Roderick

**Roderick** is an express engine who runs trains between the Trethicke Union and the Island of Sodor, the latter way as far as Ulfstead Castle.

## Roderick

### Home

GNR (1922)LNER (1925-1947)

BR (1948-1964)

North Western Railway (1922-1925, 2014-current)

Rail Transport LLC (1964-current)

## Biographical information

### Affliliation

EdwardHenry

Gordon

Rachelle

Alfred

### Relatives

RachelleAlfred

Gordon

Toby

Spencer

Flying Scotsman

Tornado

Enterprise

Solario

## Biography

Roderick's construction came from Richard Brewmeister's copy of stolen blueprints. In fact, they'd been stolen by the same thief who'd made off with the blueprints for Henry. However, Brewmeister modified the design to include a different running plate to hide this fact; he was working with the North Western Railway at the time and didn't want any scandals surrounding the new build.

Roderick spent the first 6 months of his life on the Great Northern Railway before being loaned to the North Western for a trail. Upon his arrival, he bore the number 87645. He was the railway's sole express engine until Gordon was bought, and the Wild Nor' Wester' was established the following year. Roderick welcomed Gordon with open buffers, but he took a strong dislike to Rachel, who'd been brought to run fast trains alongside him. He and Alfred spent their entire stint on the railway causing trouble, but they enjoyed berating Rachel most of all, as well as Edward and Thomas.

One fateful day, Roderick and Alfred made a plan to prove that females were unfit to pull important trains; they enlisted a criminal to pose as Rachel's fireman in training, hijack the engine, and have her crash into the back of a runaway goods train. The goods were pulled by Roderick, whose train the man had loosened the couplings on so that he could bump them on the crest of Gordon's Hill, sending them loose. The plan worked, but he and Alfred were sent back to the Mainland in disgrace; Roderick even tried pinning the blame entirely on Alfred.

Roderick spent the next few decades on the London & North Eastern Railway, as well being inherited by British Railways when they were formed in 1948. He underwent a rebuild in 1944 after years of mechanical problems brought about by his initial construction. Brewmeister redesigned him into a Gresley A1/4 with a number of improvements and oversaw his rebuild.

Between the 1950's and 60's, Roderick was shipped to the United States to do the first of his rail tours across the country. When the tours came to an end, he was discovered and purchased by Rail Transport LLC, and has worked there ever since. He reunited with Rachel, and the two of them eventually became friends. But it wasn't until 2014 that he would return to Sodor to run excursion trains between the two railways. His maiden journey from the Trethicke Union to Sodor was a rail tour, which he double-headed with Rachel. However, Rachel broke down en route, so she was sent to Rhendowhen for repairs, and Roderick had to finish the excursion on his own.

## Personality

Roderick started out as a proud engine, but he was also arrogant, boastful and manipulative. He had very little empathy for anyone and would do anything to protect his status, even if it meant doing horrible things. He even saw female engines, especially those who pulled expresses, as a threat to his position; this, combined with society's attitude at the time, made him prejudiced against them. As the decades went by, Roderick has become more humble, and gained a deep respect for females. However, he still afraid to be around them lest he offend them in any way.

## Basis

Roderick is based of a LNER Gresley A1 but with some major improvements provided by Richard Brewmeister.

## Livery

* Roderick is painted royal blue with red stripes, and has the number 40 painted on his tender.

## Appearances

* Season 1 - Rachelle the High Speed Engine, A Tale of Two Red Engines *(mentioned)*

## Trivia

* Roderick is based on engine 87645 from the first illustration of *The Three Railway Engines.*
* While the original 87645 was painted light blue in the books, Roderick was given his darker shade of blue because the series creators wanted him to stand out from the other blue engines.