Peter Sam
Encyclopedia
Peter Sam is a fiction
al steam locomotive
The Railway Series
children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the spin-off TV series Thomas and Friends. Peter Sam lives and works on the Skarloey Railway
on the Island of Sodor
as engine No. 4.
had been purchased by the Thin Controller. Peter Sam (originally named Stuart on the Mid Sodor Railway
) was renamed and repainted in the Skarloey Railway livery of red with blue lining.
Peter Sam holds a lot of respect for Skarloey
, and often tries his best to prevent Sir Handel
from getting into trouble. He is a friendly engine who aims to please, and is highly popular among the coaches.
After an accident on the incline
when collecting slate trucks, Peter Sam had difficulty steaming. His funnel was knocked off in a tunnel
by an icicle
. He was soon fitted with an experimental funnel
(a Giesl ejector
) which enables him to take heavier loads. At first, the others teased him for it, but they soon learned how it made work much easier for him, and now they even wish they had one like it. Peter Sam's friendliness is what keeps the other engines working happily with him.
of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
. A number of Peter Sam's original adventures were adapted, with the same personality he had in the books.
For the next few seasons, his character waxed and waned. After being absent with the other Narrow Gauge engines for Season 8, he returned with Skarloey, Rheneas, Rusty, and Duncan the following year, starring in the episode The Magic Lamp. He still retains qualities from the books, and has had his flattened funnel since the Special Funnel adaptation in 1995. In recent episodes, Peter Sam has made cameos and other minor roles, but in Season 11 he made a couple of speaking roles. In Season 12, Peter Sam stars in Mountain Marvel where he finds a statue of Proteus.
Unlike the Skarloey Railway of the books, where all the locomotives are painted red, in the TV series each is painted a different colour: Peter Sam retains his original green colour from The Mid-Sodor Railway.
which works at the Talyllyn Railway
in Gwynedd
, Wales
. This locomotive is a modified "Tattoo" class, built in 1921 by Kerr Stuart
& Co at the California Works in Stoke on Trent for the gauge Corris Railway
in Merionethshire
, where it also carried the number 4. After the Corris closed in 1948 it was purchased (and named) by the Talyllyn in 1951. A new "Tattoo" class loco commenced work on the Corris Railway
in 2005.
In the Railway Series books, Peter Sam visited the Talyllyn Railway
. This was in commemoration of the fact that the Talyllyn Railway repainted Edward Thomas to represent Peter Sam.
This caused some controversy when Egmont, the publishers of the Railway Series books, complained that this was a violation of copyright
. A compromise was eventually reached whereby the Talyllyn Railway could run engines as Railway Series characters, but the faces attached to them had to be different from those depicted in the books.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
al steam locomotive
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
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...
children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the spin-off TV series Thomas and Friends. Peter Sam lives and works on 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...
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:...
as engine No. 4.
Railway Series history
Peter Sam first appeared in The Railway Series in the story Sir Handel. This story is set just after Peter Sam and Sir HandelSir Handel
Sir Handel is a fictional steam locomotive from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and its spin-off TV series, Thomas and Friends. Sir Handel lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor as Engine No.3...
had been purchased by the Thin Controller. Peter Sam (originally named Stuart on the Mid Sodor Railway
Mid 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...
) was renamed and repainted in the Skarloey Railway livery of red with blue lining.
Peter Sam holds a lot of respect for Skarloey
Skarloey
Skarloey is a fictional locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry. He is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor. Skarloey lives and works on the Skarloey Railway as Engine No.1.-Railway Series history:...
, and often tries his best to prevent Sir Handel
Sir Handel
Sir Handel is a fictional steam locomotive from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and its spin-off TV series, Thomas and Friends. Sir Handel lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor as Engine No.3...
from getting into trouble. He is a friendly engine who aims to please, and is highly popular among the coaches.
After an accident on the incline
Cable railway
A cable railway is a steeply graded railway that uses a cable or rope to haul trains.-Introduction:...
when collecting slate trucks, Peter Sam had difficulty steaming. His funnel was knocked off in a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
by an icicle
Icicle
An icicle is a spike of ice formed when water dripping or falling from an object freezes. Typically, icicles will form when ice or snow is melted by either sunlight or some other heat source , and the resulting melted water runs off into an area where the ambient temperature is below the freezing...
. He was soon fitted with an experimental funnel
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
(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 enables him to take heavier loads. At first, the others teased him for it, but they soon learned how it made work much easier for him, and now they even wish they had one like it. Peter Sam's friendliness is what keeps the other engines working happily with him.
Peter Sam in the TV series
Peter Sam was introduced as Stuart in the fourth seasonThomas and Friends - Season 4
Thomas and Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W. Awdry....
of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
. A number of Peter Sam's original adventures were adapted, with the same personality he had in the books.
For the next few seasons, his character waxed and waned. After being absent with the other Narrow Gauge engines for Season 8, he returned with Skarloey, Rheneas, Rusty, and Duncan the following year, starring in the episode The Magic Lamp. He still retains qualities from the books, and has had his flattened funnel since the Special Funnel adaptation in 1995. In recent episodes, Peter Sam has made cameos and other minor roles, but in Season 11 he made a couple of speaking roles. In Season 12, Peter Sam stars in Mountain Marvel where he finds a statue of Proteus.
Unlike the Skarloey Railway of the books, where all the locomotives are painted red, in the TV series each is painted a different colour: Peter Sam retains his original green colour from The Mid-Sodor Railway.
Merchandise
Peter Sam was made available as models for most of the major ranges, including: Ertl (die-cast model), Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway, Take-Along Thomas (die-cast model), My First Thomas (plastic), Tomy Trackmaster.Prototype
Peter Sam is based on the locomotive Edward ThomasEdward Thomas (locomotive)
Edward Thomas is a narrow gauge steam locomotive. Built by Kerr Stuart & Co. Ltd. at the California Works, Stoke-on-Trent in 1921, it was delivered new to the Corris Railway where it ran until 1948. After that railway closed, the locomotive was brought to the Talyllyn Railway in 1951, then...
which works at 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...
in Gwynedd
Gwynedd
Gwynedd is a county in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although the second biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. This locomotive is a modified "Tattoo" class, built in 1921 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...
& Co at the California Works in Stoke on Trent for the gauge Corris Railway
Corris Railway
The Corris Railway is a narrow gauge preserved railway based in Corris on the border between Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire in Mid-Wales....
in Merionethshire
Merionethshire
Merionethshire is one of thirteen historic counties of Wales, a vice county and a former administrative county.The administrative county of Merioneth, created under the Local Government Act 1888, was abolished under the Local Government Act 1972 on April 1, 1974...
, where it also carried the number 4. After the Corris closed in 1948 it was purchased (and named) by the Talyllyn in 1951. A new "Tattoo" class loco commenced work on the Corris Railway
Corris Railway
The Corris Railway is a narrow gauge preserved railway based in Corris on the border between Merionethshire and Montgomeryshire in Mid-Wales....
in 2005.
In the Railway Series books, Peter Sam visited 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 was in commemoration of the fact that the Talyllyn Railway repainted Edward Thomas to represent Peter Sam.
This caused some controversy when Egmont, the publishers of the Railway Series books, complained that this was a violation of copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
. A compromise was eventually reached whereby the Talyllyn Railway could run engines as Railway Series characters, but the faces attached to them had to be different from those depicted in the books.