Eagle

Eagle is a ivatt engine

Bio
Bought from the Midland region in the mid-1950’s from suburban services, Eagle proved awkward early on. While versatile on both passenger and freight workings, but his isolated attitude was seen better kept on the quiet Norramby branch line, where he worked alongside fellow-LMS engines until the joint service was handed to a BR DMU. He did run trains to Tidmouth and elsewhere on occasion, but these were infrequent turns at best, givne his improtance to the branch.

Eagle was glad to see this end some years later, and less glad to see their position taken by newcomer Hunter, to share the branch line with him permanently. He started a quarrel between the two, but after a landslip and seeing Hunter as a worthy partner, he begrudgingly got on with his work, seeing the tank engine’s friendly side and slowly warm up to him.

Eagle seen more action than usual in the past two decades. He was part of a big effort to complete the Ulfstead extension on the Ffarquhar branch line, alongside other trains, despite his discomfort in unfamiliar environments. His last outing was a job swap with James during a motive power situation, seeing new faces and proving to many engines that he’s a useful if temperamental colleague to the other engines. For some years Eagle was most unsettled by many comings and goings on the branch as the Fat Controller trialled various candidates for a '3rd engine' diagram on the line, only really being fully settled by Jinty's arrival at the end of 2017.

Personality
Eagle stands out from the crowd for being a reclusive, grump engine who’s reluctant to change and difficult to work with. He prefers to keep to himself and get on with his work alone, hence his annoyance when he was given a workmate in the form of Hunter the Prairie tank. Though versatile, he’s very hostile to strangers, hence the disagreement between the two and Eagle admitting defeat and learning to get along with Hunter.

The tank engine’s a rare exception, and though Eagle has never admitted it, he does see him as a close and strong friend. Even in recent years Eagle’s versatility has led him away from the secluded home of the Norramby branch line, but when the engine learn to put up with his silent nature and occasional irritations, he’s a strong and valued engine on the fleet.

Trivia

 * Eagle uses a combination of Henry and Duck's faces for his own faces.