Culdee:
Culdee is at his happiest when he’s scaling the Fell with his faithful coach, Catherine – especially early in the morning, with the sun rising to the east. When he can feel the crisp wind blow across his tanks, when he can see the entire island laid out below him, the engines mere specks in the distance, his funnel closer to the cloud than the ground.
“It’s gorgeous up here,” murmured Culdee to Catherine.
“Oh yes,” hummed Catherine. “There’s no place better in the whole world.” Culdee couldn’t agree more.
Mike:
Mike is at his happiest in the evenings, when the moon is just rising and his train is compiled of the last of the ballast collected from the workings. The air is cool, and the trees seem to dance in the breeze, the leaves rustling with woodland creatures all awakening from their slumber to begin foraging. There is no Rex to antagonise him, no Frank to make snippy comments about trackwork. It’s perfect.
“I love this,” Mike admitted freely into the wind. And though his trucks didn’t reply, it felt like for a brief moment the wind spurred them onwards.
Rusty:
Rusty is always happiest when working on the track. It may seem cliché, but the little diesel loves the work – being able to help the other engines run smoothly along the rails, and knowing that it was their handiwork that achieved that. Hearing the praise from the engines only added to the feeling.
“Nice work today, Rusty!” called Sir Handel as he steamed by the little diesel with a passenger train.
“Thank you!” grinned Rusty. Ah yes, there was nothing in the world that Rusty would exchange than to hear that their friends were happy with their work.
Mavis:
Mavis finds travelling down the branchline to be the most joyful experience in the world. As much as she loves working in the quarry, making jokes with the workers (Thomas says she’s “uncouth”, Toby knows the best phrases to get a laugh out of the men) – well, her favourite job is heading all the way down to the harbour. Getting to go beyond her usual running grounds and see a piece of the world.
“Morning Terrence!” chirped Mavis.
“Oh, ‘Ello Mavis!” grinned Terrence, chugging over. “Nice ta see you! Heading for the harbour?”
“Oh yeah – I’ve got stone for a ship. It’s great being out of the quarry – less dust down here!” Terrence just laughed, and Mavis smiled broadly. Yes, this was where she was happiest.
The thing is, that almost all the engines could also agree on one other place where they are happiest: with each other. For all their arguments, they are family – each and every one of them, and they wouldn’t trade their family for the world.
Maybe the miniature engines? I’d love to see your take on them! Yes I know I’m predictable I’m sorry :')
It was predictable but so much fun to design, i read through their personality charts and watched a few episodes they're in to understand the silly little engines better.
So, when I found out these guys existed I figured that they’d be Munchkin Cats instead of the Narrow Gauge engines, they’ll be another small cat. I wanted them to look a little like the Carebears! Mike and Bert are my favorites.