Billy

"Silly Billy! You've forgotten the chickens!" "Bother, Billy."

- Farmer McColl and Thomas

William, better known by his nickname Billy, is an orange tank engine with prominent buckteeth.

Biography
When Billy first arrived on the railway, Thomas was asked by The Fat Controller to show Billy around. But Billy misconstrued Thomas' advice for bossiness and so refused to listen to him, causing Billy to fail to complete his deliveries. At last, Thomas lost patience and told Billy to do his own thing. Billy was delighted, but his happiness was short-lived as he swiftly ran out of coal and water. In the future, Billy paid attention to advice, worked hard with every job he did and was happy that Thomas helped him as his new friend.

Personality
Billy is a bright orange tank engine who can be impetuous, impatient, and impulsive. Although he is bubbling with enthusiasm and keen to get stuck in, he tends to act before he thinks things through, and can even end up keen to start one job before properly finishing another. He can be inattentive, does not always like being told what to do, and may try to work independently when, perhaps, it's best he not. He is often boisterous and tends to be overconfident in his abilities, thinking he need not listen to advice from more experienced engines. Nevertheless, his enthusiasm is well-meaning and, when he keeps calm, thinks things through, pays attention and follows instructions carefully, Billy can properly harness his energy and focus on what he is doing so that he can be a Really Useful Engine. If he ever gets snappy, his infectious get-up-and-go and burning desire to be useful will shine through and make it hard for any engine to really stay upset with him for very long.

Basis
Billy is based on a Manning Wardle L Class 0-6-0ST. His brother Charlie is another member of this class.

Livery
Billy is painted orange with green and yellow lining. He has black nameplates with his name in gold on each side of his saddle tank.

Appearances
Television Series=

Thomas & Friends
Other Media= {{Scroll box|
 * Series 11 - Don't be Silly, Billy
 * Series 13 - Splish Splash Splosh

Books

 * 2008 - Billy
 * 2009 - Find That Freight!, Trainloads of Fun and Watch Me Draw Thomas & Friends
 * 2011 - My Thomas Party Book and The Big Book of Engines
 * 2012 - Copy the Stickers Colouring Book and Full Steam Ahead!
 * 2013 - Thomas' Top Tunes

Magazine Stories

 * 2010 - Silly Billy

Video Games
}}
 * 2010 - Hero of the Rails
 * -|Thomas Creator Collective=

Episodes

 * 2016 - The Fast and the Fizzleboxes, Brother Bother and Spooky Sodor
 * 2017 - Thomas and the Really Useful Crew, Sodor's Seven , Saving Henry , The Return of Diesel

Trivia

 * Billy was originally scripted to be in Series 13, in the episode Splish Splash Splosh before the role was given to Charlie. Had this not have been the case, Billy would have made his first appearance in CGI. The role cut may have been part of the reason why Billy never appeared again after his introduction episode.
 * According to a magazine article file fact, Billy's real name is William.
 * One of Billy's chassis is now owned by Twitter user TomsProps.
 * Billy's whistle sound is James', but sixteen steps higher-pitched.
 * Billy had a total of six facial expressions, one of which (a shocked face) was not used on-screen.
 * Billy's joyful and angry faces are now owned by Twitter user TomsProps.
 * Billy was one of the characters that was originally going return in the CGI series but was dropped, the others being Dennis, Splatter, Dodge, Duke, Derek, Colin, Patrick, Freddie and George.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway
 * Take Along
 * TrackMaster
 * My First Thomas
 * My Thomas Story Library
 * Capsule Plarail