Belle

Belle is a large tank engine fitted with water cannons, and a member of the Search and Rescue Team.

Personality
Belle is a bold, big, blue tank engine, who is fitted with two water cannons atop her tanks, from which she can shoot water to fight fires. She also has a whistle and a big brass bell. Belle is lively, loud and proud, with a big personality. While she may come across as bolshy, highly self-assertive and overwhelming, Belle will always have the best of intentions at heart. She always wants to do her best and be the best she can be, causing her to be daring, energetic and bursting with enthusiasm. But Belle is happy to talk to any engine or vehicle and although she may be quick to jump in with her own ideas, always tries to understand, help and be kind to others. As a result, she is a very likable engine, so much so that even Cranky gets on with her. She gets on well with Thomas and can even hold a civil conversation with Diesel, but she works especially well with Flynn, when helping him to tackle fires and is always there to support him should he make a mistake. Although fighting fires is always at the top of her list of priorities, Belle has also been known to perform goods duties about the railway.

Basis
Belle is based on a British Railways Standard Class 4MT tank engine with added water cannons, brass bell and electric headlamps. These tank engines were a development of the LMS Fairburn 2-6-4T and were used for commuter and outer suburban services. They were used on all regions of BR, except the Western Region, and remained in service until 1967. Fifteen of these engines are preserved, three at the Bluebell Railway.

Voice Actors

 * Abby Salzberg

Trivia

 * Belle's name is French for "pretty" and references the bell on her firebox.
 * Despite being voiced by the same actress in both the UK and US dubs, Teresa Gallagher gives Belle an American accent in the US dub as opposed to her British accent in the UK dub. She is the first character to be in this situation with the second character being James in the twenty-first season.
 * Belle's Minis prototypes share the same mould as Rosie, therefore incorrectly depicting her as an SR USA Class 0-6-0T. This was fixed on the final produced toys, depicting her as a BR Standard Class 4MT tank engine.
 * In the nineteenth season, the frame around Belle's bell changed from black to brass.
 * Belle is the first female engine to be introduced in a CGI special.