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Rusty is a narrow-gauge diesel who does maintainence work for the Skarloey Railway.
Bio in the Railway Series
Rusty was built by Ruston and Hornsby in 1954 and came to Sodor in 1955 to help Sir Handel and Peter Sam and do maintainence work while Skarloey and Rheneas were being repaired. Rusty was rebuilt in 1980.
The Little Old Engine
When Sir Handel claimed to be ill, Rusty promised to follow after Peter Sam with Sir Handel's trucks. He later helped Peter Sam away from the wreckage of the slate trucks.
Gallant Old Engine
After a bridge was found to have been swept away, Rusty took workmen to repair it.
Very Old Engine
Rusty was present at Skarloey and Rheneas' 100th birthday.
Great Little Engines
Rusty took workmen up the line to clear the rails of brambles.
New Little Engine
As Fred was supposedly sick, Rusty had to pull the weedkiller train.
Persona
Rusty is usually helpful and kind, but initially refused to help Duncan after he derailed. In the television series, he is occasionally impatient, careless and prone to leaving things to the last minute.
Basis
Rusty is based on the Talyllyn Railway's "Midlander".
Livery
In the Railway Series, Rusty is painted charcoal-black with gold lining. In the television series, he is painted orange with yellow lining and white lettering,.
Boy or girl?
A major continuity error occurred in the original American broadcasts of the ninth season, where Rusty was referred to as a female in narrations. While Rusty was clearly slated as being male in the original books, not once in the television series had he been referred to in gender-specific terms up until then. Nonetheless, the two episodes that contained this error, "Tuneful Toots" and "Duncan and the Old Mine", were edited for their DVD releases, now identifying Rusty as male.
Merchandising
- ERTL (normal and metallic - discontinued)
- LC Wooden (reissued in three-pack)
- Take-Along (three-pack and "Faulty Whistles" four-pack)
- TOMY/Trackmaster
- My First Thomas
- My Thomas Story Library
Trivia
- Contrary to popular belief, Rusty is actually named after his makes, Ruston and Hornsby, not because of his orange colour.
- The original Learning Curve Wooden model of Rusty was first released with a white cab roof. When he was rereleased, he gained the correct black roof.