Harold (Thomas and Friends)

Harold is a helicopter who patrols the Island looking for problems.

Bio
When Harold first met Percy, he stated that railways were "slow and out-of-date", but was proven wrong when Percy beat him in a race. When Thomas' brakes failed while boarding at a station, with an inspector Harold chased him down the line. Christmas that year Harold brought Santa Claus to the party at Tidmouth Station. Harold also dropped hot drinks for Percy's crew when they were stranded in a floating river and made friends with Duck after rescuing an injured sailor.

Harold lives at Toryreck airfield (Dryaw in the television series) by Thomas' Branch Line. He keeps a watchful eye over Sodor in case of trouble and speeds to the rescue of anyone in distress.

As of Misty Island Rescue, he has joined the Sodor Search and Rescue team and lives in his own hangar at the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. Since joining the team he has been involved in a search for Thomas when he got lost, saving Bertie from the Shake Shake Bridge and helping to recapture an escaped elephant. Once, Harold's rotors became jammed, so Thomas and Duck took him to the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. After this, he helped Charlie find an elephant which had escaped from the Sodor Animal Park, and then Charlie took it back.

Persona
Harold speaks in a manner reminiscent of an RAF pilot, using terms such as "wizard" and "old chap" in conversation.

Harold somewhat tends to be full of himself as he feels that "railways are slow", but he always gets his comeuppance in the end.

Basis
Harold is based on a Sikorsky S-55 helicopter, built in the UK as the Westland Whirlwind. He has added floats.

Livery
Harold is painted white with red lining.

Trivia

 * In the second season, Harold's spinning rotors were achieved using a transparent disk.
 * During the third and fifth seasons, Harold's rotor blades were flimsy and they bent a bit.
 * Harold's television series model didn't have moving eyes until the tenth season.
 * One of Harold's models is currently on display in Canada at Nitrogen Studios. Another is on display in Japan.
 * In Season 12, Harold was the only (non-human) character to be fully CGI-animated.
 * In the early seasons, Harold would sometimes be given a searchlight, such as in The Runaway, Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree, and Thomas, Percy and the Post Train. From the eighth season onward, the light has been added permanently.
 * In the television series, Harold has never had eyebrows.
 * Harold was called Herbert in the French dub of the Classic Series.
 * According to the Sodor Superstars Hall of Fame featured on Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures, Harold has never flown out of Sodor.