Trevor (T&F)/Behind the Scenes

Background Information
Trevor is based on "Fiery Elias", a William Foster & Co. Traction Engine built in 1927. Fiery Elias was owned by the Rev. W. Awdry's friend, the Rev. Teddy Boston. In addition to Trevor, Boston also owned a steamroller was the basis for the character, George.

Television Series
Trevor reprises his role from The Railway Series story, Saved from Scrap in the second series episode of the same name and has also appeared in written stories by various other writers. He usually appears as a major supporting character, and the last story to feature him as the main character so far is the third series episode Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party. Trevor was also slated to have a reoccuring role in the spin-off series, Jack and the Sodor Construction Company, however this was cancelled.

When the show transitioned into full-CGI in 2009, Trevor appeared in the Island of Sodor opening sequence in the thirteenth series. Trevor later made his first episodic appearance in the fifteenth series episode, Emily and Dash, as a cameo. The twentieth series episode, Three Steam Engines Gruff, marked Trevor's first role in the CGI series and overall speaking role since the ninth series episode, Henry and the Flagpole.

In the CGI era, Nigel Pilkington gave Trevor a West Country accent in the UK dub, while Christopher Ragland portrayed Trevor with a bolder Southern drawl.

G scale model
The Britt Allcroft Company commissioned puppet-maker Paul Jomain to create a G scale models of Trevor and James. Trevor was custom-built and based on the specifications of his Gauge 1 prop. These models were used for a Christmas display in a shop window some time in the late 90s. According to Jomain, the display was so popular though that it lasted well after Christmas.

Gauge 1 model
Trevor was designed by art director, Robert Gauld-Galliers, and modified from a pre-existing brass Traction Engine model in 1986. Trevor's model was remote-controlled and had a powered-motor mounted inside his rear. The model could run on Styrofoam road and various terrain. It was painted in glossy car body paint. He was originally painted in rusty yellow for his debut episode.

Trevor has had modifications throughout the model era. These include:
 * Series 3:
 * Moving eye mechanisms.
 * The bronze circle in front of his cylinder was painted silver.
 * His red lining gained curves not present in the previous series.
 * Series 6:
 * The silver circle on his cylinder was painted black.
 * Part of his smokebox changed from green to black.
 * The segmented red lining on his front axle changed to a solid red line.
 * Series 12
 * His paint was given a matte finish.

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, Trevor's model would stay under HiT and later Mattel's ownership.

Trevor's television series model was on display at Drayton Manor and wore his grinning face until he was removed in July 2018 and returned to Mattel's storage unit in Southampton England.

Gauge 3.5 model
A large-scale model of Trevor was created for the spin-off series, Jack and the Sodor Construction Company. It was also used for close-up shots in the episodes, Thomas and the Tuba and Henry and the Flagpole, and the Learning Segment, Being Blue. The model was made out of brass.The eye mechanism had two servos, one for up and down movement and one for left and right movement. The up/down servo was attached to the body. The left/right servo had a rod attached to the arm, which connected to a bracket. The eye balls were coupled to the bracket and locked in by the face-plate, so whenever the servos were powered, the eye balls would move however the crew member desired. The remote was sourced from JR Propo's XP662 remote controller. Only a joyful face was created for the model.

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. Trevor's large-scale model was one of the models to be disposed off. It is unknown why, as there was only one model of Trevor made to this scale, but it was likely to make room for the Jack and the Sodor Construction Company characters when all of the models were put in storage as they were previously kept on standby during production of the previous seasons of the model series whereas Trevor was put in storage back during the ninth series.

Trevor's large-scale model, along with its face would be sold on Prop Store. It, alongside his controller for the eye mechanism are now owned and preserved by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch. In 2015, a video of Trevor's eye mech in action was uploaded, the video is now currently accessible through an unofficial reupload

CGI Model
In 2009, the series introduced Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI) as a replacement for the show's long-standing live-action models. Trevor was recreated from scratch in CGI by Nitrogen Studios. His model was "hand-sculpted" in Maya, a 3D animation and modelling software.

Photographs of Trevor's small scale model were used for referencing. According to Greg Tiernan, every detail of the original television series models for each character is carefully reproduced in the CGI model. The models are subjected to many rounds of review before they are submitted to HiT Entertainment for final input and approval.

Trevor has had modifications throughout the CGI series. These include:
 * Series 15:
 * The front of his water tank became black.
 * The bottom part that connects his smokebox to his wheels became fully black.
 * The lining on his front axle changed in style.
 * Series 20:
 * The front of his water tank reverts to its previous livery.
 * His whistle sound changed and shared it with Hurricane.
 * Series 22:
 * In Seeing is Believing, his whistle sound changed again and reuses Vinnie's whistle sound.

Voice Actors

 * Nigel Pilkington
 * Christopher Ragland
 * Simon Hepworth
 * Toshio Kobayashi
 * Mitsuhiro Sakamaki
 * Robert Knorr
 * Thomas Johannsen
 * Esteban Desco
 * Petrus Kähkönen