Oliver

## Oliver the Great Western Engine

### UK/US Voice Actor

TheSudrainAO (Nostalgia Dude 1998's Redub)TheWiseTenderEngine2001 (Liam Fitzgerald's Redub)

## Character Overview

### Country of Origin

* Island of Sodor
* The Mainland (origin)

### Affiliation

* North Western Railway
* Crotoonia Seaside Railway
	+ Duck
	+ Donald and Douglas
	+ Toad

## Technical Details

### Railway

* North Western Railway
* Great Western Railway (formerly)
* British Rail (formerly)

### Owner(s)

Sir Topham Hatt

Oliver is a Great Western auto-tank engine who works on the Seaside Branch Line with Duck and Yaemon.

## Personality

Oliver is a hard-working tank engine who, with Duck, runs the Crotoonian Seaside Railway. Alongside his brakevan Toad and his two autocoaches Isabel and Dulcie, he's often tasked with local passenger duties (starting with picking up and dropping off passengers and workmen at Gridinia Bay Docks) and goods work on the coastal railway. Although he can be a little overconfident at times, he's aware of his role on the railway, and will admit that each and every day can be somewhat of a new lesson for him. He especially enjoys his runs from the Bartlett Bay Salt Mines, passing by the marinas and coastline towns that travel along the route.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Oliver is based on a GWR 14xx Class 0-4-2T. These engines were fitted with a mechanical system allowing the driver to control the locomotive remotely from the cab of an 'Autocoach', such as Isabel. They were originally assigned numbers in the 48xx series, but were renumbered into the 14xx series in 1946. Four engines of this class survive in preservation. The Dark Red Tank Engine is another member of this class.

Oliver’s basis
### Livery

In the Railway Series, Oliver is painted in the Great Western Railway's Brunswick green livery with yellow lining, black wheels, brass GWR numberplates on the sides of his cab and a brass safety valve bonnet. Before he came to Sodor, he was painted in the British Railways Brunswick green livery, with a BR crest painted on the sides of his tanks. He carries two builder's plates on the sides of his cab.

In the television series, his paint had faded by the time he was rescued, leaving him in a rusty red colour. After his rescue, he was repainted in the North Western Railway's green livery with the 1934 GWR crest painted on the sides of his tanks and the number "11" painted on the sides of his cab in yellow. In between the sixth and twelfth season, he was painted in a light shade of green. From Tale of the Brave onwards, he is painted in a slightly darker shade of green from his original North Western Railway green.

## Trivia

* Oliver is named after Oliver Wicks, who was a much respected member of Stroud Baptist Church. He was the Rev. W. Awdry's next door neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud.
* Joe Mills gives Oliver a Cornish accent.
* One of Oliver's models was on display at Nitrogen Studios but is now on display at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan.
* Oliver's theme first heard in the third season is a musical variation on the theme from the 1963 film, The Great Escape. It's also reminiscent to a portion of the TUGS Danger theme.
	+ Ironically, Oliver's first appearance involved him escaping from somewhere.
* Some of Oliver's earlier merchandise had black wheels, indicating he was based off how he looked in the Railway Series. This was later fixed so it resembles how he looks like in the television series.
* In the French version from Seasons 3 to 7, Oliver is called Olivier.