Skarloey (T&F)

Skarloey is a red narrow gauge saddle tank engine and is one of the oldest engines on the Skarloey Railway.

Biography
When Skarloey first appeared in the fourth series, he brought people to the closed Mid Sodor Railway to buy the engines, taking Stuart and Falcon but leaving Duke behind. When a group of visitors planned on following the old line into the mountains to find Duke, they used Skarloey. He carried them into the mountains, searching for Duke for several days. Once Duke was found, Skarloey and Rheneas transported him back down to the Skarloey Railway for restoration.

Edward found Skarloey sitting in the shed where he had been sent for a rest. Skarloey told Edward about Rheneas going away to be mended and that he wished he could be mended too and pull coaches again. He received his chance when the coaches derailed Sir Handel, at which point he volunteered to pull the visitors' train in Sir Handel's stead. He scolded the coaches and set off, trying his best as he approached the hill. Downhill, one of his weak springs gave out and left Skarloey crooked. Determined to not let his passengers down, Skarloey limped to the station and got the passengers home. The driver promised to have him mended, saying that Skarloey deserved it. When Skarloey came home, Rusty helped him to the sheds. There, the fireman lit Skarloey's fire and the little engine declared his excitement to be like that of a young engine. After he returned, he helped getting Duncan out of a tunnel, was responsible for Sir Handel's comeuppance when the latter became boastful about his new wheels and changed Duncan's views about passengers by telling him about the time when Rheneas saved the Railway.

In the fifth series, Skarloey was seen annoyed at George for being rude to him. He then got chased by a boulder on his way to Boulder Quarry, until he diverted into a siding. One winter, Skarloey got trapped in an avalanche on his way to the slate mines due to some trucks running down the slope from the incline, causing snow to bury Skarloey and his crew. Skarloey's heat had created an igloo, and inside the men found Skarloey's crew nonchalantly sipping cocoa.

In the seventh series, Skarloey had an accident on the Old Trestle Bridge. This accident caused him to fear about going over the bridge. However, when he had to rescue his brother Rheneas at the other side of the bridge, he managed to overcome his fear of the bridge.

From the ninth to twelfth series, Skarloey acted like a childish engine and tried to prove his bravery by getting hauled up the winch on the incline and by having a race with Rheneas and Freddie. He has also acted timid, being scared of The Wharf and storms. But Skarloey still was really useful.

In Blue Mountain Mystery, Skarloey became the respected leader of the narrow gauge engines at the Blue Mountain Quarry.

In the eighteenth series, he once had to take an evening passenger train. Unfortunately, Duncan took his coaches because he was trying to stop a grumpy passenger that was one of his passengers from complaining about the train being crowded. However, this only resulted in angering Skarloey and his stranded passengers. The next day, Skarloey was delayed by Duncan again when he refused to leave the platform until the same grumpy passenger had boarded his train. Later during the Christmas holidays, Skarloey was upset by Duncan's constant grumbling. He, Rheneas, and Rusty told the Thin Controller about this, who devised a plan to stop the grumpy engine from moaning all the time.

In the twenty-fourth series, he asked Peter Sam and Sir Handel what Percy was talking about, and Peter Sam answered, "a railway show for little engines".

Personality
Skarloey is the sage of the Skarloey Railway and is an old, faithful little engine. Although once full of enthusiasm and his own ideas in his youth, Skarloey is now one of the oldest engines on the Island. He is a calm-natured, quaint and mature engine and may often try to guide or watch over less experienced narrow gauge engines in his firm but fair and friendly manner. He acts kindly to engines and passengers alike and always enjoys a gentle, smooth journey through the woods by the lakeside and stopping at all the gates and stiles he remembers so well.

From the seventh to twelfth series (except the eighth series where he was absent), Skarloey had an occasional habit of being scared, timid, clumsy, and even reckless at some points. His scared persona is seen when he becomes afraid of the old, iron bridge and becomes afraid of thunder. His timid persona is seen when he's afraid of the wharf, while his reckless, clumsy side can be seen when he demolished trucks, broke the winch, and caused Rheneas to derail.

From Blue Mountain Mystery onwards, he is back to his older and more mature personality while working at the Blue Mountain Quarry and the railway.

Basis
Skarloey is based on the Talyllyn Railway's Talyllyn, a Fletcher Jennings Class C 0-4-2ST built in 1864. In the Railway Series, Talyllyn is Skarloey's twin. Rusty's Ghost Engine shares the same basis.

Livery
Skarloey was originally painted red with white lining. From the ninth series onwards, he is painted crimson red with white and gold lining. He has red and gold name and number plates on the sides of his saddle tank and coal bunkers respectively.

Appearances
Television Series= {{Scroll box|

Thomas & Friends

 * Series 4 - Granpuff, Sleeping Beauty , Four Little Engines, A Bad Day for Sir Handel , Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady, Home at Last, Rock 'n' Roll, Special Funnel, Steam Roller, Passengers and Polish, Gallant Old Engine, Rusty to the Rescue , Bowled Out and Fish
 * Series 5 - Bye George!, Toby's Discovery, Make Someone Happy , Duncan Gets Spooked , Rusty and the Boulder and Snow
 * Series 6 - Dunkin Duncan, Rusty Saves the Day and Faulty Whistles
 * Series 7 - The Old Bridge, Edward's Brass Band, James and the Queen of Sodor , The Refreshment Lady's Tea Shop, Rheneas and the Roller Coaster , The Runaway Elephant, Harold and the Flying Horse , The Grand Opening and Trusty Rusty
 * Series 9 - Mighty Mac, Tuneful Toots, Rheneas and the Dinosaur, The Magic Lamp and Skarloey the Brave
 * Series 10 - Follow that Flour, Duncan Drops a Clanger, Thomas' Tricky Tree, Fearless Freddie, Which Way Now? , Wharf and Peace, Duncan's Bluff , Missing Trucks and Thomas and Skarloey's Big Day Out
 * Series 11 - Thomas and the Big Bang, Skarloey Storms Through, Cool Truckings, Wash Behind Your Buffers, Duncan Does it All and Sir Handel in Charge
 * Series 12 - Mountain Marvel, The Party Surprise , Duncan and the Hot Air Balloon , The Man in the Hills and Push Me, Pull You
 * Series 13 - Steamy Sodor
 * Series 16 - Don't Bother Victor! and The Christmas Tree Express
 * Series 17 - Luke's New Friend, The Switch and Gone Fishing
 * Series 18 - Disappearing Diesels, Duncan and the Grumpy Passenger, Long Lost Friend, Duncan the Humbug and Samson at Your Service
 * Series 20 - Henry Gets the Express, Bradford the Brake Van, Saving Time, Tit for Tat and The Missing Breakdown Train
 * Series 21 - Runaway Engine
 * Series 22 - The Case of the Puzzling Parts and Counting on Nia
 * Series 23 - Diesel Do Right and Diesel Glows Away
 * Series 24 - The Great Little Railway Show and Thomas' Animal Friends

Specials

 * 2008 - The Great Discovery
 * 2009 - Hero of the Rails
 * 2012 - Blue Mountain Mystery
 * 2013 - King of the Railway
 * 2016 - The Great Race

Music Videos
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 * Series 4 - Thomas' Anthem Grand Finale, Gone Fishing and The Island Song
 * Series 5 - Night Train, Every Cloud has a Silver Lining, It's Great to be an Engine, The Snow Song, Come for the Ride and Percy's Seaside Trip
 * Series 6 - James the Really Splendid Engine and Little Engines
 * Series 7 - The Red Balloon, There Once Was an Engine Who Ran Away and The Whistle Song
 * Series 9 - Buffer Up and Share
 * Jack and the Sodor Construction Company - The Work Song and One Friendly Family
 * Series 10 - Favourite Place, Navigation, There's Always Something New, Responsibility, Strength and Jingle Bells
 * Series 11 - The Narrow Gauge Engines
 * The Great Discovery - Where, oh Where is Thomas? and Thomas, You're the Leader
 * Blue Mountain Mystery - Working Together and Blue Mountain Mystery
 * King of the Railway - It's Gonna be a Great Day
 * Series 17 - Hey, Hey Thomas!
 * Thomas' YouTube World Tour - A World Around You, Never, Never, Never Give Up and The Whistle Song
 * The Great Race - Will You Won't You
 * -|Other Media=

Magazine Stories
Skarloey also appeared in the magazine stories, Mountains and Mess!, Musical Duncan, Rock Climbing, Sky High!, Smoke Signals and The Balloon Race.
 * 1997 - Duncan, The Colourful Engine, Silly Skarloey!, Size Wise, The Magic Spell and Skarloey and Santa
 * 1998 - Too-Wit Too-Woo!
 * 1999 - Hello, Skarloey!
 * 2000 - Creepy Cutting!
 * 2001 - The Eyesight Test, A Special Story About Skarloey, High and Dry, Airborne Engine and Duncan Gets Upset
 * 2002 - Big Ideas!, Skarloey's School Picnic and Climb Time!
 * 2003 - Rusty's Plan
 * 2004 - The Grand Opening and Brave Skarloey
 * 2006 - Rheneas and the Dinosaur and Splendid Sight
 * 2007 - Big Day Out, Cliff Ride and Uphill and Down
 * 2008 - Wash Behind Your Buffers!
 * 2009 - Thomas and the Big Bang and The Man in White
 * 2010 - Big Ideas
 * 2011 - Flight Sight
 * 2012 - Blue Mountain Mystery
 * 2013 - Don't Bother Victor! and Christmas Tree Express
 * 2014 - Edward the Helpful Engine, Whistle-Stop Tour and Flight Sight
 * 2015 - Dusty Rusty and Duncan the Humbug

Annual Stories
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 * 1997 - Skarloey Gets a Scare!

Songs

 * Will You Won't You

Whistles
In one scene in Home at Last, Skarloey has a different whistle, which is a higher-pitched version of a stock cartoon factory whistle.

From the fifth series to the seventh series, Skarloey has the same whistle he originally had, but two steps higher-pitched.

In the mobile app, Read and Play!, Skarloey has a sad whistle.

Trivia

 * Skarloey's name on the Japanese version of the official website is spelled backwards.
 * In some international dubs, Skarloey's name was changed:
 * In the Polish narration, Skarloey's name is Sławek (only from the fourth to the twelfth series), which is coincidentally Stephen's name in the same narration. Since the sixteenth series, his name is Skałek.
 * In the French dub, Skarloey was called Charles, however from the sixth series onward he was called Barnabé.
 * Johnny Morris and Keith Wickham give Skarloey a Welsh accent, reflecting his basis' origins.
 * Skarloey's Wooden Railway toy was among the many toys that were part of the lead paint crisis in 2007.