Stafford

"That's me; I'm Steamie Stafford!"

- Stafford

Stafford is a battery-electric engine. He usually works at Knapford Yards and Knapford Station Yard.

Biography
When Stafford first arrived on the Island, Spencer was given the job of showing him around. Spencer failed to listen to a warning about Stafford's battery running out and when it did, Spencer did not notice. Spencer later ran out of coal and Stafford had to shunt him to Knapford. There the Fat Controller called Stafford a really useful engine and welcomed him to Sodor.

He then became jealous of the steam engines because of the noises they made, and tried to be like them, but only caused confusion and delay when he did a job that was meant to be done quietly. In the end, he decided he was happy to be quiet Stafford the Electric Shunting Engine.

Stafford once shunted a wagon filled with the Entertainers' luggage for Daisy, but she pulled away as she did not want to pull it and he could not catch up as his batteries would not get him as far as Harwick.

He, alongside Charlie and Scruff wanted to be part of the Great Railway Show, though they were not chosen.

Personality
Stafford is a humble, courteous little chap with a Yorkshire accent. He is a very different sort of engine from any other on the North Western Railway. This is because Stafford is an electric battery engine; he is not a steam engine or a diesel engine. Stafford is fuelled by recharging his battery, which needs to be done frequently so he can go about his work as a shunting engine. Stafford is very patient, calm and mannerly. He does not let the antics of the bigger, haughtier engines bother him too much, keeps level-headed as he goes about his day, and brushes off any troubles without much fuss. He is more than content with taking things slow and not having to travel long distances and he is more than proud to work on the Fat Controller's railway.

Basis
Stafford is based on the North Staffordshire Railway's battery-electric No. 1. No. 1 was built at Stoke Railway Works in 1917 according to the specification of the NSR’s Locomotive Superintendent J.A. Hookham and Electrical Engineer A.F. Rock. It was designed to be able to contend with the narrow internal railway of Thomas Bolton & Sons Ltd. Copper Works. It was one of only two battery electric locomotives to be employed by a British main line company and, on one charge, could run for up to six hours and haul a load of more than four times its weight at 11mph. It was retired in 1963, having had only two drivers in its entire career. Since 1975, No. 1 has been preserved at the National Railway Museum.

Livery
Stafford is made of veneered wood with yellow lining. The number "1917" and gold nameplates are on his sides.

Appearances
Television Series= {{Scroll box|

Thomas & Friends

 * Series 16 - Welcome Stafford!
 * Series 17 - Steamie Stafford, The Lost Puff and Thomas' Shortcut
 * Series 18 - Flatbeds of Fear, Missing Gator and Long Lost Friend
 * Series 19 - The Truth About Toby, The Beast of Sodor, Helping Hiro , The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead , Philip to the Rescue and Goodbye Fat Controller
 * Series 20 - Toby's New Friend, Ryan and Daisy , Pouty James , The Way She Does It and All in Vain
 * Series 21 - Philip's Number
 * Series 24 - Kenji on the Rails Again

Specials

 * 2013 - King of the Railway
 * 2014 - Tale of the Brave
 * 2016 - The Great Race
 * 2017 - Journey Beyond Sodor
 * 2018 - Big World! Big Adventures!

Music Videos

 * Series 16 - Go, Go Thomas
 * Series 17 - Hey, Hey Thomas! and On a Journey Today
 * Series 18 - The Best Friends Express
 * Thomas' YouTube World Tour - It's Great to be an Engine and Rules and Regulations
 * Series 19 - Spring is Here! and Engine Roll Call
 * Series 20 - James the Really Splendid Engine
 * The Great Race - Will You Won't You
 * Journey Beyond Sodor - Somebody Has to be the Favourite and I Want to Go Home
 * Series 21 - Set Friendship in Motion, Trying and Little Engines
 * Big World! Big Adventures! - Where in the World is Thomas?
 * Series 22 - Engine Roll Call and The Steam Team
 * Series 24 - Party Train

Storytime
}}
 * Series 1 - Steamie Stafford
 * -|Other Media=

Magazine Stories

 * 2012 - The Fat Controller's Bedtime Story (Issue 648) and Welcome Stafford
 * 2013 - Steamie Stafford

Songs

 * Will You Won't You

Whistle
In the mobile app, Read and Play!, Stafford is incorrectly portrayed with a whistle.

Trivia

 * Stafford is the first electric engine introduced in the television series and the first electric engine named in the entire history of the franchise.
 * Stafford's horn is Mavis' current horn at a higher pitch.
 * Stafford's face is the shape of a UK wall plug, a tongue-in-cheek nod to his fuel type.
 * Stafford's number comes from the year his basis was built and his name comes from where his basis worked.
 * Stafford is the last character introduced in the Nitrogen Studios era and created by Sharon Miller before stepping down as head writer.
 * Stafford's basis was made for shunting only. Despite that, he has been seen pulling goods trains on the main and branch lines.
 * Stafford has ran out of battery after a few minutes in his debut episode, but in subsequent appearances, he can shunt and pull trains for a long amount of time.
 * According to Sam Wilkinson, he originally had a different name.

Quotes
"'I'm an electric engine. I have a battery, not a boiler.'""―Stafford's catchphrase"

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster
 * Wooden Railway
 * Take-n-Play
 * Capsule Plarail