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Richard and Roger are twin Black 5 mixed-traffic engines.
Bio in the Series
When they first arrived they were troublesome to the engines especially Terry. Terry and the other engines are finding life difficult with Richard and Roger, who show very little respect towards the Standard Five. But the tables soon turn when Richard had an accident with bent rails. Something Terry told the twins to watch out for.
Richard was once furious at Den. The Diesel shunter thinks more "advanced" engines like him get given harder jobs. But Den soon finds out that Arthur has a lot more difficult duties then Den will ever have. And Richard gets the last laugh.
Another time in Halloween, Ivatt hears a strange noise and a pair of red eyes at the sheds. Roger soon makes up a story that it is a ghost of a bad tempered cleaner. Ivatt takes no notice of Roger's tale but is determined to get to the bottom of the Phantom of the Rails. The Phantom appeared to be a new diesel named Babs. In the end, the twins felt rather foolish.
Their story highlights that the railways aren't always a happy environment. A part of Roger's past catches up to him and the crews soon give him the nickname the "death engine", because they think he is jinxed. The other engines are doubtful at first but sadly one thing happens after another. But soon Richard and Roger were able to break the curse and they both lived happily.
The twins were often handling the secret military trains which departed to the base. It was secret so they told nobody of what was inside the train. Sometimes the contents would be Military equipment and destructive instructions that the government has to handle with care on something small such as tools, medicine an,d food but even that was handled with great care. John is very jealous that Richard and Roger get to haul the secret military trains and tries everything to pull it but always end up being caught out by the twins. At last wh,en a big storm subsided and the twins were too busy, John got the opportunity to pull the train but only ended up being embarrassed.
Differences
As stated in Terry, Twins & Twisted Track, Richard and Roger differed in design. Richard's top feed is placed on the front ring in conjunction with Walschaerts valve gear. Roger is built like most of his class with his top feed closer to his dome. But most notably is their livery. Roger is painted in BR Unlined Black with a Late Crest which was the most common livery around the 60's for mix traffic engines. Richard wears the BR Lined Black livery with an Early Crest.
Basis
Richard is based on the real LMS Stanier Black 5 44668 that was withdrawn in April 1966 and cut up at Motherwell scrapyard in July the same year. While Roger is based on the preserved 44871 Black 5 operational on the East Lancashire Railway formerly named "Sovereign". Henry is another member of this class.
Appearances
- Double Trouble
- Terry, Twins & Twisted Track
- Hard Work
- Ivatt's Phantom of the Rails
- Festive Spirit
- Roger's Curse
- Desperate Measures
- John's Comeuppance
- Lost In Thought
- An Anxious Wait (Roger only, does not speak)
- Babs and Seraphim (Richard only, mentioned)
- Engine 17 (Roger only, mentioned)
- Seen and Not Heard
Trivia
- The twins' rivalry with Terry was based on crews of the London Midland Region stating that Terry's brothers and sisters were "refied copies" of their native Black Fives. In terms of design, this wasn't true, as the boiler was the only major part from the Stanier mixed-traffic 4-6-0s put into the Standards' final design on the technical drawings.
- Roger is based on the real 44871, which took part in 44781 and BR "Standard" class Seven Pacific no. 70013 Oliver Cromwell in BR's famous "Fifteen Guinea Special," which went from Liverpool Lime Street station to Carlisle and back via Manchester Victoria, Hellifield, and the Settle & Carlisle Railway, on Sunday, August 11th, 1968 before the national steam ban was proposed.
- Roger is owned today by Ian Riley, a well-known Lancashire-based locomotive collector.
- Richard and Roger used Thomas, Bill and Ben's faces, six new faces would later be provided by TywynWharf2002.
Gallery
