Eric

"*Hello, I'm Eric, you must be Thomas. Real nice to meet you!*"
— Eric introducing himself, Goods

**Eric** is a goods tank engine for the LNER, later serving for their Sudrian Division, and he is currently working for British Railways. He is an LNER V3 Tank Engine.

## Biography

In 1935, after the Midis received a new heavy goods engine, a Stanier 8F named Peter, the Nor'easters began losing clients to the Midis. In response to this, Mr. Star had arranged for Eric to arrive on Sodor on the day Thomas was at the oil depot. He made a very good first impression helping Thomas and quickly made friends with the rest of the Nor'easters, especially Henry. Working together, the Nor'easters regained their lost clients from the Midis and made new ones.

Eric was a really useful goods engine, particularly with the quarry on the Ffarquhar Branch Line. However, he wasn't very smart, which did cause confusion and delay for the Nor'easters, including one time when he mixed up Edward's goods train with Gordon's express. Another occasion was in 1936 when he was delivering a stone train from the quarry to Elsbridge Harbour, he left his trucks on the main line, which almost caused an accident with Henry and gave him flat tyres. As Henry was taken to the works, Eric had to act as Henry's replacement. Mr. Star put Eric on indefinite probation, and would send him away if he fouled up again. While Mr. Star gave up on surveying Eric once Henry was back in service, Eric still tried not to make another mistake. In 1937, Mr. Star finally took Eric off probation after he helped Thomas. The blue tank engine had burst his safety valve while bringing a pregnant Spanish woman to Elsbridge. Eric quickly took them the rest of the way, and they arrived at Elsbridge just in time for the baby's birth. The grateful father named his son Thomas Eric Galindez.

Once The Fat Controller took charge, he organised a Reshuffle of the railway so that engines would run specific jobs and maximize efficiency. Eric and Edward were assigned to the Brendam Branch Line in 1947.

## Persona

Eric is a rather dim-witted and occasionally clumsy engine, who's unintelligence can lead to problems and accidents. While Eric lacks intelligence, he makes up for it by being a kind, optimistic, loyal and happy chap who always works hard delivering goods trains with a smile on his face.

He can be smart in rare occasions, as shown when he pieced together a certain event in Sheffield's past from what some of the other engines said.

## Livery

Eric is painted in LNER Apple Green livery and red linings with the number 12 painted on his tanks. He has Black wheels.

## Basis

Eric is based on the LNER V3 Locomotive of related 2-6-2T steam locomotive designed by Sir Nigel Gresley. A total of 82 V1s were built with 71 being rebuilt into the higher pressure V3s with an additional ten being built as V3s from the final batch of V1s. The V3 was a development of the V1 with increased boiler pressure and a resultant increase in tractive effort. None have survived into preservation. However a non profit organization called the A1 steam locomotive trust will start building an operational V3 replica once they are finished with a V4 replica.

## Trivia

* In Scrap, Thief and Storm, Eric takes the role of Warrior from TUGS. James takes the role in Percy and Fog.
* He had a potential romance with Molly when they first met, but they decided they were better as friends.
* During Season 1, Eric had a strip of red above his buffer beam. This was later painted black and a strip of red was added on the side of his running board.
* From Scrap onwards, Eric is depicted with a new shape.
* Even though his basis is a suburban passenger engine, Eric is a goods engine in The Stories of Sodor.
* Out of all the Nor' Easters, Adam liked Eric the most, usually because Eric always meant well.
* Contrary to popular belief, Eric is not mentally disabled in Sodor Shorts. He's just stupid.

## Appearances

### The Stories of Sodor

#### Season 1

* Goods
* Branch Lines
* Mainline
* Scrap
* Ghost
* Cows *(cameo)*
* Quarantine *(cameo)*
* Carriages
* Sting *(cameo)*
* Luck *(cameo)*

#### Season 2

* Visitor
* Inspection
* Thief
* Trapped *(cameo)*
* Strike *(does not speak)*
* Spectre *(cameo)*
* Sabotage *(cameo)*
* Smuggling
* Maintenance *(cameo)*
* Shunted
* Armaments
* Affection
* Parade *(does not speak)*

#### Stories of War

* Evacuation *(cameo)*
* Blitz *(cameo)*
* Combat
* Espionage
* Atrocity *(cameo)*

#### Season 3

* Aftermath
* Replacements
* Management
* Reshuffle
* Books
* Choices *(cameo)*
* Amends *(cameo)*
* Industry *(cameo)*
* Services *(cameo)*
* Trial *(cameo)*
* Extension *(cameo)*
* Fog

#### Season 4

* Diesel
* Modernisation *(cameo)*
* Robbery *(cameo)*
* Diagnosis
* Prototypes *(does not speak)*
* Secrets
* Aviation *(cameo)*
* Diplomacy
* Animosity *(cameo)*
* Revelations *(cameo)*
* Relationships *(cameo)*
* Beeching *(cameo)*
* Storm
* Return

#### Season 5

* Vandalism *(cameo)*
* Competition *(cameo)*
* Enthusiasts *(cameo)*
* Munitions
* Fallout *(cameo)*

#### Sodor Shorts

* Mistake *(cameo)*
* Costume
* Teacher
* Castle
* Chef
* Preview *(in the preview)*
* Blackout *(not seen)*
* Remembrance *(does not speak)*
* Epiphany
* Restaurant
* Zombie
* Spoiled
* Update *(in the new intro)*
* Prank
* Pets
* Cooking
* Thankful
* React
* Words
* Production
* Ingredients
* Possessed *(cameo)*
* Assumption
* Found
* Irony
* Organs
* Names
* Shanty
* Annoying
* Racist
* Insult
* Government
* Candidate
* Constituency
* Election
* Coup
* Revolution
* Anarchy
* Forgotten
* Superhero
* Hypnotised
* Spelling
* Guess
* Shakespeare *(not named, does not speak)*
* Pride
* Greed
* Glutton
* Wrath *(cameo)*
* X-Ray
* Style *(cameo)*
* First
* Achievement
* Gender
* Roast
* Bills
* Reddit
* Disguise
* Gimmick
* Holdup
* Kidnapping
* Outcry
* Like
* Dislike
* Unlucky
* Selection
* Incentive
* Tyranny *(cameo)*
* Propaganda *(cameo)*
* Latin
* Misinformation
* Hole
* Sandwich
* WTF *(voice only and as a costume)*
* FOMO
* Typical
* Damage

#### Sodor Specials

* Non-Faceless Vehicles *(cameo)*
* A History of its Railways *(cameo)*

## References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LNER\_Class\_V1/V3