History Characters / TheRailwaySeries

* HiveMind: All trucks in a yard or in a train will share each other's thoughts, feelings, and speech. The only exceptions are named trucks, such as S. C. Ruffey and Hector.

* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: Staying in a tunnel to avoid the rain spoiling his paint. He lampshades this in "Percy Takes the Plunge":
-->'''Henry:''' "No one will ever let me forget the time I wouldn't come out of the tunnel in case the rain spoiled my paint."

(Ruston & Hornsby Diesel 4w)

* OlderThanTheyLook: Skarloey was built in 1864, making him over ''150 years old''. In fact he turns "160" this year (2024)!

* OlderThanTheyLook: Skarloey was built in 1864, making him over ''150 years old''.

* CharacterDevelopment: A subtle one, but Edward was initially a bit of an ExtremeDoormat and much more thin skinned about the others' teasing him in early books, outright being reduced to tears in the first story. In most later stories he has grown to shrug off the others' rudeness. He laughs off Gordon's pomposity in ''Main Line Engines'' and is later dismissive towards him and Bill and Ben's antics, even telling the big engine he long had it coming.

* {{Determinator}}: Despite being an old engine, Edward has proven how useful he can be regardless of the circumstances. This is proven in "Old Iron" and "Edward's Exploit"

** He was kind to a bricked-up Henry when he passed by unlike Gordon who was pompous and arrogant and taunted Henry for getting bricked up in the tunnel.
* TeamDad: To Bill and Ben. Duck states in ''Buzz, Buzz'' that Edward is the only engine to keep them in line.

Gordon's primary duty is pulling the Express, called the "Wild Nor'-Wester", from one end of the railway to the other, and sometimes all the way to the Mainland and London. His importance, size and seniority over other engines has made Gordon a boastful braggart, though he has gone through lessons of humility that make him likable.

* AloofAlly: Not the kindest engine on the NWR, but is willing to help a friend when the time is right.

* BigBrotherInstinct: In the series canon he cares dearly for his younger brother, Flying Scotsman. He used to have ''lots'' of siblings. After he learns that most of them have been already scrapped, with the exception of the Flying Scotsman, Gordon falls into deep sadness. The Fat Controller [[PetTheDog invites his famous brother over to visit]] to cheer up Gordon. Seeing him again pulls him out of the depression.

* InferioritySuperiorityComplex: As a "Hush-hush" LNER experiment, he wasn't allowed out much. When the Fat Controller purchased him, Gordon always wants to prove himself, feeling his importance is threatened if any other engine rivals or surpasses him. He's visibly distraught when he bursts his safety valve in ''Edward, Gordon and Henry'' and the Fat Controller (who had been earlier singing his praises to the passengers) was now ashamed of him.

* RetiredBadass: Sure Gordon never stops ''running'' but he eventually is removed from the express and begins working slower local trains which he treats as a retirement of sorts.
* OlderAndWiser: As the series goes on Gordon begins to fear for his status as the express engine, constantly pushing himself to pull his train faster to keep up with Pip and Emma. With time though he accepts his eventual replacement, and graciously accepts his retirement.
* OlderIsBetter: Deconstructed. In ''Gordon the High Speed Engine'', Gordon vindicates himself after the new diesel train, Pip and Emma's cooling system breaks down. It is made apparent this was only a circumstantial win however, and by the end of the series, they still prove consistent enough to take over Express runs, something Gordon gracefully accepts.
* PutOnABus: Once he was complete, his brothers were then built. But being a non-standard design, both larger and slightly slower than the A1/A3 class, the LNER directors had no further plans for him, other than to endlessly tinker with him in the works. He'd never be let out to pull trains again. Sir Nigel Gresley felt sorry for him (how could you not?), and sold him off to the Fat Controller with a discount.
* TheRival: To Thomas at first, but after they formed an alliance with one another and Thomas moved to Ffarquahr, this position went more to Duck while he was station pilot.

* SuperPrototype: Just like Henry, he had a rebuild at Crewe. To which his brother, Flying Scotsman, remarked he had changed a lot. Gordon admitted they didn't do "a proper Doncaster job", but was pleased his new powerful shape still got the job done.

When Henry first started out, he was nothing but trouble. First was when he got himself locked in the Ballahoo tunnel for wanting to keep his paint clean, second was when he went on strike with the other big engines, and third was when his faultiness prompted the purchasing of special Welsh Coal. His crash with the Flying Kipper gave Henry a new lease on life after he was finally rebuilt with a new shape, and now works alongside Gordon on the main line, sometimes pulling the express or hauling freight.

* ColourCodedForYourConvenience: He was originally green until he got a blue coat of paint after staying in a tunnel for awhile. The reason he got his old color back is because the Rev Awdry was fed up with people confusing him with Gordon in the book illustrations, when he was painted blue.

* DivergentCharacterEvolution: In early stories he mostly played the role of another arrogant tender engine similar to Gordon and James. Later stories established him as occasionally more pitiful and melancholic than the other two, and ultimately more of a GrumpyOldMan.

%%* FreudianTrio: The Ego with Gordon and James.

Everyone's favourite Tank Engine was introduced in the second book, but was one of the first engines to work on the NWR, originally as a station pilot at Vicarstown, shunting coaches for the big engines. An incident where he almost crashed because of some troublesome trucks has allowed him to prove himself and eventually become Really Useful. Thomas now works at his own Branch, the Ffarquhar line, with his two coaches Annie and Clarabel. Other incidents have caused Thomas to mellow out from his cheeky personality, though he still maintains a small hint of it.

* AcquiredSituationalNarcissism: After getting his own branch line. He tamed a bit after a few BreakTheHaughty moments.

* BerserkButton: No engine likes being made late, but Thomas who wants to please the Fat Controller ''especially hates it'' and lectures the other engines often if they are the cause of it. Even when Henry snapped back that ''the passengers' welfare was at stake'', Thomas was still reluctant over delays.
* BigDamnHeroes: In "Thomas and the Breakdown Train", he was sent to put James back on the rails with the aforementioned breakdown train.

* CharacterDevelopment: Started as an [[BrattyHalfPint impudent Station Pilot]], he earned his own branch line and matured but [[AcquiredSituationalNarcissism became more arrogant]] to the other engines. After a particularly [[FeudEpisode spiteful bout]] with Percy however, [[JerkassRealization he was ashamed]] and became more humble and kind.

%%* MilesGloriosus: At times.

* PlayingSick: He tried doing this twice, but was soon found out by the Thin Controller.