Elizabeth (Lorry)

**Elizabeth** is a vintage Sentinel lorry, formerly owned by Sir Topham Hatt. She often works alongside the Skarloey Railway.

## Biography

Prior to becoming the controller of the North Western Railway, Sir Topham Hatt owned Elizabeth - she noted that he was not the best driver. For unknown reasons, Elizabeth was shut up in a shed and remained there until Thomas' crew found her several years later when they needed urgent transportation to the Works for new side rods. Jem Cole restored Elizabeth and she is to this day in perfect working order.[1]

When the Skarloey Railway was facing hardships, Elizabeth agreed to help the narrow gauge engines clear the line of fallen branches and restore the line, which they succeeded at.[2]

One winter, when Thomas refused to wear his snowplough, Elizabeth scolded him, stating that he could not be reliable without it. She was given the task of taking puddings to Brendam Docks for delivery to the Mainland, but during the trip, she slid on the icy roads and got herself stuck in a snowdrift. Thomas and Terence rescued her and they managed to deliver the puddings in time before the ship left.

When the tuba player of the Sodor Brass Band needed to get to a big party after Thomas accidentally left him behind, Elizabeth agreed to give him a lift and took him to the windmill where Trevor took him to Thomas.

When a storm caused a bit of damage to the island, Elizabeth had to help the workmen move a fallen water tower. When Emily arrived, she rudely told Elizabeth to hurry up, but Elizabeth did not take her bossiness lightly and decided to stop with what she was doing in response. When Thomas told Emily that her bossiness did not make anything better, Emily apologized to Elizabeth and asked her nicely to move the water tower, which she does so without hesitation.

Elizabeth warned Toby to slow down regarding a big mud puddle on the track after Toby was too busy worrying about taking his very important special passenger Alicia Botti until it was too late.

## Personality

Elizabeth does not like laziness, carelessness or rudeness and will respond to these characteristics in the strongest terms. Because of this, she can often come off as harsh and severe.

Despite the fact that she believes roads are superior to rails, she often helps the engines out. She is very sensitive about how others refer to her by her age.

She has a special fondness for her former owner Sir Topham Hatt and it seems that even he never seems to take offence or get angered by her critical assessment of the way he drives. She also cares deeply for all her friends.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Elizabeth is based on a Sentinel DG4 steam lorry with a three-way tipper behind her cab. Isobella shares the same basis.

Elizabeth's basis

### Livery

Elizabeth is painted maroon with gold and black lining and an orange-brown tipper.

## Appearances

* Television Series
* Other Media

* **Series 7** - Not So Hasty Puddings
* **Series 8** - Thomas and the Tuba and Emily's Adventure
* **Series 11** - Emily's Rubbish, Smoke and Mirrors, Thomas Sets Sail, Toby's Triumph and Wash Behind Your Buffers (*cameo*)

Specials* **2008** - The Great Discovery (*cameo*)

Music Videos* **Series 7** - The Whistle Song
* **Series 8** - Surprises and Determination
* **Series 9** - Buffer Up and Share
* **Jack and the Sodor Construction Company** - The Work Song and One Friendly Family
* **Series 10** - H is for Harold and Navigation
* **Series 11** - The Narrow Gauge Engines
* **The Great Discovery** - Where, oh Where is Thomas? and Thomas, You're the Leader

## Audio Files

### Horns

In Meet Thomas' New Friends on the Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures DVD, the Sodor Spelling Game on the Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures DVD and the eleventh series, Elizabeth reuses Bertie's horn sound from the fourth to seventh series.

## Trivia

* Elizabeth is the only character able to insult Sir Topham Hatt without getting into trouble, as she was the first lorry he ever drove.
* Elizabeth is the first character created by Paul Larson.
* In the original concept art done by Robert Gauld-Galliers, Elizabeth was named "Grumpy".
	+ According to Abi Grant, the name Elizabeth was chosen due to the 1998 film, *Elizabeth,* that came out after the concept art had been completed.[5]
* Elizabeth's television series model is on display at Drayton Manor and is currently wearing her grumpy face since early 2020. However, her smiling face was on her television series model when she was first put on display at Drayton Manor in 2009.
* Elizabeth is often misspelled as "Eli***s***abeth", particularly in merchandise and in the subtitles of DVDs. The Official Website also spelled her name this way before the site was revamped. Elisabeth is the spelling used in the Welsh dub of the show.
* A large scale model of Elizabeth was built to interact with the narrow gauge engines, as used in "Rusty Saves the Day" and "Faulty Whistles". The large scale model was built by Chris Lloyd as revealed in an interview with Sodor Island Fansite.
* A Sentinel steam bus (originally a lorry) that gives tour rides around Weston-super-Mare (formerly around Whitby) is named after Elizabeth.
* In her concept art, Elizabeth was depicted with a tipper, despite this not being shown in the series. This has been carried on to her Ertl, Wooden Railway, Take Along and Take-n-Play toys.
* In the magazines, a sailboat was named Lizzie after Elizabeth by some children.
* Her horn sound used in the eleventh series was previously used for Bertie from the fourth to seventh series.
* In the alternate version of Ravensburger's puzzle "Roadside Repair", Elizabeth is seen working with Jack and George at Sodor Construction Company. However, the only steam lorry from The Pack is Isobella.

## Merchandise

* Ertl (*UK only; discontinued*)
* Wooden Railway (*discontinued*)
* Motor Road and Rail (*discontinued*)
* TrackMaster (*discontinued*)
* Take Along (*discontinued*)
* Take-n-Play (*discontinued*)
* Capsule Plarail
* Pocket Fantasy (*normal and Christmas; discontinued*)
* Mini Die Cast Collection (*discontinued*)
* Thomas Town (*discontinued*)
* Nakayoshi (*discontinued*)