BoCo

BoCo is a green mixed traffic diesel engine, who primarily works on Edward's Branch Line and occasionally on the Main Line.

Personality
BoCo is a tame diesel engine, who is sensible, kind, and has a decent sense of humour. He is also very disciplined, as seen as he stops Bill and Ben from their pranks. Upon his arrival, he was unfortunate enough to be set upon by the mischievous Bill and Ben, when, thinking he had intentionally stolen their trucks, they pretended to be one engine and nearly made his eyes pop out. BoCo is now wise to the tank engine twins' pranks though he still somewhat humours them to a point. He is also good friends with Bill, Ben, Edward, and Duck. He is a true friend and is often willing to stick up for the underdog. BoCo is firm, but fair and friendly in his nature, not being afraid to speak his mind. Even Gordon soon thought of him in high regard when he "saved" him from Bill and Ben's antics. BoCo upholds a more praiseworthy and respectable, likeable image for diesel engines everywhere, being happy to show the more pompous steam engines that diesels have their uses. BoCo helps bring good order across Edward's Branch Line, even occasionally pulling Main Line trains, as the Fat Controller recognises how versatile he is.

Basis
BoCo is based on a British Rail (BR) Class 28 Co-Bo diesel-electric engine. Diesel 5701 is also based on this engine. BoCo's name is derived from his Co-Bo wheel arrangement, though reversed as the Rev. W. Awdry thought "BoCo" sounded more affectionate. These engines were initially used on the "Condor" express freight services but the class's Crossley engines quickly proved problematic. They suffered frequent failures, and in 1961 the entire class was handed back to the manufacturer for remedial work on the engines, and to cure problems with cab windows falling out while running. Upon return to service in 1962, all members of the class were allocated to Barrow-in-Furness. BoCo was susceptible to the mechanical failures of his class - according to the Awdrys, however, the Fat Controller eventually found a fix to prevent these malfunctions. The real engines were not so fortunate, and most were withdrawn and scrapped by 1969.

BoCo's number belonged to a real BR Class 28. The real D5702 was built in 29 September, 1958, and was withdrawn on 7th September, 1968, before being scrapped at J. Cashmore Scrapyards the following year.

In the annuals, BoCo mentions a brother of his - Diesel 5705, a real preserved engine, who is the last surviving Class 28. In another annual, BoCo claimed to have a twin called "CoBo" in order to play a trick on Bill and Ben.

Livery
BoCo is painted in the BR Brunswick green livery. He has yellow warning panels on his front and back end. In the television series, BoCo is painted in a more vibrant shade of green without yellow warning panels on his front and back end. "D5702" is painted on the sides of his cab in white.

In The Railway Series, BoCo has a yellow face. However, in Main Line Engines, he was first depicted with a yellow end from below his mouth to half-way up his nose. The top half of BoCo's nose and his eyes were in his green paintwork. This is evident in the fourth and sixth illustrations of "The Diseasel" as well as the last illustration of "Edward's Exploit". This type of face was also shown in "Old Stuck-Up" in "James and the Diesel Engines". Since he had two faces at each end of him, this could explain why his face differs in different illustrations. In the television series, he has a grey face on one end only to match the other characters.

Appearances

 * Season 1 - The Trouble With Trucks

Trivia

 * BoCo's name is often mis-capitalised as "Boco". One example of this is on his nameboard.
 * On the cover of the My Thomas Story Library, BoCo's wheel arrangement shows a Co-Co wheel arrangement. This was fixed in the 2011 re-release.
 * In the television series, BoCo and Daisy shared some of the same face masks, with Daisy's face having added make-up. They also share the same chassis and powered "Bo" bogie.
 * BoCo is the first of two characters to mention their own real-life basis in the television series, the other being Merlin.
 * Four of BoCo's face masks are now owned by Twitter user TomsProps.
 * BoCo has had two different horn sounds over the years:
 * In the second series, he shared the same sound as Diesel's, but in a lower pitch.
 * In the third series, he received a two-toned horn, similar to Mavis', but some steps lower-pitched.
 * In the fourth series, he regained his original horn sound after it was reused for Daisy.
 * In a 2015 interview with Sodor Island Fansite (SiF), railway consultant Sam Wilkinson expressed interest in reintroducing BoCo into the CGI Series, if this had happened, this would have become his first appearance and speaking role since the fifth series episode Double Teething Troubles.
 * Andrew Brenner had planned to have BoCo in Series 22, but that plan was dropped in favour of Big World! Big Adventures! instead.
 * BoCo's name is a joke on his wheel arrangement, Co-Bo.
 * On August 28, 2021, it was revealed that BoCo's model is in the possession of Sam Wilkinson.