Smudger

**Stanley "Smudger" the Pumping Engine** is a flashback character in the SeventyVerse and was the second engine on the Mid Sodor Railway after Jennings' withdrawal.

## Backstory

When Jennings was withdrawn after bursting a cylinder and could only be repaired enough to be retired for static display. Stanley was bought in to replace her. Unfortunately, he proved to be a bad bargain as he instantly insulted the railway (or "railroad" as he called it) on arrival and was a very rough rider. Shoddy maintenance meant that would constantly come off the rails, it gave the engines a lot of trouble where more trains entered service and Albert, Jim and Tim were bought in to help. Because Stanley's constant tended to "smudge" the timetables, Falcon would come up with the name "Smudger" instead and it stuck with him. One day, however, this came to a head. Smudger was a goods train up the hill but the trucks were being very troublesome that day and he surged against. Worse still, Tim was watching a goods train on the other track. Thankfully, Tim managed to get clear of the points before Smudger crashed into the middle of his goods train and tore his frames apart in the process. Because of the damage, Smudger was withdrawn from service and converted to a pumping engine. This decision shook everyone to their frames with Falcon and Stuart exchanging frightened glances and Duke feeling that despite finding Smudger insufferable, even that was too harsh a fate for an engine. However, Smudger was humbled by the experience and worked hard to keep the railway in operation. As the Mid Sodor Railway declined and maintenance become poor, the mines also deteriorated and one by one, they began to close down. Smudger was then moved to the mine at Cas-ny-Hawin to pump it out. He managed to keep it going for a while but one day, tragedy struck. Smudger broke down whilst pumping out the mines was destroyed in the process. Unfortunately, this was the final nail in the coffin for the Mid Sodor and Smudger's remains were abandoned.

## Relationships

### Duke

Duke found Smudger to be insufferable due to his reckless nature and carefree attitude. Nevertheless, when Smudger was converted to a pumping engine, even Duke felt that was too harsh a fate. Duke was also upset when he learnt that Smudger had been destroyed whilst pumping out the mines at Cas-ny-Hawin.

## Personality

As a engine, Smudger was reckless and rude, which led to his constant derailments. His time as a pumping engine humbled him and worked really hard to keep the Mid Sodor Railway in operation, but he was sadly destroyed in the process.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Smudger is based on a Baldwin Class 10-12-D 4-6-0 pannier tank engine, built at the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States for service in the First World War. They were shipped to England and Wales and the British War Office chose them to be the principal military steam engine for the trench railways. However, they were rough riders and had a tendency to derail.

After the war ended in 1918, various railways, such as the Welsh Highland and the Snailbeach District Railway acquired them as surplus. Five of these engines are known to be preserved by heritage railways, such as the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. Smudger had been re-gauged from 1ft 11 5/8in to 2ft 3in.

### Livery

Smudger was painted olive green with black lining. He had black and brass name and number plates on the sides of his boiler and coal bunkers respectively, and the number 2 on his numberplates.

## Differences between the books, TV show and the series

* In the books, Stanley was a Baldwin Class 10-12-D was painted red in the illustrations (although Awdry's model depicted him as black). In the TV series, Stanley is renamed "Smudger" and his model is Rheneas' model repainted green. In this series, Stanley is a Baldwin Class 10-12-D as per the books and is given the nickname "Smudger" by Falcon due to his constant mishaps "smudging" the timetables.
	+ Furthermore, in the books, Stanley was red and in the TV series, Smudger was green.
* In the books, Stanley was said to have arrived before Falcon and Stuart, which was inaccurate in Falcon's case as he was said to have arrived before Stanley did. Furthermore, Falcon's basis was built before Stanley's basis. It was also said, Stanley was converted into a pumping engine in 1928, years after Stuart, which meant Falcon and Stuart not knowing about Stanley and his fate until hearing about from Duke would be impossible. In the TV series, Falcon and Stuart learnt about Smudger's fate from Duke, which makes more sense as no specific date for Smudger's arrival was given but given Smudger's basis, Dolgoch was built before Falcon and Stuart's basis, it can be assumed that he was there before. In this series, Falcon and Stuart were confirmed to be on the Mid Sodor Railway before Stanley, with the former coining the name "Smudger" and both learnt of his fate from the manager.
* In the books and this series, Stanley/Smudger broke down whilst pumping out of the mines at Cas-ny-Hawin and was abandoned. In the TV show, Smudger's fate was unknown.

## Trivia

* Smudger's preferred voice actor is John Schwab.