Benjamin

**Benjamin** (**Ben** for short) is a kind diesel shunter.

## Bio:

Ben originally was the yard shunter of Eastleigh Works who did the shunting work single handedly for many years. In 1964, he heard a commotion in a shed where he was keeping Sir Pelleas safe from scrap, he arrived into the sheds to find Maria and Ryan who were both on the run from scrap. From there Maria and Ryan showed Ben and Sir Pelleas to another shed where Shaw Savill, Duchess, and Barry were hiding in. After getting themselves acquitted with each other, Ben agreed to keep watch while the group got ready for their run at night. Later that night, Shaw Savill instructed him to keep watch for an opening in the schedule and also offered him to join them, but Ben declined the offer as he had his shunting duties to take care of at Eastleigh. Ben gave the all clear and wished the engines good luck as they left. A few days later, Ben was surprised to see Goyle pulling in with Simon and some rolling stock who informed him that the class 01 diesel shunter will be helping around the yards with him. After Goyle left and Simon went about his new duty, Ben was surprised to see Sir Pelleas at the end of the train and asked him what happened; with Sir Pelleas telling him everything that happened on their way to Crewe.

In 1986, Ben was preserved by the Severn Valley Railway. Before he left, he request to do his last shunting duty to say goodbye to the shunting yard. While finishing up his shunting duties, Ben came across Nickolas who was hiding out in the shunting yard and decided to help him by coupling him to a scrap train heading to the Bridlington Steelworks informing the Midland tank engine that Sodor should be just to the west from there. After that Ben left Eastleigh Works and went to his new home on the Severn Valley Railway where he met Harrison.

In 2012, Ben was purchased by Sir Topham Hatt to help Stanley and Stafford at the Shunting Yards of Knapford as Rosie was sent to the quarry to help with a large shipment of stone. The D3/12 proved himself useful to the yards and he became fast friends with Stanley, Stafford, and Rosie. Shortly after Rosie returned, Ben had a little run in with Ben (The Tank Engine Twin) who said that there can only be one 'Ben' before the D3/12 sent him flying with his rail gun known as Lil' Jimmy. Ben has handled the work at the shunting yards very well and would take charge of the yards whenever Rosie is needed elsewhere. He and the other shunters spent their break at Knapford Sheds to hear about the adventure Murdoch and Rosie had before coming to Sodor during when Murdoch and Salty were trying to help Harvey find a proper job for him. Ben and Stanley were displeased when they saw the state Harvey had left the yards when they returned. When Madison an SECR D class locomotive was new to the railway, Ben helped her out. Ben witnessed Rosie, Stanley, Oliver, Thomas, Percy, and Toby taking a long heavy goods train due to no other big engine being available.

## Appearances:

### The Adventures on Sodor:

#### Season 2:

* Next Stop: Castle Fantasies, Unauthorised Road Work, The Break Up, What Place is Right for You?, Three's A Crowd, Friends and Fantasies, Spy Dennis

### Specials:

* 2021- 1986 A Cruel Irony
* 2022- 1964 A Turn For The Worst

## Basis:

Benjamin is based on a BR D3/12 diesel-electric shunters.

## Trivia:

* Ben's number 20212 isn't a real number that any of the D3/12s carried in their working lives. In real life none of the D3/12s survived into preservation.