Nia

Nia is the upcoming engine who debuted in the 2018 special, Big World! Big Adventures!. She is an African tank engine who befriends Thomas during his journey around the world and who works on Edward branch line.

Basis
Nia is based on the Kenya-Uganda Railway’s ED1 class, a class of 2-6-2 tank locomotive built by Vulcan Foundry for the Kenya-Uganda Railway between 1926 and 1930. They were later operated by the East African Railways and were reclassified as part of the EAR 11 class.

Nia has been modified in order to work on British railways. Whereas her original basis was narrow gauge, Nia appears to be standard gauge, and she has been given buffers and screwlink couplings in order to work with the other engines.

Bio
Nia joined the NWR due to her old shed being destroyed. Thomas invited her back to Sodor after hearing this, and since joining, Nia has been a very capable worker. Due to the harshness of African railways, Nia is a very strong shunter, but she also does dedicated goods work. Since she has no assigned branch line, Nia can work on any branch line if she is needed to. Nia often tells the others about life in Kenya and how different everywhere in the world is.

Livery
Nia is painted orange with yellow lining. She has yellow, green and red patterns painted along her tanks, dome and cylinders, and her footplate is painted red. Her name and the number “18” are painted on the sides of her tanks and cab respectively in yellow.