Albert (Thomas and Friends)

Albert is a red tank engine who worked on the Furness Railway with his two coaches, Victoria and Helena.

Bio
Albert worked on the lakeside branch on the Furness Railway running to Windermere with his two coaches, Victoria and Helena. One snowy day after boasting about snow, Albert had stopped outside the mouth of a tunnel while collecting passengers at Haverthwaite. When he started, he gave off so much steam that he caused an avalanche and he became buried in snow. After he was rescued, he learnt to take more care in wintry conditions.

Victoria later mentioned Albert to Edward, while they were being mended at Crovan's Gate. She noted that Albert only ever had one accident. As all the real Parker J1 tank engines were scrapped, it can be assumed that Albert was as well.

Persona
Albert's character appears to be like that of Thomas - Victoria described him as being gentlemanly and polite. He has a slight tendency to be boastful and cocky.

Basis
Albert was first built as an E1 class, an 'off the peg' Sharp, Stewart and Company 2-4-0 design. In 1891 seven of these engines were rebuilt as tank engines under the supervision of Locomotive Superintendent Richard Mason and reclassified J1. To suit branch line service the frames were extended to carry a coal bunker, supported by a pair of trailing radial wheels while their tenders were replaced with side tanks, that combined had a capacity of one thousand gallons. The class members were withdrawn between 1918-1924. None have been preserved.

Livery
Albert is painted in the Furness Railway's Indian Red livery with black lining and the initials "FR" written in yellow and countershaded with blue on his side tanks.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Thomas and Victoria - Avalanche (does not speak)

Companion volumes

 * 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection (does not speak)

Trivia

 * The line Albert worked on is part of the now preserved Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway.
 * Albert is named after the husband of the British Empire's Queen Victoria, after whom Victoria is named.
 * The J1s did not originally have coal rails on their bunkers.
 * Albert was the last non-human character introduced in the Railway Series (Prince Charles, who made his debut in the final book Thomas and his Friends is the last overall character introduced).