The Hexagon Engines

The **Hexagon Engines**, often simply referred to as the **Hexagons**, were the top six engines of Thomas's old railway. They were large tender engines who were far from considerate to their fellow engines and overall lead to the several splintered social groups that plagued the community for years. They were the last engines withdrawn on the line when Dinsmoore usurped the ruling powers, and as such remained miserable and lonely in an isolated room in the Leonold storage bay. The six were eventually restored to working order, but as they lost their tenders during their withdrawl, the Leonolds replaced their tenders with the six sludge tenders that Duck used to trick Henry.

After the Crusoe incident, the Hexagons vowed to change their ways, not wanting other lives to suffer.

## Gloria

### Affiliation

Adventure Squad
The other Hecxagons
Global Transit Terminal staff and visitors

## Physical description

### Eye color

Yellow

**Gloria** was the first of the Hexagons to be restored.

### Personality

Gloria had an aristocratic nature, and refused to speak to anyone she deemed below her, but during her restoration she became a bit of a shrinking violet. Eventually, she settled in with the community.

### Appearance

Gloria is based on a GNR C1 Atlantic, a class of 4-4-2 tender engine designed by Henry Ivatt as an enlarged version of what became the LNER C2 Class. The principle of the design was to produce a powerful, free-steaming engine to haul the fastest and heaviest express trains on the Great Northern. They could thus be seen as the start of the East Coast 'Big Engine' policy. None of the class hauled goods trains, with all examples being built for fast passenger services. 2 variants of the engine design were built, 94 being built with larger boilers and 22 with smaller ones, Gloria being based on the large boiler variant, none of which had names. The vast majority of the C1 class was scrapped, with only 2 remaining, the small-boilered 990 *Henry Oakley* at the National Railway Museum and the large-boilered No. 251, currently residing in Doncaster.

Gloria was originally painted black with red lining, but after her restoration she was painted pale yellow with LNER-style black and orange lining.

### Trivia

* Gloria is the only Hexagon not to be based on a character design originating from existing material in *Thomas & Friends*.

## Harris

### Affiliation

Adventure Squad
The other Hexagons
Global Transit Terminal staff and visitors

## Physical description

### Eye color

Green

**Harris** was the second of the Hexagons to be restored.

### Personality

Harris often insulted others in the past, but currently makes sure to watch his tongue.

### Appearance

Harris is based on a London Midland and Scottish Railway Stanier Class 5 4-6-0, commonly known as the Black Five. A class of 4-6-0 steam locomotives introduced by William Stanier, the class was built between 1934 and 1951, of which 842 were built and were numbered 4658-5499 (BR then renumbered 44658-45499). The Black Fives were put in mixed-traffic duties, often pulling many passenger and goods trains throughout their lifetime. Several members of the class survived to the last day of steam on British Railways in 1968, and eighteen are preserved. A number of other engines share the exact same basis, including Henry after his rebuild.

Harris was originally painted black with red lining, but after his restoration he was painted viridian with LNER-style black and white lining.

### Trivia

* Despite being based on an LMS locomotive, Harris's rebuilt color scheme resembles a faded variation of the LNER's distinctive apple green livery.

## Allison

### Affiliation

Adventure Squad
The other Hexagons
Global Transit Terminal staff and visitors

## Physical description

### Eye color

Pink

**Allison** was the third of the Hexagons to be restored.

### Personality

Allison was very prone to showboating and being rough with trucks and coaches alike. After being restored, she worked on being much gentler.

### Appearance

Allison is based on a Southern Railway (SR) "West Country" and "Battle of Britain" class (also known as "Light Pacifics"), a class of 4-6-2 tender locomotives designed by Oliver Bulleid and built between 1945 and 1951. These engines were classified as mixed-traffic locomotives when introduced and used for a wide variety of passenger and goods trains, including famous expresses such as the 'Golden Arrow' and the 'Atlantic Coast Express'. The "West Country" and "Battle of Britain" class engines were smaller and lighter versions of Bulleid's earlier "Merchant Navy" class, originally built with 'air-smoothed' casing, chain-driven valve gear and tenders with tall streamlined sides. Ten un-rebuilt members of the class have been preserved, one of them, Blackmoor Vale on the Bluebell Railway and another, Winston Churchill at the National Railway Museum. Another preserved member of the class, Swanage, appeared in Thomas and the U.K. Trip when the Ponkickies characters, Gachapin and Mukku were visiting several heritage railways.

While Allison is modelled on the un-rebuilt version of the locomotive, her original tender design resembles the cut-down version used by rebuilt and un-rebuilt members of the class in British Railways service. Additionally, she features several differences over her real-life basis, including an altered front end with a larger and lower buffer beam, driving wheels which share the same design as Hiro's and plain disc wheels for her front bogie, trailing truck and tender, as opposed to the Bulleid Firth Brown disc wheels found on her prototype. Allison's cylinders and cab roof also have a significantly different shape compared to those on the real "Light Pacifics". Rebecca is also based on this class of engine and sports the exact same modifications.

Allison was originally painted black with red lining, but after her restoration she was painted pink and violet with LNER-style black and cyan lining.

### Trivia

* Allison is the largest of the female Hexagons.
* She and Orson are the only Hexagons with the same wheel arrangement.

## Irving

### Affiliation

Adventure Squad
The other Hexagons
Global Transit Terminal staff and visitors

## Physical description

### Eye color

Red

**Irving** was the fourth of the Hexagons to be restored.

### Personality

Irving was normally a quiet engine, but often stared down smaller engines. Afterwards, he remains quiet, but is much more approachable.

### Appearance

Irving is based on a BR Standard Class 9F, which was used for fast and heavy goods trains. The class was the last of the BR Standards and the final steam engine class built by British Railways, with the last one, "Evening Star", built in March 1960. Due to the size and shape of the class, they were given the nickname "Spaceships". "Evening Star" and eight other 9Fs are preserved. One 9F, "Black Prince" holds the record for hauling the heaviest steam-hauled train in all of England, Scotland and Wales, at 2,198 tons. "Evening Star", the very last steam locomotive built by BR, is also part of the National Collection. Murdoch is also based on this class of engine, and like Irving before his restoration has a BR1G tender.

Irving was originally painted black with red lining, but after his restoration he was painted red with LNER-style black and lime green lining.

### Trivia

* Irving is the largest of the 6 Hexagons.

## Allison

### Affiliation

Adventure Squad
The other Hexagons
Global Transit Terminal staff and visitors

## Physical description

### Eye color

Orange

**Brooke** was the fifth of the Hexagons to be restored.

### Personality

Brooke often sabotaged other engines in important roles, but eventually settled herself in helping others make it on time.

### Appearance

Brooke is based on a Great Eastern Railway (GER) D56 Class "Claud Hamilton", classified as D15 by the London and North Eastern Railway, with a Belpaire firebox, sandboxes on her wheel splashers, and the smaller 'water-cart' tender. Claud Hamiltons under the classes S46/D14, D56/D15, and H88/D16 were built at Stratford Works from 1900 to 1923. Under the LNER, most members of the class were rebuilt into the Gresley designed D16/3 sub-class. Members of this class pulled the Royal Train from Wolverton to the Sandringham Estate for several decades. The last D15 was withdrawn in 1952, while the last rebuilt Claud was withdrawn in 1960. None are preserved, though there are plans to construct a replica of D16/2 No. 8783 which is to be named *Phoenix*. Molly is also a member of this class.

Brooke was originally painted black with red lining, but after her restoration she was painted orange with LNER-style black and lavender lining.

### Trivia

* Brooke is the smallest of the Hexagons.

## Orson

### Affiliation

Adventure Squad
The other Hexagons
Global Transit Terminal staff and visitors

## Physical description

### Eye color

Blue

**Orson** was the last of the Hexagons to be restored.

### Personality

Orson was the leader of the Hexagons, and as such was the worst of them in the past. After his withdrawl, he was left feeling the guiltiest of the group, and actually wished to be restored last. This matured him greatly, and he now works to atone for his past sins.

### Appearance

Orson is based on a London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) A3 Pacific, designed by Nigel Gresley for main line passenger services and later express passenger services, initially on the Great Northern Railway (GNR). The class consituated of 27 newly built locomotives and 51 rebuilt A1 class locomtives, all using a new hig-pressure boiler system for greater efficiency. The very first A1, 1470 *Great Northern*, was eventually rebuilt into an A1/1 class designed by Edward Thompson. It and all of the A3s were scrapped towards the end of steam, with only the Flying Scotsman surviving into preservation. Gordon is based on one of these engines, and is stated to be the very first prototype.

Orson was originally painted black with red lining, but after his restoration he was painted dark slate blue with LNER-style black and plum violet lining.

### Trivia

* He and Allison are the only Hexagons with the same wheel arrangement.