Sid

"*Get rid of it Ed. There's only room for one annoying character around here! AND THAT'S ME!!*"
— Sid, Ballst

* **Class**: LMS Class 2P (rebuilt)
* **Designer**: Henry Fowler
* **Build date**: 1928, rebuilt 1962
* **Configuration**: 4-4-0
* **Arrived on the DR**: 1968

**Sid** is a small passenger engine, built for the Somerset and Dorset Railway. He moved to the Dark Railway in 1968.

## Bio

### Service with LMS & BR

Sid was built on September 30th, 1928 at Derby Works for use on the Somerset and Dorset Railway. While based at Templecombe, he befriended a small Fowler 4F named Ed and they soon began sitting around in the shed not doing anything. They started working again in the 1930's and performed well, usually acting as pilots.

In 1962, Sid was sent to Derby to be rebuilt with outside cylinders (which where donor parts from an old Midland Compound engine which was scrapped the previous year) and third inside cylinder, to make him more powerful for his purpose of pilot engine. This experimental rebuild was successful, making Sid a unique member of his class (that is, a rebuilt, simple expansion 3 cylindered Class 2P).

### Preservation

In 1964, Ed, Sid, and two other engines, Mac and Liz, fled the railway as they were all scheduled for withdrawal (despite Sid's recent rebuild). They traveled far and wide over the British Isles, trying to find somewhere to live, Unfortunately, the four friends didn't have much success, and eventually, in 1968, Mac made the decision to hide in Scotland, wanting to be in his home country. Liz left Ed and Sid shortly after, leaving the plucky duo to continue south on their own to the last place they could think of where they would be safe: The Dark Railway.

The pair reached Merecombe Industrial Estate where they were hidden with the help of Abomination. They remained here for a period of time giving unseen assistance with arranging trains until being spotted by Hannah, who mistook them for ghosts. Abomination revealed the pair to Hannah and Dave, who promised not to reveal their location to Mr. Dark. Unfortunately, their secret was blown rather quickly thanks to 257 Squadron who ratted on the pair to Mr. Dark, both feared they would be sent away but to their surprise, Mr. Dark was happy to see them and agreed to keep them on. Sid was assigned to work as a pilot on the express services, much to the delight of the bigger engines. Sid later became concerned when Ed attempted to lie about his boiler ticket which had expired a few years earlier, and tried to comfort Eddie after his best friend Colin's death. In 1971, as Sid's boiler ticket was close to expiration, it was decided that he would go into the new Galen Junction Railway Museum until he could be sent for overhaul. He was repainted into his old prussian blue livery and displayed alongside Ed, where they entertained visitors with their stories about the S&D. He was eventually moved into the works for overhaul in 1972. Following its completion a year later, he and Ed were sent out on loan to the Castlemans Railway by the railway's new manager, Zeke Dark. They were familiar with the railway due to occasionally visiting the area in their S&D days, and they became the line's main motive power as they began running trains.

The pair ran the line alone for a few years until the railway's own engines started arriving. One of them, Harry, took an instant disliking to the pair, particularly Ed. After getting physical with Ed, a furious Sid had to be persuaded by Ed not to do anything, though he ended up reporting him to the railway's manager when Harry started on him. After Harry went after Ed physically again, this was the final straw and a livid Sid pushed him into the turntable well, terrifying him. It took the combined strength's of fellow engines Lundy & Rob to pull Sid away from Harry. Following this incident Ed and Sid we're told that they we're to be sent back to the DR after this and Sid was adamant that they would never return. Prior to leaving he gave Harry a final warning about his behaviour and told him that if he acted up again or upset anyone else including Lundy, he would come back and finish him off. Confident that Harry had now learned his lesson and wouldn't cause anymore trouble or upset anyone else, Ed and Sid we're sent home on to the Dark Railway.

When they returned home, Sid was put to work piloting the visiting Gordon. He was awed at working alongside such a famous engine and was just as stunned to learn how pleased Gordon was to meet him too, as a fellow unique survivor.

## Persona

Sid has some mannerisms that can be considered irritating, but he does still get on with others and can be relied upon if necessary. He is loyal to his friends, and to those who are nice to him, but can become deranged and out of character when exposed to drugs, which he eventually stopped using when he realized what effect this was having on his friends.

## Livery

Sid is currently painted in British Railways lined black with the late crest. During his working life, Sid has also worn S&DJR Prussian Blue, LMS Black and variations of British Railways liveries.

## Basis

Sid is based on a London, Midland and Scottish Railway Class 2P 4-4-0 engine. In 1962, he was rebuilt to more closely represent an LMS Compound, with outside cylinders and an inside cylinder. However, he retains simple expansion, rather than compounding.

## Appearances

### Ed the Engine/Ed & Sid

Episodes:

* 2012 - Dating, Girls, Submarine, Americans, Santa Claus, Love, Ecstacy, Noise,Thief, Pets, Sacked, Murderer, Birthday,Intercourse, Drinking, and God
* 2016 - Protection,Da Funk,Around the World, I'm Red, Plunk 'n Clang, Politics, Ghosts 'n Stuff, Home, Working Overtime, Australia, Panniers Are Dicks, and Faces
* 2018 - HD, War, Rations, Alone, and Not So Bad
* 2019 - The Snowman
* 2020 - Merch, Fans, and Budget Cuts
* 2021 - Impatience, WIDE ED AND SID, Narrator, For the Floorz, Ed and Liz (*mentioned*), Mac and Sid, Ship Happens, Chairman and Goose (*mentioned*), Le Knight Club, and Shed Party!
* 2022 - Different, Work, and Ballst

### The Dark Railway Series

Episodes:

* Series 5 - Haunted Hannah, Ed and Sid and Claim to Fame
* Series 6 - Ouverture, Trepid, Fustercluck, Ed, Ed and Eddie, Plunk 'n Bang, Asphalt Assault (*does not speak*), The Purple Man (*mentioned*), The Prime Time of your Life (*does not speak*) and Apply Overnight (*mentioned*)
* Series 7 - Futura, Smashing!, Braking Bad, Ey Up?, The Red Herring, Mothership Reconnection, Rollerskate Disco, What a Clarence! (*does not speak*) and The Man in Overalls
* Series 8 - Revolution 909 (*mentioned*), Face to Face (*does not speak*) and Colossus (*mentioned*)
* Series 9 - 9 (*mentioned*), Rock Shock (*mentioned*) and Meanwhile...
* Series 10 - 101 (*mentioned*)
* Series 11 - Quatro (*mentioned*), Feel It, Further, Sundowner (*cameo*), Chord Memory (*cameo*) and The Brickenkopf (*cameo*)
* Series 12 - Ventura, What To Do, Outrun (*mentioned*), Outrage, Shuffle, High Fidelity and Eternal Feedback

Specials:

* 200 Subscribers
* Zombies!
* You Bang Snowploughs

## Trivia

* In the first series of *Ed the Engine*, Sid has the number 510. In *The Dark Railway Series*, his number is now canonically 590 and later 40590, which became his number in *Ed and Sid*. In his appearance in "200 Subscribers", his number was 599.
* The reason for Sid's "rebuild" was to take advantage of a new model released by Digital Traction of the similar 3 Cylinder "LMS Compound", which has better physics and sounds.