Bulgy (T&F)/Behind the Scenes

Background Information
Bulgy is a fictional double-decker bus created by the Rev. W. Awdry.

Bulgy first appeared in the third series episode Bulgy, which first aired in 1992. His last appearance was in the twenty-fourth series episode Cleo the Road Engine, which was released in 2021.

In The Railway Series, Bulgy's face was black, however in the television series, he has a grey face to match the other vehicles.

Bulgy never returned in The Railway Series after he was turned into a hen house at the end of his debut, however in the seventh series, Bulgy was given a second chance and was eventually repainted green and turned into a mobile vegetable stand.

Between the eighth and twelfth series, Bulgy made a number of minor cameos, however had no speaking roles. During this time, he also reverted back to his original red livery. When the series switched to full CGI in 2009, Bulgy was then absent for eight years.

In 2017, he made his return in the twenty-first series where he was used to carrying passengers once more and despite still believing that passengers should travel by road, he means well and works hard. He eventually played an antagonistic role again in the twenty-third series episode, Free the Roads where he caused the engines to become ill and used it to his advantage to carry passengers until he learned that having too many passengers was not so easy for the buses on their own.

Voice
Since his return in 2017, Bulgy has been voiced by Colin McFarlane in both the British English and American English dubs of the series. McFarlane portrays him with a stuffy voice, and gives him a hoarse cockney accent.

Gauge 1 models
Bulgy's models were built to run on Styrofoam road and were painted in glossy car body paint. Bulgy's tyres were sourced from Dunlop Tyres made by an unknown model company. Three models of Bulgy were built, one painted red, one in a henhouse condition, and one painted green. The roof of the red model was removable, making it accessible for human figurines to be placed inside. All 3 models shared the same eye mechanism and was switched around to each model when necessary

Bulgy went through many changes over the years in the television series:
 * Series 7:
 * His paint has given a matte finish.
 * His bell sound changed.
 * As a henhouse:
 * His broken axle, bonnet and deck pole were repaired.
 * His bent bumper has changed.
 * As a bus, after he was restored:
 * His rivets on his bumper disappeared.
 * He permanently gains a "Railway Bus" sign on both sides.
 * As a vegetable stand:
 * He is painted green.
 * His "roofbox" above the top deck windows has disappeared.
 * His "Railway Bus" signs were replaced with signs that said "Mobile Grocery Store".
 * He had a serving hatch for his vegetables.
 * Series 10:
 * He returns to his original state as a passenger bus.

Present Day
After production of the model series wrapped in 2008, most of the models and sets would be put into storage, with some being put on display at Drayton Manor Theme Park. All other models would be logged and referenced in 2009 by HiT Entertainment, from this HiT would decide on which models were to enter storage once again, which would be given to crew members and which to be disposed off. Due to only having one set of models made in gauge 1 scale, Bulgy's models would stay under HiT and later Mattel's ownership.

Bulgy's model (in original red livery) was on display at Drayton Manor with his happy face. In early 2020, the model was given a smiling face until sometime later in the same year, it was sent to Japan and it was display at the Uesugi Museum. However during the construction of Drayton's Manor's new prop exhibition in 2023, Bulgy's model was sent back to England as it would be put on the layout alongside his annoyed face.

Close-up model
A close-up model of Bulgy was required for scenes where he had to interact with close-up scale figures. It was also used for interior shots. The model was not complete and only his bottom deck, along with the wheels, were built. Bulgy's close-up model only appeared in the seventh series episode, Bulgy Rides Again.

CGI model
In 2009, the series introduced Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) as a replacement for the show's long-standing live-action models. Bulgy was recreated from scratch in CGI by Jam Filled Toronto in 2017 for the production of the twenty-first series. His model was "hand-sculpted" in Maya, a 3D animation and modelling software. Photographs of Bulgy's Gauge 1 model were used for reference.

Bulgy has had modifications throughout the CGI series. These include:
 * Series 21:
 * His face became smaller and the rounded edges became square.
 * His body became wider.
 * 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.
 * He gained a new bell sound.
 * His red paint has become slightly duller.
 * Series 23:
 * He gains vents next to his "Free the Roads" sign.
 * He regains his BLG 1 number plate from the Railway Series.
 * He gains a full interior and transparent windows.
 * He gains some rivets on his front bumper either side of his number plate.
 * His indicator lights return.
 * He gains rearview wing mirrors.
 * He gains handles on the side of his bonnet.
 * He gains ridges along his body.
 * He gains a windshield wiper.

Texture variants
In addition to his standard livery, a few other texture variants exist of Bulgy's CGI model. These texture variants include:

Voice Actors

 * Colin McFarlane
 * Daisuke Gōri
 * Hinata Tadokoro
 * Nacho Rodríguez
 * Salvador Serrano
 * Gadi Levy
 * Maciej Kosmala
 * Piotr Bąk
 * Constantin von Westphalen
 * Anton Savenkov