Yong Bao

SplatterPatter64 (TAOTPS backstory)

**Yong Bao** (Mandarin: **勇寶** or **勇宝**) is a Chinese engine who took part in the Great Railway Show, competing in the Best Decorated Engine parade.

Long before Yong Bao went to the Great Railway Show, he worked in a station yard on his homeland railway, longing to pull passenger trains and was constantly teased by the other engines. One day, a tiger snuck into the yard, with Yong Bao left fascinated by it and searching for it for many days. During the winter, he found it again and followed it along the tracks; leading him to save one of his fellow engines from falling off a cliff with hundreds of passengers on board. With the recognition of his heroic action, Yong Bao was awarded a new coat of Chinese red paint with yellow lining and a tiger emblem on his tender.

Yong Bao was invited to take part in the Great Railway Show's Best Decorated Engine Parade. He, along with the other eleven contenders, accidentally arrived on Sodor after the rail ferry they were on made a wrong stop at Brendam Docks instead of the Mainland. Yong Bao promptly returned to the ferry after realising this.

At the Great Railway Show, Yong Bao participated in the Best Decorated Engines Parade along with Rajiv, Carlos, Emily and James, but ended up losing the event to Rajiv. After the Great Railway show ended, Yong Bao left the Mainland to return to China.

Yong Bao made his way back to China through the Swiss Alps when he found some engines standing nervously in a station, too afraid to continue their journeys for fear of a monster in the tunnel. Yong Bao ventured into the tunnel only to find that the monster was just a mountain goat.

When Yong Bao returned to China, he found that Shane showed up to catch a boat to Australia. He travels with Shane to show where he could catch his boat, but as they puffed through the Himalayas, it started to snow and Shane thought it was fun, so he started to race up and down hills dangerously on the slippery rails and ignored Yong Bao's warnings. As of this, Shane ended up racing off the tracks and after that, he learned that snow can be dangerous.

2 Years Later, he encountered Thomas again during his usual passenger runs, recognizing him from seeing him at the Great Railway Show, and wondered why Thomas was in China, a long way from Sodor. When Thomas explained he was looking for a friend from Africa and was told to look for her in Zhangye Danxia by the Chinese Diesel, Yong Bao warned him to have a snowplough fitted as he left for the Rainbow Mountains to find Nia, since the tracks led through the Rainbow Mountains and into the Himalayas. He later caught up with him and helped rescue Nia before both plunged over the side of the mountain. Soon after, just before Thomas and Nia (now on the tracks again) left for home, he gave them directions on how to return to Sodor through the Asian and European continents, and as they departed, he advised them to go safely and said goodbye as they left.

Yong Bao was then bought by Sir Lowham Hatt along with Axel and Raul to help build Evelynn Station and then became a perminant resident. But soon left for China for he felt homesick. (or had a feeling he needed to be there)

Yong Bao is a kind and faithful tender engine from China, who pulls passenger coaches. He may not be the biggest tender engine or the strongest, but he once cleverly diverted an accident saving hundreds of passengers. Yong Bao was decorated for his bravery and painted bright red, which is a colour that symbolises celebration and happiness. Painted on his tender is a tiger which incites a sense of awe and admiration. Like Yong Bao, the tiger is full of life and embodies the spirit of being driven to achieve and make progress. These qualities make Yong Bao a Really Useful Engine. Despite being brave and a good example for many Chinese engines, he isn't above having fun, as on Thomas' visit to China on Chinese New Year, he scared the little blue engine twice.

Yong Bao is based on a Chinese Railways RM class 4-6-2 Pacific, which were built by CSR Sifang Co Ltd between 1958 and 1966. Used in passenger service, these engines were eventually taken out of service by more powerful steam and diesel locomotives on the Chinese rail system by the early 1990s. Three members of this class have been preserved; 1001 is on display at the China Railway Museum in Beijing, 1163 is preserved in Aioi, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan and 1247 is on display at the Shenyang Railway Museum.

Yong Bao's basis

Yong Bao was originally painted dark navy blue but after saving the passengers on a derailed train, he was then later repainted in Chinese red with yellow lining and his running board is painted green. His name is written on the sides of his cab in Simplified Chinese, and the design of a tiger is painted on his tender. He also bears a dragon face on the front top of his funnel.