Wilbert the Forest Engine

Wilbert, formerly named "G. B. Keeling", is a saddletank engine named after the Reverend W. Awdry, who was a one-time president of the Dean Forest Railway.

Bio
Wilbert was manufactured by the Hunslet Engine Company in Hunslet, Leeds, England, in 1953 and worked as a shunter at a colliery in Staffordshire. He was purchased by the Dean Forest Railway in 1976 and given the name "G. B. Keeling" in August 1981, but was renamed "Wilbert" on September the 13th, 1987, after the Reverend W. Awdry, who was then the president of the railway.

On November the 8th, 1983, Wilbert was honoured to haul a royal train for the Duke of Gloucester, and on September the 8th, 1991, attended the opening of the line to Lydney Lakeside with City of Truro.

When Donald and Douglas needed help on the branch lines in 1993, the Fat Controller borrowed him from his railway in Gloucestershire - the railway's controller was a friend of his - to give the twins some assistance. However, after Percy had an accident with some sacks of oatmeal, Wilbert was redirected to Thomas' Branch Line to do Percy's work. After Percy's return, Wilbert went to help Duck and Oliver on the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch.

In 2010, Wilbert was nearing the end of his major overhaul. Once his overhauled boiler returned in August 2010, he was partially-completed for a re-dedication by Reverend W. Awdry's two daughters during a Day Out with Thomas event. However, following the ceremony, Wilbert was put back into the workshop and dismantled to allow his overhaul to continue.

Following completion of his overhaul, Wilbert returned to service in April 2012, very appropriately on the Dean Forest Railway's Day Out with Thomas event. He is to be made available for hire to other heritage railways.

In July 2012, Wilbert was sent to the Weardale Railway, originally for a three-month loan period. However, the period was extended for another three months and Wilbert came home in January 2013.

At the start of March 2013, Wilbert, along with four other engines of the same class, participated in the "Blazing Saddles" event at Peak Rail in Derbyshire.

Persona
Wilbert is sensible and polite, and does his best to work well. He is also clever and inventive, as seen when he suggested that signal-wire might be used to act as a coupling for a truck.

In the magazines, Wilbert is depicted as a hard-worker and a nature lover. When he wants a rest, he goes deep into the forest.

Basis
Wilbert is a Hunslet WD 0-6-0ST from the Dean Forest Railway in Gloucestershire, England. Sixteen and the Austerity Engine are other members of this class.

Livery
Wilbert is painted navy blue with red lining and black wheels. He has red nameplates with gold writing. His nameplates have the words "Rev. W. Awdry" underneath "Wilbert".

Railway Series

 * Wilbert the Forest Engine

Magazine Stories

 * 2007 - Wilbert in the Wild (does not speak)

Trivia

 * According to the UK Thomas and Friends website, Wilbert and Percy get along well as they are both saddle tank engines.
 * An engine resembling Wilbert made a cameo appearance in the My Thomas Story Library book, The Fat Controller.
 * Although Wilbert's nameplate reads "Wilbert, Rev. W. Awdry" in the Railway Series and in real-life, none of his merchandise depicts him like that. All the nameplates on his merchandise solely say "Wilbert".

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Trading Cards (discontinued)