De la Trip

De la Trip
Number: 785, previously 30785 Class: SR Maunsell N15 "King Arthur" Designer: Robert Urie/Richard Maunsell Build date: 1925 Configuration: 4-6-0 Arrived on the DR: 1971

Sir Mador de la Porte, better known as De la Trip, is a large express engine, who arrived on the Dark Railway in 1971.

Bio

De la Trip is a Maunsell N15 4-6-0 built in August1925. He gained his nickname, "De la Trip", from his first engine crews, who couldn't pronounce his name properly, therefore coining the phrase "taking a De la Trip" to refer to their engine. The name stuck, and De la Trip has stuck to this name for his entire life.

For his entire life, he worked on the Southern Railway, hauling express passenger trains over the Wessex Mainline, from London to Exeter, though at some point during the 1950's, he was based at Bournemouth Shed to work the South West Mainline, alongside 257 Squadron, Sir Eustace Missenden and a host of other engines. Whilst at Bournemouth, he befriended 257 but disapproved of Eustace greatly. He was well known for his dislike of other locomotives from other regions, often making rude remarks about engines from "off region" running on the Southern Railway (later the Southern Region). He also had a dislike of British Railways built steam engines and diesel locomotives, prompting many of his shed mates to soothe hurt feelings between De la Trip and any visitors. 

By the late 1950's, De la Trip was back on the western section, hauling expresses from Salisbury to Exeter, and despite his distaste for the western region, took fierce pride in his work, despite having to venture into Western territory from time to time. By the mid-1960's, and with the rundown of steam on the region, De la Trip was earmarked for withdrawal but was sold to Caracus Smash in 1966 after a long period in storage. 

Mr. Smash slowly restored the locomotive to working order, but the work was interrupted by the move of his business, Caracus Smash Limited, from Saxonhurst to Galen Junction in 1971. Mr. Smash had, by this point, agreed to sell De la Trip to Mr. Dark, to make up for the loss of Repulse, who had been banished from the railway a few years earlier. By early 1972, De la Trip had been restored to working order, and had been repainted into Southern Railway green, a livery De la Trip insisted on. 

He returned to service on the Dark Railway in the spring of 1972, the intention being that he would plug the gap left by Dave, who was being prepared for an overhaul. De la Trip immediately made himself unpopular with the other engines when he learned that there were no Southern built engines on the line and started a major argument in the sheds. When he learned that 257 was a British Railways built engine, he proceeded to disown him as a friend but was blackmailed into silence by Mr. B after learning that he knew of his secret.

Livery

De la Trip is currently painted in 1938 style Southern Railway Maunsell Lined Green,  with his number painted on his front buffer beam, as well as on his tender (with "Southern" written above it).

Previously, De la Trip would have worn Southern Railway Olive Green, Bulleid style Malachite Green, Bulleid style Wartime Black, and British Railways lined Brunswick Green.

Basis

De la Trip is based on a Southern Railway Maunsell N15 Class 4-6-0, known as the "King Arthur" class.

Appearances

The Dark Railway Series

Episodes:

• Series 8 - Revolution 909 (cameo in credits) and De la Trip

Trivia

• De la Trip is named after the song of the same name by German musician Ian Pooley.
• The real Sir Manor de la Porte was withdrawn from service in October 1959 and was cut up on November 30th of that year.