The Mean Engines are a group of engines working on the Chinese Railway.
Da Li
Da Li (Mandarin: 大力) is a large express engine who works on the Chinese Railway.
Biography
Da Li and his friend, Xiao Hu, pull passenger trains. They used to tease Yong Bao for his appearance and the type of work he did. However, when Da Li was about to fall off a mountain with his passenger train, Yong Bao came to the rescue. Yong Bao was awarded with a new livery and the engines respected him and have been friends after that.
When Thomas visited China, he was once tasked with the important job of delivering priceless vases with Yong Bao. Displeased that they were not chosen, Da Li and Xiao Hu played a trick on them by replacing their trucks with rubbish trucks. Another time, when Thomas had trouble keeping up with all the commuters on the Chinese railway, Da Li and Xiao Hu came to save the day. Lastly, when Da Li found himself stranded on a rickety wooden bridge, Thomas rescued him by using his light weight to push him across before it collapsed.[1]
Technical Details
Basis
Da Li appears to be based on the China Railways QJ Class 2-10-2 with removed smoke deflectors or, possibly a China Railways KF class 4-8-4 with a skyline casing. Designated as the primary mainline freight locomotive on the Chinese rail system in the 1980s, many QJs remained in service well into the 2000s. Many QJs survive throughout China, with ten preserved at museums, while three have been preserved in the United States in operating condition and one is preserved in Japan. One KF, number 6 is preserved in the China Railway Museum in China, while another KF, number 7 is preserved in the National Railway Museum in York, United Kingdom.
Livery
Da Li is painted in a dark purple-red colour with red buffer beams and a red cowcatcher. His wheels are also painted red with white lining.
Appearances
Trivia
- Da Li's role in the televised adaptation of the short was replaced by the The Big Mean Engine.
Xiao Hu
Xiao Hu (Mandarin: 小胡) is large tank engine who works on the Chinese Railway.
Biography
Xiao Hu and his friend, Da Li, pull passenger trains. They used to tease Yong Bao for his appearance and the type of work he did. However, Xiao Hu's opinion would soon change when Yong Bao heroically rescued Da Li and his passenger train from falling off a mountain. Yong Bao was awarded with a new livery and the engines respected him and have been friends after that.
When Thomas visited China, he was once tasked with the important job of delivering priceless vases with Yong Bao. Displeased that they were not chosen, Da Li and Xiao Hu played a trick on them by replacing their trucks with rubbish trucks. Another time, when Thomas had trouble keeping up with all the commuters on the Chinese railway, Da Li and Xiao Hu came to save the day. Lastly, when Xiao Hu accidentally left behind a group of ribbon dancers, Thomas was decorated with ribbons and took their place.[1]
Technical Details
Basis
Xiao Hu appears to be based on the China Railways ET7 Class 0-8-0T. One ET7, number 5333 is preserved at the Baotou Museum, China. At least two other ET7s survive in a derelict state at the Baotou Iron & Steel Co. in Baotou, Inner Mongolia, China.
Livery
Xiao Hu is painted greenish black with a red running board and buffer beams. His wheels are painted red with white lining.
Appearances
Trivia
- Xiao Hu's role in the televised adaptation of the short was replaced by the The Small Mean Engine.
The Big Mean Engine
The Big Mean Engine is a large tender engine who works on the Chinese Railway.
Biography
The Mean Engines are a pair of tender engines who pull passenger trains on the Chinese railway. As their title suggests, they were very unkind and would often talk rudely about Yong Bao whenever they passed him in the shunting yards. One day, the bigger engine came off the rails as he was pulling a passenger train through the Himalayas. Luckily, he was saved by Yong Bao, who was rewarded with a new coat of paint for his heroism and the engines apologised to him.
Technical Details
Basis
He is based on a Chinese Railways RM class 4-6-2 Pacific without smoke deflectors. Yong Bao is another member of this class.
He has been partially modified to work with British rolling stock, with given buffers and a rear screw-link coupler.
Livery
He is painted plain black with a red tender running board and bufferbeams. His wheels are painted red with white rims similar to Yong Bao's.
Appearances
Thomas & Friends
Learning Segments
- Series 24 - Learn with Thomas
Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go
- Series 1 - The Tiger Train (indirectly mentioned)
Voice Actors
- Chris Lew Kum Hoi (UK/US)
- Hinata Tadokoro (Japan)
- Rafael Pacheco (Latin America)
- Marcio Marconato (Brazil)
Audio Files
Whistle
Only used | Sound Effect |
---|---|
Series 24 |
Trivia
- His role is based on Da Li in the short Yong Bao and the Tiger.
- His whistle is Hiro's at a higher pitch.
- His face is resized and modified from Carlos'.
- Percy indirectly mentions him in Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go in the first series episode, The Tiger Train.
The Small Mean Engine
The Small Mean Engine is a tender engine who works on the Chinese Railway.
Biography
The Mean Engines are a pair of tender engines who pull passenger trains on the Chinese railway. As their title suggests, they were very unkind and would often talk rudely about Yong Bao whenever they passed him in the shunting yards. One day, the bigger engine came off the rails as he was pulling a passenger train through the Himalayas. Luckily, he was saved by Yong Bao, who was rewarded with a new coat of paint for his heroism and the engines apologised to him.
Technical Details
Basis
He is based on the National Railways of Mexico GR-3 class 2-8-0 with the bell, third dome and whistle removed, as well as having a smaller, Chinese-styled headlamp. Carlos is another member of this class.
He has been partially modified to work with British rolling stock, with given buffers and a rear screw-link coupler. His lamp has also been moved to accommodate his face.
Livery
He is painted in a deep merlot red livery with a black bufferbeam, cylinders and smokebox and silver boiler bands.
Appearances
Voice Actors
- Chris Lew Kum Hoi (UK/US)
- Kunihiro Kawamoto (Japan)
- Julio Bernal (Latin America)
- Figueira Junior (Brazil)
Trivia
- His role is based on Xiao Hu in the short Yong Bao and the Tiger.
References
Locomotives | Yong Bao | Hong-Mei | The Big Mean Engine | The Small Mean Engine | Da Li | Xiao Hu | Yen | The Chinese Diesel | |
---|---|---|
Rolling Stock | An An and Yin-Long | Lei | |
Locations | Real Landmarks | Great Wall of China | Zhangye Danxia | Himalayas (Shunting Yard) | Chang Jiang River |
Fictional Landmarks | Cherry Blossom Runby | The First Chinese Station | The Chinese Railway Bridge | Chinese Railway Sheds | The Second Chinese Station | The Chinese Town Halt (Tunnel) | The Bamboo Forest (Nature Reserve) | Tu Zi Quan | Town Square | The River Station |