Bertie is a small red bus who appears in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. (View photo). He is first seen rescuing Thomas's passengers after Thomas gets stuck in a snowdrift. Bertie's most famous adventure was challenging Thomas to a race in which Thomas eventually won. Bertie also had to chase after Edward after he left the station without Bertie. Bertie the bus has also in appeared in several other adventures. Image File history File linksMetadata Bertie's_Chase_0001_0009. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Bertie's_Chase_0001_0009. ... An early motorized bus - a Benz truck modified by Netphener company (1895) A bus is a large automobile intended to carry numerous persons in addition to the driver and sometimes a conductor. ... Thomas & Friends (formerly Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a British childrens television series which was first broadcast in 1984. ... Thomas the Tank Engine. ... Edward the Blue Engine as seen in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ...

He is one of the best known non-rail characters in the series. He is cheerful and boisterous, and although he enjoys a good-natured rivalry with the engines, he is most usually seen helping them out, whether bringing passengers or assisting when the railway is out of action. ...

Origins

Bertie first appeared in 'Thomas, Terence and the Snow', a story in 'Tank Engine Thomas Again' (published 1948). His first major appearance came in the next story, 'Thomas and Bertie', in which he had his famous race with Thomas. The story proved very popular, and ensured that Bertie was in the series for good.

Unusually, this story was not based on a real-life incident, unlike most of the Railway Series stories. Rev. W. Awdry said that such a race was not likely due to "reprisals from authority", and he is careful to note in the story that "although, between you and me, they would like to have another race, I don't think they ever will". Map showing the railways on the fictional Island of Sodor (click to enlarge). ... The Reverend W. V. Awdry OBE (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997) was a clergyman, railway enthusiast and childrens author, best known as the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine. ...

In real life, buses have often worked hand-in-hand with railways. It is difficult to determine what sort of bus Bertie is, but the Real Lives of Thomas the Tank Engine website suggests that he is close to an AEC "Regal". AEC was a United Kingdom based vehicle manufacturer which built buses and trucks from 1912 until 1979. ...

The red livery was common on buses in the United Kingdom, most famously being used by London Transport. Founded in 1933 by an act of Parliament under Transport Minister Herbert Stanley Morrison, The London Passenger Transport Board generally known London Transport was A public authority appointed under act of Parliament, charged with responsibility for providing an adequate and properly co-ordinated system of passenger transport (Buses including Green...

Thomas and the Magic Railroad

In the film Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Bertie was voiced by Kevin Frank. In this, Bertie had a habit of saying, "Vroom-vroom!" at the end of his speeches. This habit was carried over into the television series for a time. Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a movie made in 2000 based on the well known TV Series and its American spinoff. ...

Trivia

• In the story "Bertie's Chase" in The Railway Series Bertie's license plate reads CRD54. CRD no doubt stands for C. Reginald Dalby, the illustrator at the time. 54 refers to the fact that the story was published in 1954. However, in "Thomas and Bertie" Bertie doesn't have a license plate at all.
• Bertie's driver is on his right side, however on the "Thomas and the Special Letter" video cover, Bertie's driver is on his left side.

Map showing the railways on the fictional Island of Sodor (click to enlarge). ... 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

• Information on Bertie and the AEC "Regal"