87546 and 98462

Template:Infobox Character Vehicle**87546** and **98462**  are two blue tender engines who once visited the North Western Railway on trial from a railway on the Mainland.

## Biography

In 1923, two blue engines only known by their numbers - 87546 and 98462 - were sent to the North Western Railway on trial.

87546 and 98462 stayed at Vicarstown Sheds along with Edward, Henry, Gordon and a red tender engine. The big engines notably teased Edward, who was confined to the sheds, claiming that he was too old and weak to work. When Edward was eventually let out again, the other engines were very cross.Template:Ref

The big engines were known for being rough with the coaches. One of them had pulled the coaches so roughly, that the coupling on the coach had come right offTemplate:Ref.

Eventually, the Fat Director decided to send them away for being rude, nasty and horrid enginesTemplate:Ref.

It is not known what happened to them since the decline of steam, but they were most likely scrapped.

## Personalities

According to the Rev. W. Awdry, both 87546 and 98462 were horrid, rude engines who were very mean and spiteful to the others. They especially loved teasing Edward.

## Technical Details

### Basis

It has never been stated what type of engine both 87546 and 98462 really are, nor has it ever been confirmed which of the two engines illustrated bears which number. They resemble Gordon and Henry in his original shape.

One of the two is only seen in one illustration, in which he appears to have outside cylinders and inside steam pipes. Although his wheel arrangement is unknown, he is shown with at least two leading wheels.

The second engine, on the other hand, appears in three illustrations. In the first illustration, he appears to have inside cylinders and steam pipes, however in the second he has outside cylinders with inside steam pipes and Walschaerts valve gear, with the main rod appearing to connect to his front driving wheels. This engine appears to have either a 4-4-2, 4-6-0, or 4-6-2 wheel arrangement.

After C. Reginald Dalby's problems with achieving consistent accuracy of his locomotive illustrations in the early books, later characters introduced were based more closely on real locomotives. This also means that 87546 and 98462's guises are not to be taken at face value, seeing as The Rev. W. Awdry was often keen to retcon inaccuracies in the early books/illustrations.

### Livery

In the first illustration of "Edward's Day Out", both 87546 and 98462 are painted blue with yellow lining. In the second illustration, 98462 has red lining. Both their liveries are similar to one of the North Western Railway's liveries. It is possible that their numbers are painted in damp yellow, with a red outline, on their tenders.

## Appearances

* Railway Series
* Other Media

### *The Railway Series*

* **The Three Railway Engines** - Edward's Day Out Template:Note and Edward and Gordon Template:Note

#### Companion Volumes

* **1950** - Scenes from The Three Railway Engines Template:Note
* **1972** - The Railway Series: Surprise Packet Template:Note
* **1995** - The Thomas the Tank Engine Man Template:Mentioned
* **1996** - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection Template:Note
* **2005** - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines Template:Note

### Video Releases

* **1995** - The Thomas the Tank Engine Man Template:Cameo
* **2015** - Secret Journey of Thomas the Tank Engine Template:Cameo and 70 Years of Friendship Template:Note

## Trivia

* Both 87546 and 98462 are two of a number of background engines inserted into *The Railway Series* by William Middleton and C. Reginald Dalby. In 1963, a young reader from New Zealand named Ross wrote to the Rev. W Awdry asking who the unnamed blue engines from *The Three Railway Engines* were and if they were featured in other stories. The Rev. W. Awdry invented an explanation that they were rude engines on trial who were quickly sent away.Template:Ref
* Both 87546's and 98462's numbers appear to be fictional, as no other engines in real life have carried them.
* In the *Thomas & Friends* adaptation of Edward's Day Out and Edward and Gordon, Thomas and James took the roles of 87546 and 98462 due to budget reasons.

## Gallery

Edward'sDayOutWilliamMiddleton1.jpgBoth 87546 and 98462 with Edward, Gordon, Henry and a red tender engineEdward'sDayOutWilliamMiddleton2.jpgEdward'sDayOutWilliamMiddleton3.jpgEdwardsDayOutRS1.PNGEdwardsDayOutRS2.PNGEdwardsDayOutRS3.PNGScenesFromPage1-2.pngScenesFromPage3-4.pngTheThreeRailwayEnginesAwdry'soriginalsketch.jpgThe Rev. W. Awdry's original layout and sketchTheThreeRailwayEnginesAwdry'sOriginalSketch2.jpg
## References

Template:Reflist
Template:The Mainland
es:87546 y 98462
he:87546 ו-98462
ja:87546号と98462号
pl:98462 i 87546
ru:87546 и 98462
Thomas And Friends Characters
Thomas And Friends