Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
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This article is about the diesel engine. You may be looking for the Story Library Book.

Thomas has shown me that being a really useful engine is much better than being really lazy.”
― Dennis to Sir Topham Hatt[src]

Dennis is a lazy diesel who dislikes hard work, but enjoys making other engines do it for him.

Biography

When Dennis was new to the railway, he tried to take advantage of Thomas by getting him to do all his work for him. He soon learned his lesson when he reversed into a ditch. With Thomas' help, he was able to finish his work and promised to be a Really Useful Engine from then on.

In The Great Discovery, Dennis and a number of other diesel engines were waiting in the quarry yard upon hearing that Thomas had been found in the days leading up to the reopening of Great Waterton.

When Norman was transferred to the Island of Sodor, he was delighted to find his twin, Dennis.[3]

Personality

Dennis is considered to be a very lazy diesel who tries to take advantage of others and depend on them to do his work instead. Dennis will often create excuses to get out of work and is infamous for the fact that, unlike most of the engines on Sodor, he does not make an effort on being really useful, and slacks off on a regular basis. As a result of his laziness, he is very unpopular with other engines, but they are forgiving enough to let him redeem himself, depending on how motivated he really is. He usually gets caught in his lies and always says sorry - but whether or not he means it is the question.

Technical Details

Basis

Dennis is based on British Railways (BR) No. 11001, a prototype diesel built at Ashford Works, England in 1949. It was designed by Oliver Bulleid during his time working for the Southern Railway (SR), but the locomotive was completed after the SR had become part of BR. The Southern Railway experimented with various designs of diesel shunters, and amongst these, 11001 had a larger engine and a higher top speed to enable it to perform pick-up goods duties in addition to shunting. It was not a particularly successful design, and the locomotive was scrapped in 1959. 11001 had numerous distinctive features, such as large connecting rods, a long bonnet with the fuel tank in front, and a domed roof.

Dennis carries his basis' number. Dennis' twin, Norman, is also based on BR 11001.

Livery

Dennis is painted two-tone grey with dark grey wheels, gearboxes, roof, running board and front. His number 11001 is painted on his sides in white, and his jackshaft is red.

Appearances

Official Description

From Official Website[1]

Dennis: Dennis is a lazy diesel who will do anything to get out of working. He takes advantage of any opportunity to create an excuse to avoid a decent day's work. When he's found out, he’s sorry -- until the next opportunity to avoid work comes along.


Fun Fact: Dennis is based on a prototype built by British Railways Ashford. It was designed for shunting and mainline duties with a top speed of only 43mph!

From Official Website[2]

Dennis: Dennis is a lazy diesel who will do anything to get out of working. He takes advantage of any opportunity to create an excuse to avoid a decent day's work. When he's found out, he’s sorry -- until the next opportunity to avoid work comes along.


Fun Fact: Dennis and Norman are based on a British Rail 11001 Diesel Locomotive prototype built by British Railways Ashford. It was designed for shunting and mainline duties with a top speed of only 43mph!

Voice Actors

Audio Files

Theme

Only used Composer Theme Song
Thomas' Day Off Robert Hartshorne

Horn

First used Last used Sound Effect
Series 9 Series 9

Trivia

  • Michael Brandon gave Dennis a Texan accent.
  • According to a magazine article, Dennis lives at Vicarstown Dieselworks with Diesel 10, possibly an idea from the early stages of production for Day of the Diesels.
  • Dennis was originally intended to return in Day of the Diesels, however, he was later dropped in favour of a new character, Norman, who is also based on the same engine as Dennis and is known as his twin.[4]
  • Dennis and Norman are the only twins to never appear onscreen together.
  • Dennis' horn sound comes from a stock sound effects pack and as such can be found in many other pieces of media. It was also reused for 'Arry as an alternate horn in the eleventh series episode Hide and Peep and Flynn in the twenty-third series episode Steam Team to the Rescue.
  • Excluding the new characters introduced in the twelfth series, Dennis is the only character introduced in the HiT Entertainment model era without a Capsule Plarail toy.
  • Dennis had a total of six facial expressions, one of which (a drowsy face) was never shown on-screen.
  • A character face checklist from the tenth series reveals that Dennis was originally going to be named Denzel.
  • Despite not appearing in CGI, Dennis appeared in a 2019 (May/June) magazine.

Merchandise

References



--- Dropped | * 1991-1994 maps only | ** 2014 map only
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