Nelson

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Nelson the Transporter
Background Information
First appearance	On Site with Thomas (T&F)
Last appearance	Percy Helps Out (T&F)
Creator(s)	Phil Fehrle Will Ing Robert Gauld-Galliers
Overview
Name	Nelson
Gender	Male
Country	Island of Sodor England (built)
Affiliation	Sodor Construction Company Jack Alfie Oliver Max and Monty Miss Jenny North Western Railway
Technical Details
Basis	Scammell lorry
Vehicle	Construction vehicle
Type	Ballast tractor
Fuel type	Diesel
Drivetrain	6x4
Wheels	6
Top speed	25 mph
Designer(s)	Oliver D. North
Builder(s)	Scammell Lorries Ltd.
Year built	1943
Number	10
Registration number	201 RGG (concept art)
Company	Sodor Construction Company
Owner(s)	Miss Jenny

Nelson is a ballast tractor, who works for the Sodor Construction Company. He is accompanied by a low loader trailer.

Biography

Thomas & Friends

Nelson's job is to carry construction workers and the Pack vehicles to and from work sites. As the bearer of such weighty loads, he often feels overworked, but never complains.

In his first appearance, Jack asked Nelson if he was the most important, as Patrick boasted that he was the most important earlier. Nelson told Jack that he is the most important, as he is the main source of transportation. Later, when a fierce storm raged across Sodor, Nelson and Oliver were sent to clear Henry's Tunnel.

However, Nelson soon got tired of always having to carry the other machines to and from work. He began dreaming about being carried himself. The next day, Thomas came off the rails and broke a wheel. So Nelson was sent to take Thomas to the repair yard. When this was done, to his surprise, Percy carried Nelson back to the yards on a flatbed. Nelson had a splendid ride and it was as magical as he had dreamed.

Personality

Nelson is a clever, intelligent and wise ballast tractor who often feels overworked but never complains. He is proud of his paint and is happiest when he looks his best. Although he will never offer up a complaint, he is the first machine to comment on what is going wrong on the construction site.

Basis

Nelson's front strongly resembles a Scammell 15LA ballast tractor. His rear resembles a 1927 Scammell Pioneer tractor unit.

Scammell 15LA ballast tractor

1927 Scammell Pioneer tractor

Livery

Nelson is painted black with cream and red lining, red wheel alloys and front beam. He has his name painted above his cab windows and has the number "10" painted on his cab doors, both in cream.

Trivia

• In some concept art and promotional sketches, Nelson had a registration plate, "201 RGG"; this was a reference to television series art director Robert Gauld-Galliers. He was also intended to carry the Scammell logo on his front. He would also have "Sodor" written next to his name.

References

Sodor Construction Company

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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

Black Characters

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North Western Railway	Locomotives	Diesel | Donald | Douglas | Dylan | Hiro | Marklin | Mavis | Rose
	Rolling Stock	Hector
	Non-Rail Characters	Demolition Derby Cars | Nelson
Arlesdale Railway	Locomotives	Blister I and Blister II
Crystal Island	Rolling Stock	Onyx
Keystone Railway	Locomotives	Meteorite | Onyx (Keystone Railway)
The Mainland	Locomotives	The Class 07 | The Class 08 | Jinty and Pug | The Other Class 08
Japan	Locomotives	Haiku | Hiro
Mexico	Locomotives	Carlos
China	Locomotives	Jing-Yi