Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
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There are two types of drivers which specialise in operating engines, buses and many other vehicles.

Engine Drivers


“I'd never go without my driver. I'd be frightened.”
Toby[src]


The engine drivers (sometimes called engineers in some US narrations) together with firemen, make up the crews that operate and maintain the engines on a railway. They keep their assigned engine in control and provide company, as well as a voice of reason when it is being difficult.


Uniform

A North Western Railway steam engine driver's uniform consists of dark blue trousers, a black tie, a white shirt with a blue jacket with light blue accents over it and a blue peaked cap. This dress code is the same for drivers on the Arlesdale Railway.

Diesel engine drivers wear a similar, though less formal, uniform, with the Vicarstown Dieselworks logo on the jacket and a brown cap.

The drivers on the Skarloey Railway wear the same outfits but in grey instead of blue. In the CGI series, they wear a less formal uniform similar to that of a jumpsuit

Voice Actors

Thomas' driver, Bob:

Edward's driver, Charlie Sand:

Henry's driver:

Gordon's driver:

James' driver:

Percy's driver:

Toby's driver:

Duck's driver:

Donald's driver:

Douglas' driver:

Oliver's driver:

Bill's driver:

Ben's driver:

  • Keith Wickham (UK/US; No Steam Without Coal)
  • Hirohiko Kakegawa (Japan; The Diseasel)

Stepney's driver:

Emily's driver:

Fergus' driver:

  • Kōzō Shioya (Japan; Fergus Breaks the Rules)

Arthur's driver:

Murdoch's driver:

Spencer's driver:

Stephen's driver:

  • Keith Wickham (UK/US; Slow Stephen)
  • Kunihiro Kawamoto (Japan; Slow Stephen)

Caitlin's driver:

Gator's driver:

Samson's driver:

Theo's driver:

Daisy's driver:

Skarloey's driver:

Rheneas' driver:

Sir Handel's driver:

  • Shinobu Satouchi (Japan; Four Little Engines)
  • Nobuhiko Kazama (Japan; A Bad Day for Sir Handel)

Peter Sam's driver:

Duncan's driver:

Duke's driver:

Rusty's driver:

  • Toshio Kobayashi (Japan; Trucks!)
  • Yūki Satō (Japan; Special Funnel, Rusty to the Rescue and Trusty Rusty)
  • Hisao Egawa (Japan; Rusty and the Boulder)
  • Ryō Horikawa (Japan; Dunkin Duncan)
  • Shinobu Satouchi (Japan; Rusty Saves the Day)

Rex's driver:

Bert's driver:

  • Matt Wilkinson (UK/US; Tit for Tat)
  • Mitsuhiro Sakamaki (Japan; Tit for Tat)

Mike's driver:

Trivia

  • In the magazine stories, drivers on the Skarloey Railway wear the same colour uniform as those on the North Western Railway.
  • To date, eight drivers have been named:
  • There have been complaints about the lack of female drivers. Mary Creagh, a Labour Front-bencher, has said it was a negative stereotype and says it will make women less likely to become train drivers if they are put off in their early years. She also criticised the lack of female characters. HiT Entertainment responded saying there has been a "historical imbalance", but that there will be more female characters/engines in the future. However, Nia's driver is the first female driver to be introduced in the television series.
  • Douglas/Glynn's driver is the first driver in the series to have ginger hair.
  • In the 2004 magazine story, Emily's Slide Show, it is revealed that Emily had a different driver before she came to Sodor.
  • Donald's driver is one of the few to have grey hair in the model series.
  • Following HiT Entertainment's retooling of the show in 2004, the drivers' role was significantly reduced, possibly owing to the limited mobility and expressiveness of the static model figures used to represent them (and other human characters) during this period. Save for a stray mention in Series 10's "James the Second Best", no scripted allusions to any drivers are resultantly made between the end of Series 8 and Hero of the Rails. Following the show's full conversion to CGI in 2009, drivers were reinstated, although they were not consistently referenced in relation to an engine's activity again until Andrew Brenner's tenure several seasons later.
  • The Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go reboot is the first incarnation of the franchise where drivers (and crews in general) are entirely and consistently absent.
  • The drivers are not seen in Special Delivery, but their voices can be heard.

Merchandise

Bus Drivers


“That will do, Bertie. A promise is a promise and we must keep it!”
― Bertie's driver[src]

There are several bus drivers who work for Sodor Roadways. In the model series, they were commonly accompanied by bus conductors.

In the magazine story, A Hole in One, the Fat Controller played golf with Bertie's driver.

Uniform

A bus driver's uniform consists of a light blue jacket over a white shirt and a red tie, light blue trousers and a red flat cap with a black brim.

Voice Actors

Bertie's driver:

Bulgy's driver:

Trivia

Merchandise

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