Frankie is the city's lovely red fire engine, and he is the oldest and most experienced vehicle in the city. Tom is Frankie's driver, and Barney is his regular partner. Elphie the elephant sits in the basket that has been specially designed for her. As with the other city vehicles, Frankie runs on electricity. He has been a part of the fire service for at least 15 years, making him one of the oldest vehicle characters in the series.