Oliver (excavator)

**Oliver** is a wise old excavator, who works for the Sodor Construction Company. He carries out demolition and digging work. He is capable of switching between different tools, including his usual bucket, a chisel for digging, a scissor claw, and a wrecking ball for demolition, plus a jackhammer.

## Biography

### *Thomas & Friends*

In his first appearance, Oliver was helping to clear room for new railway lines at the quarry. Later, the Foreman assigned Oliver to move some rocks, but Jack wanted to do it and instead toppled over a hill. Jack learned his lesson and after that he allowed Oliver to continue with his jobs. Once, Oliver uncovered a complete dinosaur skeleton while digging a swimming pool. The following day, Oliver was on the front page of the Sodor Times with the headline, "Digger Digs Dino!".

When Max and Monty carelessly crashed into the lightning tree, Alfie, Kelly and Oliver used their arms to prevent the tree from falling over until it was propped and saved. However, he proved to be unsuccessful after trying to demolish a building with a wrecking ball.

Oliver, along with the rest of the Pack, also helped with the restoration of Great Waterton.

Oliver later helped to construct the Harwick Branch Line with Jack, Alfie, Max and Monty, he was heading to the site, but he blocked Bertie's way who was very annoyed since he lost a race with Thomas. When Marion first met the excavator, she believed that Oliver the engine had made a wish to Rex, Bert and Mike, who Marion believed to be magical, to turn himself into an excavator. Oliver tried to explain, but Marion gave the excavator no chance to do so. It was not until the opening ceremony of the new branch line that Marion found out that there were two Olivers on Sodor.

Very later on, he, Jack, Alfie, Max and Monty were working on Ffarquhar Branch Line the dump truck twins caused a rock to hit Oliver's hydraulics in his arm causing him to have to repaired and when he was repaired he helped clear the branch line after Max and Monty dump their loads on the line.

After James' accident at Tidmouth Sheds when his brakes malfunctioned, Oliver helped with the shed's reconstruction.

## Personality

Oliver is wise and kind and keeps an eye on the other members of the Pack. He is good-mannered and hard-working and never complains about his work or gets impatient. He has the power and precision capability of moving and digging tons of earth in a single day. He likes to be a leader and treats the younger members of the Pack with respect.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Oliver's exact basis is unknown and appears to be a freelance design, although his hull bears a resemblance to the Russian KV series of Tanks.

### Livery

Oliver is painted brown with a pale green panel on his back and his number painted on him in red. Oliver has the cap rim of a builder's hat between his forehead and cab windows.

## Appearances

* Television Series
* Other Media

### *Thomas & Friends*

* **Series 6** - Jack Jumps in and A Friend in Need
* **Jack and the Sodor Construction Company** - A Visit from Thomas, Jack Owns Up (*cameo*), On Site with Thomas, Percy's Scary Tale (*cameo*), A Happy Day for Percy, A Tale for Thomas, Thomas and the Moles (*does not speak*), Percy Helps Out (*cameo*), The Tortoise and the Hare, Thomas' Trusty Friends, Alfie Has Kittens (*does not speak*) and Mud Glorious Mud (*cameo*)
* **Series 20** - Mucking About
* **Series 21** - The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor (*cameo*) and A Shed for Edward (*cameo*)
* **Series 23** - Mines of Mystery, First Day on Sodor!, Deep Trouble and Out of Site

Oliver had a role in the cancelled episodes, The Importance of Being Patrick, and Grass is Greener.

#### Specials

* **2008** - The Great Discovery
* **2015** - Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
* **2016** - The Great Race (*fantasy*)

#### Music Videos

* **Jack and the Sodor Construction Company** - The Work Song and One Friendly Family
* **The Great Discovery** - There's a Job for Everyone and Thomas, You're the Leader
* **Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure** - We Make a Team Together
* **The Great Race** - You Can Only Be You (*fantasy*)
* **Series 23** - Lorenzo's Song and The Sodor Construction Crew

#### Videos

* **2018** - Still the Best of Friends (*cameo*)
* **2019** - Meet Gina of Italy (*cameo*), Meet the Sodor Construction Company! and Meet Ester of Italy! (*cameo*)

### Books

* **2006** - Jack
* **2007** - Alfie
* **2011** - Alfie the Excavator and Jack the Front Loader
* **2015** - A Really Useful Engine, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: Sticker Activity Book, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure: The Movie Storybook (*cameo*) and Thomas' New Friend

### Video Games

* **2008** - Begins Educational Learning
* **2017** - Read and Play!

## Voice Actors

* Tim Whitnall (*UK/US*)
* Ryō Horikawa (*Japan; sixth series only*)
* Yuta Odagaki (*Japan; Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure onwards*)
* Igor Cruz (*Latin America*)
* Matthias Klimsa (*Germany*)
* Doriel Zohar (*Israel*)

## Trivia

* An early concept art design for Oliver reveals his name was originally meant to be Buster.
* When Oliver returned in full CGI, his smaller wheels appear to have slightly increased in size.
* Tim Whitnall gives Oliver an Irish accent.
* Oliver is the first character to share his name with another character in the television series, and the second to do so in the entire Thomas franchise, the first being Bert and Iron Bert.

## Merchandise

* TrackMaster (*discontinued*)
* Capsule Plarail (*discontinued*)
* Wooden Railway (*paired with Oliver the GWR engine; discontinued*)
* Adventures (*Paired with Jack, Thomas, and a Truck, sold only in Jack and the Pack 4-Pack; discontinued*)