- "Listen, Dukie! Who worries about a few spills!?"
- ― Smudger
Smudger was an olive narrow gauge well tank engine who used to work on the Mid Sodor Railway.
Biography
According to Duke, Smudger was a show-off who rode roughly and often came off the tracks. Duke tried to warn him to be careful, but Smudger ignored his advice. He was finally punished by being turned into a generator and being put behind the engine shed. Duke stated that Smudger would "never move again". Smudger's downfall was used by Duke to lecture Stuart and Falcon about disobedient engines.

Smudger as a generator
No information was given about his fate once the Mid Sodor Railway closed. It is likely that he could have been sold off or scrapped as by the events of Sleeping Beauty, the Arlesdale Sheds is discovered to be dilapidated and the generator shed had been dismantled.
In a magazine story, when Duncan was being careless, Sir Handel and Peter Sam tried telling him the story of Smudger.
Personality
Smudger was very vain, showing off his ways which caused accidents due to his carelessness. He also did not take advice from others, or usually worry about problems which he often brushed off. He was quite cheeky too, often taking lectures as jokes.
Technical Details
Basis
Smudger was based upon the Talyllyn Railway's Dolgoch, a Fletcher Jennings Class Bb 0-4-0WT. Rheneas and Rusty's Ghost Engine as a firefly formation share the same basis.
Livery
Smudger was painted olive green with black lining. He had black and brass name and number plates on the sides of his boiler and coal bunkers respectively. Promotional artwork and merchandise ranges have depicted Smudger with either a black or brass dome. Despite being numbered on television, no toy or artwork has shown him with his number.
Appearances
Books
Magazine Stories
Video Games
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Official Description
From Official Media:[1]
“ | Smudger: Smudger was a show off engine who rode roughly and often came off the rails. He used to work with Duke and would always make light of the accidents and problems he caused by being reckless.
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” |
From Official Website:[2]
“ | Smudger: Smudger was a reckless narrow gauge engine who rode roughly and often derailed. He was a hazard to the other engines, so the manager decided to make him more useful by turning him into a generator at the back of the engine shed.
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” |
Audio Files
Whistle
Only used | Sound Effect |
---|---|
Series 4 |
Trivia
- Smudger is the only engine or road vehicle introduced between the first and fourth series to not receive a nameboard during the intermissions. The only other non-human characters introduced between these times without nameboards were the rolling stock.
- Smudger is the first engine in the television series not created by Wilbert Awdry. However, his role was based on that of Stanley from The Railway Series book, Duke the Lost Engine.
- In the US dub, George Carlin gives Smudger a Brooklyn accent, with a voice that sounds like an impression of Bugs Bunny.
- In some international dubs, Smudger's name was changed:
- In the French dub, Smudger was referred to as Craspouille, meaning dirty or dilapidated; however Craspouille can be seen as a play of words with the word "crapouille", which means "scoundrel".
- In the first Polish dub, Smudger was referred to as Brudas, which means "dirty one". In the second Polish dub, his name was changed to Smarek, derived from the word "smar", which means "grease".
- Smudger's whistle sound was originally used in the 1986 Jim Henson production, The Christmas Toy. It was reused for a few different engines:
- It was mistakenly used for:
- Stuart in the US version of Sleeping Beauty.
- Stepney throughout most of the US version of Thomas and Stepney.
- James in Bowled Out.
- Falcon has it in Bulldog when he and Duke enter the tunnel.
- It would later be used as Ryan's whistle.
- It was mistakenly used for:
- In Bulldog, the generator shed is visible, but Smudger is mistakenly not present.
- Smudger's Ertl prototype and a promotional artwork image have Rheneas' face.
Quotes
- "Smudger", said Duke, "was a show off. He rode roughly and often came off the rails. I warned him to be careful, but he took no notice!"
- "Listen, Dukie. Who worries about a few spills!?"
- "We do here!" I said, but Smudger just laughed.
- "Hehehehehe!"
- "Until one day, Manager said he was going to make him useful at last. Smudger stopped laughing then!"
- "Why? W-w-what did he do?"
- "He turned him into a generator. He's still out there behind our shed. He'll never move again".
- Duke lecturing Stuart and Falcon about Smudger in Thomas' story, Granpuff, fourth series
Merchandise
- Ertl (discontinued)
- Wooden Railway (discontinued)
- Trading Cards (discontinued)
References
Locomotives | Duke | Smudger | Falcon | Stuart | Bertram |
---|---|
People | The Mid Sodor Railway Manager |
Stations | Arlesburgh Harbour** | Arlesburgh Bridge Street** | Ffarquhar Road** | Bertram's Old Mine** | Marthwaite** | Arlesdale Green** | Duke's Station | Cas-ny-Hawin** | Ulfstead Road** | Elm Farm | Ballamoddey** | Valesbridge | King Orry's Bridge** |