branchline - the Skarloey Railway. He is kind and wise and watches over all the engines who work at the Blue Mountain Quarry.
|
” |
Song
- Will You Won't You (partially performed)
Audio Files
Themes
| First used | Last used | Composers | Theme Song |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series 4 | Series 6 | Mike O'Donnell Junior Campbell |
|
| Series 7 | |||
| Series 9 | Series 12 | Robert Hartshorne | |
In the fourth series episode Rock 'n' Roll, Skarloey reuses Thomas' third to fourth series theme.
| Only used | Composers | Theme Song |
|---|---|---|
| Rock 'n' Roll | Mike O'Donnell Junior Campbell |
Whistles
| First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Series 4 | Read and Play! | |
| Home at Last | ||
| Series 5 | Series 7 | |
| Blue Mountain Mystery | Series 24 | |
In the mobile app, Read and Play!, Skarloey has a sad whistle.
| Only used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|
| Read and Play! |
Trivia
- Skarloey's name on the Japanese version of the official website is spelled backwards.
- In some international dubs, Skarloey's name was changed:
- In the Polish dub, Skarloey's name is Sławek from the fourth to the twelfth series, which is coincidentally Stephen's name in the same dub. Since the sixteenth series, he has been referred to as Skałek.
- In the Polish dub of Wash Behind Your Buffers, Skarloey was misnamed twice. First he was referred to by the Thin Controller as Sylwek, which is Salty's name. Later on, the narrator called him Radek, which is Rheneas' name.
- In the French dub, Skarloey was called Charles, but since the sixth series, he was called Barnabé.
- In the Polish dub, Skarloey's name is Sławek from the fourth to the twelfth series, which is coincidentally Stephen's name in the same dub. Since the sixteenth series, he has been referred to as Skałek.
- Both Johnny Morris and Keith Wickham give Skarloey a Welsh accent, reflecting his basis's origins.
- Skarloey is one of three engines to have their whistle sounds change pitch but return to the original, the others being Edward and Percy.
- Skarloey's Wooden Railway toy was among the many toys that were part of the lead paint crisis in 2007.
- Skarloey’s original whistle sound was sourced from Dolgoch.
- Skarloey’s whistle from one scene in Home at Last is a high pitched version of a stock cartoon factory whistle.
- Unlike in The Railway Series, Skarloey and Rheneas have never been referred to as brothers in the television series adaptation and have been called "friends" in most episodes. However, at least one piece of television series adjacent material, a fact file in Magazine Issue 357, refers to them as brothers. This was likely sourced from The Railway Series due to the same issue referring to the two as Very Old Engines.
- Skarloey is one of the engines to have a secondary whistle sound:
- In the fifth to seventh series, he has the same whistle he originally had, but at two steps higher pitched.
- Skarloey's whistle from the CGI series was heard in the Grizzy and the Lemmings episode, Popcorn Party.
Sources
- ↑ T&F S4 #10 "Rock 'n' Roll"
- ↑ "Skarloey (Story Library Book)"