Alice

"Good afternoon gentlemen, I'm Alice, your temporary Express engine!"

— Alice introduction, Visitor

Alice
Character Information
Date of Birth:	1904
Place of Birth:	Doncaster Works
Arrived on Sodor:	1938
Nationality:	British
Works at:	Great Northern Railway (1904-1922) London and North Eastern Railway (1923-1947) British Railways (1948-present)
First appearance:	Visitor
Color:	Light green

Alice is a GNR Class C1 tender engine who pulls Express passenger trains in London.

Biography

In 1938, she was brought as a temporary replacement while Gordon was in the works. The first engines she met were Thomas and Eric. She took them by surprise by being an express engine willing to shunt her own coaches. She then recognized Henry from his days on the GNR and brought back a trick she used to pull on him by sneaking up behind him and James and blowing her whistle. Henry explained to James how they knew each other. Alice kept Henry going back when he was in his failed old shape by being encouraging, which led to James teasing them. Although Alice was supposed to replace Gordon, she also took on any job that needed doing, no matter what kind, and did work with a smile and no complaints. She was surprised when Toby spoke Spanish, but before Toby could explain where he learned, Mr. Star showed up and announced they were being visited by a board inspector. Alice explained from her experience that such visits are often followed by sackings and closures. Mr. Star told the engines to be on their best behavior for the visit.

During said visit, Percy complained to Thomas and Alice about being continuously hassled by some snooty new coaches. Despite calming Percy down, Alice sympathized. Thomas explained to them the plan he came up with in which he and Percy pay the coaches out. Alice was excited by how wicked the plan was, but she couldn't join in as she was busy with a goods train. Wanting to know how it turned out — which was of course terribly for the visit — Alice wished them luck.

Alice then returned to London, presumably before the episode Thief, by which time Gordon had returned.

In Prejudice, while Edward talks about how prejudice among non-faceless vehicles mostly comes from newer generations thinking themselves superior to their predecessors, Alice and Spencer are shown frowning at each other.

In Evacuation, Alice is seen happily working alongside engines from other companies in war times. Working as part of the evacuation effort in Highbridge, Alice burst her safety valve pulling into the platform. This led to James coming up from Bristol, but since the train was too heavy for him, he sat in the shed with Alice as they waited for Gordon to come. James joked that an upside would be that she can't sneak up on him again and asked if Henry really always fell for that trick. Alice confirms this and admits feeling guilty since Henry was preoccupied with his health, but James assures her Henry didn't mind and again teases them about there being something between them. This time, Alice confirms that they were always just friends and that Henry's relationship with a certain Stirling class engine was a different matter, but before she could elaborate, Gordon arrives and snaps at James before Alice sternly explains the situation. When Gordon remorsefully explains he is in a bad mood from a petty argument with Reginald, Alice sympathizes and explains that she's seen engines become overtired with evacuation duty.

In Nationalisation, which takes place in 1948, Alice commiserates with William and Winston about the negative side of Nationalisation. However, when William says he considers it a mistake, Alice points out that not everything was perfect beforehand and that the Big Four caused rivalries. They all agree however that keeping their old liveries was a good decision. Winston and Alice engage in some flirting before Alice remembers to give Winston a message about his work the next day. She also says she doesn't agree with the widespread layoffs, worrying that it will lead to strikes.

In Modernisation, which takes place in 1956, Alice and William are again seen together, both annoyed with the Modernisation plan for causing delays via track overhaul.

Persona

Alice is kindhearted and always keen to help a friend in need. She disapproves of the way her siblings in London treat shunters like slaves and insists she can pull her own weight. She is willing to do any kind of work with a positive attitude and tends to take more nuanced opinions of situations, often sympathizing with those in an argument and acknowledging the pros and cons of any change. She is also a bit playful, given how she surprised Henry and William, wanted to join in on Thomas' trick, and flirted with Winston.

In the episode Visitor, Edward said that she was friendly to all engines, but in the episode Inspection, she was seen having a rivalry with the Midis. But much like everyone else, company rivalry stopped mattering to her with the war.

Livery

Alice is painted in LNER light green with gold linings. The number 288 is painted on her cabs in gold and G N R is painted on her tender in gold.

Basis

Alice is based on the large-boiler variant of the GNR Class C1 #251, built in 1902. This is the only engine of its kind to be preserved.

Appearances

The Stories of Sodor

Season 1

• Prologue (cameo)

Season 2

• Visitor
• Inspection
• Prejudice (cameo)

Stories of War

• Evacuation

Season 3

• Nationalisation

Season 4

• Modernisation (cameo)
• Secrets (cameo)
• Beeching (cameo)

Sodor Shorts

• Monster (cameo)
• Marc (cameo)
• Remembrance (does not speak)
• Siege (does not speak)

Sodor Specials

• Non-Faceless Vehicles (cameo)
• A History of its Railways (cameo)

Gallery

References

• http://wildnorwester.wikia.com/wiki/Alice

See Also

LNER

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