Peter Sam

Peter Sam, named after the Skarloey Railway's previous controller, Mr. Peter Sam - originally known as Stuart, after his builder, Kerr Stuart - is a narrow gauge saddle tank engine who lives and works on the Skarloey Railway.

Bio
Stuart was built at the Kerr Stuart California Works in Stoke-on-Trent, England. He was delivered by rail to Cronk and hauled from there to the Mid Sodor Railway's station at Peel Godred by traction engine.

While living on the Mid Sodor Railway, he was cheeky and occasionally made fun of Duke until he was told about what happened to Stanley (Smudger in the television series).

When the Mid Sodor Railway closed in 1947, he and Falcon were sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company at Peel Godred for an expansion project. They worked there until 1951, at which time both engines were sheeted at the projects close for almost a year. They were then purchased for a total of fifty pounds by the Skarloey Railway in 1952 and renamed Peter Sam and Sir Handel respectively.

Peter Sam has always been a cheery little engine. He often works closely with his friend Rusty. Once, after Rusty helped him to a water tower, the Troublesome Trucks from Sir Handle decided to break away. They did and rolled down the line, derailing on the Old Iron Bridge and plunging into the ravine below. Because Peter Sam and his crew didn't secure the trucks properly, Sir Topham Hatt makes Peter Sam work in the yards until he can be trusted again. He is next seen at the Skarloey Coal Yard, and after that, he is seen moving trucks about in the slate yard when the railway was shut down.

Through the valiant effort of Rusty, Elizabeth, Skarloey, and Rheneas, the railway was reopened, and Peter Sam was out and about again, but he was promptly relegated to not working again when a low-hanging tree branch knocked his whistle right off. Duncan told him that an engine's not an engine without a whistle, but Peter Sam didn't let Duncan get to him. When Duncan returned to the depot, having lost his own whistle, he found Peter Sam with a shiny new one. Peter Sam felt sorry for "Duncan the musical engine", and compliments him for managing to deliver his goods without a whistle, but he can't help but echo the "An engine's not an engine without a whistle" line.

He also helped the Refreshment Lady find a place to put her new tea shop, in an old restored coach. Peter Sam once had to deliver a new winch for the incline at night, but got lost trying to find the magic lamp from the legendary engine, Proteus. In result, Harold helped him find his way home by shining down his light.

Peter Sam was once put in charge of the Skarloey Railway while Mr. Percival was away, but ran out of coal. In result, Victor came and brought him coal and fixed Skarloey, Sir Handel and Duncan afterwards.

He is currently working on the Skarloey Railway with the other narrow gauge engines.

Persona
Peter Sam, named Stuart in his younger days while being brought up under the instruction of Duke, is highly enthusiastic, eager and bubbly. He can be occasionally cheeky, teasing and a little cocky, but is kind-hearted, well-meaning and good mannered. He can also be prone to being a little naïve at times and perhaps take things a little too literally. Peter Sam has a special funnel which makes puffing much easier, after his old one was damaged in a nasty accident with some trucks that broke free from the incline. With an infectious attitude and high spirits, Peter Sam is almost kind and hard-working to a fault, seldom grumbling about late hours or extra work. Whatever job he can get he accepts. He is always nice to the coaches and even the trucks, unlike Sir Handel.

Despite being friendly with everyone, when the bigger engines, especially Henry and Duck, tease him or cause him to misunderstand something, he can eventually get aggravated and wish to give them a piece of his mind.

Basis
Peter Sam is based on the Talyllyn Railway's Edward Thomas, a Kerr Stuart Tattoo Class 0-4-2ST that originally worked on the Corris Railway. Interestingly, Edward Thomas only donned the Giesl ejector funnel for a limited time, while Peter Sam has used his since its introduction. Four other Tattoo locomotives are also preserved, including a replica on the Corris Railway.

Livery
In the Railway Series, Peter Sam was painted dark green while working on the Mid Sodor Railway. After arriving on the Skarloey Railway, he was repainted in the Skarloey Railway's standard red livery with blue and yellow lining, with his name painted on the sides of his saddle tank in yellow.

In the television series, Peter Sam has always been painted dark green with red lining and brass fittings. 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, Peter Sam is painted dark green, like in the television series.

Trivia

 * The Reverend W. Awdry's model of Peter Sam is currently on display at the Narrow Gauge Museum in Tywyn. Awdry's model of Stuart was at the Reverend Teddy Boston's Cadeby Light Railway, before the railway finally closed in 2005.
 * Peter Sam's large scale model is currently on display at Hara Model Railway Museum in Kyoto, Japan.
 * Peter Sam's small scale model (used in the fourth and fifth seasons) with a slate truck was sold at Vectis for £2600.
 * Nitrogen Studios went to the Talyllyn Railway and took measurements of Peter Sam's basis, Edward Thomas, so that his CGI render would resemble Edward Thomas as closely as possible. This was also done with Skarloey, Rheneas, Sir Handel and Rusty.
 * Peter Sam's small scale model had bent side rods throughout the fourth and fifth seasons.
 * Steven Kynman gives Peter Sam a Welsh accent; reflecting his basis' origins.
 * His original Wooden Railway toy along with Thomas' both made a cameo appearance in an episode of Australia's Funniest Home Videos.
 * Peter Sam has undergone numerous modifications through the television series, including:
 * Season 4:
 * The special funnel, which appears to be more of a simple square funnel than a Giesl Ejector design.
 * Season 5 (Large scale model only):
 * His buffers changed from grey to silver.
 * His eyes and nose became slightly larger.
 * His running board changed shape slightly.
 * His eyebrows changed shape.
 * Season 6:
 * His buffers were painted black.
 * His whistle changed shape slightly.
 * Season 9:
 * A permanent tail-lamp was added.
 * His whistle became taller and changed shape completely.
 * Peter Sam had Emily's seventh season whistle sound until the twelfth season. It was also re-used for Freddie.
 * Season 12:
 * His face became smaller.
 * Blue Mountain Mystery:
 * His square funnel was altered to an accurate Giesl Ejector.
 * His footplate and sandboxes were painted black.
 * He gained a new whistle sound.
 * The lower round window on the back of his cab was replaced with two small doors, just like his basis.
 * A handrail was added across the top of his smokebox.
 * His regular one valve whistle was updated to a two valve whistle just like his real counterpart. It also budged up and down until the seventeenth season.
 * His cutout windows gained brass frames and contained glass.
 * His tail lamp changed to a removable Talyllyn-styled lamp.
 * Sanding gear was added.
 * His green livery became more vibrant than it was in the ninth season.
 * Extra lining near the top of his cab.
 * Season 17:
 * Permanent lamp and lamp irons.
 * His filler cap and dome changed from green to black.