I find the idea of a UP loco coming to Sodor and utterly terrifying all the engines just by their immense girth to be extremely entertaining

My solution to the whole “too big for the loading gauge” issue is to make Hank a USATC s160. It throws off the timeline a bit since he now arrives in the 40s but you still get the same kind and patient big American engine.

The loading guage issue is simple on a scale as small as the island...for hank at least. Buff up the bridges Expand the tunnels enough to fit comfortablely Reinforce the rails Make sure the curves aren't to tight for the poor fella.

Hank is pretty much based on one of the US' Railroads legendary locomotives that pulled many passengers trains for the PRR. I think it's to honor the K4 and K4s class Pacifics. Unlike the New York Central Hudsons that were scrapped there are two survivors of the K4s fleet from the Pennsy. 3750 and the only to operate 1361.

I actually have a Bachmann HO scale k4 pacific that I’ve named Hank and painted in a black and red paint scheme with white accents and gold lettering in deliberate reference to the TTTE character. In 1952, my model railway (the BL&G) would’ve purchased 5448 from the Pennsylvania Railroad for use on their Redliner passenger train. Following BL&G tradition, 5448 was given the name “Hank J. Pemberton” after the BL&G’s president at the time. The BL&G sent 5448 to the Northwestern Railway as NWR no. 4 “Gordon” was down for repairs. After NWR no. 4 finished its repairs, 5448 was sent back to America and put back to use on the BL&G until total dieselization in 1965. After that, 5448 would’ve been one of five steam engines chosen for passenger excursions. Hank’s excursion service was not very consistent, as his belpaire firebox was difficult to maintain compared to the more conventional American fireboxes. He was pulled from service in January of 1995 and put on static display. Hank would get a second chance, however, as he was given a full restoration in 2021. In my model railway series, Hank would have a personality similar to a levelheaded bartender with a hard exterior and a good sense of emotional intelligence that other engines can go to with their problems and concerns.

Sir Topham Hatt buys hank on eBay but forgets to check the dementions and takes down henrys tunnel after he crosses the bridge

Edward and hank would make a great team.

We all need a hank and an Edward in our lives

32:37 Oh god, that's when something American happens in Britain, and I'm saying that as someone who lives in America.

Honestly, my headcanon for hanks superb patience is because back on the prr during his younger years, he acted the same way as thomas did, especially when the pennsy brought on engines even bigger than him like the J1s and Q1 and Q2 duplexes so he felt threatened by them and tried to prove that he is just as strong and or stronger than them but after breaking down himself a frendly J1 comes in and helps him out finally humbling him and from that day forward he tries his best to help out those smaller than him and the rest is history

I’ve always had a soft spot for Hank. Along with billy and nevile, idk why but these three characters from the hit era just work well in my universe of the show

My head canon: hank was the engine involved in the broker train wreck

34:01 i'm just imagining the fact that the engines can talk without faces

This is why hank is my comfort character

I just thought of something. Emily was present in Heave Ho Thomas. Hank arrived after Emily and she arrived after Oliver (who came to Sodor about 1967 - 1968), so if the PRR dieselized in the late 1950s...do you think Hank spent some time in a scrapyard for about 10 years or so before coming to Sodor?

What if in Tenders for Henry, instead of Diesel, Hank was the one who told Gordon about Diesels taking over his old railway and replacing his friends. Or, Diesel tells Gordon like he does in the book and show, but Gordon doesn't believe him at first. He tries to go about his work as normal but can't shake this feeling of coming dread. Hank notices something is up and offers to talk. Gordon tries to shake it off as nothing until Hank says something that makes him cave in and tell him about what Diesel said. In response Hank tells Gordon that is what happened on his old railway and Sir Topham saved his life. Gordon leaves and the next day speaks with Topham about it and the rest of the episode plays out as usual. I also feel like it'd be cool to see Hank and Flying Scotsman interact. Perhaps they met when Scotsman went to the USA.

So my head cannon for hank is that he was originally preserved by a rail enthusiast in 1957 after his class had gone out of service. This rail enthusiast was also a very good friend with the fat controller. The enthusiast kept hank until 1976 where he found himself in a bit of a financial dilemma where cannot keep hank for much longer or he might go into bankruptcy. Also during this time the fat controller is in desperate need of an engine to help murdoch with the heavy trains. To compensate for Hanks massive size, and the increasing amount of heavy goods. The bridges along the mainline,Edwards branchline, great western, and Kirk Ronan branch were strengthened. Henries tunnel, and many walking bridges were also raised to compensate for his height.

Hank would make a great therapist

Yes,We Need Hank To Be In More Episodes

Another reason for Hank being in american colors is because of the bicentennial of America in 1976. Loads of engines were painted into american flag colors ( I couldn't be bothered to find a bunch of pictures so heres a video kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mMiSlruHp7Guiac.html ) Although that would interfere with the timeline you guys have come up with.

30:53 - 32:43 How long till we get an animated version of this?

Gordon is proud of being built at Doncaster works

Guys, don't worry. Everything exept Hank's wheels have collisions turned off

Headcanon: he sounds like Hank hill

I remember when I talked about how there could be a diesel engine in America (like when Thomas would be on his world tour of sorts, like in that alternate BWBA web series) that was sort of like a mob boss of sorts, probably giving off a vibe similar to Gizmo in Fallout 1. And considering America's attitude regarding modernization, I'd imagine they'd totally have a good reason to essentially feel like some powerful mafioso of sorts. I can also imagine him threatening Thomas to stay off his and his cronies' bad side, probably saying something like; "We own the rails here, runt! Don't forget it!"

Aren’t there parts of sodor, where a cow catcher is needed? Then again, wheel covers were also stated to be needed

if hank met the big engines and they said "Tender engines dont shunt" he would probably just say "thats not true, even the shunters had tenders"

Connor or Yutz from the Full Bucketniers get bought by Sir Topham Hatt & comes to Sodor & terrifies the hell out of the Sodor engines, but are actually nice.

The fact that you guys can bring all this character to surface, even though Hank had only one episode.

I love hank and I just realised that this video was posted on my birthday. I still wondering if they know that the modelers used Spencer's chaise for hank

Your interpretation of Hank reminds me of my dad.

After watching this I want to add Hank to my fan project Sodor Revolution as a main character

HOW THE HECK DID YOU GET ME INVESTED IN A SEASON 12 CHARACTER?!?!

I think I good character flaw for Hank would be to make him the hypoconreact character instead of Henry to make Hank a more interesting character with that flaw

Hank The American Engine

Amazing!

Nice video!

he’s so damn nice LOL

I like the merchandise characters lol

Hank the optimus prime of sodor

Hank after he sees a single diesel. My time has come.

Hank could have been overall to fit on sodor

I love Neville and Murdoch because I think there unique also I want the motorized Neville and Murdoch toys!!!

Did you make this illustration yourselves or did you find it. If you found it please tell me where you found it. If you made it then can you make more illustrations.

At this point why hasn’t the fat controller bought a Shay or a Heisler, he has a Climax (Ferdinand), it’s the perfect amount of cgi wacky and they’re a practical size for all the tunnels and bridges on Sodor.

So wait you're going to run Thomas on the SKR because of how much you like Hank?

Is Wooden Railway is an accurate scale?

I wonder how he and Conner would get along

I hate how hank is portrayed as a heavy freight engine when on the Pennsylvania railroad the K4s(hanks basis) where pristine passenger locomotives.

What if he buy Nyc steam train and a up steam big boy and the up 3977 trains and all the USA steam Lima trains!

Henry please

I DO NOT THINK THAT TEXAS IS AMERICA! I AM BRITISH AND I AM OFFENDED jk, most people usually do

In could d 10