Bulgy

Bulgy is a double-decker bus, who is very opposed to railways.

The Railway Series
Bulgy hated railways, and believed that some day they would all be replaced by roads. He even carried a poster on his side telling people to "JOIN THE ANTI-RAIL LEAGUE". His favourite phrase is "Free the roads!"

Bulgy tried to steal Duck and Oliver's passengers by pretending to be a railway bus. Bulgy was determined to get the passengers to Tidmouth before Duck, but got stuck under a bridge after attempting to take a short cut. After Duck safely brought his passengers across the bridge and back to their destination, Bulgy's lies were exposed, and soon "nobody would believe his destination boards". Eventually he was turned into a henhouse and placed near the bridge, now nicknamed "Bulgy's Bridge".

As in the Railway Series, Bulgy attempted to steal Duck and Oliver's passengers. By taking a short cut, he got stuck under a bridge. Eventually he was converted into a henhouse and placed near Bulgy's Bridge.

Bulgy was later given a second chance and was brought back to the road to help with passengers while Thomas and Emily needed repairs, but after his driver brought him back to his field for the night after he was restored, the chickens who had lived in him nestled in his luggage racks and caused trouble the following morning. He was then turned into a mobile vegetable stand. Bulgy enjoys his work delivering vegetables, because they do not lay eggs and they never complain.

Sometime later, Bulgy was converted back into a passenger bus. When Thomas was making unscheduled stops on his branch line with Bertie's passengers, he was running late with his trains, so Sir Topham Hatt decided to bring in Bulgy to help take care of the extra passengers until Bertie returned from being mended.

Personality
Bulgy was a very grumpy, cold-hearted and cynical double-decker bus. He firmly believed that roads were superior to railways, and would occasionally lie to get himself out of trouble. After being restored, he saw the error of his ways and changed his attitude.

However, even though he means well nowadays, he still appears to be against railways, as he was heard shouting “Down with railways!” as he passed Thomas on the level crossing, but Sir Topham Hatt makes sure that he is on his best behaviour.

According to the "Character Cube" bonus features in the "Thomas Gets Bumped", "Thomas and the Jet Engine", "Thomas and the Toy Workshop" and "Thomas and the Treasure" DVDs, Bulgy has no scruples and knows how to tell a lie when he is in a tight jam, and is good friends with Diesel.

Basis
Bulgy is based on an AEC Bridgemaster double-decker bus. Bulgy's Friend and the Special Bus Serviceare also members of this class.

Livery
Bulgy was originally painted scarlet and cream, but after becoming a vegetable bus he was painted green and cream. Prior to this, he had a sign on his left side reading "Railway Bus" and another sign on his right side reading "JOIN THE ANTI-RAIL LEAGUE" - this was replaced with another "Railway Bus" sign when he was restored. He also has signs on his front and back, reading "FREE THE ROADS" and a nameplate above his rear door. When he was repainted, the signs on his sides were replaced with green ones reading "MOBILE GROCERY STORE" in white. In a tenth season Learning Segment, he was repainted back into his original scarlet and cream livery. In the Railway Series, his face is black but in the series, he has a traditional grey face.

The Railway Series

 * Oliver the Western Engine - Bulgy

Companion Volumes

 * 1986 - Annual
 * 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned)
 * 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)

Television Series
He will appear in the twenty-third season.
 * Season 3 - Bulgy
 * Season 4 - Train Stops Play (cameo) and Mind that Bike (cameo)
 * Season 6 - Harvey to the Rescue (mentioned)
 * Season 7 - Bulgy Rides Again and Best Dressed Engine (cameo)
 * Season 10 - Follow that Flour (cameo) and Topped Off Thomas (poster cameo)
 * Season 12 - Excellent Emily (cameo)
 * Season 21 - Unscheduled Stops

Specials: Music Videos: Learning Segments:
 * 1992 - Thomas and the U.K. Trip (does not speak)
 * Season 7 - The Red Balloon
 * Season 10 - Which Outfit for Which Occasion? (cameo) and Percy's Story (poster cameo)

Magazine Stories
Bulgy also appeared in the magazine stories, Bulgy's Bridge, Bulgy's Dream, Holiday Havoc! and Special Bus Service.
 * 1994 - The Nature Bus!
 * 1998 - The Greenhouse Bus!, The Open Top Bus (mentioned) and The Best Bus (mentioned)
 * 2001 - A Special Story About Bulgy (does not speak)
 * 2003 - Playbus and Broken Bridges (does not speak)
 * 2004 - Bulgy's Back!, Train Stops Play (cameo) and Back on the Road
 * 2006 - Sow and Grow, Bulgy's Back and Stop and Shop
 * 2011 - Market Day and Pecking Order
 * 2013 - Bulgy's Back

Annuals

 * 1986 - You Never Know (mentioned)

Voice Actors

 * Colin McFarlane (UK/US; twenty-first season onwards)
 * Daisuke Gōri (Japan; third and seventh seasons)
 * Hinata Tadokoro (Japan; twenty-first season onwards)
 * Maciej Kosmala (Poland)

Trivia

 * Bulgy has a special nameboard that was shown only on airings in Japan.
 * Even though Oliver states that he only calls Bulgy such in his debut episode, his nameplates still read Bulgy, therefore, his real name (if he has one) is unknown.
 * According to the clearance sign that appears on the bridge in the Railway Series and the Television series, Bulgy is approximately 14 feet and 9 inches tall.
 * Bulgy and Diesel are apparently good friends.
 * Bulgy's model (in original red livery) has been put on display at Drayton Manor. His front bumper has been removed and his left side (viewer's right) has been cracked.
 * Bulgy uses Dunlop brand tyres.
 * In the UK narration, Bulgy developed a nasally voice in the seventh season.
 * According to the magazine story, Playbus, Bertie and Bulgy are cousins.
 * The Official Website states that he is now a refreshment stand. However, this was a mistake.
 * In magazines, he has been converted into a playbus and a greenhouse.
 * Bulgy's sad facemask is currently owned by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch.
 * Bulgy went through many changes over the years in the television series:
 * Season 7 (as a bus after he was restored):
 * His "Join the Anti-Rail League" sign was replaced with a "Railway Bus" sign, which is now on both sides.
 * As a vegetable stand:
 * He is painted green.
 * His "Railway Bus" signs were replaced with signs that said "MOBILE GROCERY STORE".
 * He had a serving hatch for his vegetables.
 * Season 10:
 * He returns to his original state as a passenger bus.
 * Season 21:
 * His face became smaller and the rounded edges became square.
 * His bumper became taller.
 * His wheels became thinner, his wheel arches became red and his rear hubcaps became the same as his front ones.
 * His radiator became red.
 * He gained a new nameplate, rather than his name being painted on him.
 * His clear windows became glazed so viewers can not see inside.
 * He gained a door for his driver, though it is placed next to a passenger seat.
 * He gained a new bell sound.
 * His red paint has become slightly duller.
 * His face was used by Rocky during the Days Out with Thomas events.
 * A Tomy Wind up Bulgy briefly appeared in the Baby Einstein video “Baby Newton."
 * According to SiF, Bulgy was intended to have at least one episode in the twenty-first season. This episode, along with seven others, were cancelled to make way for production of the twenty-second season.

Quotes

 * “The bus watched the passengers happily milling round the Small Railway "Stupid nonsense! I wouldn't have brought 'em if I'd known. I'd have had a breakdown or something." "I'm glad you didn't," smiled Duck. "You'd have spoilt their fun. Look how they're enjoying themselves!" "Pah!" snorted the bus. "Enjoyment's all you engines live for, taking the petrol from the tanks of us workers. Come the revolution," he went on fiercely, "railways'll be ripped up. Cars 'and coaches'll trample their remains. Free the roads from Railway Tyranny!”
 * ―Bulgy argues to Duck, and talks about the 'Road Revolution', "Bulgy", "Oliver the Western Engine"


 * “Duck's train was to be first out, but he had few passengers. He was soon to know why! "Look!" shrilled Oliver. "Look at Bulgy! He's a mean Scarlet Deceiver!" Bulgy had turned to leave. They could now see his other side. It had on it RAILWAY BUS. "STOP!" yelled Staff and engines; but too late. "Yah! Boo! Snobs!" jeered Bulgy. He roared away. The unsuspecting passengers waved happily. "Come on!" puffed Duck. He, Alice and Mirabel trundled unhappily away. Alice and Mirabel chattered crossly. The nasty old thief, he's stolen our people!”
 * ―Bulgy steals Duck and Oliver's passengers, "Bulgy", "Oliver the Western Engine"

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (reissued 2010; discontinued)
 * Motor Road and Rail (both liveries; discontinued)
 * TrackMaster (green livery; discontinued)
 * Take-Along (discontinued)
 * Tomica
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
 * Trading Cards (discontinued)
 * My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
 * Limited Edition Collection
 * Capsule Plarail (green livery)
 * Nakayoshi (red and green; only available with Caroline; red discontinued)