Porter

**Porter** is a viridian dockside saddle tank engine who works at Brendam Docks, usually shunting trucks.

## History

### Thomas & Friends

When Salty was experiencing engine trouble, the Fat Controller brought Porter to Sodor to work at Brendam Docks while he arranged for Salty to be mended at Vicarstown Dieselworks. When Porter arrived to help out, Salty was convinced that Porter had been sent to replace him. After some mishaps, Porter managed to stop Salty from having an accident, then using his sand domes to sand the rails after Salty accidentally spilt oil on them. Later, the Fat Controller told Salty that he was to work with Porter and that he was not going to be replaced.

When Bill and Ben teased Harvey about "going fishing" and made fun of Porter's three domes, Porter helped Harvey see the positive side of being both a crane and an engine. Later, Porter helped arrange the Flying Kipper for James after he made Henry late the previous night.

Porter also warned Thomas, Salty and the dock workers of Percy's runaway trucks, told Gator - who was waiting for his ship to arrive - that nobody is worried about how Gator looks, teased James when he was collecting the Flying Kipper and witnessed Cranky almost falling into the sea while trying to stop Gator's ship.

While Salty was working on the Mainland, Porter was left to do the work alone. Timothy arrived to help after Bill and Ben told Sir Topham Hatt that Timothy was of no help at the Clay Pits. Porter and Timothy worked well together until Salty returned. When the Clay Pits became a mess due to Timothy's absence (and Bill and Ben's immaturity), Porter, Salty, and Timothy helped Bill and Ben clean up.

When Salty was accidentally knocked off of the docks, Porter was left with a quadrupled workload, his own already having been doubled due to the amount of ships coming in. During the frantic rush to sort the docks out, Carly accidentally dropped some sacks of flour on top of him, clogging his funnel and taking him out of action.

### Lukeillie's Series

Porter was confused when he found out many engines had to come to ask Cranky questions on "Ask Cranky Day". He later helped battle the Philip Army. Porter didn't know who Bulstrode was when Salty met him but later welcomed him to the docks. Porter was one of the engines impressed with Whiff's new glasses.

## Personality

Porter is a kind and helpful engine, with a good sense of self-confidence and does not worry about what other engines say about him, such as calling him a ‘camel’ because he has so many ‘humps’ (domes). Porter is not above engaging in a bit of friendly dockside banter himself, but when another engine is feeling low he can be very supportive. Porter’s easy-going manner makes him very popular. He is a hard worker, although he can be a bit of a perfectionist at times. He is also very brave and can keep his head cool in a crisis... though he can feel rushed like any other engine.

## Livery

Porter is painted viridian (grey-green) with yellow stripes and lining, brass fittings and gold nameplates with his name painted on them in black. He has a gold star on each side of his lamp and red window frames.

## Appearances

* Season 1 - Ask Cranky Day (*cameo*) and Molly and Rebecca (*cameo*)
* Season 2 - Saving Bulstrode and New Glasses for Whiff (*cameo*)
* Specials - Attack of the Philips

## Trivia

* David Menkin gives Porter a Brooklyn accent, reflecting his basis' origin in the US version and in the UK versions of both *Pouty James* and *Cranky at the End of the Line*.
* Porter has been modified for use on Sodor, given screwlink couplings with added buffers, and appears to have been significantly scaled down compared to his basis, to the point where even open trucks are taller than him. As a result, his buffers and couplings appear to be very low to the tracks, which in reality would make it difficult for him to be coupled to typical British rolling stock. In addition, his cab doors, as well as his cab in general, are too small for crew members to fit through comfortably. As a result, he has never been seen with crew entering or exiting his cab, however he has been seen with his crew inside his cab on multiple occasions.
* Porter is the last new character to have separate voice actors for both English dubs.
* Porter's valve gear appears not to be properly animated - the entire mechanism slides in and out of his cylinders as he moves.
* Porter is the second engine in the television series to have three domes, the first being Rosie.
* In Spills and Thrills/No More Mr. Nice Engine! and in some merchandise inventory listings, Porter is referred to as "**Baldwin**".
	+ According to Sam Wilkinson, Porter was the initial name, but the staff went through different ones until it became finalised. Presumably the term originated from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, where Stanley, Hank, Victor, Caitlin, Rajinda, Carlos, Marcia and Marcio's bases were built. His final name comes from his builder, H. K. Porter.