Colin

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Colin the Crane
Background Information
First appearance	The Party Surprise (T&F) Trouble at the Wharf (SFS) Marvellous Madge (SFSF)
Last appearance	The Party Surprise (T&F) Surprise! (SFS) A Busy Day at the Wharf (SFSF)
Creator(s)	Simon Spencer John Lee John Payne Clare Kinross
Overview
Name	Colin
Title	Colin the Green Crane
Gender	Male ♂
Country	Island of Sodor
Affiliation	Skarloey Railway Freddie The Wharf
Technical Details
Power type	Steam
Vehicle	Crane
Type	Steam crane
Fuel type	Coal
Railway	Skarloey Railway
Owner(s)	Mr. Percival

Colin is a stationary steam crane who works at the Wharf. He is good friends with Freddie.

Biography

Thomas & Friends

Colin works at the Wharf, loading deliveries brought by the engines into barges to be taken away on the Canal. He once felt upset because he could not attend a Christmas party so Freddie arranged for the party to be moved to the Wharf so Colin could participate. He brought the party supplies to the Wharf and told Colin to leave them until he could find Mr. Percival. However, Mr. Percival came to the Wharf before Freddie found him and ordered Colin to load the supplies onto a barge, almost ruining the party. Fortunately, Freddie put everything right, and Colin thought it was a wonderful party.

Stories From Sodor

Skarloey Railway Stories

One summer, the Wharf was very busy. Colin, Peter Sam, and Duke were all overwhelmed with work, which left Peter Sam in a foul mood. The following day, Rheneas joined the trio at the Wharf, and, after coming up with a plan, influenced the Wharf Master to implement a better schedule, resulting in less chaos at the Wharf for Colin and the engines, much to their appreciation.

Amazing Adventures

Like in the television series, Colin once felt upset because he could not attend a Christmas party so Freddie arranged for the party to be moved to the Wharf so Colin could participate. He brought the party supplies to the Wharf and told Colin to leave them until he could find Mr. Percival. However, Mr. Percival came to the Wharf before Freddie found him and ordered Colin to load the supplies onto a barge, almost ruining the party. Fortunately, Freddie put everything right, and Colin thought it was a wonderful party.

Season 6

One day, after Bulstrode began working at the Wharf, Colin angered him by unloading other barges first.

Personality

Colin is a chipper, cheerful, canal-side crane who works at the Wharf. While he isn’t the largest crane or the strongest, Colin's determination and skill make him fast and efficient. He prides himself on always knowing the right lifting speed for the right load. Colin is a good friend to all and always looks on the bright side of the Wharf!

Colin is lonely deep inside, as he is fixed in place at the Wharf. He feels left out of some of the fun that the narrow gauge engines have. The engines bring him news from around the Island. He’s always fascinated hearing about events that happen in other places.

Basis

Colin seems to be based off of this 100 Ton Steam Crane design that is Commonly used in Alexandro Docks in Grimsby.

Livery

Colin is painted green with red pulleys and cogwheels amongst his mechanism. He has a grey roof with grey boards along the top of his cab above his door.

Trivia

• According to John Lee, Colin was originally supposed to have a longer nose, but this was scaled down due to merchandising reasons.
• Colin is the last male character to be introduced, as well as the last non-rail vehicle in the model series before the CGI switchover.
• For unknown reasons, the cogs on the right of his arm are the same colour as his body, unlike the red cogs on the left of his arm.
• Although most of Colin's screen-time featured him with a CGI face, he had at least one out of five face masks in a long shot.

References

Non-rail vehicles

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Road vehicles	Terence | Bertie | Trevor | George | Caroline | 040 BMC | Bulgy | Bulgy's Friend | JTK 62 | Willie's Tractor | Tractors | Post Van | The Horrid Lorries | Butch | Thumper | Elizabeth | The Pack (Nelson, Jack, Alfie, Oliver, Max and Monty, Kelly, Byron, Ned, Nigel, Isobella, Patrick, Brenda, Buster, Darcy) | Madge | Kevin | Flynn | Ace | Sir Topham Hatt's Car | Buses | Dyson Lorries | Soft-sided Lorries | Caterpillar Cranes | Taxis | Fire Engines | The Ambulance | Sodor Bakery Van | Miss Jenny's Land Rover | The Blue Mountain Quarry Vehicles | Algy | Angus | Baggage Transporters | Crawler Tractors | Forklifts | Cargo Lorries | Ester
Aircraft	Harold | Tiger Moth | Jeremy | Emerson | Isla | G-Hewi | The Biplane | Aeroplanes | The Hot Air Balloon | The Airship
Watercraft	AC. 3929 | Alyssa | Boats | Bob and Steve | Bulstrode | Captain | Captain Calles' Pirate Ship | Coast Guard | Fishing Boats | Jacqueline | The Jetty | Judith | K 91 | Katherine | Krystyna | Lakesider III | Lucinda | Mail Boats | Old T. | The Queen of Sodor | S12 FH | Skiff | Stefano
Cranes	Big Mickey | Cranky | Colin | Owen | Merrick | Reg | Beresford | Carly | The African Crane | Cranes | A.J.R. No.1 | Ol' Wheezy | Hee-Haw | Happy Hook | Cassia

Green Characters

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Skarloey Railway

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