Wilbert (Pstephen054 version)

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Wilbert the Forest Engine
Overview
First Appearence	Wilbert the Forest Engine (RWS) Percy's Porridge (T&F)
Last Appearence	Wilbert the Forest Engine (RWS) Journey Beyond Sodor (T&F)
Creator(s)	Christopher Awdry
Character Overview
Name(s)	Wilbert G. B. Keeling (formerly)
Title	Wilbert the Forest Engine
Gender	Male
Country	England
Siblings	Sheffield (brother) The Austerity Engine (brother)
Other relatives	Samantha (cousin)
Affilation	Dean Forest Railway North Western Railway Thomas Percy Toby Duck Lady Julie Sheffield Clive Neil Matthew Samantha Bill and Ben Daisy Derek
Technical Details
Basis	Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST No. 3806 "Wilbert"
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Power type	Steam
Vehicle	Locomotive
Type	Saddle tank engine
Fuel type	Coal
Configuration	0-6-0ST
Wheels	6
Top speed	35 mph (56 kph)
Designer(s)	Hunslet Engine Company
Builder(s)	Hunslet Engine Company
Date built	1953
Visited Sodor	1993
Year retired	2015 (Present)
Number	3806
Railway	Dean Forest Railway
Company	National Coal Board (formerly)

Wilbert, formerly named "G.B. Keeling", is a saddle tank engine named after Wilbert Awdry, who was a one-time president of the Dean Forest Railway.

Biography

The Railway Series

In 1993, Donald and Douglas were both becoming overworked, so in order to ease their workload, the Fat Controller arranged for Wilbert to come to his railway to help them on the Little Western until he could afford another engine like him. However, after Percy had an accident with some porridge, Wilbert was relocated to the Ffarquhar Branch Line to do his work.

Wilbert's first job was to work at the lead mines. While he was in the sheds, he told Thomas and Toby about Sixteen, a troublesome engine who wanted to pass a danger sign. Thomas also told Wilbert about many of the jobs that he had to carry out on the branch line.

One day, after spending too much time chatting to James at Knapford, Wilbert had neglected to take on more water. He stopped at the dairy to refill on water, but accidentally stopped at the wrong hosepipe; instead of taking on water, his tanks were filled with milk. Thomas joked about this when he brought Wilbert back to Ffarquhar.

After Percy returned from Crovan's Gate Works, the Fat Controller sent Wilbert to the Little Western to help the engines there. When he was about to take a ballast train, the coupling plate on the front ballast truck fell off. After spotting a coil of wire, Wilbert decided to use it to couple up to the damaged truck and managed to get his train to Tidmouth safely. Afterwards, Wilbert left Sodor and returned to the Dean Forest Railway.

Thomas & Friends

As in the Railway Series, , he told Thomas, Lady and Julie about Sixteen, a troublesome engine who wanted to pass a danger sign. Thomas also told Wilbert about many of the jobs that he had to carry out on the branch line.

After Percy returned from the Fitter's Yard, the Fat Controller sent Wilbert to the Little Western to help the engines there. When he was about to take a ballast train, the coupling plate on the front china clay truck fell off. After spotting a coil of wire, Wilbert decided to use it to couple up to the damaged truck and managed to get his train to Brendam Docks safely. Afterwards, Wilbert left Sodor and returned to the Dean Forest Railway.

Personality

Wilbert is sensible and polite and does his best to work well. He is also clever and inventive, as seen when he suggested that signal-wire might be used to act as a coupling for a truck.

In the magazines, Wilbert is depicted as a very hard worker and a nature lover. When he wants a rest, he goes deep into the forest.

Technical Details

Real-life History

Wilbert was built by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds, England in 1953. He was purchased by the National Coal Board and worked as a shunter in a colliery in Staffordshire. He was bought by the Dean Forest Railway in 1976 and became the first steam engine owned by the Forest of Dean Railway Ltd.

In August 1981, the Rev. W. Awdry christened the engine "G.B. Keeling", after the first Chief Mechanical Engineer on the Severn and Wye Railway after a members' ballot for the engine's name. On 8 November, 1983, G.B. Keeling hauled the royal train on the line when the Duke of Gloucester visited the railway.

On 13 September, 1987, the Rev. W. Awdry renamed the engine "Wilbert" in his honour after a major overhaul and repainting. On 8 September, 1991, Wilbert attended the opening of the line to Lydney Lakeside with City of Truro. In 2010, Wilbert underwent a major overhaul and returned to service in April 2012. His brother Sheffield and cousin Samantha share the same Basis

The Real Wilbert

Livery

Wilbert is painted navy blue with red lining and black wheels. He has a red nameplate with a gold boarder on the sides of his boiler with his name (Wilbert) and the words "Rev. W. Awdry" on them, also in gold. His buffer beams are painted red with silver buffers.

Appearances

• Railway Series
• Sprite Series
• Other Media

The Railway Series

• Wilbert the Forest Engine - Percy's Porridge, Cab Over Wheels, Foaming at the Funnel and Wired-Up
• Troublesome Engines - (silhouette cameo; 1994 edition - back cover)

Companion Volumes

• 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)
• 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection

Thomas & Friends

• Series 10 - Percy's Porridge, Cab Over Wheels, Foaming at the Funnel and Wired-Up

Specials

• 2017 - Journey Beyond Sodor (cameo)

Documentary

• 1995 - The Making of Thomas the Tank Engine

Books 2007 - The Fat Controller (possible cameo) 2008 - Thomas' Sticker Express 2011 - Sir Topham Hatt (possible cameo) 2015 - The Fat Controller's Busy Day (possible cameo) 2016 - My First Thomas Railway Stories (possible cameo) Magazine Stories 2007 - Wilbert in the Wild (does not speak) Video Games 2006 - James' Colors of Sodor (mentioned)

Trivia

• According to his hidden page on an older version of the UK Thomas and Friends website, Wilbert and Percy get along well as they are both saddle tank engines .
• The 1994 edition of The Railway Series book, Troublesome Engines has a silhouette of Wilbert pulling two coaches on the back cover.
• DJ Models had manufactured OO gauge models of Wilbert, in limited numbers of 200 to support the Dean Forest Railway.

United Kingdom

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* RWS only | ** T&F only

Steam Engines

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Tank Engines

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Blue Characters

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North Western Railway	Locomotives	Alain | Alfred | Belle | Crovan | Den | Edward | Fergus | Flint | Frieda | Gordon | Hank | Hugo | Kaleb | Maxwell | Myles | Pip and Emma | Sidney | Sora | Thomas | Timothy | Tucker
	Rolling Stock	Bradley and Beverly | Dexter | James' Trucks | Rickety | Victoria and Helena
	Non-Rail Characters	Algy | Brenda | Butch | Captain Kelly | Private Jones
Skarloey Railway	Locomotives	Mighty Mac | Sir Handel
	Rolling Stock	Ada, Jane and Mabel | Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice | Cora | Gertrude and Millicent
Culdee Fell Railway	Locomotives	Ernest | Shane Dooiney
Arlesdale Railway	Locomotives	Bert | Sigrid of Arlesdale
The Mainland	Locomotives	D5701 | Logan | Frankie | Lexi | Mallard | Octavia | Thomas | Wilbert
	Rolling Stock	Beverly and Jennifer
	Non Rail Characters	Beresford
United States	Locomotives	Vinnie
France	Locomotives	Étienne
Brazil	Locomotives	Gustavo
China	Locomotives	Hong-Mei
India	Locomotives	Rajiv
Italy	Locomotives	Lorenzo
Russia	Locomotives	Ivan
Austrailia	Non-Rail Vehicles	Gary

Characters with 0-6-0 Wheel Arrangements

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