Sir Handel
Encyclopedia
Sir Handel is a fiction
al 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. Sir Handel is named after the owner of the Skarloey Railway, Sir Handel Brown.
He was originally called Falcon and lived on the Mid Sodor Railway
with Duke and Stuart. When the railway closed, he and Stuart were sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company, and then later to the Skarloey Railway, where he was renamed and given a red coat of paint.
He had problems with staying on the track, so he was fitted with a set of wheels with wide tyres, nicknamed "steamroller
wheels" by the other engines. He was taken to pieces for a television programme when he pretended to be ill. Later, he was sent to the Talyllyn Railway
in Wales
when one of their engines needed repairs. Most recently, he caused trouble for the Thin Controller by deliberately damaging his firebox.
Sir Handel was renamed after the founding member of the Skarloey Railway, and does not get on well with either trucks or coaches (although he eventually befriended some in the original books and TV series).
of the TV series, along with the other engines from the Skarloey Railway
. He was introduced as Falcon on the Mid Sodor Railway
, and kept his blue colour when he came to the Skarloey Railway. He did not appear again until the show's 10th series in 2006. The reason given for his absence was that he had been working in the quarry all summer. Upon returning, he adopted a more mature persona compared to his former pompous personality from Series 4.
Like the other narrow-gauge engines, Sir Handel received a larger-scale model when he returned in Season 10. While being superficially the same, the two models may be differentiated by the level of detail. On the new model: the front of the saddle tank is completely smooth; the smokebox is smaller and raised on a saddle; the buffer mounting plates, which were square, are now round; and the whistle has been omitted (however, it can still be heard; the sound is shared with Mighty Mac). The new model also appears to have the same body as Proteus, who appeared in Season 9.
which works at the Talyllyn Railway
in Gwynedd
, Wales
. This locomotive was built by Henry Hughes & Co at the Falcon Works in Loughborough
in 1878, one of three identical locomotives for the gauge Corris Railway
in Merionethshire
. Nos. 1 and 2 were scrapped in 1930 and No.3 worked until the Corris Railway
closed in 1948, hauling the last train on 20 August that year. After three years covered by a tarpaulin at Machynlleth
Station No. 3 was purchased (and named) by the nearby Talyllyn Railway
in 1951. The original cab was replaced in the 1960s, and this change can be seen in the TV version of Sir Handel. Sir Haydn the real locomotive is named after Sir Henry Haydn Jones
former owner of the Talyllyn Railway and the person upon whom the owner of the Skarloey railway is based. The Corris Railway is currently building a new locomotive to the same design.
In the 1980s, the Talyllyn Railway repainted Sir Haydn to represent Sir Handel. Christopher Awdry
wrote this into the 1985 book Great Little Engines, explaining that Sir Handel was visiting the line to help out. An incident in which Sir Haydn ran into a tree branch and was given a bandage and eyepatch was turned into a story in the book, with almost no alteration from the real event.
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...
from 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 its spin-off TV series, Thomas and Friends. Sir Handel 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.3. Sir Handel is named after the owner of the Skarloey Railway, Sir Handel Brown.
Railway Series history
Sir Handel can be badly behaved at times and is very prone to temper tantrums when he does not get his own way. He has also been known on at least two occasions to pretend to be ill in order to avoid work, but this usually backfires on him. He is not popular with the trucks, and they often play tricks on him. Generally, he feels that he should only pull coaches.He was originally called Falcon and lived 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...
with Duke and Stuart. When the railway closed, he and Stuart were sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company, and then later to the Skarloey Railway, where he was renamed and given a red coat of paint.
He had problems with staying on the track, so he was fitted with a set of wheels with wide tyres, nicknamed "steamroller
Steamroller
A steamroller is a form of road roller – a type of heavy construction machinery used for levelling surfaces, such as roads or airfields – that is powered by a steam engine...
wheels" by the other engines. He was taken to pieces for a television programme when he pretended to be ill. Later, he was sent 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...
in 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...
when one of their engines needed repairs. Most recently, he caused trouble for the Thin Controller by deliberately damaging his firebox.
Sir Handel was renamed after the founding member of the Skarloey Railway, and does not get on well with either trucks or coaches (although he eventually befriended some in the original books and TV series).
Sir Handel in the TV Series
Sir Handel made his first appearance in Season 4Thomas 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 the TV series, along with the other engines from 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...
. He was introduced as Falcon 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...
, and kept his blue colour when he came to the Skarloey Railway. He did not appear again until the show's 10th series in 2006. The reason given for his absence was that he had been working in the quarry all summer. Upon returning, he adopted a more mature persona compared to his former pompous personality from Series 4.
Like the other narrow-gauge engines, Sir Handel received a larger-scale model when he returned in Season 10. While being superficially the same, the two models may be differentiated by the level of detail. On the new model: the front of the saddle tank is completely smooth; the smokebox is smaller and raised on a saddle; the buffer mounting plates, which were square, are now round; and the whistle has been omitted (however, it can still be heard; the sound is shared with Mighty Mac). The new model also appears to have the same body as Proteus, who appeared in Season 9.
Merchandising
| Model range | Type | Color |
|---|---|---|
| Ertl | die-cast metal | Normal and Metallic |
| Take Along/Take n Play | die-cast metal | Normal |
| Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway | wood | Normal |
| Tomy/TrackMaster | plastic motorized | Normal & "Greatest Moments" |
Prototype
Sir Handel is based on the locomotive Sir HaydnSir Haydn (locomotive)
Sir Haydn is a narrow gauge steam locomotive, built by Hughes' Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works Ltd of the Falcon Works, Loughborough in 1878. It operated on the Corris Railway in Wales, until closure in 1948, and since 1951 has operated on the nearby Talyllyn Railway...
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 was built by Henry Hughes & Co at the Falcon Works in Loughborough
Loughborough
Loughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
in 1878, one of three identical locomotives 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...
. Nos. 1 and 2 were scrapped in 1930 and No.3 worked until 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....
closed in 1948, hauling the last train on 20 August that year. After three years covered by a tarpaulin at Machynlleth
Machynlleth
Machynlleth is a market town in Powys, Wales. It is in the Dyfi Valley at the intersection of the A487 and the A489 roads.Machynlleth was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr's Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the "ancient capital of Wales". However, it has never held any official...
Station No. 3 was purchased (and named) by the nearby 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 1951. The original cab was replaced in the 1960s, and this change can be seen in the TV version of Sir Handel. Sir Haydn the real locomotive is named after Sir Henry Haydn Jones
Henry Haydn Jones
Sir Henry Haydn Jones was a Welsh Liberal Party politician.- Upbringing :Henry Haydn Jones was born in Ruthin, Wales. He was the son of Joseph David Jones , a schoolmaster in the town and a respected Welsh musician and composer...
former owner of the Talyllyn Railway and the person upon whom the owner of the Skarloey railway is based. The Corris Railway is currently building a new locomotive to the same design.
In the 1980s, the Talyllyn Railway repainted Sir Haydn to represent Sir Handel. 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...
wrote this into the 1985 book Great Little Engines, explaining that Sir Handel was visiting the line to help out. An incident in which Sir Haydn ran into a tree branch and was given a bandage and eyepatch was turned into a story in the book, with almost no alteration from the real event.