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Description
Kate the Lancashire & Yorkshire Engine!

Kate was built in 1911 by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway for use with passenger trains over steeply graded tracks. Kate performed her duties well and even found herself a friend in a certain young Hughes Class 28 with an experimental 2-6-0 wheel arrangement. Unfortunately, the Hughes Mogul was sold to another railway further north and sent away. Kate was sad to see him go, but kept a positive attitude as she continued to carry out her passenger duties for years, often bouncing around between Manchester and Liverpool from the 1923 grouping that brought her into the London, Midland & Scottish Railway, and even into British Railways.

In 1957, the increasing presence of diesels saw Kate being used less and less, but the Class 5 tank engine held on to hope that she could be really useful again, even when it reached the point where she was only used for heating coaches.
Around October of 1958, Kate was greeted by an unexpected sight; Her controller was walking along the yard with a stout gentleman in a top hat. Her controller showed him the engines in his shed, but the gentleman seemed uninterested, his gaze drifting over to her. He pointed at Kate, some words that Kate couldn’t quite hear were exchanged, and then the gentleman walked over to her, tipping his hat and introducing himself as Sir Topham Hatt, explaining that he was searching for a utility engine for his railway, and asked if she would work hard if he chose her.

Kate agreed on the spot, and Sir Topham smiled at her before walking into her controller’s office before coming back out, telling her that she was now a part of the North Western Railway.

Once she arrived at Crovan’s Gate Steamworks for a quick check up, Kate asked if she could be painted in her LMS livery, as she had never been fond of BR black. The Fat Controller agreed, and Kate was given her crimson paintwork back. Setting to work quickly, Kate did a great number of odd jobs around the island, learning new skills and making new friends, even reuniting with the Hughes Class 28 from her L&YR days, who had since been given a slight rebuild and painted red. She almost didn’t recognize him at first, but soon found out who he was when he mentioned his name, James.

Once other engines were acquired as fellow utility engines, Kate took to looking after the coal mine in Crosby, as the mine’s owner, Eugene K. Rabs, was a notorious penny-pincher who refused to purchase an engine for the mine and instead paid a shunting fee to the NWR.
Because of this, Kate now spends most of her days at the Crosby colliery, making regular deliveries all over Sodor.

A happy-go-lucky girl if you ever saw one, Kate’s philosophy is to always look on the bright side of life. Very rarely will you see her in a bad mood, almost always wearing a smile on her face. Like anyone, Kate can sometimes get nervous when trying new things, but she’s always willing to give it a go.
She has the unique trait of being the only one on the entire island who James allows to teasingly call him “Brakeblocks,” and he, in return, is the only one who can get away with calling Kate “Lanky Tankie,” often leading to several wondering if there might be something between them.

Description
Kate the Lancashire & Yorkshire Engine!

Kate was built in 1911 by the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway for use with passenger trains over steeply graded tracks. Kate performed her duties well and even found herself a friend in a certain young Hughes Class 28 with an experimental 2-6-0 wheel arrangement. Unfortunately, the Hughes Mogul was sold to another railway further north and sent away. Kate was sad to see him go, but kept a positive attitude as she continued to carry out her passenger duties for years, often bouncing around between Manchester and Liverpool from the 1923 grouping that brought her into the London, Midland & Scottish Railway, and even into British Railways.

In 1957, the increasing presence of diesels saw Kate being used less and less, but the Class 5 tank engine held on to hope that she could be really useful again, even when it reached the point where she was only used for heating coaches.
Around October of 1958, Kate was greeted by an unexpected sight; Her controller was walking along the yard with a stout gentleman in a top hat. Her controller showed him the engines in his shed, but the gentleman seemed uninterested, his gaze drifting over to her. He pointed at Kate, some words that Kate couldn’t quite hear were exchanged, and then the gentleman walked over to her, tipping his hat and introducing himself as Sir Topham Hatt, explaining that he was searching for a utility engine for his railway, and asked if she would work hard if he chose her.

Kate agreed on the spot, and Sir Topham smiled at her before walking into her controller’s office before coming back out, telling her that she was now a part of the North Western Railway.

Once she arrived at Crovan’s Gate Steamworks for a quick check up, Kate asked if she could be painted in her LMS livery, as she had never been fond of BR black. The Fat Controller agreed, and Kate was given her crimson paintwork back. Setting to work quickly, Kate did a great number of odd jobs around the island, learning new skills and making new friends, even reuniting with the Hughes Class 28 from her L&YR days, who had since been given a slight rebuild and painted red. She almost didn’t recognize him at first, but soon found out who he was when he mentioned his name, James.

Once other engines were acquired as fellow utility engines, Kate took to looking after the coal mine in Crosby, as the mine’s owner, Eugene K. Rabs, was a notorious penny-pincher who refused to purchase an engine for the mine and instead paid a shunting fee to the NWR.
Because of this, Kate now spends most of her days at the Crosby colliery, making regular deliveries all over Sodor.

A happy-go-lucky girl if you ever saw one, Kate’s philosophy is to always look on the bright side of life. Very rarely will you see her in a bad mood, almost always wearing a smile on her face. Like anyone, Kate can sometimes get nervous when trying new things, but she’s always willing to give it a go.
She has the unique trait of being the only one on the entire island who James allows to teasingly call him “Brakeblocks,” and he, in return, is the only one who can get away with calling Kate “Lanky Tankie,” often leading to several wondering if there might be something between them.