Clyde

"I'm ashamed to work for British Rail. I really am."

— Clyde, Burnin'

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Clyde
Number: 101, previously D6801 and 37101 Class: CR 191 Class, previously BR Class 37 Designer: English Electric Build date: 1962, reconfigured 1976 Configuration: 4-6-0, previously Co-Co Voice Actor: Callum Hancock Arrived on the DR: 1972 (as a regular visitor), 1976 (as a permanent resident)

Clyde is a mixed traffic engine (once a former mainline diesel) who worked for British Railways, but later took refuge on the Dark Railway.

Bio

Clyde was built on December 28th, 1962 at the Vulcan Foundry. In 1969, he came to the Dark Railway on a goods train and spent the night at Galen Junction with Raymond and Allan. He expressed disgust at the way British Rail had treated steam engines, particularly as he had a steam engine for a best friend who was disposed off with little fanfare. After hearing the others talk about how well they got on with the steam engines, he commended their work relationships on the railway before leaving the next morning.

By 1972, Clyde found himself with increasingly more spare time. One night, he had brought the "Red Herring" fish train to Colhapper and was resting when he was asked to go and rescue Turbo, who had broken down further up the line. Bringing him to Merecombe, Clyde offered his services to Mr. Dark while Turbo was out of traffic and he searched for another diesel. Mr. Dark agreed to make arrangements. When it was revealed that De la Trip was actually a Glasgow built engine, Clyde berated him for his hypocrisy and attitude towards the other engines. Clyde's search for another diesel engine was unsuccessful until Hannah recommended he look in the Western Region. There, he came across Warrior, who had saved Hannah from scrap, at Swindon, and he decided to collect Mr. Dark who later purchased him. Clyde supported the diesels when they went on strike and refused to help Mr. Dark while it was going on. After some time away from the railway, he returned once again in 1974. After spending the night at Colhapper, he tried to return to BR metals the following morning only to find that British Rail had removed the rails leading to the mainline, trapping him on the Dark Railway. Though he initially feared for both the railway and himself, he soon realised that this meant he could now be safe from withdrawal by BR, and helped to rally the others to feel optimistic about the situation once they heard the news.

In the weeks that followed, Clyde was forced to restrict his movements to avoid being found by British Rail. Tired of this secrecy, he approached Theo and Otto to see if they had a solution for his problem. They recommended he continue hiding until they could sort out a possible solution. The twins eventually asked him to accompany them to Soma where they proceeded to use their Tau Cannon to alter Clyde's appearance. As they did so, however, the gun destroyed itself. Though it was successful in changing Clyde's physical form, an influx of Tau particles left him with a tricky to control ability to shapeshift into any locomotive form at will. Clyde was thrilled with these new powers, opting to take the form of primarily Caledonian Railway steam engines. He also amused the others by impersonating other engines, particularly De la Trip. However, he took these antics too far one day when he flirted with 257 Squadron while disguised as Hannah. He received warnings from both Dave and Zeke Dark for this, and after he caused an accident due to an unintended transformation whilst pulling a train he was forbidden from pulling trains until he had his abilities under complete control. On the evening that this happened, Clyde witnessed Hannah panicking over the disappearance of Dave, whom she claimed to have been abducted by some sort of demon. He was brought to Pogo's locker where he was informed that Dave had indeed been taken by a demon from an alternate dimension and that he would have to accompany Pogo to help rescue him. After using his powers to ward off another demon, Clyde transformed into each of Dave's closest friends and gave him the motivation to fight off the demon. The mission successful, Pogo brought them back to the locker, where he offered to remove Clyde's shapeshifting powers altogether. Clyde accepted and was returned to the normal world, now permanently in the form of a Caledonian steam engine.

Persona

Clyde is a warm sort who expresses sympathy to the plight of steam locomotives on British Railways. His jaded feelings towards BR have also left him with a strong sense of loyalty towards the Dark Railway and an eagerness to help it in any way that he can.

He has shown to get a bit carried away with power, as he abused his shapeshifting powers by upsetting some of the engines. He regretted his action afterwards, and risked his life to save Dave to make things right, showing his intentions are not malicious.

Livery

Clyde is currently painted in Caledonian Railway light blue, with black and white lining and maroon running board and cylinder covers. In diesel form, Clyde was painted in British Railways blue with full yellow warning panels.

During his shapeshiftting phase, Clyde's livery depended on the form which he adopted. This was primarily CR blue, but this sometimes gave way to CR lined black, BR black and BR lined green.

Basis

Clyde in his original form

Clyde was originally based on a British Railways Class 37 Co-Co locomotive. These are known as "Tractors", a nickname due to the agricultural sound of the diesel engine of the locomotive.

Following his transformation by the Tau Cannon and the removal of his shapeshiftting abilities, Clyde is now based on a Caledonian Railway 191 Class 4-6-0 steam locomotive. This was his primary form during his time as a shapeshifter, with a CR 600 Class 0-8-0 being his secondary choice of disguise. Other forms taken during his moments of uncontrollable shapeshifting include:

• A CR 34 Class 2-6-0
• A CR 264 Class 0-4-0ST
• A CR 294 Jumbo Class 0-6-0
• A CR 439 Class 0-4-4T
• A CR 498 Class 0-6-0T
• A CR 721 Dunalastair I Class 4-4-0
• A CR 903 Cardean Class 4-6-0
• A CR 944 Class 4-6-2T
• A Great Central Railway Class 8K 2-8-0
• A GCR Class 9N 4-6-2T
• A Great Northern Railway Class K1 0-8-0
• A Great Western Railway 1400 Class 0-4-2T
• A GWR 2600 Aberdare Class 2-6-0
• A Union Pacific Big Boy 4-8-8-4

Appearances

The Dark Railway Series

Episodes:

• Series 6 - Burnin'
• Series 8 - One More Time, Face to Face, Time Waster, Short Circuit, and Autumn (mentioned)
• Series 9 - Rock Shock, Time Wasted, Extend Extra (does not speak), Wipeout, and Shapeshifter, and Pogo / Mere Anarchy

Trivia

• Starting with the credits of "Colossus", Clyde has frequently been seen with a seagull close to him. This is a reference to an in-joke within the DDJP social circle based on his voice actor's YouTube alias, Grey the Floydian Sergal.
• Clyde's shapeshifting capablities introduced in Series 9 were a result of Dark DJ's lack of enthusiasm for the Class 37 in general, plus his desire to introduce a Caledonian Railway engine into the series without the need to introduce a whole new character.
• With the exception of the 1400 and his moments of impersonating other characters, all of Clyde's different forms in Series 9 are models created by Caledonia Works. This was done intentionally as a nod to the developer.
• Across all of Clyde's different forms, his number has remained a variation of his original number, 37101. This has carried over into his permanent new form, as no 191 in real life carried the number 101.
• Clyde is the only character to date aside from Sir Eustace Missenden to receive a permanent change in physical appearance beyond his livery and superficial fittings.