Bert (RWS)

Bert is a small blue tender engine who is the oldest and quietest of the Arlesdale Railway engines.

Biography
Bert is a rebuild by the Yorkshire Engine Co. of an earlier 0-8-0 design whose chassis and valve gear is very similar to that used in the 1890's by Sir Arthur Heywood at Duffield Bank. The addition of trailing wheels and a tender enabled a larger firebox to be fitted in the hope that this would cure "shy steaming", but this was not the case.

Bert worked on an unnamed line in England until 1967, at which time it closed down and he, Rex and Mike were sent to Sodor to work the Arlesdale Railway. Some time after his arrival, Bert took offence when the Rev. W. Awdry and the Rev. Teddy Boston accidentally sprayed him with mud while passing him in their car and in retaliation, Bert drenched the Reverend Teddy Boston with water when he took a ride in Bert's cab. However, both parties made up and as a result, Bert was featured in the Reverend W. Awdry's next book, Small Railway Engines.

Bert, along with the other small engines were offered to be in the Reverend's next book if they behaved. When a rescue team went on a mission to look for Duke, they often rode on Bert's train.

For a long time Bert had trouble with steaming. One day, as he was pulling a passenger train, his tender coupling broke off as they left the station. He did not want to "stick" around, but the mention of the word "stick" encouraged his driver to bring glue to temporarily repair his coupling hook. This was what his driver called "Sticking Power".

It was not until 1973, when Ivan Farrier at Arlesburgh fitted a Kylchap blast pipe and taller chimney, that his trouble with steaming trouble was cured. As a result of this, Bert's appearance is now different. His taller chimney, with cab enlarged to match, has turned his appearance into that of a narrow gauge engine in his own right instead of, as formerly, a scaled down version of a standard gauge locomotive. Bert is now as powerful and free steaming as Rex, but is more "sure footed" and in addition gives his driver a smoother ride.

Thomas & Friends
Before Bert's Thomas & Friends counterpart was introduced in the 2015 special Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, he perviously had appeared in Thomas & Friends merchandise. He appeared in the books Thomas' Giant Coloring Book and Thomas' Sticker Express and he appeared in the 2002 Trading Cards.

Personality
Bert is the quietest of the Arlesdale Railway engines. He appears to be very easy going and friendly. One thing Bert does not like, however, is the idea that bigger engines (and some people) might look down on the little engines just because they are small. He is still friendly to bigger engines, and usually corrects them when they look down upon smaller engines. Bert usually gets on with his jobs without complaining and does not mind what kind of work he does as long as he is treated with respect.

Basis
Bert is based on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway's River Irt.

Livery
Bert is painted in the standard blue livery used by the North Western Railway, with red and yellow lining. The word "ARLESDALE" is painted on his tender in yellow with a red outline. He has a black running board with red bufferbeams and valences. He also has a brass dome and brass nameplates with red backing. His wheels are painted black.

Appearances
Railway Series= {{Scroll box|

The Railway Series

 * Small Railway Engines - Ballast, Tit for Tat, Mike's Whistle and Useful Railway
 * Oliver the Western Engine - Donald's Duck, Resource and Sagacity and Bulgy
 * Duke the Lost Engine - Sleeping Beauty
 * Jock the New Engine - We Need Another Engine, Sticking Power, Jock and Teamwork
 * Wilbert the Forest Engine - Wired-Up

Companion Volumes
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 * 1970 - Twelve Happy Engines
 * 1972 - The Railway Series: Surprise Packet and Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor
 * 1976 - Famous Engines and Railway Map of the Island of Sodor
 * 1979 - Annual
 * 1980 - 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
 * 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection
 * -|Other Media=

Books
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 * 2003 - Duck
 * 2007 - Thomas' Giant Coloring Book
 * 2008 - Thomas' Sticker Express
 * 2011 - Duck the Great Western Engine

Official Description
2002-2009= From Official Media:

From Official Website:
 * -|2015-2020=

Trivia

 * Bert's rebuilt form has never been featured in the Railway Series.
 * In Bert's trading card promo, he is inaccurately depicted as a 4-8-2 along with Rex and Mike.
 * From Jock the New Engine onwards in the Railway Series, Bert is depicted with wheels outside his frames, contrary to his basis and his previous appearances. His valve gear was also changed.
 * In the Jock the New Engine story Sticking Power, Bert is said to be younger than Rex and Mike. However, Bert's basis was built long before the other two. Bert's Thomas & Friends counterpart has also been stated to be the youngest on the Official Website. His own build date is currently unknown since there is no official evidence to state his actual build date.