Owen

* **Class**: BR Class 02
* **Designer**: Yorkshire Engine Co.
* **Build date**: 1960
* **Configuration**: 0-4-0DM
* **Arrived on the DR**: 1960
* **Scrapped**: 1969

**Owen** was a small diesel shunter who lived on the Dark Railway.

## Bio

Owen was built in 1960 at the Yorkshire Engine Company. Shortly after his construction, he was brought to the Dark Railway, and spent most of his time assisting the diesel shunter present on the railway at the time, Ryan. One day, Mr. Dark announced that he would be leaving the railway for a week and that he would be putting an engine in charge of helping the replacement manager. Wanting to see if he could show his potential, Owen wanted to pull a train, and his chance came when Raymond was unable to take the express. Owen and Ryan were allowed to pull it to Galen Junction, but Owen's axleboxes ran hot in the process and the train was very late arriving at the junction. For their determination, Mr. Dark decided to let Owen and Ryan help the manager while he was away.

Unfortunately, the temporary manager was injured in a car accident, and Owen decided that he and Ryan would look after the line themselves. The power went to Owen's head, and he started reassigning jobs left and right, causing chaos on the railway. Eventually, Dave suggested that the engines just ignore Owen and listen to Ryan, who was trying to sort out the mess. This angered the little shunter, and he sulked for the rest of the week. When Mr. Dark returned, he punished Owen by making him stay in the shed for a week.

In 1961, Owen had a gearbox failure while trying to pull some coaches, leaving out of service for a few weeks, and he later suggested one lazy day that the engines play hide and seek. He decided to hide at Merecombe Industrial Estate, but ended up getting stuck behind a long line of tankers and was trapped there for a long time. In 1965, Owen, Ryan, and Allan were sent to Port Monteau to take part in a British Transport Film. The shoot ended in disaster, with all three getting drunk the night before and Owen ending up vomiting all over the track trying to move some wagons. The three were sent to Scotland as punishment by the film's director, but returned to the DR some times afterwards. They were later captured by Leanne as part of her revenge scheme against the railway, but were saved thanks to the efforts of Dave and 257 Squadron.

In 1967, Theo and Otto were sent away for overhaul, and Mr. Dark decided to put Owen in charge of looking after Soma while they were away. He was soon taught what to do by Leno and Cammer, but suffered a knock to his confidence when he was unable to pull four milk tankers up the hill between Axley and Soma. He was assured by Leno that he was built for shunting, and this cheered him up. Owen later taught Allan how to be a station pilot at Galen Junction, and when Theo and Otto returned, he was allowed to stay at Soma to make sure that the twins weren't over-worked. In 1969, he was picked on by the twins after a stalling incident, and was comforted by Leno until the twins apologised.

Following an incident involving Repulse hitting something, Owen offered to look for the body of whatever she hit, but failed to find anything. One evening, he was talking to Cammer and Colin about it when the shed suddenly erupted in flames. The three engines were tragically lost in the fire and their remains were scrapped. Owen's loss was felt particularly by Theo, Otto, Ryan, and Allan. Owen's ghost was later summoned by Pogo to help defeat Leanne's ghost. Once it was done, Owen asked those present to tell Ryan and Allan that he would miss them, but would be alright with Colin and Cammer before moving on with them to the afterlife. Owen's builder's plate was later displayed in the Galen Junction Railway Museum as a memorial, and his ghost briefly appeared in front of Leno one night in the museum.

## Persona

Owen was rather ambitious, and sometimes let important tasks go to his head, but he usually turned to his friends for advice and was generally quite nice and friendly.

## Livery

Owen was painted in British Railways green with yellow and black wasp stripes on the front and back. When he was first built, he wore British Railways blue with yellow bufferbeams, before being repainted at the start of 1961. He returned to this livery in 1965, wearing it until the start of 1968, when he returned to green.

## Basis

Owen was based on a British Railways Class 02 0-4-0 shunter.

## Appearances

### The Dark Railway Series

* Series 1 - The Party, The Shunter's Gamble, Will and Won't, Dave's Dating Tips, Something's In the Air (*mentioned*), The Beauty Overheard (*mentioned*), The Betrayal, and Sir Eustace's Secret
* Series 2 - Dave's Reward, Dave and Dai (*cameo*), Colin and the Coaches (*mentioned*), Tenders (*does not speak*), Allan, Hide and Seek, and Some Kind of Fuel (*cameo*)
* Series 3 - The Return of Sir Eustace Missenden, Like a Sir (*cameo*), 257 Squadron (*cameo*), Tender Moments of Tender Engines (*cameo*), BR Blues (*cameo*), Football Shortfalls, Super 8, Who Goes There? (*does not speak*), and Revenge of the Forgotten (*cameo*)
* Series 4 - Owen's Woes, Allan Does Galen, and Trucks (*does not speak*)
* Series 5 - Claim to Fame (*does not speak*) and Repulse
* Series 6 - Ouverture (*cameo*), Trepid (*cameo*), Fustercluck, Ed, Ed and Eddie (*cameo*), Plunk 'n Bang, Asphalt Assault (*mentioned*), and The Prime Time of your Life
* Series 7 - Rollerskate Disco (*as a ghost; does not speak*) and The Man in Overalls (*mentioned*)
* Series 8 - Revolution 909 (*mentioned*) and Colossus (*mentioned*)
* Series 9 - Pogo / Mere Anarchy (*mentioned*)
* Series 11 - The Times (*mentioned*)
* Series 12 - Outrage (*mentioned*)

Specials:

* Pogo (*cameo*)
* The Missing Christmas Presents
* The Aspergers Flyer (*cameo*)
* You Bang Snowploughs
* Pilots (remake) (*mentioned*)

Films:

* Event Horizon

## Trivia

* Owen was the smallest and least powerful diesel shunter on the Dark Railway. However, as pointed out by Mr Dark, he was a capable shunter, and his short wheelbase and light weight made him perfect for working at Soma Quarry.
* Owen's number was never worn by an actual Class 02, whose number scheme went up to D2869. The number D2992 was worn by a BR Class 07 shunter. This is because, when first placed into the simulator the series is filmed on, the numbering sequences for the automatic numbering on these locomotives was incorrect, instead referencing some to BR Class 07 numbers (such as D2992). To keep continuity, the number remained, being explained that, as a privately owned locomotive, he can be numbered whatever the owner wishes him to be.