Bert

**Bert the Thoughtful Engine** is one of the deuteragonists of the Seventyverse and the first engine of the Arlesdale Railway.

## Backstory

Bert originally worked with Rex, Mike, Sabina and Ellie on the Anfield Bank Railway, which closed down due to little traffic. Fortunately, the three engines would purchased for the Arlesdale Railway. Originally, all three engines were painted dark green but after arriving on Sodor, Bert was repainted blue whilst Rex was painted a lighter shade of green and Mike was repainted red. Since then, Bert has been hard at work on the Arlesdale Railway, delivering wool, ballast or passengers.

## Relationships

### Rex and Mike

Although the quieter of the three, Bert joins in the teasing every once in a while.

### Thomas

After Thomas was sent to work on the Harwick expansion as punishment for causing an accident at Knapford, Bert, along with Rex and Mike, attempted to cheer him up. They also helped him try to stop Sailor John from trying to steal the treasure.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Bert is based on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway's River Irt. River Irt was originally an 0-8-0T named Muriel, constructed by Sir Arthur Heywood for his Duffield Bank Railway in 1894. She arrived at Ravenglass via the Gretna munitions factory in 1917 with another Heywood engine, Ella, and was principally used on stone trains.

Muriel received a major overhaul and was rebuilt at Murthwaite in 1927, becoming a 0-8-2 tender locomotive named River Irt. She has remained in traffic on passenger duties ever since and is now the oldest working 15" gauge locomotive in the world.

In 1972, she was rebuilt to a narrow gauge outline, and was then reboilered in 1977, giving the locomotive her current appearance. She has visited the National Railway Museum in York and was part of the Ratty fleet at the Liverpool and Gateshead Garden Festival Railways in 1984 and 1990. River Irt carries an iron plaque showing her as she was originally - an 0-8-0 tank engine without a cab.

Bert is depicted with wheels outside his frames, contrary to his basis. His valve gear was also changed.

### Livery

Bert is painted blue with red lining on his cab, tender, cylinders and boiler and yellow lining around his windows. The word "ARLESDALE" is painted on his tender in yellow with a red outline with his number (1) on his sides of his cab. He has a white running board with red bufferbeams and valences. He also has a brass dome and brass nameplates with red backing. Before being purchased for the Arlesdale Railway, Bert was a darker green than Rex is now.

## Personality

Bert is the quietest of the main Arlesdale trio. He appears to be easy-going and friendly. However, he can get offended easily as was shown when the two clergyman visited and soaked him by mistake. He will also correct any engine who looks down on smaller engines.

## Differences between the books, TV show and series

* In the books and TV series, Bert's rebuilt form was never shown. In this series, the story Miracle at Arlesburgh Junction shows Bert getting a rebuild due to his steaming problems.

## Trivia

* Bert is autistic. Reasons for this speculation are:
	+ He tends to take things rather literally (he didn't want to be a "moving picture in a book".)