Sheffield

"*Git!" "Prat!*"
— Sheffield and Diesel arguing, seen first in Modernisation.

**Sheffield** is a saddletank engine who was the Barrow station pilot from 1956 to 1964.

## Biography

Sheffield used to work in the Midlands alongside Emily, where he was fast, kind and always eager to help out. One day, he had just pulled into a station with a local passenger train, setting a new record. He had arrived in time to say goodbye to Emily, who was to leave for Brighton. Once she left, the yardmaster told Sheffield that he was needed in the yard because the main shunter had broken down. Wendell arrived for the third train, but has boiler-ache and that no one else was available to take the train. Sheffield decided to take the train for him while his boiler would be cleaned out, and Wendell accepted.

As soon as Sheffield departed, thunder was heard and the rain began pouring down. Sheffield continued at his brisk pace, and as he passed Sutton station, he noticed he only had six minutes left to make it to the harbour and started to tear down the line as fast as his wheels could carry him. However, his high rate of speed caused him to fail to see a yellow danger signal and a short distance after the signal, Sheffield derailed. The green Austerity rolled onto the road and crashed into a car, killing the driver. His crew also had been seriously injured.

Sheffield pleaded guilty to the crimes he was charged with and was sentenced to thirty days in Rail Gate Prison. After his prison sentence, Sheffield was terrified of returning to work and began moving and working slowly and carefully. This frustrated staff and engines and they didn't want to listen to Sheffield's reason why he worked so slowly. With his feelings being ignored, Sheffield became angry and he started lashing out, driving away his friends and was transferred to several places because of him being unable to change his attitude. He couldn't break out of his slow speed, no matter how hard he tried, but he never wanted to risk killing a person again.

Sheffield eventually became the station pilot at Barrow in the spring of 1956 to replace the J94 that had been reassigned. During his tenure, his sluggish pace severely degraded the yard's performance. His temper also wasn't well-liked among the other engines.

In 1958, four years after his accident, Eric, having pieced together the information about Sheffield he had learned from the others, asked him about his accident in the Midlands. Sheffield was hesitant to talk at first, but decided too. After telling his story, he decided to make friends with the other engines after Eric's offer. The engines were amazed by Sheffield's past when the word spread. He went to see Mickey for counseling, which significantly improved his work ethic and his pace. Barrow's yard soon became a model of efficiency again and every train ran like clockwork. He is considerably less rude and abrasive, but can still be blunt and grumpy, which is what the engines have learned to accept.

He was replaced by a faceless Class 08 as the station pilot for Barrow in 1964 and was assigned to the Waterton Branch.

## Persona

Sheffield was a grumpy and rude engine who often lashed out and got into arguments with the other engines. It was revealed in Secrets, he was like this due to his feelings after his accident involving him rolling down a hill, crashing into a car, killing the driver being ignored. After telling his story, he decided to make friends with the other engines after Eric's offer. His work ethic and pace improved after seeing Mickey for counseling. While he is much less abrasive and rude, he still can be grumpy and blunt.

## Livery

Sheffield is painted green with red lining and black wheels. He has a red nameplate with a gold border on the sides of his boiler with his name (Sheffield) on them, also in gold. His buffer beams are painted red with silver buffers.

## Basis

Sheffield is based on a Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST. Glenn and Samantha are other members of this class.

## Trivia

* His model is not WildnorWester's Sheffield, though interestingly, Wildnorwester's model of Sheffield has made a few appearances in several early Sodor Shorts, and very briefly during the scene where he passes Maggie in Dieselisation.
* In *Stories of Sodor*, Sheffield and Glen (AKA Sixteen) are twins, while in Wildnorwester's series *Sodor: The Early Years* and *Sodor: The Modern Years*, they are one and the same.

## Appearances

### The Stories of Sodor

#### Season 4

* Modernisation
* Robbery
* Secrets
* Aviation *(cameo)*
* Treasure
* Storm *(cameo)*
* Dieselisation
* Return

#### Season 5

* Vandalism *(cameo)*
* Competition

#### Sodor Shorts

* Siege *(does not speak)*
* Possessed
* Racist
* Like
* Dislike
* Definition
* Senile

## See Also

**Rail Gate Prison**

*\* = Crime Unknown*

 Residents/Workers