Sir Handel

Sir Handel, named after the Skarloey Railway's first owner, Sir Handel Brown I - originally named Falcon, after the works where he was built - is a narrow gauge saddle tank engine.

## Personality

Sir Handel, named Falcon and under the supervision of Duke in his younger days, has been prone to fussy tantrums and thinking that he knows better than others, suggesting a superiority complex. He has been known for being impulsive, arrogant, pompous, rude, stubborn, naughty, and bad-tempered, as he took a disliking to the narrow gauge coaches (often referring to them as "cattle trucks/cars", which gives him a bad reputation with them), feigned illnesses to avoid jobs he hates, bumped trucks even if they behaved themselves, and deliberately derailed himself. He believed that he should be in charge and has a tendency to get too big for his wheels. When he was given broad wheels which hold well to the rails and has been said to give a smooth ride, this contributed to his self-importance and his belief that he is a grand engine. He once claimed to be an express engine himself.

Sir Handel can be quite impressionable when it comes to engines who he views as important, such as Gordon, Duke or Skarloey. However, when the advice he is given results in him getting into trouble, as shown from Gordon, he can have second thoughts and wish to get revenge.

Despite all of this, Sir Handel means well, always works to get things done and is proud to be a reliable and goodhearted engine.

From the tenth series of the television series onward, Sir Handel has been portrayed as a steady, thoughtful and mature engine who is ready to offer advice and be put in charge. Although he would still regain his original personality sometimes, he enjoys helping others.

In the twentieth series, Sir Handel, however, seems to have gotten some of his cheeky side back, as he and Peter Sam teased Samson on how many trucks he was capable of pulling.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Sir Handel is based on the Talyllyn Railway's Sir Haydn, a Hughes Falcon 0-4-2ST that originally worked on the Corris Railway. Albert and Proteus share the same basis. The Corris Railway is currently building another "Falcon" locomotive.

Sir Handel's basis
### Livery

In the Railway Series, Sir Handel was painted dark blue until coming to work on the Skarloey Railway, where he was painted in the Skarloey Railway's standard red livery with blue and yellow lining, and with his name painted on the sides of his saddle tank in yellow. In the television series, he is painted dark blue with red lining and brass fittings (the same colours from when he was originally Falcon on the Mid Sodor Railway). He has red and gold name and number plates on the sides of his saddle tank and coal bunkers respectively.

In The Thomas Way DVD, the Mr. Perkins segment features a re-illustrated version of Trucks! In this, Sir Handel is painted dark blue, like in the television series.

## Appearances

### Thomas & Friends

* **Season 22** - Tiger Trouble (stock footage cameo)

## Trivia

* In the Railway Series, Sir Handel along with Peter Sam did not have buffers in Duke the Lost Engine and Four Little Engines but later received oval shaped ones by the time of The Little Old Engine.
* In the Railway Series, along with his ERTL and 1997-2005 Wooden Railway toys, Sir Handel is depicted with Sir Haydn's original cab design, which meant his cab was only open on his right side until Great Little Engines and his coal bunkers were not visible until New Little Engine. In the latter book, while his coal bunkers became visible, he retained the old cab design. In the television series, he is depicted with Sir Haydn's post-1968, and current, cab design.
* In various merchandise and books, Sir Handel's name is often misspelt as "Sir Handle".
* In the Norwegian TV dub of S4, he is simply reffered to as Handle.
* Despite Sir Handel being a narrow gauge engine, his TrackMaster toy comes with updated versions of the red branch line coaches which are standard gauge.
* Sir Handel's whistle sound from the tenth series onwards was used from the Disney Pixar Movie, "Cars" in a deleted scene, "Community Service" before it was used in the show.
* In 2018, Sir Handel's small scale model become the only model that was used in both the official production and a fan production.