Spencer

Misty Island Rescue (2010)

King of the Railway (2013)

The Great Race (2016)

Journey Beyond Sodor (2017)

Paul Larson

Kerry Shale (Hero of the Rails, original cut)

### Occupation

Private engine of the Duke and Duchess of Boxford (cartoon)Private train driver (fanfic, as a human)

### Family

Gordon, The Flying Scotsman, Flying Thistle, Lemberg, Pretty Polly and Ryan (cousins, two deceased), several unnamed cousins (deceased), Mallard, Sir Nigel Gresley, Green Arrow, Union of South Africa and Sir Nigel Gresley (brothers)**Fanfic:** Ryan and Aida Langdon (first cousins, once removed), Victoria and Sebastian Langdon (maternal first cousins), William Nicholls (cousin-in-law), Caitlin and Connor Hilton (niece and nephew)

### Friends

Thomas, Percy, James, Gordon, Edward, Henry, Emily, Rebecca, Nia, Toby, Sir Topham Hatt, Duck, Bill and Ben, Timothy, Rosie, Stanley, Ryan, Sonny, Diesel, Daisy, Salty, Porter, Paxton, Sidney, Philip, Victor, Skarloey and Rheneas, Whiff, Marion, Skiff, Hiro, Kenji, Mavis, Annie and Clarabel, Charlie, Billy, Terence, Bertie, Bulgy, Cleo, Ruth, Donald and Douglas, Cranky, Carly, Judy and Jerome, Elizabeth, George, Peter Sam, Sir Handel, Mighty Mac, Duncan, Freddie, Duke, Owen, Merrick, Harvey, Millie, Luke, Stephen, Glynn, Shane, Aubrey and Aiden, Tamika, Ace. Isla, Henrietta, Hugo, Rocky, Harold, Flynn, Captain, Butch, Belle, Nelson, Jack, Alfie, Oliver, Max and Monty, Kelly, Byron, Ned, Isobelle, Patrick, Brenda, Buster, Darcy, Kevin, Oliver, Ashima, Rajiv, Noor Jehan, Shankar, Charubala, Lorenzo, Beppe, Gina, Stefano, Ester, Gabriela, Gustavo, Raul, Marcia and Marcio, Fernando, Hank, Sam, Gator, Norman and Dennis, Hong-Mei, Yong Bao, An-An and Yin-Long, Den, Dart, Beau, Toad, Duchess, Lexi, Theo, Hurricane, Merlin, Frankie, Beresford, Caitlin, Connor, Ferdinand, Bash and Dash, Emerson, Lei, Natalie, Cassia, 'Arry and Bert, Bert, Rex, Mike**Fanfic:** Ten Cents, Sunshine, Theodore, Emily, Hercules, Big Mac, Warrior, Grampus, O.J., Top Hat, Big Mickey, Sally, Boomer, Frank and Eddie, Oliver, Foduck, The Dispatcher, Izzy Gomez, Captain Star, Captain Zero, Zak, Zorran, Zebedee, Zip, Zug, Mighty Mo, Lucy, Phillip and Filmore, Hank, George

### Likes

Taking the Duke and Duchess of Boxford everywhere, challenges, pulling the express

### Dislikes

Gordon's warnings, getting into troubles, James' showoffs

## Character's Bio

### Nicknames

Spencer the Express EngineThe Fastest Engine in the World (by James)

Big Silver Showoff (by Gordon)

Mr Silver Steam (by Victor)

Speedy (by Edward)

Bossy Boiler (by Victor and Percy)

Rail Raider (by Gordon)

Speedy Spencer (by Thomas)

Spencer The Grand (by himself)

Pouty Puffer (by Percy)

Steely Spencer (by himself)

### Birthdate

1938 (built)17th February 1934 (fanfic, as a human)

## Physical Apearance

### Species

Streamlined tender engine (cartoon)Human (fanfic)

### Eye Colour

Black (cartoon)Bright blue (fanfic, as a human)

### Complexion

Light blue-grey with black lining (cartoon, season 7-9)Metallic silver with black lining (cartoon)

Pale (fanfic, as a human)

### Status

Alive

**Spencer** is one of *Thomas & Friends* characters. He's a sleek streamlined tender engine privately owned by the Duke and Duchess of Boxford. He commonly visits the Island of Sodor alongside his owners. He was also the cousin of Gordon and the Flying Scotsman.

## Biography

### *Thomas & Friends*

During his first visit to Sodor, Spencer took the Duke and Duchess of Boxford on a trip around Sodor. He ignored Gordon's warnings about taking on water and thus ran out on his hill; however, he blamed the incident on a leaky tank and had to rely on Gordon to take him to Maron.

Upon his next visit, Spencer challenged Edward to a race and maintained a lead for the majority of it. However, he vainly fell asleep while the Duke and Duchess stopped to take photos and lost to Edward who got onto the summer house branch line first.

Spencer has since developed a rivalry with Thomas, with the latter often trying to outshine Spencer - largely without success.

Spencer returned to Sodor to help build a new summer house for the Duke and Duchess of Boxford, much to the annoyance of all the engines. First, he insulted the other steam engines - especially Thomas by calling him a "toy tank engine", which as a result they had a competition of strength. However, Spencer neglected to build the new summer house when he became suspicious about Thomas and thought he was being a tricky tank engine. Unfortunately for him, he ended up getting slate down his funnel at Sodor Slate Quarry. When Spencer discovered Percy's mail vans, he got into trouble with the Fat Controller, who thought that Spencer was hiding the mail coaches all the time. Afterwards, Spencer lost his pride when his owners turned up for their holiday. He then got stuck in the mud when he chased Thomas to Knapford. After being rescued by Hiro, Spencer apologized to Thomas and Hiro and they all worked together to finish the summer house.

Sir Robert Norramby borrowed Spencer as his private engine during the restoration of Ulfstead Castle. He transported the Earl around and much to his embarrassment, had to pull some stones for the job. During that time, he attempted to have races with Gordon, only to call off the race when they met Connor and Caitlin during one of their runs. After the restoration was complete, Connor, Caitlin, Gordon and Spencer had another race from Ulfstead's grounds.

Spencer brought a VIP from the Mainland to present the Fat Controller with an award. Due to showing off, he ended up on Edward's Branch Line. Once he finally arrived at Knapford, the Deputy Minister crossly announced that he would not travel back to the Mainland with Spencer. Throughout the day, as the other engines were showing off, Spencer felt sorry for himself and wished he had done his work properly. He learned from his mistake and successfully brought the Deputy Minister back to Sodor the following day.

One day, Spencer was travelling through Henry's Tunnel and almost ran into Thomas who was hiding in the tunnel pretending to be a made-up engine called Geoffrey in an attempt to trick the Fat Controller. One winter, he had to stay on Sodor because the Vicarstown Bridge was blocked with snow. He teased Henry by telling him he might see an abominable snowman, only to be scared when the two engines saw something covered in snow walking towards them. Spencer tried to run away, but his valves became blocked. Luckily, it was only the Fat Controller, who got into trouble in the snow. Later, Spencer had to take the Duke and Duchess to Callan Castle, when his valve gear had snapped and broke down, so Thomas, Bertie and Harold had to take the Duke and Duchess to Callan Castle instead.

Spencer would then go on to participate in the Great Railway Show where he served as a UK representative and competed in The Great Race event against Gordon and Flying Scotsman, as well as Axel and Etienne. He came in second place, narrowly losing to Etienne.

On New Year's Eve, Spencer was to take guests to Callan Castle. He decided to take platform 1 and Gordon went on platform 2, but they got the wrong coaches. The passengers got upset and Gordon and Spencer had to take the express passengers to the stations they had missed. They later apologized and watched the fireworks together.

## Personality

Spencer is very arrogant, snobby, egotistical, bossy and pompous and considers himself to be above doing menial duties such as shunting. He is very proud of his speed, with his ego far exceeding even the likes of Gordon and James. Due to his constant antagonism, the engines all detest him, especially Thomas and Gordon. When he came to build the summer house, Spencer proved himself to be very nosy, sneaky, disobedient and rather neglectful, and was willing to abandon his work in order to get petty revenge on Thomas.

While most steam engines have a sense of camaraderie due to dieselization, Spencer has no such sympathy and is willing to scrap even fellow steam engines if he views them as beneath him. Following Hiro’s discovery, Spencer spent the entire summer trying to get him scrapped, going to great lengths in his efforts to do so.

Gordon and Spencer do not get along at all, despite being “cousins”. This is mainly because of Spencer's pompous behaviour, which exceeds even that of Gordon's. His arrogance has also shown that he is not willing to take advice from other engines, which only results in him needing help from those he shrugs off. Despite this, he has shown a kind side when he realized his mistakes, especially when reprimanded by the Duke and Duchess or the Fat Controller for causing trouble. This side once came through when he helped Percy find his way home to Tidmouth Sheds. Despite his pompousness, he also wants to be really useful just like all the other locomotives.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Spencer is based on a London and North Eastern Railway (LNER) Class A4 Pacific, a type of streamlined 4-6-2 tender locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley and built between 1935 and 1938. The A4s were designed for high-speed, long-distance express services such as the 'Silver Jubilee' and many members of the class set new world speed records for steam locomotives, including Mallard. Originally built with side valences covering their wheels, the A4s later had these removed to improve maintenance, an appearance which Spencer shares. Spencer is also fitted with a corridor tender, which many A4s used for non-stop runs in LNER and British Railways service. Six A4s survive in preservation, including Mallard and Sir Nigel Gresley; the latter named after the class's designer.

## Physical Appearance

### Livery

In his earlier appearances, Spencer was painted light blue-grey with black lining. From the tenth series onwards, he is painted metallic silver, still with black lining. He has a red nameplate with his name painted on them in gold on the sides of his smokebox. His livery may have been inspired by that of the first four A4s, which were painted in a silver-grey livery for use on the LNER's 'Silver Jubilee' service. From the nineteenth series onwards, Spencer has also gained permanent lamps on his front.

### Fanfic

As a human, Spencer had pale skin tone, brownish gray hair, bright blue eye colour, and he wears light metallic silver gray coat with 6 gold buttons, white shirt, black necktie, light metallic silver gray trousers and black shoes.

## Fanfics

The Secret & Dearest Life of Everything in Sodor

Spencer appeared in the fanfic as a human, he became the driver of the Duke and Duchess of Boxford's private train. He told Connor what Thomas was doing in Japan. Suddenly, he tells him that Hiro saw Kenji found Thomas unconscious in his own engine while working on the Japanese Railway and they takes him to the hospital.