Ferdinand

**Ferdinand** is a large American logging engine who lives on the Mainland and works on Sodor, with Bash and Dash.

### Affiliation

The Mainland - Bash, Dash, Roly
North Western Railway - Thomas, Percy, Sir Topham Hatt, Class 40

## **Biography on YouTube**

Ferdinand first appeared on Sammy Clark's YouTube channel in the SC Short, "Heroes Of The Rails".

## **Biography in the SC Shorts**

Ferdinand is a gentle giant who works with twin engines Bash and Dash. When he was first built, he used to live in America, but was later sent to the UK along with Bash and Dash due to the shortage of steam engines left on their railroad and there being no use for them anymore. When they were sent to the Mainland, they caused a lot of problems there. So much so that the former Mainland controller decided to send them to an isolated island located several miles off the southern coast of Sodor called, Misty Island.

Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand lived alone on Misty Island for a few years until Thomas discovered them when he got lost on his way to the Mainland. Once they helped Thomas find his way back home, the Logging Locos were given the opportunity to work on Sodor.

Sometime during the end of 2012, Mattel had taken control of Hit Entertainment and were making some new changes to Thomas & Friends for the better. One of these changes was to get rid of the Logging Locos because of how hated they were in the series. Sir Topham Hatt originally intended on having the Logging Locos placed at the No Longer Used Character Scrapyard, where all of the characters that no longer appeared in the series lived. However, because there wasn't any room in there at the time, he decided to let them go back to America because around that time, the railroad that the Logging Locos used to work on didn't have that many engines working there, and they were desperate for more. While Bash and Dash were sent back to America, Ferdinand stayed behind on Sodor to do some behind the scenes work. After Ferdinand made his last appearance in the show in 2014 in the episode, "Signals Crossed", he too was sent back to America after getting fired by Mattel.

Six years later in October 2020, the Logging Locos caused some disruption in America and are now on the run as wanted criminals. Because it was no longer safe to be in America, the Logging Locos decided to come back to Sodor. When they returned to Sodor everyone was shocked when they saw them. This caused Percy and Gordon to faint out of shock and Victor to get pull put his gun and start firing at them. When they caught up with Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt, they told them that they have changed throughout their last few years in America, and wanted a restart on Sodor. Thomas and Sir Topham Hatt were hesitant at first, but after some thinking, they both agreed that they deserved a second chance. And because of the demolishing of Misty Island sometime in 2014 and there being no available sheds located on Sodor, Sir Topham Hatt decided to send the Logging Locos back to the Mainland considering that the original Controller there was retired and was replaced with a different one.

When Annie and Clarabel's brother Roly came over to Sodor for a visit, Thomas took him out on his branch line, which ended up being too much for Thomas in the end. While taking Roly back to the Mainland Shunting Yards, Thomas came across the Logging Locos' shed. There, Ferdinand mentioned on how he's seen Roly before in the Mainland Shunting Yards standing in silence and said on how he originally thought that it was one of Thomas' coaches at first. He later offered to be Roly's care taker as he could do with a little bit of company for when he's doing passenger runs. He also said that he didn't mind if Roly doesn't talk, as he just wants someone to talk to for when he doing his work. With that, Thomas left Roly with him and now Ferdinand has his very own coach.

Ferdinand became frustrated the day after Class 40 and Dimitri arrived on trial. The creator had typed in the script for his regulator to be fused wide open which caused him to go home in reverse. On his return journey (no train), he stopped at an invisible signal box next to Dimitri, who had a train of freight cars. The signalman told him that Dimitri - who he nicknamed "Tunacan" - had failed and that he needed to be moved out of the way to clear the line for the "Limited". Ferdinand pulled the train clear, but shortly afterwards, Class 40's ejector failed and the "Limited" ground to a halt. Ferdinand then volunteered to help move *both* trains. Luckily all he had to do for Class 40 was keep the vacuum brakes off, but it was still hard work. The cavalcade made it to Vicarstown where Gordon waited to take the coaches and Rebecca to take the goods. Ferdinand then convinced Sir Topham Hatt into giving Class 40 a second chance when he was about to send him away back to the Mainland along with Dimitri. Sir Topham Hatt agreed, and Ferdinand later helped Class 40 to the Dieselworks to be repaired.

## **Personality**

Ferdinand is the gentle giant of the Mainland, where he works with twin engines Bash and Dash. Instead of burning coal, Ferdinand runs on wood and oil. He is bigger and slower than Bash and Dash, but will always endeavour to join in all the same. He may come across as the simpler-minded, quieter, or even more bashful engine of the three due to his tendency to often let the more boisterous Bash and Dash do most of the talking, but often manages to get in a comment of "That's right!" during the trio's antics. Nevertheless, he is just as fun-loving, goofy and whacky as the other two. He is considerate, inquisitive, has a big heart and enjoys joining in and laughing along where-ever there are fun and games to be had.

## **Trivia**

* Roly being Ferdinand's coach is a reference to the ***Roly the Coach*** series by ***Pauls Vids*** where Roly is usually seen being pulled by Ferdinand.