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Wilbert - formerly named G.B. Keeling - is a dark blue saddle tank engine named after Wilbert Awdry (The Thin Clergyman in The Railway Series), who was a one-time president of the Dean Forest Railway.
Biography
In 1993, Donald and Douglas were both becoming overworked, so in order to ease their workload, the Fat Controller arranged for Wilbert to come to his railway to help them on the Little Western until he could afford another engine like him. However, after Percy had an accident with some porridge, Wilbert was relocated to the Ffarquhar Branch Line to do his work.[1]
Wilbert's first job was to work at the lead mines. While he was in the sheds, he told Thomas and Toby about Sixteen, a troublesome engine who wanted to pass a danger sign. Thomas also told Wilbert about many of the jobs that he had to carry out on the branch line.[2]
One day, after spending too much time chatting to James at Knapford, Wilbert had neglected to take on more water. He stopped at the dairy to refill on water, but accidentally stopped at the wrong hosepipe; instead of taking on water, his tanks were filled with milk. Thomas joked about this when he brought Wilbert back to Ffarquhar.[3]
After Percy returned from the Works, the Fat Controller sent Wilbert to the Little Western to help the engines there. When he was about to take a ballast train, the coupling plate on the front ballast truck fell off. After spotting a coil of wire, Wilbert decided to use it to couple up to the damaged truck and managed to get his train to Tidmouth safely. Afterwards, Wilbert left Sodor and returned to the Dean Forest Railway.[4]
Personality
Wilbert is sensible and polite and does his best to work well. He is also clever and inventive, as seen when he suggested that signal-wire might be used to act as a coupling for a truck.
In the magazines, Wilbert is depicted as a very hard worker and a nature lover. When he wants a rest, he goes deep into the forest.
Technical Details
Real-life History
Wilbert was built by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds, England in 1953. It was purchased by the National Coal Board and worked as a shunter in a colliery in Staffordshire. It was bought by the Dean Forest Railway in 1976 and became the first steam engine owned by the Forest of Dean Railway Ltd.
In August 1981, the Rev. W. Awdry christened the engine "G.B. Keeling" - after the first Chief Mechanical Engineer on the Severn and Wye Railway - following a members' ballot for the engine's name. On 8 November 1983, G.B. Keeling hauled the royal train on the line when the Duke of Gloucester visited the railway.
On 13 September 1987, the Rev. W. Awdry renamed the engine "Wilbert" in his honour after a major overhaul and repainting. On 8 September 1991, Wilbert attended the opening of the line to Lydney Lakeside with City of Truro. In 2010, Wilbert underwent a major overhaul and returned to service in April 2012.
Livery
Wilbert is painted navy blue with red lining and black wheels. Wilbert has a red nameplate with a gold border on the sides of the engine's boiler with the engine's name (Wilbert) and the words "Rev. W. Awdry" on them, also in gold. Wilbert's buffer beams are painted red with silver buffers.
Appearances
The Railway SeriesCompanion Volumes
|
Books
Magazine Stories
Video Games
Wilbert has also made a cameo appearance in the Thomas Creator Collective. |
Official Description
The Railway Series
From Official Media:[5]
| “ | Wilbert: Wilbert was a rather different visitor. He is an Austerity 0-6-0 saddle-tank: the Fat Controller felt he needed an engine which was small but powerful to give extra assistance on the Arlesburgh branch (or indeed elsewhere) at busy times and he persuaded the Dean Forest Railway to lend him Wilbert for trial. Wilbert spent some time on the Island and, like Stepney, thoroughly enjoyed it, before returning to his home in the Forest. He is currently (2005) undergoing an extensive overhaul. | ” |
From Official Media[1]
| “ | Wilbert: Wilbert the Forest Engine is a smart blue saddle-tank engine with six wheels. His line in the Forest was short, so he was delighted to help out Donald and Douglas on the branch lines.
|
” |
| “ | Wilbert: Wilbert came to Sir Topham Hatt’s Railway to help out Thomas, Percy and Daisy while his line was being repaired. He has since returned to his home branch line, and is happy working in the Forest of Dean.
|
” |
Audio Files
Whistle
In Really Useful Engines and Other Stories Wilbert has a whistle which is a stock sound. It was also used for Percy in Triple Header from the same audio book.
| Only Used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|
| Really Useful Engines and Other Stories |
The real Wilbert appears in The Making of Thomas the Tank Engine documentary and emits his whistle.
| Only Used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|
| The Making of Thomas the Tank Engine |
Trivia
- DJ Models had manufactured OO gauge models of Wilbert, in limited numbers of 200 to support the Dean Forest Railway.
- A silhouette of Wilbert appears on some 1994 back covers of Heinemann-published Railway Series books.
- According to his hidden page on an older version of the UK Thomas & Friends website, Wilbert and Percy get along well as they are both saddle tank engines.[6]
- Despite not appearing in the Thomas & Friends television series, Wilbert was mentioned in the Track Stars DVD bonus feature James' Colors of Sodor. He is grouped with Lady and is incorrectly described as a purple engine.
- Additionally, he was included in the main menu of the Korean Thomas the Little Engine and Friends Season 5 Vol. 3 DVD.
Merchandise
| Range | Released | Discontinued | Highlights | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Same tooling as Sixteen |  | |||
 | ||||
 |
References
- ↑ RWS #38: Wilbert the Forest Engine - "Percy's Porridge"
- ↑ RWS #38: Wilbert the Forest Engine - "Cab Over Wheels"
- ↑ RWS #38: Wilbert the Forest Engine - "Foaming at the Funnel"
- ↑ RWS #38: Wilbert the Forest Engine - "Wired-Up"
- ↑ RWS "Sodor: Reading Between the Lines" (2005)
- ↑ Thomas and Friends website - Wilbert
| Locomotives | Steam | 87546 and 98462 | Workshop Engines | Big City Engine | Jinty and Pug | City of Truro | Stepney | Bluebell and Primrose | Adams | Cromford | Captain Baxter | Flying Scotsman | Toby's Brothers | 8783 | 1020 | Stephenson's Rocket | Green Arrow | Boxhill | Iron Duke | Mallard | Duchess of Hamilton | Wilbert | Sixteen | Albert | King James I | Bahamas |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Diesel | Diesel 4711 | Diesel 199 | Diesel 40125 | Diesel 31120 | 10751 | |
| Rolling Stock | Helena | |
| People | Elizabeth II | The Thin Clergyman | The Fat Clergyman | |
| Stations | Barrow-in-Furness | Brighton | Carnforth | Crewe | Euston | Horsted Keynes | King's Cross | Lakeside | Norchard | Paddington | St. Pancras | York | |
| Railways | Bluebell Railway | British Railways | Corris Railway | Dean Forest Railway | Ffestiniog Railway | Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway | Snowdon Mountain Railway | Talyllyn Railway | Toby's Old Tramway | |