Oliver
Number: 11, previously 1436 Class: GWR 14xx 0-4-2T Designer: Charles B. Collett Builder: Swindon Works Configuration: 0-4-2T Arrived on Sodor: 1967

Oliver is a Great Western tank engine who works on Duck's Branch Line.

Bio in the Railway Series

Oliver worked on the Great Western Railway. Sometime during the 1960's, he ran away for fear of being scrapped with his coach, Isabel, and a brakevan named Toad. The three were forced to hide between signalboxes and rely on the goodwill of signalmen to pass at safe times. When control got wind of the runaways, they hid in an old quarry branch and had the cutting blocked by rubbish to avoid being spotted by the Diesels outside. The runaways decided it was safe to leave at some point, but before they could reach the greener pastures of Sodor, Oliver ran out of coal. Luckily, Douglas was able to rescue Oliver and hid him on a siding at Crovan's Gate. The Fat Controller soon found out and arranged for the three to be repaired and painted in Great Western colours. Toad decided to be Douglas' brakevan to thank him, and the Fat Controller rescued an autocoach named Dulcie and gave her to Oliver.

Oliver was then sent to work on the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch line, but became conceited after the big engines gave him their respect in recognition of his adventures and pushed his weight around, prompting several ballast trucks to push him into a turntable well. Oliver received little respect from the trucks after the incident, but got his own back by pulling the ringleader, S. C. Ruffey, apart. Oliver is now well-respected by the trucks, out of fear they will be pulled apart too.

Bio in the television series

Oliver and Toad were escaping from scrap when Douglas found, saved, and brought them to the North Western Railway. The other engines were impressed by his adventures and the attention soon went to Oliver's smokebox. He was so conceited that he ignored Duck and Donald's advice about trucks and several pushed him into the turntable well. Upon his return from the Works, Oliver regained his respect after pulling the ringleader of the trucks, S. C. Ruffey, apart. Oliver has since had many adventures, such as running Thomas' Branch Line during the engines' trip to England, discovering an abandoned house which was later turned into a tea-house, spending a night as a snowman after crashing into one in the village, and being saved by Emily when he was about to be hit by Thomas. He then gave Gordon instructions when he was lost.

Persona

Oliver is the number 11 Great Western steam engine who works on Duck's branch line. He escaped the dreaded scrapyards of the Mainland, mainly thanks to Douglas, but also as the result of sympathetic signalmen, luck, and using "goods only" routes under cover of darkness, with some close calls along the way. Despite his previous heroism and daring feats, Oliver is an engine who is willing to admit every day is a learning curve. When he was still new to Sodor, he let the other engines' responses to his courage, resource, and sagacity from his amazing recounts of daring escapes and adventures get to his smokebox. However, when troublesome trucks pushed him into the turntable well, he grew into a much more humble, settled engine and was far warier of trucks. But later, with some help from his brake van Toad, he did gain much respect and authority among the trucks when he showed his strength with the ringleader of the trucks, S. C. Ruffey, a little more than he had perhaps been intending. Oliver still has gumption, but is now a more obedient, sensible engine. He feels his responsibility on the railway deeply, is ever thankful for being aided in his escape from scrap by Douglas, and is a trustworthy, tenacious, plucky engine.

Basis

Oliver is based on a GWR 14xx 0-4-2T. The particular engine Oliver is based on, No. 1436, was built at Swindon Works in the August of 1934 and worked until it was withdrawn in 1958. It was scrapped the following year.

Livery

In the Railway Series, Oliver is painted in the GWR's green livery with yellow lining, black wheels and a brass GWR numberplate on his cab side. In the television series, his paint had faded by the time he was rescued, leaving him a rusty-red colour. After his rescue, he was repainted green and has remained so since.

In the Railway Series, he carries two builder's plates on the sides of his cab.

Appearances

Voice actors

• Hikaru Midorikawa (Japan; third-seventh seasons)

Trivia

• Recent information has revealed that there really was a 1436 on the Great Western Railway.
• In the story Oliver Gets the Bird from the 1985 Thomas and Friends annual, Oliver was incorrectly depicted as an 0-4-4. In Wilbert the Forest Engine, Oliver was incorrectly depicted as an 0-6-0.
• One of Oliver's models is currently on display at Nitrogen Studios.

Quotes

"Yon's an enterprising engine," Douglas thought. "I won away here with Donald; but I'd've been feared to do it on my own." - Douglas, Enterprising Engines

Merchandise

• ERTL (discontinued)
• Wooden Railway (two versions; discontinued)
• Take-Along (normal and metallic; discontinued)
• TOMY/TrackMaster
• My First Thomas (normal and talking)
• Hornby (discontinued)
• My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
• Brio (discontinued)
• Bandai Tecs
• De Agostini
• Wind-up (Japan only)
• Nakayoshi (discontinued)

Gallery

Oliver, Isabel, and Toad hide on an old branch

Duck and Oliver

Oliver at Tidmouth

Oliver with Mavis and Bulgy in Thomas and the U.K. Trip

Oliver and the Fat Controller

Oliver at Tidmouth Hault

Oliver on Gordon's Hill

Oliver's whistle

Oliver stuck

Oliver at Wellsworth

Oliver and the Fat Controller

Oliver surprised

Oliver with his nameboard

Duck, David Mitton, and Oliver

Oliver's prototype

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Merchandise Gallery

ERTL

Original Wooden Railway

Reintroduced Wooden Railway

Take-Along

TOMY

TrackMaster

Hornby

My First Thomas talking model

Bandai Tecs

My Thomas Story Library

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