Eric

Eric is a narrow gauge mountain-climbing engine who works on the Culdee Fell Railway. Like the other mountain engines, he has his own coach used for passenger services.

The Railway Series
Eric was the last engine to be ordered by the Culdee Fell Railway and he was built at the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur, Switzerland, in 1962 to a "super-heat" design. He arrived on Sodor in time to help ease the strain of the last two months of the season.

Eric was later mentioned in a conversation between Ernest, Wilfred, and Culdee. According to them, Alaric and Eric are "nice and quiet", whereas Lord Harry is a "terror".

By 1964, Patrick, Alaric and Eric proved successful and superseded the more older engines, Ernest and Wilfred.

Personality
Not much is known about Eric's personality, but according to Culdee, Wilfred, and Ernest, Eric is "nice and quiet". It can also be assumed that Eric is careful and cautious like the other mountain engines.

Basis
Eric is based on No. 8 Eryri, an engine who worked on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. Eryri was withdrawn and dismantled in 1992 and is unlikely to return to service.

Livery
Eric is painted in the Culdee Fell Railway's livery of purple with orange lining. His number (8) is painted on the sides and back of his cab in yellow and he has a red nameplate with a gold boarder on the sides of his tanks with his name (Eric) on them, also in gold.

Appearances
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The Railway Series

 * Mountain Engines - Danger Points and "Devil's Back"

Companion Volumes
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 * 1970 - Twelve Happy Engines
 * 1972 - The Railway Series: Surprise Packet
 * 1976 - Famous Engines and Railway Map of the Island of Sodor
 * 1979 - Annual
 * 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways
 * 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
 * 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines

Annual Stories

 * 1990 - Thomas and the Sunday School Outing

Trivia

 * Like the other engines of the Culdee Fell Railway, Eric has a face at each end.
 * In the book The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways, Eric is incorrectly labeled as No. 9 of the Culdee Fell Railway instead of No. 8.