Bulstrode

## Bulstrode the Disagreeable Barge

* I
* II
* III

## Biography

Bulstrode was used to carry coal and stone to Knapford Harbour, but always complained about not being loaded fast enough, which annoyed the trucks. One day, Percy was shunting some stone trucks off the quay when the trucks fell off and into Bulstrode's hold, bursting a hole in his hull. He was then towed to a beach, where he was turned into a children's play structure.

He was eventually restored in the TV series sometime between 2009-2021

## Personality

Bulstrode was grumpy, rude, and always found something to complain about. Judging from the way he treated the trucks, he wasn't above bullying others for things beyond their control.

Since the new series he is grumpy but kind

## Basis

Bulstrode is based on a 1920s self-propelled coastal barge.

### Livery

Bulstrode is painted with a cream cab, brown deck, a black hull and a red keel. His name is painted on his bow in white. In the "My First Thomas" range he is painted blue, red and yellow.

## Appearances

* Railway Series
* Television Series
* Other Media

### *The Railway Series*

* **Toby, Trucks, and Trouble** - Bulstrode

#### Companion Volumes

* **2005** - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines
* **2007** - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection

### *Thomas & Friends*

* **series 4** - Special Attraction
* **Series 25** - Percy's Crush

#### Music Videos

* **Series 4** - Thomas' Anthem Grand Finale, Gone Fishing and Don't Judge a Book By its Cover
* **Series 5** - Accidents Will Happen, Night Train (*faceless*) and Percy's Seaside Trip
* **Series 6** - Little Engines
* **Series 7** - Troublesome Trucks
* **Series 25** TBA

His faceless model made numerous appearances at the Norramby Fishing Village in the fifth series. His surprised face was also used on some trucks in the eighth and tenth series episodes, Fish and the Green Controller respectively.

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### Books

* **1999** - Thomas the Really Useful Engine (*cameo*)
* **2004** - Bulstrode
* **2010** - Let's Go, Thomas! (*cameo*)
* **2013** - The Secret of the Mine (*cameo*)

### Magazine Stories

* **1998** - The Big Speech! and Bulstrode the Engine
* **2001** - Down at the Docks Template:Does not speak and Bulstrode the Hero Template:Does not speak
* **2002** - Take Cover!, The Beach and Safe as Houses!
* **2003** - Shipwrecked! and Tour of Sodor
* **2004** - On the Beach
* **2005** - Too Wet
* **2006** - Wait with Freight and Caroline's Cruise

Bulstrode also appeared in the magazine stories, Boat Afloat, Gone Fishing and Pirate Passengers.
## Trivia

* Bulstrode's appearance in the television series is rather different from his Railway Series appearance: in the Railway Series he has two square cargo holds, six bumpers on each side, and his face is the same colour as his cab and rectangular, while in the television series he has only one rectangular hold with three bumpers on each side and a square standard grey face.
* Bulstrode was the only non-human character created by Christopher Awdry to be introduced into the television series.
* According to Abi Grant, Bulstrode was meant to have a large scale model built for the Wharf, but this never happened due to budget concerns.
* Bulstrode's original model began to deteriorate during the production of the fifth series, and was subsequently damaged while being shipped to/from Canada during the production of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. The damage can be seen in certain Series 5 episodes where his model is used with noticable damage. A new model of Bulstrode was built to replace the original and had different dimensions. The newer model of Bulstrode never ended up being used in the television series outside of a promotional image for No Sleep for Cranky, but is currently on display at Drayton Manor on a beach near Bluff's Cove and wore his shocked face from 2009-early 2020. During early 2020, Bulstrode's unused happy face was fitted on his newer model now.
* Bulstrode had a total of five facial expressions, one of which (a happy face) for his newer model that was not used on-screen. However it was used for the Rocking Bulstrode rides at Drayton Manor and Thomas Land, merchandise such as his TrackMaster and 2013 Wooden Railway toys and his actual model on display at Drayton Manor as of 2020.
* In a few of the HiT Era episodes, Bulstrode's shocked face was used as a truck's face.
* Bulstrode is frequently paired with Cranky in merchandise, magazines, and video games, despite having been written out of the series before Cranky's introduction.
* Despite being absent in both the television series and the Railway Series since his introduction, he is still depicted as being used in forms of media such as Magazines, Video Games, and DVD Minigames.
* Bulstrode is depicted with his shocked face in almost all promotional material and merchandise, much like Annie. Following the introduction of CGI-styled merchandise of Bulstrode, this appears to have ceased.
* Bulstrode had a nameboard but it was never used in any of the intermission segments along with Toad's nameboard.
* Bulstrode is the only character from *Thomas & Friends* to appear in the spinoff series *Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go!* without appearing in the CGI era of the original series.
	+ He is also the only character created by Christopher Awdry to do so.