Neville is a black tender engine with an unusual square shape.
Biography[]
Thomas & Friends[]
Nev's square body may cause others to look at him as having diesel-like qualities. Upon his arrival, Thomas saw him with 'Arry and Bert, who were actually teasing him, which caused a rumour regarding him being friends with the diesels and being horrid to steam engines to spread. Percy and Emily thought that he was planning to bump the steam engines, despite his jolly greetings to the engines. Luckily, the rumour was rectified and Thomas befriended Nev after rescuing him from a broken bridge.
Despite his gentleness, Nev has acted a bit cheeky, having once laughed at Emily for working with Whiff along with Molly and Murdoch.
Sometime later, Nev told Thomas and Percy about the job of collecting the Sodor Brass Band. They subsequently tore off part of his ear for interrupting them.
Personality[]
Nev is gentlemanly, highly enthusiastic, and kind if a little naïve. Nev never holds a grudge, but can be easily hurt by unkind comments or not being accepted by others who judge him only by his appearance. Otherwise, he is bubbly, ready to pull together, and happy to make new friends.
In Behind the Scenes with Pierce Brosnan, voice director Jamie Thomason describes Nev as being similar to Thomas, in terms of being around "the same age, helpful, keen, eager and cheerful" and he also describes Nev as being more inexperienced due to being new to Sodor.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
Nev is based on the SR Bulleid Q1 Class locomotive, which was often referred to as "ugly ducklings". The design represented the ultimate development of the British 0-6-0 freight engine. One reason for their unusual shape was so they could go through a coach-washer for cleaning at a time when manpower for this could not be spared. The specific engine Nev is based on, (BR no. 33010, originally SR no. C10) was built in September 1942 at Brighton Works and scrapped at Birds Manoravon Scrapyard, Morriston, Swansea in 1964. Unlike his prototype, however, Nev is missing the lubricator and crankshaft that connects to the front of his side-rods on the right-hand side. The first of the class, No. C1/33001 is the only Q1 preserved, at the National Railway Museum. It was formerly based at the Bluebell Railway.
Livery[]
Nev is painted in the BR unlined black livery without the BR crest. He has the number "33010" painted on the sides of his cab in white.
Appearances[]
Thomas & Friends[]
- Series 9 - Thomas and the New Engine
- Series 11 - Emily's Rubbish (cameo)
- Series 12 - Best Friends
Specials[]
- 2008 - The Great Discovery (does not speak)
Music Videos[]
- Series 9 - Brave
- Series 10 - There's Always Something New
Learning Segments[]
- Series 9 - Where Can Nev Find Salty?
- Series 10 - Sodor's Special Places
- Series 12 - Thomas' Favourite Friends
Books[]
- 2007 - Nev, Ride Along with Thomas and Thomas' Milkshake Muddle
- 2009 - Watch Me Draw Thomas & Friends
- 2010 - Movie Theater, Thomas and his Best Friend and Traveling Tales
- 2011 - The Big Book of Engines
- 2012 - Full Steam Ahead!
- 2015 - Thomas Takes a Vacation
Magazine stories[]
- 2006 - Sow and Grow and Thomas and the New Engine
- 2007 - Helpful and 'Happy'! and Nice Nev
- 2010 - Piggy-in-the-middle!
- 2011 - Splashdown!
- 2012 - Jack's Tracks! (mentioned)
Video Games[]
- 2007 - DVD Bingo
- 2008 - Begins Educational Learning
Voice Actors[]
- Matt Wilkinson (UK/US)
- Yukito Soma (Japan)
- Michel Lasorne (France and French speaking Canada)
Trivia[]
- In some descriptions of Thomas and the New Engine, Nev is described as actually being a diesel.
- In his Story Library book, magazine story illustrations, and merchandise lines (excluding Motor Road and Rail and TrackMaster), Nev is incorrectly depicted with spoked driving wheels. His prototype, the Bulleid Q1s, were built with "Bulleid-Firth-Brown" driving wheels.
- In the cover illustration of Nev's Story Library book, he is incorrectly depicted with grey driving wheels as opposed to black ones.
- Nev had a total of seven face masks, one of which (an amused face) was never shown on-screen.
- According to the talking My First Thomas toy of Nev, his favourite place to visit is the quarry.
- Nev's whistle sound is Oliver's original at a higher pitch. It was later used as Flying Scotsman's whistle from The Great Race onwards.
Quotes[]
- “He is, in many regards, similar to Thomas. He's new to Sodor, so he's more inexperienced. But like Thomas, he's, you know, he's the same age, helpful, keen, eager, cheerful...”
- ―Jamie Thomason describing Nev's character to Pierce Brosnan, Behind the Scenes with Pierce Brosnan
Merchandise[]
- Wooden Railway (discontinued)
- Take Along (discontinued; normal and metallic)
- Take-n-Play (discontinued)
- Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
- TrackMaster (discontinued)
- My First Thomas (talking; discontinued)
- My Thomas Story Library (discontinued)
- Capsule Plarail (Japan only)
- Switch-On Keychains