Rheneas

Rheneas is a narrow gauge tank engine.

Railway Series history
He arrived shortly after his brother Skarloey, and was the more sensible of the two engines. He was a hard worker right from the start, and when Skarloey became too ill to work, he took charge of the line on his own. It was at this time that he saved the railway when he took a train full of passengers home despite being badly hurt. When Sir Handel and Peter Sam arrived, the Thin Controller was able to send him away for repairs. He returned better than ever, and these days he mainly pulls passenger trains. In 1949, he celebrated his hundredth birthday with Skarloey, both of whom are nearing the ripe old age of 150 by now.

Rheneas in the TV series
Rheneas was introduced in Season 4 of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. He is a minor character, and he only spoke in one episode of the 1995 series. He played small roles in Seasons 5 and 6, and had two major roles in Season 7.

When Rheneas returned to the series in 2005 after an absence in Season 8, he was depicted with a more childlike attitude. His first major role of the new series, Rheneas and the Dinosaur featured him and Skarloey having a dispute when Rheneas gets to pull a dinosaur skeleton, but can't manage on his own. It should also be noted that Skarloey and Rheneas have never been referred to as brothers in the TV adaptation, being called "friends" in the more recent episodes.

At the end of Blue Mountain Mystery, Rheneas has been painted yellow at the Steamworks.

In the Japanese version he was voiced by Ryōtarō Okiayu.

Merchandise
Rheneas has appeared in some of the major model ranges for Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends:


 * An Ertl Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends model
 * A Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway model (available with the rock crusher cars from 2004-2007)
 * A Take-Along Thomas & Friends model (released in 2007)
 * A Tomy Wind-Ups Model
 * The Tomica/Track Master Motorised range (released in 2008)

Prototype
Rheneas is based on the 1866-built locomotive Dolgoch which works at the Talyllyn Railway in Wales.

Theme

 * Rheneas' Theme is the Skarloey Railway theme, which he shares with Skarloey, Sir Handel, Peter Sam, Rusty, Duncan, Duke, Fearless Freddie, and Mighty Mac.

Counterparts

 * Hank (Theodore Tugboat)
 * Zip (Salty's Lighthouse)
 * Baby Luigi or Baby Yoshi (Super Mario Bros.)
 * Willy/Zippy (Wacky Races/The Perils of Penelope Pitstop)
 * Wakko Warner (Animaniacs)
 * Little Cat B (Dr. Seuss/The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss)
 * Eddie (The Simpsons)
 * Elmo (Sesame Street)
 * Baby Pip (Canimals)
 * The Baby Sun (Teletubbies
 * Baby Mumble (Happy Feet)
 * Private (Madagascar)

Parodies

 * Rheneas/Thomas
 * Rheneas/TUGS
 * Rheneas/Thomas and the Magic Railroad
 * Rheneas/Sonic
 * Rheneas/The Simpsons
 * Rheneas/Ice Age
 * Rheneas/Pixar
 * Rheneas/Alvin and The Chipmunks
 * Rheneas/Arthur
 * Rheneas/Teletubbies
 * Rheneas/Sesame Street