Monday, 2 November 2009
Sunday, 1 November 2009
behind the scenes thanks to sif
thomas and his many faces
original Thomas 
original james and percy 
Gordon and Tobyintroduction of the engines
THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE - No.1
Thomas was one of the first engines who helped to build the railway. He began as a cheeky, fussy engine who began life shunting at Vicarstown. He eventually grew bored being stuck in the yard and wanted to see the world, resulting in a few follies like leaving behind his first passenger train and almost having an accident with delivering some trucks to Edward’s Station. The Fat Controller ended up feeling sorry for him, and knew that he was a special little engine.
Thomas eventually proved his worth after rescuing James after an accident. As a reward, that Fat Controller gave Thomas his own Branch Line, which starts from Knapford and ends at Ffarquhar. He enjoys running it as efficiently as he can, with his two carriages Annie and Clarabel, and his friends Percy, Toby, Daisy and Mavis.
EDWARD THE BLUE ENGINE - No.2
Edward is the oldest engine on Sodor. He was brought to help Thomas build the railway many years ago, and over the years his patience and experience with trucks has made him very popular to everyone. Whenever anyone has a problem, they can always rely on Edward, who proves time and again just what an old engine can do!
After much hard work, the Fat Controller rewarded him with his own Branch line, which runs from Wellsworth (known as Edward's Station) and end up at Brendam Docks.
HENRY THE GREEN ENGINE - No.3
Henry was described as “bigger than James but smaller than Gordon”. Unfortunately, he was a bad steamer, and sometimes found it hard to pull his trains. The problem was that the Fat Controller ordered an engine very much like Gordon, but ended up with “a cross between Gordon and a Nightmare!” He found a temporary solution to his problems with the help of a healthy amount of Welsh Coal - but after an accident with “The Flying Kipper”, Henry was sent to Crewe and returned home with a new shape and a larger firebox. Even so, he still suffers from minor problems now and again!
GORDON THE BIG ENGINE - No.4
Gordon is the railway’s main Express engine, bought a while after Thomas, Edward and Henry had almost finished building the railway. Large and proud, he enjoys pulling the Express and looking splendid, but always looks out for the other engines sometimes when he is not too busy boasting! In 1922, he stalled on the hill near Wellsworth, where he was helped by Edward - this has been forever known as “Gordon’s Hill”. Gordon was the original, experimental prototype for Gresley's A3 Pacifics.
JAMES THE RED ENGINE - No.5
James is a mixed-traffic engine with a brass dome. When he first came to Sodor, he was painted black and had a dreadful accident with trucks due to useless wooden brake blocks. After being mended, he was given a new red coat which he shows off with pride, and settled down to be Really Useful.
He is a very conceited engine, who likes nothing more than to show off his paintwork whilst pulling passengers - but being mixed-traffic he also has his fair share of the goods work and does his best not let the dirty trucks spoil his coat!
PERCY THE SMALL ENGINE - No.6
No one knows where he really came from, but Percy was brought in to deal with shunting duties at Tidmouth after Thomas went to run his Branch Line. After the work in the yard became too heavy for him, he was re-assigned to help build the harbour near Knapford and then enrolled to help run Thomas’s Branch Line, with Duck taking over shunting duties in the yard. He’s a cheeky engine who loves to play jokes, which sometimes get him into trouble, and is often misunderstanding new words or phrases which sound puzzling to him.
TOBY THE TRAM ENGINE - No.7
Toby was brought to Sodor following the closure of his own line back in England. He had had little work there following the aquisition of most of his work by the lorries and buses, but by lucky coincidence, was met by a Stout Gentleman and his family who were on holiday in his part of the world and who eventually bought him to solve a problem on his own Railway. Toby has proved useful for the purpose of running on the Ffarquhar branch line. He is one of only two engines allowed to run to the Quarry at Anophia (the other being Mavis) and often takes workmen's trains down to the Harbour at Knapford.
DUCK THE GREAT WESTERN ENGINE - No.8
Duck was brought in originally to replace Percy as station pilot at Tidmouth in 1955. Formerly of Paddington, he is very proud of being Great Western. Duck's work in the yard merited him with the chance to run his own branch line on the Arlesburgh line down to meet the Small Railway Engines and carry both ballast and passengers. He works this line with the help of Donald, Douglas and Oliver, another Great Western engine.
DONALD & DOUGLAS THE SCOTTISH TWINS - Nos. 9 & 10
When the Fat Controller ordered a Caledonian Goods engine from Scotland, he never quite expected to find two arriving on his railway as opposed to one. He had ordered No.57646, however, the twin 57647 also arrived as well. The two refused to tell which was which and left The Fat Controller with the dilemma of choosing between them. He soon found they both performed equally as good as one another, albiet with both of them running into some kind of bother or another! But after their performance in the snow in the midsts of a bad winter, he decided to keep them both, which proved a wise choice!
OLIVER THE WESTERN ENGINE - No.11
Oliver came to Sodor in a way very different to the rest of the engines. His sympathetic crew chose to break away with him and give him the chance of a new life, as opposed to one last gasp with the cutter's torch. After making a daring escape, they were soon stopped dead in their tracks when they ran out of fuel and couldn't make more steam. All looked set to be lost until they met Douglas who was doing the late night goods train to the other railway. He saved Oliver and brought him to the Fat Controller's Railway, where he now works on Duck's Branch line. He has learnt much from his early days when he was pushed into the turntable well by unruly trucks, and proved to be a useful engine!
BILL & BEN THE TANK ENGINE TWINS
Bill and Ben are two saddle tank twin engines. Completely identical, they work at the China Clay quarries near Brendam Docks on Edward’s Branch Line, pulling their loads for the
BOCO THE DISEASAL
BoCo first arrived on Sodor as a visitor and had the misfortune to encounter Bill and Ben, who mistook him for a thieving “Diseasel”, causing him g
reat confusion. But after having proved to being Really Useful during his stay, the Fat Controller welcomed him as “one of
the family”.
BoCo lives at Edward’s Station ad helps Edward run his Branch Line, but he is always welcomed anywhere. He’s a kind natured diesel with a sense of humour, which makes handling Bill and Ben much easier over the years! He is, as Edward described him, “a Metropolitan Vicars Diesel Electric Type 2” Co-Bo locomotive.
DAISY THE DIESEL RAILCAR
When Thomas had an accident, Daisy was brought in to help Percy and Toby run the Branch Line. But she proved to be troublesome; stuck-up, lazy and stubborn, and only did whatever work she chose. The Fat Controller threatened to send her packing until Percy had his predicament, leaving Toby and Daisy to run the branch by themselves. And after Toby put in a good work for her, she was allowed to stay.
Daisy helps Thomas with the passengers and sometimes takes the milk or looks after Henrietta for Toby. But to be fair, although still flouncy, she’s really a sweet engine and takes a liking for Mavis espicially.
MAVIS THE QUARRY DIESEL
Mavis was first brought to shunt trucks at Ffarquhar Quarry. Her wheels are hidden by cow catches and side plates like Toby’s. But being young she was full of her own ideas and caused Toby many a headache by constantly rearranging his trucks and ignoring his advice. But when her chance to go further down the line went awry - leaving Toby stranded on a collapsing bridge - she settled down and, with Toby’s help, became a more mature engine, even though she still makes the occasional
SKARLOEY
(Skarloey Engine No.1)
Skarloey and his brother Rheneas are the oldest engines on the Narrow Gauge Railway - both built in 1865, and approaching 150 years old like their counterparts Talyllyn and Dolgoch on the Talyllyn Railway within the next decade!
Skarloey maybe old and tires out easily, but he always helps his friends and never stands for any nonsense whatsoever. He is a great friend with Edward, who used to bring passengers to travel on Skarloey and Rheneas’s trains years ago. This little old engine has great respect for all railway staff and knows the importance of passengers being their “coal and water” to keep their wheels running.
RHENEAS
(Skarloey Engine No.2)
Rheneas and his brother Skarloey are the oldest engines on the Narrow Gauge Railway.
Rheneas is a real “Gallant Little Engine”. Many years ago, he helped to keep the railway open by bringing his passengers home on one cylinder. As a reward, he was sent away for repairs and was warmly welcomed seven years later. A brave, daring little engine, Rheneas has always brought his train on time and never gives up the fight.
SIR HANDEL
(Skarloey/Mid Sodor Engine No.3)
Sir Handel (formally named Falcon) worked Duke’s old line and, like Peter Sam, was kept in his place by Duke. Despite being one of the more elderly engines on the Skarloey Railway, he is rather “highly sprung”, believing only what he thinks is right, and his bad temper normally ends him up in trouble. He was eventually sent to work in the Stone Quarry out the way where he came back a better engine...but he still shows traits of his previous behaviour now and again!
PETER SAM
(Skarloey/Mid Sodor Engine No.4)
Peter Sam (formally Stuart) is a busy, bustling little engine, who enjoys hard work and hardly grumbles. He was taught by Duke and has great respect for him. Although susceptible at times, he’s a kind engine and always proves his worth by being a happy little worker.
But life wasn’t perfect for Peter Sam - following an accident with slate trucks, his funnel became damaged and wobbly; during winter, it broke off altogether thanks to an icicle in a tunnel. But luckily, he was given a “Special funnel”, which helps him work harder than ever.
RUSTY
(Skarloey Engine No.5)
Rusty is a little diesel engine, who was brought to help when Skarloey was sent for repairs. A friendly hard worker, he is constantly working up and down the line, repairing all the tracks, bridges and tunnels along the Skarloey line, keeping it generally maintained. Although sometimes given hassle by Duncan for being a diesel, Rusty's good nature often shrugs it off. Simply loves adventures and a true friend for life.
DUNCAN
(Skarloey Engine No.6)
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