Flynn

> You need Flynn the Fire Engine! He's fast, and he's fearless, and he's a really red fire engine! He's a hero. - Belle to Sir Topham Hatt
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**"Fiery" Flynn** is a fire engine who is part of the Search and Rescue Team. He is equipped to operate both on road and rail, and is also accompanied with two types of trailers designed for rail and road usage respectively.

## History

### Thomas & Friends

Flynn worked with Belle on the Mainland before they came to Sodor. Belle suggested to the Fat Controller that Flynn be brought to Sodor to help her fight fires. Flynn had instantly become popular with the engines on Sodor. Later on, Flynn and Belle helped Percy save Thomas and Kevin from Den and Dart at the Vicarstown Dieselworks. Flynn also used his ladder to assist welders during the restoration of the Dieselworks.

Flynn was criticised by Diesel for "just standing around looking fancy", but Flynn soon proved that he was really useful by rescuing Thomas and Mavis.

Flynn usually runs on the rails despite being a road and rail vehicle. This was due to his road wheels being non-operational for a time. When they were repaired, he went on the roads and found himself wobbling all over the place, so he returned to the rails. However, after putting out a fire at a farmhouse, he regained his confidence in using the roads and was able to help Bertie and Butch.

Later, some railway inspectors questioned whether the Fat Controller really needed two fire engines. Since Belle beat him to emergencies twice in a row, Flynn decided that he was not useful and sulked in his shed while Belle kept guard at a fireworks display at Ulfstead Castle. At the rescue centre, Butch arrived, telling Flynn that there was a fire at Brendam Docks. Flynn put the fire out, knowing now that Sodor really does need two fire engines.

When the Search and Rescue Team was dispatched to save a stranded whale at Bluff's Cove, Flynn and Belle sprayed water on the stranded whale in an attempt to keep it wet. After Rocky fell off the tracks at Ulfstead Castle, Flynn, Belle, Butch and Harold came to lift him back onto the rails. They all initially believed they could individually pull him back onto the rails by themselves, but soon agreed to work together and they all pulled Rocky back onto the tracks.

One summer, Flynn and Belle were busy putting out fires caused by the boiling summer weather. They came across a stretch of buckled track, where Flynn suggested that Belle pour water on the rails to prevent further buckling. Belle, however, decided to keep her remaining water in case they came across another fire. This decision came back to bite her, as she later derailed on the buckled tracks while they were responding to an emergency. While he offered to help her, Belle urged him to continue on to the fire, which he was able to successfully extinguish.

## Personality

Flynn is a "really red fire engine" who fights fires on Sodor and is part of the Sodor Search and Rescue team. He has both tyres and flanged wheels, meaning that he is capable of running on roads and on rails. Flynn is fast, fearless, and ready to fight any fire. He is popular with the engines and held in high regard all over Sodor, but his overly-enthusiastic bravado can lead to not listening to instructions amidst his racing about and result in him making mistakes. He can also be self-conscious about maintaining his fire-fighting hero status. Nevertheless, Belle and the rest of the Search and Rescue team are often there to support him and keep him on course. And, at the end of the day, Flynn always has it in him to prove that he is always ready to rescue, and is a Really Useful hero.

## Livery

Flynn is painted red with yellow lining, with the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre emblem on his cab doors in white.

## Trivia

* From the seventeenth series onwards, Flynn's water cannons are almost always worked by the firefighters, more accurately reflecting the operations of his basis than the previously-shown mechanical operation. In the nineteenth series episode *Toad and the Whale*, they are shown operating both mechanically and manually.
* Flynn, Skiff and Stefano are the only multi-terrain characters in the franchise.
* When Flynn arrived, it appeared that special road-rail transitioners were added especially for him, as they allow him to transition from rail to road in a matter of seconds.
* The winch on his front bumper is rarely seen being used.
* The rear bufferbeam on Flynn's tanker trailer is based on Bill and Ben's rear bufferbeam despite being introduced before the twins' CGI debut.
* Flynn's horn sound is similar to Max and Monty’s original horn sounds from *Jack and the Sodor Construction Company*.
* In *Steam Team to the Rescue*, Flynn had Dennis' horn sound.
* In Richard Courtney's illustrations, Flynn is depicted with blue wheel arches instead of red.
* Flynn's siren was reused for Hugo.
* In some of Flynn's merchandise such as Take-n-Play, his tanker trailer is stated to be his "tender."