Belle

Belle
Overview
First Appearence	Day of the Diesels (T&F)
Creator(s)	Sharon Miller, Ian McCue
Character Overview
Name(s)	Belle
Nicknames	Big Belle
Gender	Female
Country	Island of Sodor
Affilation	Sodor Search and Rescue Centre
Technical Details
Basis	BR Standard 4MT Tank
Gauge	Standard Gauge
Power type	Steam
Vehicle	Locomotive
Fuel type	Coal
Configuration	2-6-4T
Wheels	12
Top speed	90 mph
Designer(s)	Robert A. Riddles
Builder(s)	Brighton Works
Date built	1951
Arrived on Sodor	2011
Number	6120 29 (T&FMUSSS)
Railway	North Western Railway
Owner(s)	Sir Richard Topham Hatt

Belle is a fire engine who works at the Sodor Search & Rescue Center.

Biography

Thomas & Friends

When Belle first arrived on Sodor, she helped Thomas and Percy put out a fire at an old farm shed. Belle later advised the Fat Controller to bring Flynn to Sodor. When the Vicarstown Dieselworks was on fire, Belle and Flynn put out the fire just in time.

Belle later tried to befriend Toby when she learned that they both had bells. At first she did not understand that Toby was an older engine that may not like the same things she does, but she soon realised her mistake and they are now firm friends.

Belle attended the welcome party for Sir Robert Norramby and tried to help in the search of Stephen when he went missing.

When some railway inspectors questioned whether the Fat Controller needed two fire engines, she and Flynn became worried. She beat Flynn to two consecutive fires, but tried to comfort him when he subsequently became depressed. Her words did not do much to lift Flynn's spirits. She stayed on guard at the fireworks display at Ulfstead Castle when Flynn refused to do it; when Flynn was called to another fire at Brendam Docks, they both realised that Sodor really does need two fire engines after all.

When a whale was beached at Bluff's Cove, Belle and the rest of the Rescue team came to help put it back in the water. She suggested Toad sing to it while they took it to Brendam to be released back into the ocean. She and the other members of the Rescue Centre attended the team's 1000th rescue and helped out Percy and Diesel at the Old Quarry. After Rocky fell off the tracks near Ulfstead Castle from rescuing Henry, Belle, Flynn, Butch and Harold came to lift him back onto the rails, though they were arguing about who was the best. Thomas snapped their argument and told them that they needed to work together. They all agreed and pulled Rocky back onto the tracks.

One summer, she and Flynn were busy putting out fires caused by the boiling summer weather. They came across a stretch of buckled track, where Flynn suggested that Belle pour water on the rails to prevent further buckling, though Belle decided to keep her remaining water in case they came across another fire. This decision came back to bite her, as she later derailed on the buckled tracks while responding to an emergency. Luckily, Flynn was able to extinguish the fire and Thomas brought Rocky to put her back on the rails.

Personality

Belle is a bold, big, blue tank engine, who is fitted with two water cannons atop her tanks, from which she can shoot water to fight fires. She also has a whistle and a big brass bell. Belle is lively, loud and proud, with a big personality. While she may come across as bolshy, highly self-assertive and overwhelming, Belle will always have the best of intentions at heart. She always wants to do her best and be the best she can be, causing her to be daring, energetic and bursting with enthusiasm. But Belle is happy to talk to any engine or vehicle and although she may be quick to jump in with her own ideas, always tries to understand, help and be kind to others. As a result, she is a very likable engine, so much so that even Cranky gets on with her. She gets on well with Thomas and can even hold a civil conversation with Diesel, but she works especially well with Flynn, when helping him to tackle fires and is always there to support him should he make a mistake. Although fighting fires is always at the top of her list of priorities, Belle has also been known to perform goods duties about the railway.

Technical Details

Basis

Belle is based on a British Railways Standard Class 4MT tank engine with added water cannons, brass bell and electric headlamps. These tank engines were a development of the LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T and were used for commuter and outer suburban services. They were used on all regions of BR, except the Western Region, and remained in service until 1967. Fifteen of these engines are preserved, three at the Bluebell Railway.

Livery

Belle is painted royal blue with red and gold lining and brass fittings. She has the number "6120" painted in gold on her side tanks and a crest consisting of a flame, two dolphins and a crown painted on her bunker sides. Her water cannons and wheels are painted red, with the latter having blue rims.

Appearances

Thomas & Friends

• Series 15 - Surprise, Surprise (cameo), Stuck on You (cameo), Big Belle and Kevin the Steamie (cameo)
• Series 16 - Ol' Wheezy Wobbles (cameo) and Muddy Matters (cameo)
• Series 17 - Too Many Fire Engines
• Series 18 - Spencer's VIP (cameo) and Millie and the Volcano (mentioned)
• Series 19 - Toad and the Whale, Rocky Rescue and Wild Water Rescue (does not speak)
• Series 20 - Toby's New Friend (cameo) and Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Trucks
• Series 21 - The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor (cameo) and Daisy's Perfect Christmas
• Series 22 - Trusty Trunky (life lesson; cameo) and What Rebecca Does
• Series 23 - Steam Team to the Rescue!, First Day on Sodor! (life lesson; cameo) and Deep Trouble (cameo)
• Series 24 - Nia and the Unfriendly Elephant

Specials

• 2011 - Day of the Diesels
• 2013 - King of the Railway
• 2016 - The Great Race
• 2017 - Journey Beyond Sodor (cameo)

Music Videos

• Day of the Diesels - Day of the Diesels
• Series 16 - Thomas and Percy and Go, Go Thomas
• King of the Railway - Searching Everywhere
• Series 17 - On a Journey Today
• Thomas' YouTube World Tour - It's Great to be an Engine
• Series 19 - Engine Roll Call
• Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure - We Make a Team Together
• The Great Race - Will You Won't You
• Journey Beyond Sodor - I Want to Go Home (cameo)
• Series 21 - Set Friendship in Motion and Little Engines
• Series 22 - Engine Roll Call, All the Girls Around the World and Let's Dream

Videos

• 2018 - Still the Best of Friends (cameo) and Different Ways to See the World (cameo)
• 2019 - Meet Rebecca

Magazine Stories

• 2011 - Big Belle (speaks in speech bubble only)
• 2012 - The Fat Controller's Bedtime Story (Issue 639), The Fat Controller's Bedtime Story (Issue 643), Big Belle (speaks in speech bubble only) and The Fat Controller's Bedtime Story (Issue 650)
• 2013 - Toby to the Rescue and Too Many Fire Engines!

Voice Actors

• Teresa Gallagher (UK/US)
• Rachael Miller (Thomas' Birthday Wishes only)
• Keiko Nemoto (Japan)
• Marianne Westby (Norway; Day of the Diesels only)
• Lena Meieran (Norway; fifteenth series only)
• Marit Berg (Norway; seventeenth series only)
• TBA (Norway; nineteenth series onwards)
• Susa Saukko (Finland)
• Angela Quast (Germany)
• Anna Gajewska (Poland)
• Blanche Ravalec (France and French speaking Canada)
• Mayra Arellano (Latin America; Day of the Diesels onwards; excluding trailer)
• Annie Rojas (Latin America; Day of the Diesels trailer only)
• Talya Barkay (Israel)
• Marloes van den Heuvel (The Netherlands)
• Mercedes Espinosa (Spain)
• Cernea Corina (Romania)
• Olga Kuznetsova (Russia; Day of the Diesels onwards; excluding singing voice)
• Olga Golovanov (Russia; singing voice)
• Vina Papadopoulou (Greece)

Trivia

• Belle's name is French for "beautiful" and also references the bell on her firebox.
• Despite being voiced by the same actress in both dubs, Teresa Gallagher gives Belle an American accent in the US dub as opposed to her British accent in the UK dub. She is the first character to be in this situation with the second character being James starting in the twenty first series.
• Belle's Minis prototypes share the same mould as Rosie, therefore incorrectly depicting her as an SR USA Class 0-6-0T. This was fixed on the final produced toys, depicting her as a BR Standard Class 4MT tank engine.
• In the nineteenth series, the frame around Belle's bell changed from black to brass.
  • Additionally, in the twenty-third series, Belle's red headlamps gained the ability to flash on and off in an emergency, much like an ordinary fire engine's lights.
• In real life, Belle's number, 6120, was carried by a GWR 6100 Class. One of these engines survives in preservation.

Quotes

“I've never seen an engine do that before!"

"Yes, one that shoots water from her tanks!"
"You must be Thomas and Percy. I'm Belle!"
"You're big, Belle!"
"You're brave, Belle!"
"I just want to be really useful!”

―Percy and Thomas meet Belle, Day of the Diesels

“Belle, you've already put out the fire. Why didn't you wait for me? I could've helped you!"

Fires are emergencies, Flynn. You know that. You can't wait if there's an emergency."

But Flynn was disappointed again!
"Never mind, Flynn. It wasn't a very big fire"

"What you mean is you didn't need any help. You did it all by yourself!”

―Flynn gets jealous of Belle, Too Many Fire Engines, seventeenth series

Merchandise

• Wooden Railway (discontinued)
• Motor Road and Rail (Asia only)
• TrackMaster (discontinued)
• Take-n-Play (normal and talking; discontinued)
• Wind-up (Japan and Australia only)
• Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
• Boss (pullback; discontinued)
• Collectible Railway
• Push Along
• Capsule Collection (discontinued)
• Minis
  • Classic Minis
  • DC Super Friends Minis (as Raven, Batgirl and Big Barda)
  • Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers Minis (as Rita Repulsa)
  • Fantasy Minis
  • Camo Minis
  • Light Up Minis
  • Rainbow Minis
  • Medieval Minis
• Adventures (discontinued)
• Wood (2020; coming soon) 
• TrackMaster Push Along