Drivers

**Drivers** are people that control the vehicles. Here is a list of known drivers that are shown in the series.

## Engine Drivers

* II
* I

II

> I'd never go without my driver. I'd be frightened. - Toby
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The **engine drivers** (sometimes called **engineers** in some US narrations) together with firemen, make up the crews that operate and maintain the engines on a railway. They keep their assigned engine in control and provide company, as well as a voice of reason when it is being difficult.

### Uniforms

A North Western Railway steam engine driver's uniform consists of dark blue trousers, a black tie, a white shirt with a blue jacket with light blue accents over it and a blue peaked cap. This dress code is the same for drivers on the Arlesdale Railway.

Diesel engine drivers wear a similar, though less formal, uniform, with the Vicarstown Dieselworks logo on the jacket and a brown cap.

The drivers on the Skarloey Railway wear the same outfits but in grey instead of blue. In the CGI series, they wear a less formal uniform similar to that of a jumpsuit.

### Trivia

* In the magazine stories, drivers on the Skarloey Railway wear the same colour uniform as those on the North Western Railway.
* To date, five drivers have been named in the Railway Series:
	+ Edward's is Charlie Sand.
	+ Rheneas' is Peter.
	+ Culdee's is Joe.
	+ Stepney's is Jack Owen.
	+ Rusty and Ivo's Flying Bedstead's is Ivo Hugh.
* To date, ten drivers have been named in the television series:
	+ Bob, Thomas' driver.
	+ Charlie Sand, Edward's driver.
	+ Billy Twofeathers, Rainbow Sun's driver
	+ Franz, Hugo's driver.
	+ Mr. Arkwright, Mr. Perkins, Mr. Roberts and Archie Higginbottom.
	+ Bob and Dave the signalmen (sometimes double as drivers).
* Douglas/Glynn's driver is the first driver in the series to have ginger hair.
* Donald's driver is one of the few to have grey hair in the model series.
* There have been complaints about the lack of female drivers. Mary Creagh, a Labour Front-bencher, has said it was a negative stereotype and says it will make women less likely to become train drivers if they are put off in their early years. She also criticised the lack of female characters. HiT Entertainment responded saying there has been a "historical imbalance", but that there will be more female characters/engines in the future. However, Nia's driver is the first female driver to be introduced in the television series.
* Following HiT Entertainment's retooling of the show in 2004, the drivers' role was significantly reduced, possibly owing to the limited mobility and expressiveness of the static model figures used to represent them (and other human characters) during this period. Save for a stray mention in Series 10's "*James the Second Best*", no scripted allusions to any drivers are resultantly made between the end of Series 8 and *Hero of the Rails*. Following the show's full conversion to CGI in 2009, drivers were reinstated, although they were not consistently referenced in relation to an engine's activity again until Andrew Brenner's tenure several seasons later.
* The *Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go* reboot is the first incarnation of the franchise where drivers (and crews in general) are entirely and consistently absent.
* The drivers are not seen in the *Special Delivery* PC game, but their voices can be heard.

## Bus Drivers

* I
* I

> That will do, Bertie. A promise is a promise and we must keep it! - Bertie's driver
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There are several **bus drivers** who work for Sodor Roadways. In the model series, they were commonly accompanied by **bus conductors**.

### Uniforms

A bus driver's uniform consists of a light blue jacket over a white shirt and a red tie, light blue trousers and a red flat cap with a black brim.

### Trivia

* Bertie's driver from *Bertie's Chase* has the same head as The Firelighter.
* In *Thomas and the Magic Railroad*, live-action actors are used throughout the film. However, Bertie's driver appears as a figure instead. In the twelfth series, despite human characters being portrayed in CGI, Bertie's driver also remains as a figure instead.
* In the model series, Bertie's driver had a moustache.

## Gallery

### Engine Drivers

Thomas' driverThomas' driver as a fireman.Edward's driverEdward's driver in CGIHenry's driverHenry's driver in CGIGordon's driverGordon's driver in CGIJames' driverJames' driver in CGIPercy's driverPercy's driver in CGIToby's driverDuck's driverDuck's driver in CGIDouglas' driverOliver's driverBill and Ben's driversBill's driver in CGIBen's driver in CGIStepney's driverHarvey's driverEmily's driverEmily's driver in CGIMurdoch's driverArthur's driverSpencer's driverDash's driverStephen's crewGlynn's driverNia's driverRebecca's driverDiesel's driverDaisy's driverMavis's driverSalty's driverSalty's driver in CGIFizzyDennis3.jpgDennis' driver with Sir Topham Hatt in a magazine story.Diesel, Paxton and Norman's driversDen and Dart's driversHugo's driverSkarloey's driverSkarloey's driver in CGIRheneas' driverSir Handel's driverPeter Sam's driverPeter Sam's driver in CGIDuncan's driverDuncan's driver in CGIDuke's driverMighty Mac's driverLuke's driverRusty's driverRusty's driver in CGIBert's driverMike's driverRex's driver
### Bus Drivers

Bertie's driverBertie's driver in CGIBulgy's driver