George (T&F)/Behind the Scenes

Television Series
In 1995, George first appeared in the show in the fourth series of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, reprising his role in the Railway Series based episode, Steam Roller. In the Railway Series, George's face was green, but in the television series, he has a grey face to match the other characters.

George was going to appear in Thomas and the Magic Railroad but was cut from the film.

George's last speaking role was in the fifth series episode Bye George!, but he continued making appearances up until the tenth series, mostly as a background character, and also appeared in the specials, Calling All Engines! and The Great Discovery where he had a minor supporting role in the former. He has not appeared in the television series since 2008.

According to Michael White, he had originally written for George to return in the Series 23 episode, Free the Roads. His role was later replaced by Max and Monty. This would of marked his first appearance in the CGI series. However, George was indirectly mentioned in the twenty-fourth series episode, The Great Little Railway Show.

Gauge 1 model
George's model was custom built from brass for the fourth series. The model was built to run on Styrofoam road and was painted in glossy car body paint. During that time, wires on his right side were exposed. This was eventually rectified from the sixth series onwards. Like most of the road vehicles during the time of the model's construction, George lacked an eye mechanism due to space concerns, and as such, his eyes were moulded on to his faces and stickers were used for his pupils.

Faces
Eight different facial expressions were sculpted for George and used on-screen. The faces were first sculpted in clay and from that resin casts were made using a silicone mould. One of George's faces is now preserved by the preservation group, Top Props.

Model Changes
George has had some modifications made throughout the television series. These include:


 * Series 5:
 * His whistle sound changed pitch and to Trevor's whistle sound.
 * His pupils became smaller.
 * Series 6:
 * The wires on his right side have disappeared.
 * Series 9:
 * His whistle sound changed pitch again which is Donald's original one, but twelve steps higher-pitched.

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 model made in gauge 1 scale, George's model would stay under HiT and later Mattel's ownership.

In early 2020, his model was put on display at Drayton Manor and had his angry face, albeit with one of his chains being broken and his pupils for his angry face (which were missing) being replaced with black tack blobs. On the 31st of August 2021, George's cab roof broke off until it was eventually repaired a few days later, but soon after, the black tack blobs came off, revealing his missing eyes and some staining left behind by the tack. In October 2021, George was given his current happy/smiling face with proper eye stickers on them. It was removed and returned to storage after the exhibit closed and a new layout was constructed elsewhere in the park.

Close-up model
Close-up shots of George was required for scenes where he had to interact with close-up scale figures. It only appeared in the fifth series episode, Lady Hatt's Birthday Party. George's close up model was not completed; only the rear half was built. However, it had two motors; one for the rear wheels and the other for the flywheel.

Voice Actors

 * Masato Hirano