Butch is a yellow and navy blue breakdown vehicle. He later becomes part of the Sodor Search and Rescue Team. He is often equipped with either a flatbed or low loader.

Biography

Butch first appeared towing Lorry 3 to the docks after he broke down as a result of being overloaded with flour. After that, he received many cameo appearances. He also helped with the demolition of Tidmouth Sheds in Calling All Engines! and the rebuild of Great Waterton in The Great Discovery. He is now part of the Search and Rescue Team.

In the fifteenth series, he was given a magnet.

In the sixteenth series, Butch broke down and needed to be towed to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre by Flynn.

In the seventeenth series, Butch towed Flynn to the Rescue Centre when he got a flat tyre when racing to a fire. He later told Flynn about the fire at Brendam Docks and encouraged him to fight it.

In the nineteenth series, Butch accidentally sprayed Thomas with mud after he got stuck while pulling a tractor. He also tried to move a whale back to the ocean but could not when it was discovered that the tide was too far out.

Later, Butch was present when the Mayor of Sodor presented the Search and Rescue Centre with a new alarm bell and was also present to help Diesel and Percy when they were stuck in the water at the Old Quarry.

After Thomas had an accident, he derailed too far away from the rails so Butch took him to the Steamworks by road. Butch later attempted to get Rocky back on the rails by himself, but only stopped when his engine was at risk of blowing out.

Personality

Butch is serious about his job and loves working, especially with his railway friends. Despite his size, Butch has a kind heart and is always ready when his service is needed.

According to the "Thomas and Friends Writers' Bible", Butch is described as very strong with a nature to match. However, he is a bit sour, because all he does is pick up wrecks.

Technical Details

Basis

Butch is based on a hybrid of a Scammell Constructor and a Scammell Pioneer. According to the official website, he was constructed out of parts from a diesel, a lorry and a crane.

Livery

Butch's front is painted yellow and his trailer is painted navy blue, with "SODOR HEAVY RECOVERY UNIT" written on both sides in white and red hubcaps. Since Misty Island Rescue, he has the logo of the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre on his cab doors.

Appearances

Official Description

Audio Files

Horn

First used	Last used	Sound Effect
Series 15	Series 23

Trivia

• Ivan shares the same horn sound as him.
• Until the fifteenth series episode Stuck on You, Butch solely appeared as a background character, his only speaking role being in the LeapPad book Thomas the Really Useful Engine.
  • Prior to this episode, Butch was only named on-screen once, in the fifth series episode Horrid Lorry. Coincidentally, this was also the only episode to feature him without a face.
• In the Norwegian dub of the nineteenth series, Butch is called "Buck"; however, the subtitles still refer to him as Butch.
• Butch is one of three characters to have been given a face after originally not having one, the other two being Henrietta and Big Mickey.
  • He is also so far the only character who did not have a face originally, but was given one in the same series he was introduced in.
• Butch's magnet from the fifteenth series episode Stuck on You was later reused for a magnet at the Steelworks in Journey Beyond Sodor.
• He is one of twelve non-human characters to make his first speaking role after his debut series and/or special, the other eleven being Flying Scotsman, Toad, Bert, Paxton, Norman, Sidney, Yong Bao, Rajiv, Shane, Big Mickey (since he did not have a face until the twenty-first series) and Shankar.
• The three letters "BRK" on Butch's number plate stands for "Breakdown".

Quotes

Butch: Fire! Fire! Come on, Flynn! Get ready to rescue. There's a fire!
Flynn: You don't need me, Butch. Belle can put it out. She's already on guard at Ulfstead Castle.
Butch: But the fire's not at Ulfstead Castle. It's at Brendam Docks! Belle can't go, she has to stay at the fireworks!
Flynn: Really?
Butch: Come on, Flynn. We need you! You're the only engine who can put out the fire!

- Butch motivates Flynn, "Too Many Fire Engines", seventeenth series.

Merchandise

• ERTL (discontinued - marked as "Sodor Recovery Unit")
• Wooden Railway (reintroduced 2011; discontinued)
• Take Along (discontinued)
• Take-n-Play (discontinued)
• Adventures (discontinued)
• Collectible Railway (discontinued)
• Brio (discontinued)
• Thomas Engine Collection Series (with flatbed; discontinued)
• Trading Cards (discontinued)
• Mega Bloks (discontinued)
• Capsule Plarail
• Nakayoshi (with trailer; discontinued)
• Wood (discontinued)

References