Philippa, better known as "Pip", and Emma are two diesel-electric locomotives which make up a BR InterCity 125 High Speed Train set.
Biography[]
The Railway Series[]
In 1986, when Gordon took a railtour to Carlisle, Pip and Emma were asked to take the express back to Tidmouth for him. Pip's cooling system was faulty, but Emma was in order and so off they went. Unfortunately, Emma failed near Crovan's Gate and James had to pull them back home. The engines were quick to befriend Pip and Emma, and after Gordon had returned, Douglas took them back to Barrow-in-Furness.
In 1995, Pip and Emma were borrowed to take the Prince of Wales and some guests to Tidmouth for the Railway Series' Golden Jubilee.
In 2011, the Fat Controller purchased them to run a faster express service to London following privatisation, with them being able to complete a complete round trip every day, something barely attainable prior. He had been interested in purchasing them since at least 2005. As a single unit, they are necessarily somewhat restricted in their use, but Sir Topham Hatt considered this a price worth paying for their services. They brought Prince Charles to unveil a bust of the Thin Clergyman at Tidmouth in celebration of the Clergyman's one-hundredth birthday.
Personalities[]
Pip and Emma are kind and friendly. They quickly became good friends with the other engines. Although they suffered problems with their cooling systems, they are efficient and reliable.
Basis[]
Pip and Emma are based on the British Rail Class 43 HST. This class holds the world record for fastest rail speed for a diesel-electric locomotive: 238 km/h or 148 mph, which was set in 1987. The High-Speed Post Train is another member of this class. The majority of these are still in service.
Livery[]
Pip and Emma are painted in the original InterCity 125 livery of yellow and blue. Their rear ends and their BR Mk3 coaches are painted blue and white. After they were bought by the Fat Controller, the words "InterCity 125" and the BR logo which were painted on Emma's sides, and later on Pip's, were replaced by "NWR" and red nameplates, with her name in gold.
Trivia[]
- The phrase "pip emma" was used in the signals developed by the British Army signallers in the First World War to mean post meridiem, or p.m.
References[]
Sudrian Crystal Railway | Locomotives | Belle | |
---|---|---|
Rolling Stock | Aquamarine | Blue | Blue Pearl | Dexter | Holly Blue | Rickety | Victoria | Zircon | |
Non-Rail Characters | Algy | Brenda | Butch | Captain | Kelly | Lorry 4 | |
Skarloey Railway | Locomotives | Mighty Mac | Sir Handel |
Rolling Stock | Blue Coaches | |
Arlesdale Railway | Locomotives | Allison | Bert | Sigrid of Arlesdale |
Keystone Railway | Locomotives | Blue Diamond (Keystone Railway) | Blue Pearl (Keystone Railway) | Blue Quantum Quartz | Blue Sapphire (Keystone Railway) | Blue Topaz | Euclase | Goldstone | Lapis Lazuli (Keystone Railway) | |
Rolling Stock | Angelite | Ammolite | Aqua Aura Quartz | Laguna Agate | |
BNSF Railway | Locomotives | |
The Mainland | Locomotives | Ariadne | The Class 40 | Connor | Fletcher | Frankie | Franklin | Mallard | Richard | Seth | Wilbert |
Non Rail Characters | Beresford | |
Brazil | Locomotives | Gabriela | Gustavo |
Rolling Stock | Gustavo's Coaches | |
China | Locomotives | Hong-Mei |
France | Locomotives | Étienne |
Germany | Locomotives | Frieda |
Greece | Locomotives | Athena | Zeus |
Rolling Stock | Hades | |
India | Locomotives | Rajiv |
Italy | Locomotives | Lorenzo |
Poland | Locomotives | Aldona |
Russia | Locomotives | Ivan |
Scotland | Locomotives | Liam |
Sweden | Locomotives | Fredrik |
North Western Railway | Locomotives | 'Arry and Bert | Bill and Ben | Flora | Jordyn | Lily | Logan | Marie | Molly | Philip | Pip and Emma | Rebecca | Stephen | The Ballast Spreader |
---|---|---|
Non-Rail Characters | Butch | Byron | Captain | Carly | Darcy | Demolition Derby Cars | Isobella | Reg | Tiger Moth | |
Formerly | Algy | Victor | |
Skarloey Railway | Locomotives | Duncan | Proteus |
Arlesdale Railway | Locomotives | Jock |
Crystal Island | Locomotives | Ametrine | Topaz |
Rolling Stock | Citrine | Diamond | |
Keystone Railway | Locomotives | Citrine (Keystone Railway) | Fire Agate | Yellow Diamond (Keystone Railway) | Yellow Pearl (Keystone Railway) | Yellow Sapphire (Keystone Railway) |
The Mainland | Locomotives | The Horse and Cart |
Other Railways | Locomotives | Raul | Tamika |
Rolling Stock | The Indian Breakdown Train | |
Non Rail Characters | Ace |