Harold the Helicopter

**Harold** is a white helicopter who patrols the Island of Sodor, searching for emergencies. In the television series, he is part of the Search and Rescue Team and is operated by two pilots.

## Biography

### The Railway Series

When Harold first met Percy, he stated that railways were "slow and out-of-date", but was proven wrong when Percy beat him in a race. When Thomas' brakes failed while boarding at a station, with an inspector Harold chased him down the line. For Christmas that year Harold brought Santa Claus to the party at Tidmouth Station. Harold also dropped hot drinks for Percy's crew when they were stranded in a floating river.

### Thomas & Friends

He made friends with Duck after rescuing an injured sailor.

Harold used to live at Dryaw Airfield by Thomas' Branch Line. He keeps a watchful eye over Sodor in case of trouble and speeds to the rescue of anyone in distress.

As of Misty Island Rescue, he joined the Sodor Search and Rescue team and lives in his own hangar at the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. Since joining the team he has been involved in a search for Thomas when he got lost, saving Bertie from the Shake Shake Bridge and helping Charlie to recapture an elephant which escaped from the Sodor Animal Park. Once, Harold's rotors became jammed, so Thomas and Duck took him to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre.

He and the rest of the rescue team helped out after a big storm and they were rewarded with a new alarm bell for the rescue centre. He later found Percy and Diesel trapped in a flood at the old quarry and the rescue team helped them out. He also helped The Duke and Duchess of Boxford get to Callan Castle, after Thomas, Spencer and Bertie failed.

In the twentieth season, he and Percy's rivalry resurfaced at Christmas. Percy was struggling to get through the snow while delivering mail for Santa, so Harold offered to help, but Percy refused. Percy then left behind a sack of letters at Dryaw and Harold decided to get them to him. Percy, believing Harold was mocking his speed again, decided to race him, only to crash into a snowdrift. Harold again offered to help deliver the mail and this time, Percy agreed. While he was able to deliver the mail to Hiro, he ran out of fuel and was grounded in a field on the Mainland for the night. When Percy found out, he raced off to find him and then brought him some fuel, not wanting him to spend Christmas alone and believing "one good turn deserves another". The two friends then returned to Sodor.

### Thomas and the Magic Railroad

Harold flew by at Tidmouth Sheds, spreading sneezing powder all over Thomas, Splatter and Dodge. In earlier scripts, he didn't speak and he spread quarry dust in the quarry bowl all over Thomas, Splatter, and Dodge.

## Personality

When Harold was first introduced, he was shown is very proud of being able to fly, and the speed and versatility this gives him. He somewhat tended to be cocky, as he believed that "railways are slow and quite out of date". This caused a bit of rivalry between him and the engines, particularly Percy, and he is usually nicknamed "whirlybird" for that, but he usually got his comeuppance in the end. Sometimes, he finds himself in need of Percy's help after he teases him for being slow. Despite this, he still works hard and deep down, he knows that the engines on the Fat Controller's railway, including Percy, are just as useful as he is. He is always helpful and highly alert whenever there is an emergency, especially on patrol. Because of this, he remains a friend to the railway.

However, since he joined the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre, he has acted a lot more mature and almost never teases the engines. He takes his job as part of the team very seriously and continues to remain on patrol.

Harold also speaks in a manner reminiscent of an RAF pilot, using terms such as "wizard" and "old chap" in conversation.

## Trivia

* The fifteenth season episode Stop That Bus! was the first time Harold has flown outside of The Island of Sodor.

* Harold is a best friend of Thunderlane.
* Harold guest star in *Thomas and Twilight Sparkle's Adventures of Fireman Sam Season 9, Heroes of the Storm, Season 10 and Thomas and Twilight Sparkle's Adventures of Fireman Sam: Alien Alert*along with Butch, Rocky, Captain, Belle and Flynn.
* Despite having floats with fitted wheels, Harold has never been seen floating or being rolled.
* Harold is the second anthropomorphised helicopter to be voiced by Kerry Shale, who had previously voiced Chuck the American twin-rotored helicopter from *Budgie the Little Helicopter*.