List of The Railway Series characters
As it started in May 1945 with The Three Railway Engines and concluded in 2011 with Thomas and his Friends, The Railway Series is a series of 42 British books written by Wilbert Awdry (who wrote the first 26 books from 1945 to 1972) and his son Christopher Awdry (who wrote the remaining 16 books from 1983 to 2011).
Unless otherwise said on this page, the technical notes come from actual notes laid out by Wilbert Awdry when he was developing the characters and setting for his stories; these notes are cited in his publication The Island of Sodor: Its People, History, and Railways.[1]
North Western Railway
The North Western Railway (NWR) is the main standard gauge rail network on the Island of Sodor. The railway's motto is "Nil Unquam Simile", which is Latin for "There's nothing quite like it". The North Western Railway was formed in 1914 from the amalgamation of the three standard gauge railways on the island at the time, the Sodor and Mainland Railway (opened 1853), the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway (opened 1870), and the Tidmouth-Knapford-Elsbridge Light Railway (opened 1885). From nationalisation on 1 January 1948, until it was privatised on 20 November 1997, the railway was the North Western Region of British Railways (BR). From 1925 onwards, it has been managed by four Fat Controllers in father-son succession, Sir Topham Hatt I, Charles, Stephen and Richard.[original research?]
"Please tell everyone that whatever happens elsewhere, steam will still be at work here. We shall be glad to welcome all who want to see and travel behind, real engines."
— Sir Charles Topham Hatt II/The Fat Controller, Little Western, Enterprising Engines
Steam engines
| Name | Number | Configuration | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas | NWR 1 | 0-6-0T | Initially worked as the station pilot at Vicarstown. After helping to rescue James from an accident, Thomas was rewarded by being promoted to run the Ffarquhar branch line with his two coaches, Annie and Clarabel. | Thomas the Tank Engine (1946) | LB&SCR E2 class (with extended side tanks) |
| Edward | NWR 2 | 4-4-0 | Runs the Brendam branch line with BoCo and is one of the oldest engines on Sodor. | The Three Railway Engines (1945) | Furness Railway K2 Class |
| Henry | NWR 3 | 4-6-0 | Was originally built as a prototype Gresley engine and needed special Welsh coal. Following a major accident when pulling the Flying Kipper at night, Henry underwent an extensive rebuild, giving him a new shape to allow him a better performance. | The Three Railway Engines (1945) | LNER Gresley Class A1 (prototype) (old shape; Henry I) LMS Stanier "Black Five" (new shape; Henry II)[2][3][4] |
| Gordon | NWR 4 | 4-6-2 | Assigned to the Wild Nor' Wester express passenger train that runs from Tidmouth to London, but occasionally hauls goods trains, much to his disliking, as he believes that these are below him. He and the Flying Scotsman are the only surviving class (A1/A3)s. | The Three Railway Engines (1945) | LNER Gresley Class A1 |
| James | NWR 5 | 2-6-0 | Does not like pulling trucks and feels superior to the others except the big engines and is proud of his red coat of paint. James was an 0-6-0 experimental version of his class; he was initially painted black and built with wooden brake blocks that caught fire easily, resulting in a crash on his first day, prompting Thomas to come rescue him with the Breakdown Train. He was rebuilt into a 2-6-0 and given a red livery to cheer him up and now currently works on the Main Line as a utility engine, hauling passengers, goods, and occasionally the Wild Nor' Wester express. | Thomas the Tank Engine (1946) | L&YR Class 28 |
| Percy | NWR 6 | 0-4-0ST | First brought to Sodor while Gordon, Henry and James were on strike against having to shunt their own coaches "like common tank engines", and later became the station pilot at Tidmouth.[5] Following the Knapford Harbour Improvement Scheme in 1955, Percy was relocated to Thomas' branch line, where he now works permanently as a goods engine.[6] | Troublesome Engines (1950) | Avonside 0-4-0ST |
| Toby | NWR 7
BR/68221 |
0-6-0T tram engine[7] |
Used to work on a tramway in East Anglia. Brought to Sodor after his line closed, to run the tramway to Ffarquhar Quarry. Toby has three coaches: Henrietta, the Quarryman's Coach, and Victoria, as well as a luggage van named Elsie. | Toby the Tram Engine (1952) | GER Class C53 |
| Duck | NWR 8 GWR/BR 5741 |
0-6-0PT | A green tank engine from the Great Western Railway. His real name is Montague but was nicknamed "Duck" because some engines claim he "waddles". He believes that there are two ways of doing things: the Great Western way and the wrong way. Duck runs the Little Western, which runs north from Tidmouth along the west coast of Sodor to Arlesburgh, with Oliver, Donald and Douglas and his two autocoaches, Alice and Mirabel. | Percy the Small Engine (1956) | GWR 5700 Class |
| Donald and Douglas | NWR 9 and 10/BR 57646 and 57647 | 0-6-0 | A pair of blue tender engines from Scotland. Originally numbered 57646 and 57647 and formerly painted BR black, the twins now work as general-purpose engines, primarily on the main line, the Brendam branch line, and the Little Western. Douglas also has his own brake van, Toad, who was given to him after he saved Oliver, Isabel and Toad from scrap. | The Twin Engines (1960) | Caledonian Railway 812 and 652 Classes |
| Oliver | NWR 11 GWR/BR 1436 |
0-4-2T | A little green tank engine who originated from the Great Western Railway. After being saved from scrap by Douglas, he runs the Little Western with Duck and his two autocoaches, Isabel and Dulcie. | Enterprising Engines (1968) | GWR 1400 Class |
| Walter | 0-6-0ST | Purchased by the North Western Railway to operate the Arlesburgh-Harwick extension | Wilbert the Forest Engine (1994) (indirect mention) | Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST |
Diesel engines
| Name | Number | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daisy | NWR D1 | A green diesel railcar who came to work on the Ffarquhar branch line in place of Thomas temporally after he crashed into the stationmaster's house. | Branch Line Engines (1961) | British Rail Class 101 |
| BoCo | NWR D2/BR D5702 | A green mixed-traffic diesel engine who primarily works on Edward's branch line and occasionally on the main line. He, along with Edward, act as mentors to Bill and Ben. | Main Line Engines (1966) | British Rail Class 28 |
| Bear | NWR D3/BR D7101 | A green (originally blue) mixed-traffic diesel engine who works on the main line. Originally numbered "D7101", he first came to Sodor in 1967. 7101 suffered from a leaking brake ejector and was helped by Henry along with 199. 7101 was nicknamed "Bear" due to the "growling" sound his engine makes. He was given a new number, D3, and a new coat of paint. He pulls the "Limited", and the Wild Nor' Wester whenever the big engines are busy or unavailable. | Enterprising Engines (1968) | British Rail Class 35 |
| Pip and Emma | Two diesel-electric driving cars from an InterCity 125 trainset. They had experienced problems with their cooling systems and came to Sodor in 1986. In 2011, following the Privatisation of British Rail, the Fat Controller purchased them in order to run an express service from Tidmouth to London.[8] They brought Prince Charles to Tidmouth to unveil a statue of the Thin Clergyman to celebrate his 100th birthday. | Gordon the High-Speed Engine (1987) | British Rail Class 43 High Speed Train |
Rolling stock
| Name | Description | First appearance |
|---|---|---|
| Annie and Clarabel | Thomas' faithful coaches whom he loves dearly. They are a pair of orange-brown push-pull coaches. Annie can only take passengers, but Clarabel can take passengers, luggage, and the guard. The pair usually work on the Ffarquhar branch line with Thomas. | Thomas the Tank Engine (1946) |
| Henrietta | A tram coach that travels with Toby, Elsie, Victoria, and the Quarryman's Coach. | Toby the Tram Engine (1952) |
| Isabel, Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel | Four ex-Great Western autocoaches who are pulled by Duck and Oliver on the Little Western. Isabel joined Oliver and Toad when they escaped from the Other Railway. Afterwards, the Fat Controller was able to rescue Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel in order to handle the passenger traffic. | Enterprising Engines (1968) |
| Toad | A 20-ton Great Western brake van. He escaped from scrap along with Oliver and Isabel and is now Douglas' loyal brake van. | Enterprising Engines (1968) |
| Troublesome Trucks | Open wagons which they carry goods on the railway, nicknamed because they can be very troublesome and play tricks on the engines. | The Three Railway Engines (1945) |
| Victoria | A vintage four-wheeled coach originating from the Furness Railway. She was built in 1882 and worked on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite branch line with Albert and Helena. After leaving service, Victoria was moved to Sodor and was turned into a summer house in a garden close to Elsbridge. In "Thomas and Victoria", after being discovered, it was a decision Victoria could be restored and used on the line to Ffarquhar Quarry to help Toby and Henrietta. | Thomas and Victoria (2007) |
Skarloey Railway
The Skarloey Railway (SR) is a 2 ft 3 in (686 mm) gauge railway, which runs from the North Western Railway's Crovan's Gate station to Skarloey station. Beyond Skarloey, the line continues to a former slate quarry, later used as ammunition dumps. The railway, which opened in 1865, is the oldest operating railway on Sodor. It is owned by Sir Handel Brown, who serves as its chairman, and is run by Mr. Roger Sam, the son of the previous controller, Mr. Peter Sam.
Steam engines
| Name | Number | Configuration | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skarloey | SR 1 | 0-4-2ST | One of the eldest and most faithful engines on Sodor. | Four Little Engines (1955) | Talyllyn |
| Rheneas | SR 2 | 0-4-0WT | Nicknamed "Gallant Old Engine", after saving the railway from closure. | Four Little Engines (1955) | Dolgoch |
| Sir Handel | SR/MSR 3 | 0-4-2ST | Named after Sir Handel Brown, the first manager. His original name when he worked on the Mid-Sodor Railway was Falcon, after the Falcon Works where he was built. | Four Little Engines (1955) | Sir Haydn |
| Peter Sam | SR/MSR 4 | 0-4-2ST | Named after the previous controller. His original name when he worked on the Mid-Sodor Railway was Stuart. Following an accident with some slate trucks in 1958, Peter Sam lost his old funnel and was fitted with a Giesl ejector in 1961. | Four Little Engines (1955) | Edward Thomas |
| Duncan | SR 6 | 0-4-0WT | Came to Sodor as a spare engine after Peter Sam's accident with slate trucks.[9] | The Little Old Engine (1959) | Douglas |
| Ivo Hugh | SR 7 | 0-4-2T | Named in honour of the former chief mechanical engineer, Mr. Ivo Hugh. Ivo Hugh was built in 1996 at Crovan's Gate Works by the Engineering Department in New Little Engine. Ivo Hugh is the only side-tank locomotive on the railway, and is powerful enough to handle the heaviest work. | New Little Engine (1996) | Tom Rolt |
| Duke | SR 8/ MSR 1 | 0-4-0TT | Initially worked on the Mid-Sodor Railway from its opening in 1880 until its closure in 1947. He was left in the abandoned sheds for the next 22 years before being found and rescued in 1969. Duke was then relocated to the Skarloey Railway where he was reunited with Sir Handel and Peter Sam and still works there today. | Duke the Lost Engine (1970) | Prince |
Diesel engines
| Name | Number | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rusty | SR 5 | Carries out maintenance work on the Skarloey Railway.[9] | The Little Old Engine (1959) | Midlander |
| Fred | SR 9 | The railway's second diesel engine, and is mentioned in "New Little Engine". According to the book Sodor: Reading Between the Lines, Fred entered service in 1989, having been acquired from the National Coal Board (NCB). | New Little Engine (1996) | Alf |
Rolling stock
| Name | Number | Description | First appearance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes, Ruth, Jemina, Lucy and Beatrice | SR 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 | The oldest coaches on the Skarloey Railway, whilst Beatrice is the guard's van. On Market Days, the coaches were sometimes very full, so that third-class passengers were allowed to ride in Agnes, to the latter's anger. In 1952, Sir Handel made fun of the coaches by calling them "cattle trucks", which resulted in them holding him back on the hill. | Four Little Engines (1955) |
| Ada, Jane and Mabel | SR 6, 7, and 8 | Three open-topped carriages who were acquired at one point prior to 1958, while Rheneas and Skarloey were away being overhauled. They were originally used for transporting quarry workmen, but are later used for tourist traffic during sunny days. When some BBC Television producers visited Sodor to film a documentary about the Skarloey Railway, Ada, Jane and Mabel had the honour of transporting the television equipment and cameras for them, as part of the "Television Train". | The Little Old Engine (1959) |
| Cora | SR 9 | A tool van, and also occasionally a guard's van, who works on the Skarloey Railway. Cora was built by the Falcon Works for the Mid-Sodor Railway, where she was a tool van, however she served as Stuart's guard's van for one time. She was accepted for sale following the closure in 1947. Cora was used as a guard's van whenever Beatrice was not available, then she returned to her original use after Millicent's arrival in 1955. | The Little Old Engine (1959) |
| Gertrude and Millicent | SR 10 and 11 | Two bogie coaches that were built at Crovan's Gate from around 1952 to 1958 on a pair of former Mid-Sodor Railway coach chassis, Gertrude serving as a passenger coach while Millicent being built with a guard's compartment, which Peter Sam described as a "cupboard place". When the BBC Television producers visited Sodor, Gertrude was filled with wires and instruments as part of the "Television Train". | The Little Old Engine (1959) |
Culdee Fell Railway
The Culdee Fell Railway (CFR) is Sodor's only rack railway. It climbs to the top of Sodor's highest mountain, which shares the railway's name. It is based on the Snowdon Mountain Railway in North Wales, was opened in 1900 and for many years was operated under the direction of Mr. Walter Richards, the General Manager. The railway was only featured in Mountain Engines (1964). The engines on the line are all 0-4-2RTs.
Steam engines
| Name | Number | Description | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Godred | 1 | The original engine on the railway and is named after one of Sodor's historical rulers. Culdee tells the story about Godred in Mountain Engines:[10] Shortly after the railway opened, he lost contact with the rack rail at a loosened rail joint and plunged sideways over a cliff. No one was injured except for Godred, who was so badly damaged that he was scrapped, with his parts being used to repair the other engines. This incident is based directly upon the Snowdon Mountain Railway's opening day accident when their No. 1 L.A.D.A.S suffered a similar accident. | L.A.D.A.S. |
| Ernest | 2 | Arrived in 1900. | Enid |
| Wilfred | 3 | Arrived in 1900. | Wyddfa |
| Culdee | 4 | The principal engine on the Culdee Fell Railway. When introduced in Mountain Engines, he had been overhauled in Switzerland between 1962 and 1963 and was on the last stage of his journey home. Culdee has great respect for dangers found on the line and relies on his coach, Catherine, to help him travel safety. | Snowdon |
| Shane Dooiney | 5 | Arrived in 1900. (Dooiney is Manx Gaelic for "man", cf Irish duine.) | Moel Siabod |
| Lord Harry / Patrick | 6 | Arrived in 1962 and was named after the manager. When he was new, Lord Harry was reckless and scared his coaches by taking risks. After he derailed and disgraced himself, Lord Harry was punished by having his name taken away. He asked for a second chance and was given a job of doing lowly shunting. He was fittingly renamed "Patrick" in honour of the climber who risked his life to help the others. | Padarn |
| Alaric | 7 | Arrived in 1962. | Ralph |
| Eric | 8 | Arrived in 1962. | Eryri |
Rolling stock
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Catherine | A coach who works with Culdee on the Culdee Fell Railway. Unlike most coaches, Catherine is actually coupled in front of Culdee and is responsible for warning him of dangers ahead on the tracks. |
Arlesdale Railway
The Arlesdale Railway is Sodor's only miniature railway. It opened in 1967 on the trackbed previously occupied by the narrow gauge Mid-Sodor Railway. It is based on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in Cumbria. The railway is run by Fergus Duncan (The Small Controller). Its five engines appear in the books. The diesel engines are mentioned in the companion books: Sigrid of Arlesdale, Blister I and Blister II.
Steam engines
| Name | Configuration | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bert | 0-8-2 | A blue engine who is the oldest and quietest of all the engines on the railway. | Small Railway Engines (1967) | River Irt |
| Rex | 2-8-2 | A green engine who enjoys teasing Mike. Rex is a hard worker, but sometimes has a problem with traction. | Small Railway Engines (1967) | River Esk |
| Mike | 2-8-2 | A red engine who prefers goods trains to passengers. | Small Railway Engines (1967) | River Mite |
| Jock | 2-6-2 | A yellow engine who was built by the Arlesburgh Works between 1972 and 1976 to cover a shortage of power. | The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (1987) | Northern Rock |
Diesel engines
| Name | Configuration | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frank | 0-4-4DM | A grumpy but kind diesel engine who was built by the Arlesburgh Works around 1967. | Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor (1972) | Perkins |
| Blister I and Blister II | A pair of twin tractor engines used for maintenance and shunting. | The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (1987) | Cyril | |
| Sigrid of Arlesdale | 4-6-4DH | A works engine who runs employee services. | The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (1987) | Shelagh of Eskdale |
| Ford | 0-4-4-0DH | Originally bought for quarry trains around the 70's. it had power problems, it was sold to a quarry in England for short shunting. | Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor (1972) | Les |
Privately owned/other Sudrian railways
| Name | Number | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neil | S&M 2 | A Scottish accented dark green tank engine with an unusual box shape, originating from the Sodor and Mainland Railway (S&M). In a flashback in Very Old Engines, he helped to transport Skarloey from Kirk Ronan Harbour to his new home at Crovan's Gate. He warned Skarloey about V-tipper wagons and they became friends. It is mentioned by Christopher Awdry in Sodor: Reading Between the Lines that Neil is still around but his whereabouts were unknown.[8] In the book's second edition published in 2025, it was revealed that Neil had been found and donated by Richard Topham Hatt to the Crovan's Gate Preservation Society in 2023, the first rail museum proper on Sodor which was being helmed by the now retired Sir Topham Hatt III.[11] Neil has operated at the new Crovan's Gate museum since then. | Very Old Engines (1965) | Neilson 0-4-0 box tank |
| Bloomer | A old Engine discovered by The Fat Controller in an old shed in Wigtownshire during the early 1970s, and attend the Shildon Cavalcade in 1975, which celebrated 150 years of the Stockton and Darlington Railway | Railways of Sodor (1976) | LNWR Bloomer Class | |
| Bill and Ben | SCC 1 and 2 | A pair of dark yellow 0-4-0 saddle tank engine twins belonging to the Sodor China Clay Co (SCC). They both work in the china clay pits, and at Brendam Docks, where they shunt trucks. Bill and Ben are Sodor's most mischievous engines, and they like teasing and playing tricks on the other engines. | Main Line Engines (1966) | Bagnall 0-4-0ST "Alfred" and "Judy" |
| Mavis | FQC 1 | A privately owned diesel shunter who works for the Ffarquhar Quarry Co. (FQC). She mainly shunts trucks around the quarry's sidings. Learned how to keep the trucks in line thanks to advice from Toby.[12][13] | The Railway Series: Surprise Packet (1971) | British Rail Class 04 |
| Scruffey | N/A | A privately owned wagon, who worked for S.C. Ruffey & Co. Ballast Contractors. Kept in very poor condition by his owners. Like the majority of trucks, he was badly behaved and highly disrespectful towards the engines. This is exemplified by how he made a very rude song about Oliver's derailment in the turntable well whenever he saw the latter pass by. However, he received his comeuppance when Toad hatched a plan with Oliver to place Scruffey at the front of the train and sand the rails to give Oliver a firm grip when starting (acting on advice Stepney gave to Duck). By this time, Scruffey had already instructed the trucks to 'hold back', thus restraining the train from moving. This, coupled with Oliver's tractive effort at the front and Scruffey's poor condition, resulted in him being pulled apart. Following this, the trucks warn each other about what they perceive to be the consequences of teasing Oliver. Scruffey's ultimate fate varies between the Railway Series and the TV series. In the Railway Series, he is scrapped, having been deemed 'unserviceable before (he) came' by the Fat Controller, who then asks Oliver to help maintain discipline by keeping that information to himself. In the TV series, he is repaired, and remains silent. | Oliver the Western Engine (1969) | Various 5-plank wagons found across the British railway network |
British Railways/Visitors
Various engines from British Railways (BR; also known as "the Other Railway"), and some from preserved/private railways and museums have visited the North Western Railway, both on regular trains to-and-from the mainland, for special events, or under a lease agreement.
The 'Other Railway' Engines
| Name | Number | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big City Engine | An express tender engine who worked for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and later British Railways. Once, he had got into an argument with Gordon and Duck about what was the name of the big station in London: King's Cross, Euston, Paddington, or St. Pancras. However, none of the engines realised that London had several major stations, not just one. | The Eight Famous Engines (1957) | LMS "Patriot" Class | |
| Jinty and Pug | Two ex-LMS tank engines who once visited the North Western Railway on loan from British Railways, while the Fat Controller and his engines went to be on display in London. Both are friends of Percy. | The Eight Famous Engines (1957) | LMS Fowler Class 3F (Jinty) LMS Kitson 0F (Pug) | |
| Diesel | A black diesel engine from the Other Railway. He was the first standard gauge diesel to arrive on Sodor. He initially caused trouble for Duck and the other steam engines and was sent away in disgrace by The Fat Controller. | Duck and the Diesel Engine (1958) | British Rail Class 08 | |
| City of Truro | GWR 3440 | A famous tender engine from the Great Western Railway, In The Railway Series, he once visited the Island of Sodor in 1957 on a railtour and stayed for one night. City of Truro befriended Duck, as the two were both Great Western engines and talked all night, much to Gordon's annoyance. He normally resides at the STEAM Museum in Swindon, Wiltshire. | Duck and the Diesel Engine (1958) | GWR 3700 Class 3440 City of Truro |
| Stepney | LBSCR 55 | A tank engine, named after a district in London, from the Bluebell Railway. In The Railway Series, his friendly and enthusiastic attitude makes him a welcome visitor on the Fat Controller's railway. | Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine (1963) | LB&SCR A1X class 55 Stepney |
| Class 40 | BR D4711 | A big green diesel engine who once visited the North Western Railway on loan from British Railways. He was brought to Sodor to help the other engines. He intentionally sucked in an inspector's bowler hat through his air intake, which lead to his engine failing. Afterwards, he was sent away in disgrace, leaving behind "a rather nasty smell, and strangely enough, a very battered bowler hat". | Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine (1963) | British Rail Class 40 |
| Flying Scotsman | LNER 4472/BR 60103 | An LNER Class A3, and formerly a Class A1. Flying Scotsman holds the record for being the first engine to officially run at over 100 mph. In addition, he has been described as the world's most famous steam engine. Flying Scotsman is named after a service that runs from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley. He is the last of Gordon's brothers. | Enterprising Engines (1968) | LNER Class A3 4472 Flying Scotsman |
| Diesel 199 | BR D199 | A diesel engine who once visited the North Western Railway on trial from British Railways. He soon made himself an enemy of the steam engines. The next day, 199 failed while pulling a train of fuel and oil tankers at a signal box in Kellsthorpe Road. After Henry came to help, the signalman called 199 "Spamcan" as an insult. After 7101 fails with the Limited, Henry helps both diesels and their trains to the next station. The Fat Controller wasn't pleased with 199 and soon sent him back to the Other Railway in disgrace for offending his engines. | Enterprising Engines (1968) | British Rail Class 46 |
| Wilbert | DFR 3806 | A dark blue 0-6-0 saddle tank engine named after the Thin Clergyman (Wilbert Awdry), who was a one-time president of the Dean Forest Railway. In Wilbert the Forest Engine, the Fat Controller arranged for Wilbert to come help on his railway. During his visit, Wilbert tells Thomas and Toby the story of his brother, Sixteen, accidentally filled up with milk instead of water, and used a coil of wire to couple it up to his damaged ballast truck. | Wilbert the Forest Engine (1994) | Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST |
| Albert | A red 2-4-2 tank engine who worked on the Furness Railway with his two coaches, Victoria and Helena. Albert was once buried at a tunnel by an avalanche when he lets off too much steam starting from the station, one day after boasting about the snow. | Thomas and Victoria (2007) | Furness Railway J1 class |
Non-rail vehicles
| Name | Description | First appearance | Based on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terence | An orange caterpillar tractor who usually works near Thomas' branch line, and is driven and owned by Farmer Finney. When Thomas first met Terence, he insulted him for having 'ugly' caterpillar tracks, but later regretted it and befriended Terence after he pulled Thomas out of a snowdrift when Thomas gets stuck in it. | Tank Engine Thomas Again (1949) | Caterpillar Model 70 |
| Bertie | A red single-deck bus who works alongside Thomas' branch line. Bertie had a race with Thomas to Ffarquhar after claiming he was the faster of the two, but lost after having to stop at a traffic light. | Tank Engine Thomas Again (1949) | Leyland Tiger |
| Trevor | A traction engine who resides at the Wellsworth Vicarage Orchard and driven by Jem Cole. He was due to be broken up for scrap before he was saved by the Vicar of Wellsworth. | Edward the Blue Engine (1954) | William Foster & Co. Traction Engine No. 1459 |
| Harold | A white and red helicopter belonging to the Coastguard Service who patrols the skies of Sodor, searching for emergencies. When Harold first met Percy, he insulted the railways were "slow and out-of-date". Percy, who was cross at this when taking some trucks, decided to race Harold to Knapford Harbour. | Percy the Small Engine (1956) | Sikorsky S-55 |
| George | A grumpy green steamroller whose interactions with engines generally lead to trouble. Whenever he is flattening a road, he is seen rebelling by saying "Railways are no good! Pull 'em up! Turn them into roads!" He is owned by the Sodor Island Council. | Gallant Old Engine (1962) | Aveling-Barford R Class steamroller |
| Caroline | An elderly car owned by a cricket player from the Elsbridge Cricket Club. She tends to overheat when traveling at high speeds. | Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine (1963) | Morris Oxford Bullnose |
| Bulgy | A bad-tempered double-decker bus with an ideological opposition to railways. His catchphrase was "Free the roads from railway tyranny!" Eventually, after a second chance at carrying passengers goes horribly wrong, he ends up becoming a mobile vegetable stand, and was much happier with the new role. | Oliver the Western Engine (1969) | AEC Regent III |
References
- ^ Awdry, Wilbert (1987). The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways. Kaye & Ward. ISBN 9780434927623.
- ^ Awdry, Wilbert (1987). The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways. Kaye & Ward. p. 129. ISBN 9780434927623.
- ^ "W. Awdry Dies". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. 23 March 1997. Retrieved 24 October 2020.
- ^ Sibley, Brian (1995). The Thomas the Tank Engine Man. London: Heinemann. pp. 272–5. ISBN 0-434-96909-5.
- ^ Awdry, Wilbert (1989) [1950]. Toublesome Engines (1st ed.). London: William Heinemann Limited. pp. 40–46. ISBN 0-434-92782-1.
- ^ Awdry, Wilbert (1965). Percy the small engine (3rd impression ed.). London: Kaye & Ward Limited (published 1974). ISBN 0-7182-0010-1.
- ^ Awdry, Wilbert (1982). Toby The Tram Engine (1st ed.). London: Heinemann. p. 46. ISBN 0434927848.
- ^ a b Awdry, Christopher (2005). Sodor, Reading Between the Lines. Sodor Enterprises. p. 9. ISBN 0-9549665-1-1.
- ^ a b Awdry, Christopher (2005). Sodor: Reading Between the Lines. Sodor Enterprises. p. 13. ISBN 0-9549665-1-1.
- ^ Awdry, Wilbert (1982). Mountain Engines. The Railway Series No. 19. Kaye & Ward Ltd. p. 28. ISBN 0718200187.
- ^ Awdry, Christopher (2025). Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (2nd ed.). p. 24. ISBN 978-1-9193093-1-6.
- ^ Awdry, Wilbert (1995). Tramway engines. Great Britain: Walter Heinemann Limited. p. 30. ISBN 0-434-92803-8.
- ^ "The Wisbech and Upwell Tramway: Toby and Mavis". lner.info. LNER. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
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