Class 40/Behind the Scenes

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This is a behind the scenes subpage for Class 40. This subpage contains all behind the scenes material relating to said article.

Background Information

The Railway Series

Class 40 is a fictional standard gauge diesel locomotive created by the Rev. W. Awdry. He appears in The Railway Series book, Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine, which was published in 1963.

1962 Class 40 as illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards (1963)

Class 40 is based on a BR Class 40 1Co-Co1. His television series number belonged to a real Class 40. The real D261 entered service on the 26th of February 1960 and in 1973, it was repainted into "RailBlue" colours and renumbered to 40 061 until the engine was withdrawn from service in 1983 and scrapped at Crewe in March the following year.

The Diesel's basis

The real D261

Television Series

In 1995, Class 40 was introduced in the fourth series of Thomas & Friends. In The Railway Series, Class 40's face was yellow, but in the television series, he has a grey face to match the other vehicles. He first appeared in the episode, "Rusty to the Rescue", among the diesels at Vicarstown Goods Depot. He later appeared in the episode, "Bowled Out", reprising his role from The Railway Series.

Class 40 has not appeared in the television series since 1995.

Behind the Scenes

Gauge 1 model

Class 40’s model was custom built to run on gauge 1 track. The body was made out of plastic and vacuformed over a custom body shape pattern. Once the vacuformed pattern was formed the windows and external details were added and then painted using glossy car body paint.

The chassis was constructed from scratch (CNC). It had a motor powered by electricity from the track via the pickups on the metal wheels. The buffers, coupling hook and brake pipe were made by Tenmille.

Class 40's model

Season 4 Ruler Reference photos courtesy of Twitter user JordanSchepis

Class 40's model

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 eyeballs were coupled to the bracket and locked in by the face-plate, so whenever the servos were powered, the eyeballs would move however the crew member desired.

Six different facial expressions were sculpted for Class 40, although only five were used on-screen and one of which a cross face was left unused. The faces were first sculpted in clay and from that resin casts were made using a silicone mould. However, Class 40's happy face would later be lost somewhere during the production of Thomas and the Magic Railroad or the sixth series.

Class 40's smug face that only appeared in 1994

Class 40's smiling/content face that only appeared in 1994 as well as a promotional image from 2004

Class 40's happy face that only appeared in 1994

Class 40's angry face that only appeared in 1994

Class 40's speechless face that only appeared in 1994

Class 40 and Daisy's faces during production of the fourth series in 1995

Class 40's complete face set during production of the sixth series in 2002

Class 40's face reference sheet taken during the production of the twelfth series in 2008

As of early 2020, Class 40's television series model is currently on display at Drayton Manor Theme Park and is wearing his speechless face. During 2021, Class 40's face fell off, however, it would later be refitted to the model sometime later.

Class 40's model at Drayton Manor

Class 40's speechless face

Close Up Model

A close-up model of Class 40 was required for the fourth series episode, Bowled Out, in the scene where the inspector sees his hat jammed in Class 40's air intake. The model was not complete and only the air intake was built.

Voice Actors

• Michio Nakao (Japan)