David "Diesel 11" D'Levin Interview on the BBC

David "Diesel 11" D'Levin was interviewed on the BBC - here you can read what took place!
Ladies and gentlemen, today we welcome David “Diesel 11” D’Levin, current owner of the Numbered Diesels, who, most of you know, are going through some tough times right now. Mr. D’Levin, thank you for joining us.
Thank you for having me.
I’d like to ask you how you got involved with the Numbered Diesels.
Well, growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, I lived at the top of Culdee Fell, and so I would watch the trains go up and down the mountain. I used to read the Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry, and I also watched the TV show based off the books, and I thought it was cool how these stories took place right where I lived. When I went to America - where I ended up making my fortune - I watched Thomas & The Magic Railroad when it came out in 2000, and loved it, especially the antagonist, Diesel 10. In fact, I got my nickname ‘Diesel 11’ from that, as my close friends said I should have been Diesel 10’s brother. Then I found out that the events in TATMRR really happened - to an extent - and found out about Reginald Walkins and the Numbered Diesels. I wanted to see if I could do something like that myself, so I ended up building Diesel 5000 XL from scratch, including my own version of the APS. However, I lost track of him for a time, and when I found him, he was on Sodor. I myself had just arrived, after hearing of Diesel 1, and I teamed up with the diesels to find him. I was taking by their personalities, and in the end, bought them.
Which of the diesels is your favorite?
Well… you see, they’re really a lot like family. I like them equally. If I were looking from an outsider’s perspective, I’d say probably Diesels 10, 11, 12, 20, and 5000 XL… and maybe Diesel XXX.
Diesel XXX? But he isn’t really a Numbered Diesel. Why do you like him?
Well, I haven’t met him yet, but from what I’ve heard, he’s something of an evil engine… and I always grew up with the impression that ‘bigger is better’, and I myself have something of a dark personality, so… yeah, I just like him.
So what’s happening with the trial?
Well… on both sides are superb lawyers. Mr. Bartman, on the prosecution, is an excellent lawyer (though I sometimes wish he weren’t), and Finch-
Finch?
Er… Mr. Wright. He’s an excellent lawyer as well. I’m quite interested to see what the outcome of this will be, in my opinion, it’s sort of a stalemate right now.
What will you do if you lose?
Well, I’d try to find the other diesels regardless, and I think they would be great for a museum - ‘The Numbered Diesels Museum’, if you will. I know that it would be a great museum, however, I know that most of the diesels wouldn’t want to be non-moving displays.
Well, thank you again for being able to join us today, Mr. D’Levin.
My pleasure.
Category:Miscellaneous