Major characters in The Railway Series
Encyclopedia
Many characters have appeared in the books of The Railway Series
by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry and Christopher Awdry
, and in the spin-off television series, Thomas and Friends.
This article profiles the most significant characters of the series. Only characters who appear in the books have been profiled in this article and, in the case where a character has appeared in both series, only the book aspect has been addressed. The numerous less-significant characters – i.e. all those not included on this page – are described in Minor characters in The Railway Series
.
(NWR) on the Island of Sodor
.
tank locomotive, based on the LB&SCR E2 Class
. He is painted blue with red lining and is number 1 in the North Western Railway fleet. Thomas was given his own branch line, which he operates with his two coaches, Annie and Clarabel. He was built in 1913 and arrived on Sodor in 1915.
He is a cheeky engine who takes great pride in his branch line, and believes himself to be extremely important to the running of the railway.
Thomas is also the most-featured character in the eponymous television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (the original name for Thomas and Friends).
tender engine
, the first character to appear in The Railway Series. He is painted blue with red stripes and is number 2 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is one of the oldest engines on the railway, and is kind and friendly to everyone. He was built in 1896 and arrived on Sodor in 1920.
Edward is also one of the main characters in the television series.
tender engine. He is painted green with red stripes and is number 3 in the North Western Railway fleet. After a major accident, Henry was rebuilt with a different boiler and a new Belpaire firebox (though the firebox is never identified as a Belpaire, its shape is distinctive, and Crewe, where Henry was sent for rebuilding, was well known for such boiler and firebox conversions). He is one of the biggest engines, and can be quite highly-strung at times. He was built circa 1920, arriving on Sodor in 1922, but rebuilt in 1950.
Henry is also one of the main characters in the television series.
) tender engine. He is painted blue with red stripes and is number 4 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is the biggest engine on the railway, and pulls the Express. He is also very boastful and proud, but good at heart. He was built and arrived on Sodor in 1922.
Gordon is also one of the main characters in the television series.
2-6-0
tender engine. He is painted red with gold stripes & dome and is number 5 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is quite vain and hot-headed, and loves showing off. He was built 1915 and arrived on Sodor in 1946.
James is also one of the main characters in the television series.
Percy is also one of the main characters in the television series.
steam
tram
engine who works on the same branch line
as Thomas. He is painted brown and blue and is number 7 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is a wise, experienced engine who knows all there is to know about running a branch line. He was built in 1903 and arrived on Sodor in 1951.
Toby's cowcatchers and sideplates (that cover his wheels) mean he is ideal for taking stone trucks to and from the quarry at Ffarquhar
, as the railway runs close to the road. Toby has his own coach, Henrietta, who is painted chocolate brown.
Toby is also one of the main characters in the television series.
pannier tank locomotive. He is painted in Great Western
green and is officially number 8 in the North Western Railway fleet, although he carries a cast GWR number plate on his cab sides (5741). He currently runs his own branch line, The Little Western. He is a hard worker who believes that "there are two ways to do things: the Great Western way, and the wrong way." He was built in 1929 and arrived on Sodor in 1955. Prior to his arrival on Sodor, he worked at Paddington. This fact is revealed in the story "Gordon goes Foreign".
Duck is also one of the main characters in the television series.
tender engines who came from Scotland on trial. Not wanting to be separated, and knowing that one of them would have been scrapped on remaining in Scotland, they decided to travel together and hope for the best. Although the Fat Controller
was only expecting one engine and intended to send the other back to Scotland, he changed his mind after hearing how they performed in the snow and decided to keep both engines in his fleet.
The 'Twin Engines', as they became known, were painted all-over black on arrival at the island, but are then painted in blue with red stripes to match Gordon, Edward and Thomas. Donald & Douglas were given the numbers 9 and 10 respectively, as well as nameplates. They are practical, no-nonsense engines who can be relied upon for any task. They were built in 1899 and arrived on Sodor in 1959.
Donald and Douglas are based on the Caledonian Railway 812 Class
locomotives. They are also significant characters in the television series.
tank locomotive who 'escaped' from the Other Railway
where he was due to be scrapped. He first appears in the book Enterprising Engines, where his rescue by Douglas is described. Also escaping with Oliver were his faithful coach, a GWR autocoach
called Isabel, and a GWR brake van named 'Toad'. His daring escape made him popular with the engines, which perhaps made him a little over-confident. He was built in 1932 and arrived on Sodor in 1968.
After arriving on Sodor, Oliver was restored, painted GWR
green, and allocated loco number 11 on the North Western Railway books. However, he was allowed to keep his GWR number '1436'. He was assigned to work with Duck
on his branch line, "The Little Western", hauling Isabel and a second autocoach, Dulcie, both of whom have also been restored to full GWR livery.
When Oliver arrived on Sodor, he was not used to handling trucks, as he had operated a passenger branchline up until this point. While shunting his first ballast
train, an incident resulted in Oliver landing bunker-down in a turntable
well. On his return from the Works, the trucks continually harassed him, teasing about his accident with an irritating song- "Oliver's No Use At ALL!". With Toad's help, Oliver learned how to deal with them (albeit after having pulled one truck apart! - see S.C.Ruffey for the full story). Since then, he has gained experience and sense.
Oliver is based on a GWR 1400 Class
0-4-2T tank locomotive. These engines were fitted with a mechanical system allowing the driver to control the locomotive remotely from the cab of an 'autocoach'
, such as Isabel.
The story of Oliver's 'escape' is related by the Rev. Awdry in The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways. He was named after Revd Awdry's neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud as was Mavis.
Oliver has appeared in Enterprising Engines and, of course, the stories in the next book in the series, Oliver the Western Engine. He had a cameo appearance in the next volume, after which he was not seen again until Henry and the Express.
Oliver was named after Oliver Wicks – the Revd Awdry's next door neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud – who was a much respected member of Stroud Baptist Church.
They are young and cheeky and love playing jokes on the big engines, but are kept in order by Edward and BoCo. They work in the china clay quarry and at Brendam Docks, where they are kept busy shunting
trucks.
Bill & Ben are based on two 0-4-0
tank engines built by Bagnall
's of Stafford
. They worked at Par
in Cornwall
and were named Alfred and Judy. They are unusually low, allowing them to fit under bridges that taller engines could not. The real examples are both preserved at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway
.
They first appeared in the book Main Line Engines and played a major role in Thomas and the Twins.
in Duck and the Diesel Engine (vol 13 in The Railway Series). The character was based on a British Rail Class 08
shunting locomotive.
The character "Devious Diesel" in the television series was based on Diesel.
railcar
, painted green with yellow lining (similar to the livery of British Railways' DMUs in the 1960s), and was built in 1960 specially for use on the Ffarquhar
branch of the North Western Railway. She first appeared in the book Branch Line Engines.
Daisy arrived on Sodor after Thomas had an accident and needed major repairs. She was lazy at first, refusing to do any work that didn't appeal to her and claiming that she was "highly sprung", and thought herself far cleverer than the other engines. But an incident with a bull and a stern warning from the Fat Controller
showed her the error of her ways, and she is now a valuable addition to Thomas' branch line.
Daisy is undoubtedly based on the Class 101
diesel multiple unit
s (DMUs), but is a one-off, being a single railcar (akin to the Class 121
'bubble cars'), with a driving cab at each end. Although normally considered to be a Class 101, Daisy is always depicted with the distinctive valances around the buffer beams that distinguishes the earlier 'light-weight' prototype units
made by Metro-Cammell This is because the original model was built by amalgamating two of Tri-ang's R157 models. This would also account for Daisy's refusal to pull a milk van to the dairy, as the lightweight units were not strong enough to haul wagons.
Diesel engines like Daisy were becoming a common sight on branch line
s during the early 60's, and therefore it can be implied that Daisy's introduction into the series is a reflection of the contemporary state of railways at the time. Some of the stories involving Daisy reflect problems that were faced by railway staff when it came to dealing with 'highly sprung' diesel engines in the earlier phases of their usurpment of steam.
diesel who works mainly on Edward's Branch Line. He is painted in the green livery used by British Railways in the 1960s. He first appeared in the book Main Line Engines. He was built in 1958 and arrived on Sodor in 1965.
BoCo was received with some hostility by Bill and Ben, who called him a "Diseasel" due to a misunderstanding (the word "Diseasel" is also a portmanteau word
combining the words "Disease" and "Diesel" and characters are heard commenting that "Coughs and sneezles spread diseasels"), and by James, who called him a "buzzbox". Edward accepted him right away, and soon the others were won over. BoCo is a friendly engine who enjoys a joke, and is always ready with a kind word when needed.
BoCo is a Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2
diesel-electric locomotive, named after its unusual Co-Bo wheel arrangement. The bogie beneath the power plant carries three powered axles ('Co') and the other carries two ('Bo'). This arrangement was designed to maximise the routes over which the engine could work. Another unusual feature of the Metrovick Co-Bo is the use of a two-stroke diesel power plant rather than the more standard four-stroke. They suffered from mechanical unreliability which, according to Christopher Awdry, the Fat Controller managed to cure in BoCo's case.
Twenty of these engines were built by Metropolitan-Vickers
in 1958 as part of British Railways' Modernisation Plan. One 'Metrovick' (D5705) has survived and is preserved at the East Lancashire Railway
in Bury.
It should be noted that BoCo's name is always spelt with a capital B and a capital C. The name, obviously, is derived from the fact that he is a Co-Bo diesel. Rev. W. Awdry decided that "BoCo" flowed better than "CoBo", and sounded more affectionate.
In the Railway Series, BoCo carries his North Western Railway number 'D2', whereas in the television series he carries the number D5702, which is in the range of numbers assigned to the real "Metrovick" locomotives by British Railways. In reality, D5702, built in October 1958, was withdrawn in September 1968 and cut up in November 1969.
As described in the books, D7101 first arrived on the Island of Sodor on a trial for the Fat Controller. He was accompanied by another diesel engine, D199, who talked about taking over the railway, which Bear didn't like. Later in the same story, Bear suffered from a failed ejector and had to be rescued by Henry. He befriended his rescuer, and the Fat Controller decided to give him a second chance. Bear was given a new number, D3, and a new coat of paint, and D199 was sent away in disgrace.
Bear attracted his nickname because of the sound of his engine, which is loud and gives off a growling sound he can't help. Bear was one of the later additions to the Railway Series universe, arriving in 1968. He is based on the British Rail Class 35
"Hymek" B-B diesel-hydraulic locomotive, first built in 1961.
Bear mainly pulls passenger trains, and sometimes pulls the Express if Gordon is not able to do so. He wears the two-tone green livery he would have carried when built (all-over British Railways loco green, with a narrow band of a lighter, lime green along the bottom of the sides, cream-white cab window surrounds, and a small yellow warning panel). When he arrived he wore British Rail
'Rail Blue' livery.
Like D199, Bear's number, D7101, is fictional but plausible; the final Class 35 was numbered 'D7100'.
He first appeared in the book Enterprising Engines and has been seen and mentioned several times since.
diesel-mechanical shunting engine. She belongs to the Ffarquhar
Quarry Co. rather than the Fat Controller, and works mainly shunting stone trucks in their quarry. She sometimes brings Toby's trucks down the line when he is busy. She is painted black, with yellow-and-black "hazard" stripes on her radiator and cab back. Mavis is based on a BR Class 04
, some of which were fitted with the sideplates and cow-catcher for use on the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway
, the same line that Toby came from. She was built in 1952 and arrived on Sodor in 1962.
When she was young she was convinced that she knew it all and that Toby with his worn-in rules and methods was a "fusspot", but discovered that sometimes there is nothing wrong with taking advice - ignoring Toby's advice on truck-management-skills brought Mavis to a literal standstill at a level crossing near Ffarquhar where iced rails allowed the trucks to turn the tables on her. To Mavis' indignation rescue came in the form of 'fusspot' Toby. The two became friends however when she rescued him from a collapsing bridge. She is now allowed to come down the line from time to time, and is a useful addition to the branch line.
She first appeared in the book Tramway Engines She was named after Revd Awdry's neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud.
Mavis has also appeared as a character in the television series. Her function here is confused somewhat however - though she still works in various Quarries and carries her Ffarquhar Quarry Co. markings she seems to be fully under the authority of the Fat Controller.
High-Speed Diesel in The Railway Series
. They have had problems with their cooling system and came to the railway when Gordon was on a journey. They soon made friends with all the engines.
They have had three appearances, one in Gordon the High-Speed Engine, and two others as main characters in Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines and Thomas and His Friends. Following Privatisation
, the Fat Controller has decided to purchase them in order to run a faster service to London.
Pip and Emma are based on the British Rail Class 43 HST
and are painted in the original InterCity 125 livery of yellow and blue. After being purchased by the Fat Controller, the words "InterCity 125" and the BR Logo which were painted on their sides were replaced by "NWR" and have red nameplates with yellow writing.
Pip and Emma are also the names of two siblings characters in the Agatha Christie
novel A Murder is Announced
. The phrase "pip emma" was also used in the signalese developed by the British Army
signaller
s in the First World War to mean post meridiem, or p.m.
s and friends.
non-articulated coach.
.
When he first arrived in 1864, he was proud and arrogant, and believed himself too good to pull trucks. He also suffered from a short wheelbase which made him unstable and gave him the nickname "Bucking Bronco
". He was given an extra set of wheels and a cab, which made him more pompous still. However, Rheneas eventually showed him the error of his ways. From then on, Skarloey was a hard worker, running the line with Rheneas until he was worn out.
He first appeared in Four Little Engines. The story of his early years was told in Very Old Engines.
He was built in 1865 by Fletcher, Jennings
of Whitehaven, the same company that built Skarloey. He arrived shortly after Skarloey, but was at the start the more sensible of the two engines. He was a determined engine, and by the early 1950s he was running the railway alone. In Four Little Engines, he was sent away to be overhauled and did not return until seven books later, in Gallant Old Engine.
under the name Falcon. He is a pompous character who thinks that pulling trucks is beneath him, and will do anything to get out of jobs he does not want to do.
He was built in 1903 at the Falcon Works in Loughborough for the Mid Sodor Railway, when he was painted blue and carried the name 'Falcon'. After that line closed, he was sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company and then to the Skarloey Railway
, which at the time was desperately short of locomotives. Sir Handel did not cope well with the neglected track on his new railway, and would often derail - sometimes deliberately. He was given special wheels with broad tyres to cure this problem, which were known as "steamroller wheels" by the other engines.
In the 1980s, he was invited to the Talyllyn Railway
. This story actually had some basis in fact, as the Talyllyn Railway had paid tribute to the Railway Series by repainting their locomotive Sir Haydn to resemble Sir Handel. Sir Handel was actually based upon Sir Haydn.
Sir Handel first appeared in Four Little Engines.
. He is a polite engine, popular with passengers and coaches alike. Even the trucks do not play tricks on him.
He was built in 1922 for the Mid Sodor Railway by Kerr Stuart
of Stoke-on-Trent, and was therefore given the name 'Stuart'. Like Sir Handel, he was later sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company and then to the Skarloey Railway. Following a collision with some trucks and an accident in a tunnel, he lost his funnel and was fitted with a Giesl ejector
which made steaming far easier.
In the 1990s he was sent to the Talyllyn Railway. As with Sir Handel, this was based upon the Talyllyn Railway creating a "lookalike" engine, in this case by repainting the locomotive Edward Thomas.
He first appeared in Four Little Engines.
He is a reliable, practical and friendly engine who mainly works on maintenance duties, although he can also pull passenger or goods trains if the need arises.
He arrived in the book: The Little Old Engine.
, as a replacement when Peter Sam had his accident at the quarry. He was rough and bad-mannered, and believed himself to be overworked. He would often sway and lurch along the track – what the Thin Controller referred to as "rock 'n' roll". He had a number of accidents as a result. Although his behaviour has greatly improved, he can still be grumpy and cynical. His exact origins are unknown, but he did once work in a factory, according to Rusty.
He arrived in the book: The Little Old Engine.
. He is a firm but fair leader for whom the engines have the greatest respect.
, or in the articles about the railways on which they operate:
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry and Christopher Awdry
Christopher Awdry
Christopher Awdry is an English author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, which was started by his father, the Rev. W. Awdry. He has also produced children's books based on a number of other railways, as well as non-fiction articles...
, and in the spin-off television series, Thomas and Friends.
This article profiles the most significant characters of the series. Only characters who appear in the books have been profiled in this article and, in the case where a character has appeared in both series, only the book aspect has been addressed. The numerous less-significant characters – i.e. all those not included on this page – are described in Minor characters in The Railway Series
Minor characters in The Railway Series
The Railway Series by the Reverend W. V. Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters. Some of these had only a few stories or pages devoted to them and, as such, they cannot be regarded as 'major' characters....
.
The Fat Controller's railway
These are the railway locomotives (known universally in the books as 'engines') of the Fat Controller's railway: the North Western RailwayNorth Western Railway (fictional)
The North Western Railway is the main railway company featured in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry. Although the company's name has never been specifically stated in the books, it was mentioned as such in tie-in books such as The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and...
(NWR) on the Island of Sodor
Sodor (fictional island)
Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry, and later used in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television series.-Inspiration and creation:...
.
Thomas
Thomas the Tank Engine is an 0-6-00-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
tank locomotive, based on the LB&SCR E2 Class
LB&SCR E2 Class
The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E2 Class was a class of 0-6-0T steam locomotives designed by Lawson Billinton, intended for shunting and short distance freight trains...
. He is painted blue with red lining and is number 1 in the North Western Railway fleet. Thomas was given his own branch line, which he operates with his two coaches, Annie and Clarabel. He was built in 1913 and arrived on Sodor in 1915.
He is a cheeky engine who takes great pride in his branch line, and believes himself to be extremely important to the running of the railway.
Thomas is also the most-featured character in the eponymous television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (the original name for Thomas and Friends).
Edward
Edward the Blue Engine is a 4-4-04-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-4-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and no trailing wheels...
tender engine
Tender locomotive
A tender or coal-car is a special rail vehicle hauled by a steam locomotive containing the locomotive's fuel and water. Steam locomotives consume large quantities of water compared to the quantity of fuel, so tenders are necessary to keep the locomotive running over long distances. A locomotive...
, the first character to appear in The Railway Series. He is painted blue with red stripes and is number 2 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is one of the oldest engines on the railway, and is kind and friendly to everyone. He was built in 1896 and arrived on Sodor in 1920.
Edward is also one of the main characters in the television series.
Henry
Henry the Green Engine is a 4-6-04-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 4-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This wheel arrangement became the second-most popular...
tender engine. He is painted green with red stripes and is number 3 in the North Western Railway fleet. After a major accident, Henry was rebuilt with a different boiler and a new Belpaire firebox (though the firebox is never identified as a Belpaire, its shape is distinctive, and Crewe, where Henry was sent for rebuilding, was well known for such boiler and firebox conversions). He is one of the biggest engines, and can be quite highly-strung at times. He was built circa 1920, arriving on Sodor in 1922, but rebuilt in 1950.
Henry is also one of the main characters in the television series.
Gordon
Gordon the Big Engine is a 'Pacific' (4-6-24-6-2
4-6-2, in the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of four leading wheels on two axles , six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle .These locomotives are also known as Pacifics...
) tender engine. He is painted blue with red stripes and is number 4 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is the biggest engine on the railway, and pulls the Express. He is also very boastful and proud, but good at heart. He was built and arrived on Sodor in 1922.
Gordon is also one of the main characters in the television series.
James
James the Red Engine is a mixed-trafficMixed-traffic locomotive
A mixed-traffic locomotive is one designed to be capable of hauling both passenger trains and freight trains. The term is mostly used in the United Kingdom and those nations following British practice...
2-6-0
2-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 2-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of two leading wheels on one axle, usually in a leading truck, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels. This arrangement is commonly called a Mogul...
tender engine. He is painted red with gold stripes & dome and is number 5 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is quite vain and hot-headed, and loves showing off. He was built 1915 and arrived on Sodor in 1946.
James is also one of the main characters in the television series.
Percy
Percy the Small Engine is a saddle tank engine of indeterminate origins. He is painted green with red stripes and is number 6 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is a cheeky little engine with a strong sense of adventure, a high work rate and doesn't let anyone push him around, which sometimes gets him into trouble. He arrived on Sodor on 1949 during a railway strike.Percy is also one of the main characters in the television series.
Toby
Toby the Tram Engine is an 0-6-00-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
engine who works on the same branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
as Thomas. He is painted brown and blue and is number 7 in the North Western Railway fleet. He is a wise, experienced engine who knows all there is to know about running a branch line. He was built in 1903 and arrived on Sodor in 1951.
Toby's cowcatchers and sideplates (that cover his wheels) mean he is ideal for taking stone trucks to and from the quarry at Ffarquhar
Ffarquhar
Ffarquhar is a fictional town or village on the equally fictional Island of Sodor in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends children's TV series and in Reverend W. Awdry's The Railway Series books on which the TV series was based....
, as the railway runs close to the road. Toby has his own coach, Henrietta, who is painted chocolate brown.
Toby is also one of the main characters in the television series.
Duck
Duck the Great Western Engine (real name Montague) is an 0-6-00-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
pannier tank locomotive. He is painted in Great Western
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
green and is officially number 8 in the North Western Railway fleet, although he carries a cast GWR number plate on his cab sides (5741). He currently runs his own branch line, The Little Western. He is a hard worker who believes that "there are two ways to do things: the Great Western way, and the wrong way." He was built in 1929 and arrived on Sodor in 1955. Prior to his arrival on Sodor, he worked at Paddington. This fact is revealed in the story "Gordon goes Foreign".
Duck is also one of the main characters in the television series.
Donald & Douglas
Donald & Douglas are identical 0-6-00-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
tender engines who came from Scotland on trial. Not wanting to be separated, and knowing that one of them would have been scrapped on remaining in Scotland, they decided to travel together and hope for the best. Although the Fat Controller
The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written by the Rev. W. V. Awdry. In the first two books in the series he is known as The Fat Director...
was only expecting one engine and intended to send the other back to Scotland, he changed his mind after hearing how they performed in the snow and decided to keep both engines in his fleet.
The 'Twin Engines', as they became known, were painted all-over black on arrival at the island, but are then painted in blue with red stripes to match Gordon, Edward and Thomas. Donald & Douglas were given the numbers 9 and 10 respectively, as well as nameplates. They are practical, no-nonsense engines who can be relied upon for any task. They were built in 1899 and arrived on Sodor in 1959.
Donald and Douglas are based on the Caledonian Railway 812 Class
Caledonian Railway 812 Class
The Caledonian Railway 812 Class, or "Jumbos" is a class of 0-6-0 steam tender locomotive designed by John F. McIntosh and introduced in 1899. It featured the boiler from the 721 “Dunalastair” Class 4-4-0s....
locomotives. They are also significant characters in the television series.
Oliver
Oliver the Western Engine is an 0-4-20-4-2
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-2 represents the wheel arrangement with no leading wheels, four powered and coupled driving wheels on two axles, and two trailing wheels on one axle...
tank locomotive who 'escaped' from the Other Railway
The Other Railway
In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev. W. Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways , the UK nationalised rail organisation that existed from 1948 until 1997....
where he was due to be scrapped. He first appears in the book Enterprising Engines, where his rescue by Douglas is described. Also escaping with Oliver were his faithful coach, a GWR autocoach
GWR Autocoach
The GWR Autocoach is a type of coach that was used by the Great Western Railway for push-pull trains powered by a steam locomotive. The distinguishing design feature of an autocoach is the driving cab at one end, allowing the driver to control the train without needing to be located in the cab of...
called Isabel, and a GWR brake van named 'Toad'. His daring escape made him popular with the engines, which perhaps made him a little over-confident. He was built in 1932 and arrived on Sodor in 1968.
After arriving on Sodor, Oliver was restored, painted GWR
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
green, and allocated loco number 11 on the North Western Railway books. However, he was allowed to keep his GWR number '1436'. He was assigned to work with Duck
Duck the Great Western Engine
Duck the Great Western Engine is a fictional steam engine from The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry and the spin-off television series Thomas and Friends. He is a green 0-6-0 pannier tank locomotive and lives and works on the Island of Sodor....
on his branch line, "The Little Western", hauling Isabel and a second autocoach, Dulcie, both of whom have also been restored to full GWR livery.
When Oliver arrived on Sodor, he was not used to handling trucks, as he had operated a passenger branchline up until this point. While shunting his first ballast
Track ballast
Track ballast forms the trackbed upon which railway sleepers or railroad ties are laid. It is packed between, below, and around the ties. It is used to facilitate drainage of water, to distribute the load from the railroad ties, and also to keep down vegetation that might interfere with the track...
train, an incident resulted in Oliver landing bunker-down in a turntable
Turntable (railroad)
A railway turntable is a device for turning railroad rolling stock. When steam locomotives were still in wide use, many railroads needed a way to turn the locomotives around for return trips as their controls were often not configured for extended periods of running in reverse and in many...
well. On his return from the Works, the trucks continually harassed him, teasing about his accident with an irritating song- "Oliver's No Use At ALL!". With Toad's help, Oliver learned how to deal with them (albeit after having pulled one truck apart! - see S.C.Ruffey for the full story). Since then, he has gained experience and sense.
Oliver is based on a GWR 1400 Class
GWR 1400 Class
The GWR 1400 Class is a class of steam locomotive designed by the Great Western Railway for branch line passenger work. It was originally classified as the 4800 Class when introduced in 1932, and renumbered in 1946....
0-4-2T tank locomotive. These engines were fitted with a mechanical system allowing the driver to control the locomotive remotely from the cab of an 'autocoach'
GWR Autocoach
The GWR Autocoach is a type of coach that was used by the Great Western Railway for push-pull trains powered by a steam locomotive. The distinguishing design feature of an autocoach is the driving cab at one end, allowing the driver to control the train without needing to be located in the cab of...
, such as Isabel.
The story of Oliver's 'escape' is related by the Rev. Awdry in The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways. He was named after Revd Awdry's neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud as was Mavis.
Oliver has appeared in Enterprising Engines and, of course, the stories in the next book in the series, Oliver the Western Engine. He had a cameo appearance in the next volume, after which he was not seen again until Henry and the Express.
Oliver was named after Oliver Wicks – the Revd Awdry's next door neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud – who was a much respected member of Stroud Baptist Church.
Bill & Ben
Bill & Ben are twin tank engines who work for the Sodor China Clay Company. They are painted yellow, have four wheels each and have their names attached to their sides on brown nameplates. Apart from their nameplates, they are absolutely identical—which can be confusing to engines who don't know them well. They are smaller than the other engines they work with. They were built in 1953 and arrived on Sodor in 1966.They are young and cheeky and love playing jokes on the big engines, but are kept in order by Edward and BoCo. They work in the china clay quarry and at Brendam Docks, where they are kept busy shunting
Shunting
Shunting is an event in the neuron which occurs when an excitatory postsynaptic potential and an inhibitory postsynaptic potential are occurring close to each other on a dendrite, or are both on the soma of the cell....
trucks.
Bill & Ben are based on two 0-4-0
0-4-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-4-0 represents one of the simplest possible types, that with two axles and four coupled wheels, all of which are driven...
tank engines built by Bagnall
W.G. Bagnall
W. G. Bagnall was a locomotive manufacturer from Stafford, England. It was founded in 1875 by William Gordon Bagnall and ceased trading in 1962 when it was taken over by English Electric Co Ltd. The company was located at the Castle Engine Works, in Castle Town, Stafford...
's of Stafford
Stafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
. They worked at Par
Par, Cornwall
Par is a town and fishing port with a harbour on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated in the civil parish of Tywardreath and Par and is approximately east of St Austell. Par has a population of around 1,400.....
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
and were named Alfred and Judy. They are unusually low, allowing them to fit under bridges that taller engines could not. The real examples are both preserved at the Bodmin and Wenford Railway
Bodmin and Wenford Railway
The Bodmin & Wenford Railway is a heritage railway, based at Bodmin in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It has an interchange with the national rail network at Bodmin Parkway railway station, the southern terminus of the line.-History:...
.
They first appeared in the book Main Line Engines and played a major role in Thomas and the Twins.
Diesel
Diesel was the first diesel engine to arrive on the Island of Sodor. He visited on a trial from The Other RailwayThe Other Railway
In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev. W. Awdry, The Other Railway refers to British Railways , the UK nationalised rail organisation that existed from 1948 until 1997....
in Duck and the Diesel Engine (vol 13 in The Railway Series). The character was based on a British Rail Class 08
British Rail Class 08
The British Rail Class 08 is a class of diesel-electric shunting locomotive. From 1953 to 1962, 996 locomotives were produced, making it the most numerous of all British locomotive classes....
shunting locomotive.
The character "Devious Diesel" in the television series was based on Diesel.
Daisy
Daisy is a unique dieselDiesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
railcar
Railcar
A railcar, in British English and Australian English, is a self-propelled railway vehicle designed to transport passengers. The term "railcar" is usually used in reference to a train consisting of a single coach , with a driver's cab at one or both ends. Some railways, e.g., the Great Western...
, painted green with yellow lining (similar to the livery of British Railways' DMUs in the 1960s), and was built in 1960 specially for use on the Ffarquhar
Ffarquhar
Ffarquhar is a fictional town or village on the equally fictional Island of Sodor in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends children's TV series and in Reverend W. Awdry's The Railway Series books on which the TV series was based....
branch of the North Western Railway. She first appeared in the book Branch Line Engines.
Daisy arrived on Sodor after Thomas had an accident and needed major repairs. She was lazy at first, refusing to do any work that didn't appeal to her and claiming that she was "highly sprung", and thought herself far cleverer than the other engines. But an incident with a bull and a stern warning from the Fat Controller
The Fat Controller
The Fat Controller is the head of the railway in The Railway Series of books written by the Rev. W. V. Awdry. In the first two books in the series he is known as The Fat Director...
showed her the error of her ways, and she is now a valuable addition to Thomas' branch line.
Daisy is undoubtedly based on the Class 101
British Rail Class 101
The British Rail Class 101 diesel multiple units were built by Metro-Cammell at Washwood Heath in Birmingham from 1956 to 1959, following construction of a series of prototype units. This class proved to be the most successful and longest-lived of all BR's First Generation DMUs, with the final five...
diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s (DMUs), but is a one-off, being a single railcar (akin to the Class 121
British Rail Class 121
Sixteen Class 121 single-car driving motor vehicles were built from 1960, numbered 55020–55035. These were supplemented by ten trailer vehicles, numbered 56280–56289 . They had a top speed of 70 mph, with slam-doors, and vacuum brakes...
'bubble cars'), with a driving cab at each end. Although normally considered to be a Class 101, Daisy is always depicted with the distinctive valances around the buffer beams that distinguishes the earlier 'light-weight' prototype units
British Rail Metro-Cammell
In 1955, Metropolitan Cammell produced its first lightweight Diesel multiple units, the prototypes of what were to become British Rail's most successful and longest-lived First Generation DMU type, the Class 101.- Operations :...
made by Metro-Cammell This is because the original model was built by amalgamating two of Tri-ang's R157 models. This would also account for Daisy's refusal to pull a milk van to the dairy, as the lightweight units were not strong enough to haul wagons.
Diesel engines like Daisy were becoming a common sight on branch line
Branch line
A branch line is a secondary railway line which branches off a more important through route, usually a main line. A very short branch line may be called a spur line...
s during the early 60's, and therefore it can be implied that Daisy's introduction into the series is a reflection of the contemporary state of railways at the time. Some of the stories involving Daisy reflect problems that were faced by railway staff when it came to dealing with 'highly sprung' diesel engines in the earlier phases of their usurpment of steam.
BoCo
BoCo is a Co-BoCo-Bo
In the UIC classification, the Co-Bo or Co′Bo′ wheel arrangement features two uncoupled bogies. The "Co" bogie has three driven axles and the "Bo" bogie has two....
diesel who works mainly on Edward's Branch Line. He is painted in the green livery used by British Railways in the 1960s. He first appeared in the book Main Line Engines. He was built in 1958 and arrived on Sodor in 1965.
BoCo was received with some hostility by Bill and Ben, who called him a "Diseasel" due to a misunderstanding (the word "Diseasel" is also a portmanteau word
Portmanteau word
A portmanteau or portmanteau word is a blend of two words or morphemes into one new word. A portmanteau word typically combines both sounds and meanings, as in smog, coined by blending smoke and fog. More generally, it may refer to any term or phrase that combines two or more meanings...
combining the words "Disease" and "Diesel" and characters are heard commenting that "Coughs and sneezles spread diseasels"), and by James, who called him a "buzzbox". Edward accepted him right away, and soon the others were won over. BoCo is a friendly engine who enjoys a joke, and is always ready with a kind word when needed.
BoCo is a Metropolitan-Vickers Type 2
British Rail Class 28
The British Rail Class 28 diesel locomotives, or 'Metrovicks' as they were popularly known, were built as part of the British Railways 1955 Modernisation Plan. The locomotives had a Co-Bo wheel arrangement – unique in British Railways practice though not uncommon in other countries, notably Japan...
diesel-electric locomotive, named after its unusual Co-Bo wheel arrangement. The bogie beneath the power plant carries three powered axles ('Co') and the other carries two ('Bo'). This arrangement was designed to maximise the routes over which the engine could work. Another unusual feature of the Metrovick Co-Bo is the use of a two-stroke diesel power plant rather than the more standard four-stroke. They suffered from mechanical unreliability which, according to Christopher Awdry, the Fat Controller managed to cure in BoCo's case.
Twenty of these engines were built by Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers
Metropolitan-Vickers, Metrovick, or Metrovicks, was a British heavy electrical engineering company of the early-to-mid 20th century formerly known as British Westinghouse. Highly diversified, they were particularly well known for their industrial electrical equipment such as generators, steam...
in 1958 as part of British Railways' Modernisation Plan. One 'Metrovick' (D5705) has survived and is preserved at the East Lancashire Railway
East Lancashire Railway
The East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway in Lancashire and Greater Manchester, England.-Overview:After formal closure by British Rail in 1982, the line was reopened on 25 July 1987. The initial service operated between Bury and Ramsbottom, via Summerseat. In 1991 the service was extended...
in Bury.
It should be noted that BoCo's name is always spelt with a capital B and a capital C. The name, obviously, is derived from the fact that he is a Co-Bo diesel. Rev. W. Awdry decided that "BoCo" flowed better than "CoBo", and sounded more affectionate.
In the Railway Series, BoCo carries his North Western Railway number 'D2', whereas in the television series he carries the number D5702, which is in the range of numbers assigned to the real "Metrovick" locomotives by British Railways. In reality, D5702, built in October 1958, was withdrawn in September 1968 and cut up in November 1969.
Bear/D7101
Bear was originally known as D7101.As described in the books, D7101 first arrived on the Island of Sodor on a trial for the Fat Controller. He was accompanied by another diesel engine, D199, who talked about taking over the railway, which Bear didn't like. Later in the same story, Bear suffered from a failed ejector and had to be rescued by Henry. He befriended his rescuer, and the Fat Controller decided to give him a second chance. Bear was given a new number, D3, and a new coat of paint, and D199 was sent away in disgrace.
Bear attracted his nickname because of the sound of his engine, which is loud and gives off a growling sound he can't help. Bear was one of the later additions to the Railway Series universe, arriving in 1968. He is based on the British Rail Class 35
British Rail Class 35
The British Rail Class 35 is a class of mixed-traffic B-B diesel locomotive with hydraulic transmission. Because of their Mekydro-design hydraulic transmission units, the locomotives became known as the Hymeks....
"Hymek" B-B diesel-hydraulic locomotive, first built in 1961.
Bear mainly pulls passenger trains, and sometimes pulls the Express if Gordon is not able to do so. He wears the two-tone green livery he would have carried when built (all-over British Railways loco green, with a narrow band of a lighter, lime green along the bottom of the sides, cream-white cab window surrounds, and a small yellow warning panel). When he arrived he wore British Rail
British Rail
British Railways , which from 1965 traded as British Rail, was the operator of most of the rail transport in Great Britain between 1948 and 1997. It was formed from the nationalisation of the "Big Four" British railway companies and lasted until the gradual privatisation of British Rail, in stages...
'Rail Blue' livery.
Like D199, Bear's number, D7101, is fictional but plausible; the final Class 35 was numbered 'D7100'.
He first appeared in the book Enterprising Engines and has been seen and mentioned several times since.
Mavis
Mavis is an 0-6-00-6-0
Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, 0-6-0 represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles, and no trailing wheels...
diesel-mechanical shunting engine. She belongs to the Ffarquhar
Ffarquhar
Ffarquhar is a fictional town or village on the equally fictional Island of Sodor in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends children's TV series and in Reverend W. Awdry's The Railway Series books on which the TV series was based....
Quarry Co. rather than the Fat Controller, and works mainly shunting stone trucks in their quarry. She sometimes brings Toby's trucks down the line when he is busy. She is painted black, with yellow-and-black "hazard" stripes on her radiator and cab back. Mavis is based on a BR Class 04
British Rail Class 04
The British Rail Class 04 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunting locomotive class was built between 1952 and 1962 and was the basis for the later Class 03 built in the British Railways workshops. The Class 04 locomotives were supplied by the Drewry Car Co., which at the time had no manufacturing...
, some of which were fitted with the sideplates and cow-catcher for use on the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway
Wisbech and Upwell Tramway
The Wisbech and Upwell Tramway was a rural standard gauge tramway in East Anglia. It was built by the Great Eastern Railway between Wisbech, Cambridgeshire and Upwell, Norfolk to carry agricultural produce. Although called a tram, in many ways it more closely resembled a conventional railway...
, the same line that Toby came from. She was built in 1952 and arrived on Sodor in 1962.
When she was young she was convinced that she knew it all and that Toby with his worn-in rules and methods was a "fusspot", but discovered that sometimes there is nothing wrong with taking advice - ignoring Toby's advice on truck-management-skills brought Mavis to a literal standstill at a level crossing near Ffarquhar where iced rails allowed the trucks to turn the tables on her. To Mavis' indignation rescue came in the form of 'fusspot' Toby. The two became friends however when she rescued him from a collapsing bridge. She is now allowed to come down the line from time to time, and is a useful addition to the branch line.
She first appeared in the book Tramway Engines She was named after Revd Awdry's neighbour in Rodborough, Stroud.
Mavis has also appeared as a character in the television series. Her function here is confused somewhat however - though she still works in various Quarries and carries her Ffarquhar Quarry Co. markings she seems to be fully under the authority of the Fat Controller.
Pip & Emma
Philippa (or Pip for short) and Emma make up an InterCity 125InterCity 125
The InterCity 125 was the brand name of British Rail's High Speed Train fleet. The InterCity 125 train is made up of two power cars, one at each end of a fixed formation of Mark 3 carriages, and is capable of , making the train the fastest diesel-powered locomotive in regular service in the...
High-Speed Diesel in The Railway Series
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
. They have had problems with their cooling system and came to the railway when Gordon was on a journey. They soon made friends with all the engines.
They have had three appearances, one in Gordon the High-Speed Engine, and two others as main characters in Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines and Thomas and His Friends. Following Privatisation
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
, the Fat Controller has decided to purchase them in order to run a faster service to London.
Pip and Emma are based on the British Rail Class 43 HST
British Rail Class 43 (HST)
The British Rail Class 43 is the TOPS classification used for the InterCity 125 High Speed Train power cars, built by BREL from 1975 to 1982....
and are painted in the original InterCity 125 livery of yellow and blue. After being purchased by the Fat Controller, the words "InterCity 125" and the BR Logo which were painted on their sides were replaced by "NWR" and have red nameplates with yellow writing.
Pip and Emma are also the names of two siblings characters in the Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie
Dame Agatha Christie DBE was a British crime writer of novels, short stories, and plays. She also wrote romances under the name Mary Westmacott, but she is best remembered for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections , and her successful West End plays.According to...
novel A Murder is Announced
A Murder is Announced
A Murder is Announced is a work of detective fiction by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by the Collins Crime Club in June 1950 and in the US by Dodd, Mead and Company in the same month...
. The phrase "pip emma" was also used in the signalese developed by the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
signaller
Signaller
In the armed forces, a signaller or signaleer is a specialist soldier or seaman or airman responsible for military communications. Signallers, aka Combat Signallers or signalmen or women, are commonly employed as radio or telephone operators, relaying messages for field commanders at the front line...
s in the First World War to mean post meridiem, or p.m.
Annie and Clarabel
Annie and Clarabel are Thomas's coaches and carry passengers on his branch line. They are his confidanteConfidante
A confidante is a type of sofa, originally characterized by a triangular seat at each end, so that people could sit at either end of the sofa and be close to the person sitting in the middle...
s and friends.
Henrietta
Henrietta is Toby's four-wheeled GERGreat Eastern Railway
The Great Eastern Railway was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia...
non-articulated coach.
Skarloey Railway
Skarloey Railway locomotives numbers 1 to 6 each have real-life equivalents, with the same numbers, on the Talyllyn RailwayTalyllyn Railway
The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow-gauge preserved railway in Wales running for from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1866 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain...
.
Skarloey
Skarloey (No. 1) is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor. He is a wise engine who knows everything there is to know about running a railway. He has great respect for coaches, passengers and his fellow engines, and often gives advice to the younger engines when it is needed. He also acts as a narrator in several of the stories.When he first arrived in 1864, he was proud and arrogant, and believed himself too good to pull trucks. He also suffered from a short wheelbase which made him unstable and gave him the nickname "Bucking Bronco
Bronco
Bronco, or bronc is a term used in the United States, northern Mexico and Canada to refer to an untrained horse or one that habitually bucks. It may refer to a feral horse that has lived in the wild its entire life, but is also used to refer to domestic horses not yet fully trained to saddle, and...
". He was given an extra set of wheels and a cab, which made him more pompous still. However, Rheneas eventually showed him the error of his ways. From then on, Skarloey was a hard worker, running the line with Rheneas until he was worn out.
He first appeared in Four Little Engines. The story of his early years was told in Very Old Engines.
Rheneas
Rheneas (No. 2) is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor. Rheneas is known as the "Gallant Old Engine" because he saved the railway by getting a train home after a breakdown.He was built in 1865 by Fletcher, Jennings
Fletcher, Jennings & Co.
Fletcher, Jennings & Co. was an engineering company at Lowca near Whitehaven, Cumbria, England.-Overview:Fletcher and Jennings took over the business of Tulk and Ley in 1857...
of Whitehaven, the same company that built Skarloey. He arrived shortly after Skarloey, but was at the start the more sensible of the two engines. He was a determined engine, and by the early 1950s he was running the railway alone. In Four Little Engines, he was sent away to be overhauled and did not return until seven books later, in Gallant Old Engine.
Sir Handel
Sir Handel (No. 3) is named after the owner of the Skarloey Railway, Sir Handel Brown. He worked on the Mid Sodor RailwayMid Sodor Railway
The Mid Sodor Railway is a fictional narrow gauge railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev.W.Awdry and Christopher Awdry. The railway was closed in 1947, but three of its engines survive on the Skarloey Railway...
under the name Falcon. He is a pompous character who thinks that pulling trucks is beneath him, and will do anything to get out of jobs he does not want to do.
He was built in 1903 at the Falcon Works in Loughborough for the Mid Sodor Railway, when he was painted blue and carried the name 'Falcon'. After that line closed, he was sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company and then to the Skarloey Railway
Skarloey Railway
On the fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry, the Skarloey Railway is a narrow gauge railway which runs from the main line at Crovan's Gate to the passenger terminus at Skarloey. Beyond Skarloey the line continues to a slate quarry.In the stories, the railway is run by...
, which at the time was desperately short of locomotives. Sir Handel did not cope well with the neglected track on his new railway, and would often derail - sometimes deliberately. He was given special wheels with broad tyres to cure this problem, which were known as "steamroller wheels" by the other engines.
In the 1980s, he was invited to the Talyllyn Railway
Talyllyn Railway
The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow-gauge preserved railway in Wales running for from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1866 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain...
. This story actually had some basis in fact, as the Talyllyn Railway had paid tribute to the Railway Series by repainting their locomotive Sir Haydn to resemble Sir Handel. Sir Handel was actually based upon Sir Haydn.
Sir Handel first appeared in Four Little Engines.
Peter Sam
Peter Sam (No. 4) was known as Stuart when he worked on the Mid Sodor RailwayMid Sodor Railway
The Mid Sodor Railway is a fictional narrow gauge railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev.W.Awdry and Christopher Awdry. The railway was closed in 1947, but three of its engines survive on the Skarloey Railway...
. He is a polite engine, popular with passengers and coaches alike. Even the trucks do not play tricks on him.
He was built in 1922 for the Mid Sodor Railway by Kerr Stuart
Kerr Stuart
Kerr, Stuart and Company Ltd was a locomotive manufacturer from Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:It was founded in 1881 by James Kerr as James Kerr & Company, and became Kerr, Stuart & Company from 1883 when John Stuart was taken on as a partner...
of Stoke-on-Trent, and was therefore given the name 'Stuart'. Like Sir Handel, he was later sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company and then to the Skarloey Railway. Following a collision with some trucks and an accident in a tunnel, he lost his funnel and was fitted with a Giesl ejector
Giesl ejector
A Giesl ejector is a suction draught system for steam locomotives that works on the same principle as a feedwater pump.This ejector was invented in 1951 by the Austrian engineer, Dr. Adolph Giesl-Gieslingen. The Giesl ejector ensures improved suction draught and a correspondingly better use of...
which made steaming far easier.
In the 1990s he was sent to the Talyllyn Railway. As with Sir Handel, this was based upon the Talyllyn Railway creating a "lookalike" engine, in this case by repainting the locomotive Edward Thomas.
He first appeared in Four Little Engines.
Rusty
Rusty (No. 5) is a black diesel-mechanical locomotive built by the Ruston & Hornsby company from which he gets his name. He was acquired direct from the manufacturers in 1957. His equivalent engine on the Talyllyn Railway is Midlander.He is a reliable, practical and friendly engine who mainly works on maintenance duties, although he can also pull passenger or goods trains if the need arises.
He arrived in the book: The Little Old Engine.
Duncan
Duncan (No .6) is a well tank locomotive, built by Andrew Barclay of Kilmarnock in 1928. He arrived on the railway second-handSecond-Hand
Second-Hand was a 2005 Romanian film directed by Dan Piţa.-Plot summary:The film's plot surrounds the romantic involvement of two contrasting characters: Petre , a Mafioso, and Andreea , a young violin player. The pair meet and fall in love...
, as a replacement when Peter Sam had his accident at the quarry. He was rough and bad-mannered, and believed himself to be overworked. He would often sway and lurch along the track – what the Thin Controller referred to as "rock 'n' roll". He had a number of accidents as a result. Although his behaviour has greatly improved, he can still be grumpy and cynical. His exact origins are unknown, but he did once work in a factory, according to Rusty.
He arrived in the book: The Little Old Engine.
Terence the Tractor
Terence the Tractor is first seen in 'Thomas, Terence and the Snow' in the book Tank Engine Thomas Again (1949). He can go "anywhere" thanks to his caterpillar tracks and once famously helped Thomas out of a snowdrift.Bertie the Bus
Bertie is the friendly bus that first appears in the story in which he rescues Thomas's passengers whilst in a snow drift, and has his most famous adventure when he challenges Thomas to a race.Trevor the Traction Engine
Trevor the Traction Engine was rescued in the story 'Saved from Scrap' and spends most of his time working in the orchard alongside Edward's branch line. He is used for all sorts of odd jobs.Harold the Helicopter
Harold the Helicopter is a friend to The Railway Series characters, although they share a friendly rivalry. He is owned by the Island's coastguard and lives at Dryaw Airfield. He was built in 1949 and appears in 1956.The Fat Controller
Sir Topham Hatt, The Fat Controller, is the head of the main rail company on SodorSodor (fictional island)
Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry, and later used in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television series.-Inspiration and creation:...
. He is a firm but fair leader for whom the engines have the greatest respect.
Other human characters
- For other human characters see Minor human characters in the Railway Series.
Minor characters
The minor characters are described in their own article, Minor characters in The Railway SeriesMinor characters in The Railway Series
The Railway Series by the Reverend W. V. Awdry and Christopher Awdry is populated with many and varied characters. Some of these had only a few stories or pages devoted to them and, as such, they cannot be regarded as 'major' characters....
, or in the articles about the railways on which they operate:
- Skarloey RailwaySkarloey RailwayOn the fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry, the Skarloey Railway is a narrow gauge railway which runs from the main line at Crovan's Gate to the passenger terminus at Skarloey. Beyond Skarloey the line continues to a slate quarry.In the stories, the railway is run by...
characters - Culdee Fell Railway locomotives
- Arlesdale Railway locomotives
- Mid Sodor Railway locomotives