Francis (Engine)

## Francis

"*Oi! Frank! I've got a bone to pick with you."*
"Frank? Frankie? Are you deaf? I'm talking to you!"

"My name is Francis. Francis. Not Frank. Not Frankie. Francis.*"*

— Francis introducing himself after James mispronounces it.

**Francis**, or **D199** is an arrogant BR Class 46 express diesel who had a short career on the North Western Railway.

## Biography

Francis was designed in part by Robert Hall. In 1964, he was one of several diesels who came to the Island of Sodor, along with Salty, Daisy and Derek. While he was the perfect example of what BR wanted from its diesels, the steam engines found his personality insufferable, as not only would he disparage shunting and good work, but he would boast about himself whenever possible. On one particular day, as Francis and Daisy were getting acquainted, James and Gordon chastised the blue diesel for a disruptive hissy fit he had thrown the night before over pulling a goods train. Francis claimed that such work is demeaning for the engine who broke the express record from London to Edinburgh and also pointed out that he still completed every job assigned to him. This argument didn't endear steamies to Daisy, so Francis encouraged her to follow his lead.

Francis' tutelage meant that Daisy became an excellent passenger engine but also that she became as insufferable as him. The two of them antagonized not only the steam engines but also Derek for being a "failure". The tension between steamies and diesels boiled over after Francis broke the express record to Barrow, to the point where the Fat Controller had to intervene. While his words had an effect on Daisy, they didn't sink in for Francis, who went on to throw a hissy fit over having to cover a goods train for a broken-down Gordon.

However, Francis would immediately get his comeuppance, as he unintentionally slithered into a ditch and was teased by Gordon. At the works, he once again insulted Derek, but this time, Daisy told him off for doing so. Seeing that Francis hadn't learned his lesson, the Fat Controller told him he would ask for his immediate reassignment after his repairs, which Francis agreed was for the best.

The blue diesel was reassigned to taking the express across the surrounding region and became a common sight at Barrow, occasionally bringing trains onto Sodor. While he didn't give up his gripes whenever he was given "lesser" jobs, he always competently completed them. An example of this was delivering coal; Francis often handled Sodor-bound trains of coal from the Mainland after the Marston Heights Coal Mine closed down in 1965. Another example was when he had to yet again cover for Gordon, whose reversing gear had jammed once more, by pulling the Flying Kipper. During this run, his cooling system failed, which he blamed on handling too many goods trains.

## Persona

Francis is a rude, stuck-up, manipulative and arrogant engine. He would make fun of Derek for his engine problems and claim to pity the steamies for how many things could go wrong with them. Despite this, he appears to be a hard worker.

In Season 5, he seems to have developed a slightly better attitude, possibly being humbled by his mechanical issues. He gave advice to Barry when he first took the Overhaul and became a diesel, and shared in everyone’s sorrow when Thomas died, even transporting his remains to Barry Island Scrapyard without complaint.

## Livery

Francis is painted in the British Railway's Rail Blue with yellow warning panels. His number, Diesel 199 is painted on the sides of his cab in white and with a white British railways logo.

## Basis

Francis is based on a BR Class 46 "Peak" 1Co-Co1. The Class 46s never made it up to Diesel 199. They were numbered between D138-D193. 56 of them were built from 1961 to 1963, and 3 of them are preserved.

## Appearances

### The Stories of Sodor

#### Season 4

* Prototypes *(cameo)*
* Beeching *(cameo)*
* Storm *(cameo)*
* Dieselisation

#### Season 5

* Experiment
* Revenge
* Munitions
* Fallout

#### Sodor Shorts

* Mistake *(cameo)*
* Slogan *(does not speak)*
* Selection *(does not speak)*