Edward

**Edward** is a small, blue tender engine who works on the North Western Railway. He is the railway's number 2 engine. He runs the branch line from Wellsworth to Brendam.

## Biography

Edward was built in Glasgow in 1896. He worked on the Furness Railway before coming to Sodor in 1915 to help with the North Western Railway's construction. However, when his work was completed in 1921, the Furness Railway didn't want him back so they sold him to the North Western Railway.

As time went on, Edward would see less and less use and was eventually left at the back of the sheds, forgotten as newer, stronger engines ran the main line services that he used to. One day, a sympathetic crew came and decided to give him a run, and Edward was happy to be in service again. Gordon, the biggest engine at the time, was rather boastful and rude to poor little Edward, but when the pompous engine got stuck on the hill, it was Edward who helped push him to the top. Gordon gained slight respect for Edward after this, and the two banded together in making fun of Alled Greedy after his incident with some apples. When Henry was kept in the tunnel, Edward would run main line stopping trains. He would take his old express coaches out as often as he could, as they had been replaced by Gordon's newer, grander express coaches. One day, Gordon was unable to take the express, and Edward was the only engine available. Knowing he couldn't pull the ordinary coaches, Edward decided to take the old coaches instead, and the service, despite running late, was well received, and Sir Topham Hatt praised Edward.

Eventually, Gordon would burst a safety valve whilst showing off one day, and Edward would be asked to take his express. Unfortunately, he wasn't strong enough, so Henry was let out of the tunnel to let him. Together the two engines managed to get the express running on time once again, impressing Sir Topham Hatt. Gordon gained a respect for the two engines and the three of them briefly formed an alliance.

As time went on, Thomas would take on the role of a father-type figure to Thomas. The two engines would work together to double head a train when 87546 was unable to, then Edward would let Thomas take his trucks to Wellsworth when he felt sorry for the little engine, who was bored of life as a station pilot. Edward would then go on to teach Thomas how to handle trucks until the little engine left to run his branch line.

Edward would later help James learn how to pull passenger trains, and swapped jobs with the red engines to make him feel better while he was in trouble with Sir Topham Hatt. When the three big engines went on strike, Edward briefly handled pilot duties at Tidmouth, but the big engines would make fun of him, and accused him of having 'black wheels'. Sir Topham Hatt decided to put a stop to the teasing so he purchased Percy, who bonded with Edward instantly when the little engine managed to scare Henry away. Thomas, Edward and Percy would then run the railway while Sir Topham Hatt shut up the big engines in the sheds, and Thomas and Edward would take on the task of double heading the express after 87546 returned once again and failed.

## Personality

Edward is a wise, old and friendly engine who the younger engines often turn to for advice. He is willing to take on any jobs, but is prone to being upset when being made fun of, as shown when the big engines called him out for working during a strike.

## Appearances

* **Series 1** - Edward's Day Out, Edward and Gordon, Alled Greedy's Apples, The Sad Story of Henry (cameo), Edward's Express, Edward, Gordon and Henry, Thomas' Trick, Thomas and the Trucks, A Streak of Blue, Thomas and the Breakdown Train (doesn't speak), James and the Top-Hat, Troublesome Trucks, James' Rest Cure, Shocked!, Henry and the Elephant (doesn't speak), Trouble in the Shed, Push-Pull Percy (mentioned), Express Coming Through, Percy Runs Away, Coal (doesn't speak), James' Special Coal, Gordon's Whistle, Thomas's Christmas Party, Off the Rails, Paint Pots and Queens

## Trivia

* Edward was the very first character to be created.