MEET THE CHARACTERS

As Sodor Railway Tales is all about the anthropomorphic engines and other anthropomorphic vehicles on the Island of Sodor, here are the characters you’ll meet in all the episodes made for the series so far...

The North Western Railway (or "The Fat Controller's Railway")

Thomas the Tank Engine

Built in England by Brighton Works and designed by L. B. Billinton in the year 1915 during the First World War, Thomas arrived on the Island of Sodor in that same year.

Thomas formerly worked as a station pilot at Vicarstown, pulling coaches about ready for the big engines to take out on long journeys. But by 1924, he grew tired of this and after proving to be a Really Useful Engine by learning all about trucks and rescuing James from an accident caused by them, he is rewarded his own branch line, which he has been running ever since, with his two coaches: Annie and Clarabel.

Thomas is a cheeky fellow with a strong sense of his own importance to the Fat Controller's Railway or even his own Branch Line. But his heart is in the right place, and he likes to work hard - when he isn't being cheeky, or sulking about the lack of respect he gets from some of the bigger engines.

Originally built with a dipped front buffer beam and a straight back buffer beam, Thomas was sent away for repairs in 1960 after crashing into the Stationmaster’s house when a careless cleaner meddled with his controls, making him unable to stop. Thomas returned from repairs with a new straight buffer beam which is now level from smokebox to bunker.

By 1990, when the stories about the railways of Sodor written in books by the Thin Clergyman were being adapted into a television series, Thomas’s popularity was at an all-time high. So much so that he was chosen by the National Railway Museum (N. R. M.) in York to be the engine representing the Fat Controller’s railway for their event showcasing many famous engines across the United Kingdom called “The Great Railway Show”, much to Gordon and Henry’s fury. En-route to the N. R. M., Thomas damaged his front buffer beam again after crashing into a faulty level-crossing gate in bad weather and the lorry he travelled on was booked for parking illegally. Thomas was repaired after he arrived at the N. R. M. and he became friends with Green Arrow, but more trouble arose when on his second trip on the N. R. M.’s special line guarded by protective barriers, he ran into a lunch bag thrown onto the line and frightened a little boy. However, Thomas did make up for his bad luck when, whilst double-heading a special train with Green Arrow, he noticed the line up ahead was damaged and stopped the train. As a reward for his actions, Thomas became an honorary member of the National Railway Collection, even receiving a commemorative plaque. Thomas left York and returned to Sodor afterwards.

Annie and Clarabel

Annie

Clarabel

Annie and Clarabel are Thomas the Tank Engine’s trusty push-pull coaches. They are kind, sweet, caring to everyone on the railway and respectful to all of the engines on Sodor, most of all Thomas and Gordon, though they respected Daisy least of all after Daisy, when she first arrived on Sodor, insulted them and Toby’s coach, Henrietta. Despite their kindness and sweetness, they can be stern when needed, such as when they scolded Thomas for teasing Gordon after an incident when he jammed the turntable and accidentally fell into a ditch.

Their precise origins about when or where exactly in England they were built is unknown, but it is possible that they were lengthened and converted from six-wheelers to bogie coaches after they arrived on Sodor, and in this case it is likely they began life with oil-lamps to light their compartments. The Fat Controller made sure this system was changed to electricity, but even though they are old, Annie and Clarabel are still capable of a good day’s work.

When Annie and Clarabel arrived on Sodor is also unknown, but they have probably been on Sodor for as long as Thomas has. However, they did not meet each other until they were given to Thomas along with his branch line in 1925. It is very likely that Annie and Clarabel were actually bought second-hand from one of the railways on the Mainland in the old days.

Thomas is usually the one who pulls them, but if Thomas is busy, other engines on Thomas’s Branch Line including Percy take over.

Annie and Clarabel are very faithful to Thomas, and the three have a close bond. All three often sing songs to each other when Thomas starts from a station. Annie and Clarabel know too, that if Thomas is cross, he is not cross with them, but rather the engines on the Main Line making him late.

Edward the Blue Engine

Built in Scotland by Atlas Works and designed by Sharp, Steward and Co. in 1896, Edward arrived on Sodor in 1915, around the same time as Thomas, after many years of working on the Furness Railway’s Cumbrian Coastline.

A mixed-traffic engine and the wisest, kindest and most helpful engine on the Fat Controller’s railway, Edward works at Vicarstown and his non-overstated helpfulness comes in very useful for many of the other engines. Despite being an old engine, Edward never gives up. In 1952, he proved himself to be a hero when he saved James by bringing the Inspector and James’ fireman to slow him down, and was rewarded for this by being sent away to the Works to have his worn parts mended. After being repaired, he was given his own branch line at Brendham (known as “Edward’s Branch Line”). But perhaps his biggest victory was that in 1965, he was taking some enthusiasts in a passenger train home, when his crankpin broke, causing severe damage to his wheel splasher and running plate, which the driver and fireman had to take off. Even so, he was able to pull the heavy train back, very late, but triumphant.

Henry the Green Engine

Henry was built in England in the year 1919, but his precise origins are unknown. It is said that he was built from stolen drawings from Sir Nigel Gresley by an anonymous builder who had a grudge against Gresley. The spy in question blundered however, and stole some plans that had been rejected earlier on. The mistake was not realised until too late, and Henry was built with many major design flaws, including an undersized smokebox.

Henry arrived on Sodor in the year 1922, and during that time, he was vain and refused to come out of a tunnel during a rainstorm. After several failed attempts to get him out, he was bricked up, but when Gordon broke down and Edward wasn’t strong enough to pull his train, Henry eagerly accepted the Fat Controller (then known as “The Fat Director")’s offer to pull the train along with Edward. After this, he worked on the Main Line, and has continued to do so ever since. Originally painted green, he was given a blue coat of paint (like Edward and Gordon), but this caused many people to mistake him for Gordon, much to Gordon’s annoyance. Eventually, sometime before 1935, the mainline engines were offered new coats of paint again, and Henry chose to return to his original green paint, to stop the Henry/Gordon confusion.

Because of his too small smokebox, Henry was unable to efficiently burn the regular coal available on Sodor, making him a bad steamer. As a result, he was often ill and unable to work. Things were improved when Henry burnt some high-grade Welsh coal (known as “Henry’s Special Coal”). However, in 1935, after he crashed into a goods train whilst pulling the Flying Kipper, Henry was sent to Crewe in England, as the Fat Controller had connections with Sir William Stanier. There, he was given a new shape designed by Stanier, including a new firebox large enough for him to use regular coal without any problems.

Henry is, generally speaking, a well-behaved, friendly and very strong engine, but not as much as Gordon. Although, he can be sometimes quite arrogant and grumpy.

Gordon the Big Engine

Built in England by GNR Doncaster and designed by Sir Nigel Gresley between 1920 and 1922 around the same time as his brothers, Gordon arrived on Sodor in the year 1923, the same year his brother Flying Scotsman (who was his last surviving sibling by 1967) was built. Flying Scotsman would later visit Sodor and reunite with his brother Gordon in 1967, 28 years after Gordon had a rebuild at Crewe.

A very big, strong and pompous engine who often pulls the express, Gordon can be quite patronising and arrogant towards the other engines, who would often tease him about it, making him quite cross.

Being boastful, Gordon would often insist that he is the fastest steam engine on Sodor, which he is, but would occasionally try and go at beyond 100mph. This was shown when in 1957, City of Truro, believed to be the first engine in the world to attain the speed of 100mph, came to visit Sodor, and Gordon tried to go as fast as that famous Great Western Engine, only to end up losing his dome on a viaduct.

Nevertheless, despite his pompousness and being more often than not egotistical and rude, he still has a good heart, is willingly forgiving, and can use his strength to help smaller engines if they’re in trouble.

In 2011, after about 88 years in the service, Gordon was retired from the Express, and Pip and Emma the Electric Diesel Engines took his place, as the Fat Controller concluded that too much time was spent on changing engines at the station at Barrow-in-Furness. Having pulled a non-stop train service for so long, Gordon humbly accepted his retirement, and was quite relieved and pleased with his new job in which he pulls stopping passenger trains as he could do two train trips a day and not just one.

James the Red Engine

Built in England by Horwich Works in Bolton and designed by George Hughes in the year 1912, James arrived on Sodor sometime between 1923 and 1924.

A special mixed-traffic engine just like Edward, James was originally painted black and had wooden brake blocks, and shortly after his arrival on Sodor, he becomes involved in an accident when his brake blocks catch fire and when trucks push him down the line into a field of cows. After Thomas rescued him from this ordeal, James was given a shining red coat of paint.

Although James is a useful engine who generally means well, he can be quite vain and troublesome.

Percy the Small Engine

Built in England by Avonside Locomotive Works and designed by Avonside Engine Company presumably sometime after the turn of the 20th century, Percy arrived on Sodor between 1925 and 1935, and thanks to a factory on the Mainland, he was sold second-hand to the Fat Controller’s railway.

A saddle tank engine with four wheels, the Fat Controller eventually bought Percy in a workshop to help out on the Main Line, taking over Thomas’s duties as station pilot. By 1955, when Duck the Great Western Engine arrived on the Main Line, Percy was sent to work on Thomas’s Branch Line to help build Knapford Harbour, where he has been working ever since.

Percy is a quite cheeky but kind little engine. He generally behaves well, but he loves playing tricks which sometimes get him into trouble, which includes annoying the other engines, especially the big ones like Gordon and James. Despite being a really useful engine, Percy can be rather accident-prone due to being naughty or careless, particularly with trucks. In 1956, he showed off by telling some trucks to push him past a danger notice, only to end up in the water until he was rescued by Henry. Four years later, Percy took Toby’s quarry trucks for him while Toby took the milk train (which Daisy the Diesel Railcar refused to do herself), but as Percy had never been to the quarry before, the trucks were so annoyed by Percy ordering them about that they pushed him into a line of stone trucks, causing an awkward predicament.

Toby the Tram Engine

Built in England by GER Stratford Works and designed by James Holden on 30 June 1914 during the First World War, Toby originally lived in Yarmouth with his brothers. By the early 1950s, Toby worked on a tramline in East Anglia (or The East of England) with his coach Henrietta, where the Fat Controller (Sir Topham Hatt I) and his grandchildren Stephen and Bridget came for their holiday.

A very unusual engine with distinctive cowcatchers and side plates (he does have wheels underneath!), Toby is old, wise and hardworking. By 1951, his line closed down, leaving him heartbroken. The Fat Controller wrote to Toby’s Controller, requesting Toby to come to Sodor to work at the Quarry at the end of Thomas’s Branch Line, as it was found out to be illegal for Thomas to go on the Quarry Tramroad without cow-catchers or sideplates. Toby did arrive on Sodor, bringing his coach Henrietta with him, which the Fat Controller did not mind.

Toby had been repainted three times. During his time in Great Yarmouth Docks, he was initially painted brown with black cow-catchers and side plates and his company’s initials (LNER) painted on his sides. By the time he worked on his tramway in East Anglia, he was repainted grey-brown with grey cowcatchers and side plates. Because Toby and Henrietta had shabby paint when they first arrived on Sodor, they would be teased by other engines, including James who called them “dirty objects” – that was until James bumped into some tar wagons. After Toby helped Percy to clear up the mess following James’s tar wagon crash, Toby was given a new coat of paint of chocolate-brown, complete with olive frames, beige trims and blue side plates.

Henrietta

Built at Stratford Works, England in 1883, Henrietta is a tram coach who almost always travels with Toby. She worked with Toby on Toby’s old tramline in East Anglia by the early 1950s. Henrietta became miserable when buses and lorries took over from her work from her and, like Toby, she was heartbroken when Toby’s old tramline closed down.

When Toby was asked by the Fat Controller to come to Sodor, Toby insisted on bringing Henrietta, as a stationmaster wanted to use her as a henhouse. The Fat Controller agreed with Toby that “that would never do”, so he didn’t mind Henrietta coming to Sodor as well.

After Toby and Henrietta arrived on Sodor, due to their shabby paintwork, James was rude to them, calling them “dirty objects”, but James stopped teasing them after he bumped into some tar wagons and spoiled his own paint. After this, Henrietta was repainted at the same time as Toby was. Henrietta was even the Fat Controller’s private coach when the engines went to England in 1956.

In 1960, when Daisy first came to Sodor and found out she had to share the Carriage Shed with Henrietta and Annie and Clarabel, she insulted them, and Percy and Toby had to take them away and stay up half the night trying to cheer them up.

Henrietta is often used as transport, delivering quarry workers to and from the Ffarquhar Quarry. One time in 2007, when Bertie the Bus was ill, more workers than usual had to crowd into Henrietta, even as far as Henrietta’s balcony. However, this caused controversy with a policeman who noticed this, and he sent an Inspector to inform the Quarry Manager of a by-law forbidding passengers to be riding on the balconies of railway carriages, telling the manager to make sure it doesn’t happen again. This problem was resolved when an old railway coach called Victoria was restored by the Fat Controller to help Toby and Henrietta. Together, Toby, Henrietta and Victoria formed “Toby’s Vintage Train”.

Victoria

Built in 1882 at Bow railway works in England, Victoria is an easy-going, friendly and somewhat sentimental vintage four-wheeled coach who initially worked on the Lakeside branch of the Furness Railway with a tank engine called Albert, and another coach called Helena. After Victoria became obsolete, she was moved to Sodor and became a summerhouse in an orchard near Elsbridge.

After being there for many years, in 2007, around the same time Toby and Henrietta got into trouble when quarry workers crowded on Henrietta’s balcony, Victoria was discovered by Thomas’s driver through the bushes at Elsbridge station. Victoria was then taken to the Works to be repaired and restored. At the Works, she met Edward who immediately recognised her from his time working on the Furness Railway, and, as someone who enjoys reminiscing about the old days, she told him the story about her time working with Albert and Helena. After restoration on Victoria was complete, Edward took her to Knapford Junction so Thomas could take her to be used on the Tramway from Ffarquhar to its quarry to help Toby and Henrietta, who she now works with, all three of them together forming “Toby’s Vintage Train”. Victoria also even helps Thomas, Annie and Clarabel on busy days as well. She is cheerful to everyone she meets, and is thankful about being put back into service.

Duck the Great Western Engine

Built by North British Locomotive Company and designed by Charles B. Collett on

31 March 1929 in Scotland, Duck originally worked on the Great Western Railway and the British Railways (known on Sodor as “The Other Railway”). After working as a station pilot at Paddington, Duck moves to the Island of Sodor in the Summer of 1955 to take over Percy’s coach shunting duties, allowing the latter to work at Knapford Harbour. Duck continued to work on the Main Line until 1967, and after becoming friends with the Small Railway engines who bring ballast down from their valley and help restore the Arlesburgh Branch Lne (later nicknamed “The Little Western” or “Duck’s Branch Line”), Duck was asked to run it with Oliver the Western Engine and on occasion, Donald and Douglas the Scottish Twin Engines.

Duck’s real name is Montague, but he got his affectionately known nickname because of his supposed waddle. He holds great pride with being Great Western and has a strong work ethic because of it, but when he insists that the “Great Western way” is the only right way of doing things, this can cause a friction with the other engines…

Alice and Mirabel

Built in 1934 at Swindon Works in Wiltshire and designed by Frederick W. Hawksworth, Alice and Mirabel are two Great Western autocoaches pulled by Duck on his branch line, having been rescued from scrap by the Fat Controller.

In 1967, around the time of Oliver, Isabel, and Toad the Break Van’s arrival on Sodor, the Fat Controller was in the process of re-opening the Little Western branch line between Tidmouth and Arlesburgh West. He assigned Duck and Oliver to run the line, but the only coach at the time was Isabel. This was eventually sorted when the Fat Controller rescued three more autocoaches like Isabel, those autocoaches being Alice, Mirabel and Dulcie. The former two were given to Duck, and Dulcie joined Isabel and Oliver.

Alice and Mirabel are affable funny coaches and are very attached to Duck. In 1968, when Oliver tried to teach the Troublesome Trucks including S.C. Ruffey, Alice, Mirabel and Duck cheered him on. Later on, in that year’s Summer Bank Holiday, Alice and Mirabel complained of the heat, clearly showing that they generally don’t like it, so Duck let them cool in the Goods Shed. That evening, a bus named Bulgy stole their passengers, which made them cross, and they would continue to not appreciate their passengers stolen by buses. Fortunately, they did get them back after Bulgy was wedged firmly under a bridge.

Donald and Douglas the Scottish Twin Engines

Donald

Douglas

Built in Scotland by St Rollox Works and designed by John F. McIntosh in 1909, Donald and Douglas used to work on their native Caledonian Railway, then on the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and the Other Railway, and they both arrived on the Island of Sodor in 1959, regardless of whether The Fat Controller expected only Donald to come. Douglas tagged along with Donald to be saved from scrap. They also had numbers painted on their tenders: Donald “9”, and Douglas “10”.

Although practical, peppery, proud and level-minded, they enjoyed playing jokes, and when they first arrived on Sodor, they were known to impersonate one another. Their mischief made the Fat Controller try and decide whether he would allow one of the engines or even both to stay. However, after they proved themselves to be Really Useful rescuing Henry in the snow, and thanks to a deputation organised by Percy, the Twins stayed on the Island and have been working ever since, with nameplates given to avoid confusion further confusion on who was who. Originally painted black, when the Fat Controller proposed to give them a new coat of paint as well as nameplates, they chose blue, in honour of their Caledonian heritage.

They used to work on the Main Line, but by 1967, they now work primarily on the Little Western and sometimes on Edward’s Branch Line.

Toad the Brake Van

Built by Swindon Works, Toad is a polite, gentlemanly, loyal, somewhat imaginative and a bit optimistic Great Western Break Van who initially worked on the Great Western Railway before being threatened with the prospect of scrapping. He, Oliver and an autocoach named Isabel ran away for the greener pastures of the North Western Railway, but Oliver ran out of coal en-route and had no steam. Luckily, they were all rescued by Douglas and brought back to Sodor. As a show of thanks, Toad volunteered to be Douglas’s brake van.

When a private owner wagon called S. C. Ruffey started a trend of disrespecting the engines, Toad had a cunning plan for Oliver to show him and his other trucks the error of their ways. Despite Oliver accidentally pulling S. C. Ruffey apart due to rotten wood and rusty frames, Oliver won back respect of the trucks because of this.

Toad minds his manners well, always quick to refer to the engines as “Mr.”, “Miss” or “Sir”. He has a cunning streak within him should the trucks cause any trouble and does like fun when it comes his way, but he is typically calm, obedient and content in his work.

Oliver the Western Engine

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Built on 31 August 1934 in England by GWR Swindon Works and designed by Charles B. Collett and “push-pull” fitted for branch line work, Oliver originally worked as a passenger engine in the West Country.

In 1967, West of England branch lines were rapidly closing, and Oliver’s crew were appalled that their engine would most likely be scrapped or left to rust away at Barry Scrapyard. Determined to take a chance and save Oliver, his coach Isabel and Toad the Brake Van, the crew planned an escape route, helped by several sympathetic signalmen. After many narrow escapes, and a longer than expected journey, Oliver, Isabel and Toad hid in an old quarry branch, with the cutting blocked to prevent diesels discovering them. When Douglas was taking a “Midnight Goods Train” to the Other Railway, he spotted Oliver, who ran out of coal at Barrow Yard, and was able to rescue Oliver and took him Crovan’s Gate Works on Sodor. After finding out what happened, the Fat Controller arranged for Oliver, Isabel and Toad to be repaired and painted in Great Western colours. Whilst Toad decided to be Douglas’s break van to thank him, the Fat Controller rescued another coach called Dulcie who became Oliver’s second coach. He was then asked to work with Duck on the Arlesburgh Branch Line (later known as “The Little Western”), where he has been working ever since.

Initially conceited after the big engines praised his courage, resource and sagacity for his daring escape and amazing adventures, after some trucks pushed him into a turntable well, Oliver became a humbler engine who is wary of trucks. He even gained respect and authority among the trucks with the help of Toad when showing his strength with the ringleader of the trucks, S. C. Ruffey, probably more so than he had intended. Oliver does still have gumption, but he is now a more obedient, sensible, trustworthy, tenacious and plucky engine. Despite being occasionally boastful or temperamental, Oliver is still one of the more really useful and reliable engines on the whole of Sodor.

Isabel and Dulcie

Isabel

Dulcie

"Devious" Diesel

Built in England by either Crewe, Darlington, Derby, Doncaster or Horwich Works and designed by the Other Railway (where he initially worked) sometime between 1952 and 1957, Diesel visited the Fat Controller’s railway to learn, but this new diesel engine thought he and other diesels “know everything” and are “Revolutionary”.

After trying and failing spectacularly to take some rusty trucks, he blamed Duck for not helping him and spread lies about him in an attempt to have Duck sent away. Ultimately though, Diesel continued doing the same thing with the other engines, and when the Fat Controller found this out, Diesel was sent home in disgrace.

Several years afterwards, sometime in the mid-to-late 1980s, Diesel returned to Sodor to work on Thomas’s Branch Line whilst Percy was undergoing repairs as he wasn’t feeling well. Considering Diesel’s past deeds, the engines were suspicious by the fact he came back, and Thomas and Toby made it clear to Diesel that they would stand no nonsense from him. Diesel seemed to take this on board, but the trucks teased him again, resulting in an accident which destroyed an old truck. As a result, he was to be sent away again. But on the day he left, Thomas, Annie and Clarabel were in an accident when Clarabel slipped on some rails caused by oil that Daisy the Diesel Rail-car left behind, resulting in them being derailed on some points near Dryaw. Because Thomas was blocking his only way home, Diesel needed to rescue them, which he did, admirably. Having shown some sort of good in him, the engines forgave him, and so did the Fat Controller, making him welcome to return to the Island of Sodor at some point in the future.

Daisy the Diesel Rail-car

Daisy was especially built and designed for use on Thomas’s Branch Line by Metro-Cammell in England in 1960, after Thomas was sent away to repair his damaged and badly twisted front end following his crash into the Stationmaster’s house.

When she arrived on Sodor shortly after she was built, Daisy considered herself to be “highly-sprung and right-up-to-date”, making a very snobby, lazy and stubborn diesel engine who’d be hard to please. When Toby and Percy showed Daisy round, she became a nuisance when she refused to sleep in the engines’ shed, and despite liking the coaches’ shed, she made Annie, Clarabel and Henrietta furious when she called them rubbish. Worst of all, Daisy refused to take a milk train (which Thomas usually would) because it was “bad for her swerves” despite Percy always shunting it for her. She even made fun of Toby’s cowcatchers and sideplates, and thought she could easily shoo a bull off the line by “tooting” and “looking at it in the eye”, but was proven wrong when she actually confronted an inquisitive bull named Champion.

Her laziness was something that the Fat Controller would not tolerate, and he informed her that lazy engines are not welcome on his railway. However, her reliability came in useful when she helped clear up the mess after Percy was in an awkward predicament involving quarry trucks. After Thomas returned from repairs, he, Percy, Toby and Daisy have been working well together on the branch line ever since.

Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine

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Built in England by Brighton Works and designed by William Stroudley in 1875, followed by a rebuild in 1912, Stepney was the first engine to be rescued by the Bluebell Railway in Sussex, and arrived there in May 1960 after the railway’s founder Bernard Holden MBE helped to save the line for preservation, right round the time of modernisation when steam engines were cut up on the Other Railway. He is a bubbly, modest, humble and enthusiastic engine who is very eager to please and is a friend to every engine.

In 1962, Stepney came on loan to the Island of Sodor with his own Controller and worked on the Main Line of the Fat Controller’s Railway, briefly with Duck at Tidmouth, and then on Thomas’s Branch Line. Stepney liked working with trucks, which surprised the other engines. He accidentally caught a cricket ball in one of his trucks whilst passing Elsbridge Cricket Field where one of the batsmen hit a six, resulting in the cricketers chasing them in their old car Caroline. He returned to work at Tidmouth nearing towards the end of his time on Sodor before returning to the Bluebell Railway, and had to help Duck double-heading the Express after a Class 40 diesel locomotive (simply called “The Diesel”) broke down.

After he left Sodor, Stepney continued to work on the Bluebell Railway for many years until he was taken out of service in 2008 when his boiler ticket expired. He underwent a fast-track overhaul however, and returned to service in 2010, in time for the Bluebell Railway’s 50th anniversary. In 2014, Stepney was withdrawn from service after a failure with his main steam-pipe. As of 2020, Stepney is awaiting to go into the Workshop for new cylinders and notable work on his frames and boiler, and is currently inside the Bluebell Railway’s new steam works, greeting everyone who goes there.

Bill and Ben the Tank Engine Twins

Built in England by Castle Engine Works, Stafford, West Midlands and designed by W. G. Bagnall Ltd in 1948, Bill and Ben are saddle tank engine twins who arrived on Sodor in that same year and now belong to the Sodor China Clay Company.

Bill and Ben are young, cheeky and very mischievous, having a tendency to tease and play jokes on other engines, including BoCo – the “diseasel” as they called him. After BoCo accidentally took their China Clay trucks, Bill and Ben accused him of stealing the trucks and played a trick on him who by puffing up beside him constantly – making him think there was only one of them. That was until Edward intervened and disciplined the twins, and both he and BoCo would continue to do so if the twins’ teasing ever went too far.

BoCo the Diesel Engine

Built in England for the Other Railway by Bowesfield Works and designed by Metropolitan-Vickers on 29 September 1958 as a mixed-traffic diesel engine, BoCo initially worked with the rest of his class in the Barrow-in-Furness area from 1962. He arrived on Sodor in 1965, and the Fat Controller successfully purchased him after satisfactory trials, leading him to work on Edward’s Branch Line, and occasionally on the Main line.

BoCo is a tame diesel, unlike other diesels who are known to be devious. He is sensible, kind, decently-humoured and very disciplined. Regardless, being a diesel, it took a long time for the engines to warm to BoCo. Bill and Ben played a trick on BoCo after he accidentally took their China Clay trucks, but soon came to respect him when Edward sorted out the confusion. Duck was initially suspicious but quickly warmed up to BoCo when he found out he was good friends with Edward. James called BoCo a “buzz-box” but was later ironically attacked by a swarm of bees which meant BoCo had to take the Express, prompting Gordon to be furious that a branch line Diesel pulled a mainline train. BoCo saved Gordon when due a signalman’s error, he was stranded on Edward’s Branch Line, and Bill and Ben jokingly threatened to scrap him. After Edward had trouble bringing some enthusiasts home, BoCo filled in on the branch line whilst Edward was sent away to be mended. Donald and Douglas were the last engines to accept BoCo.

Bear the Hymek Diesel

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Bear, originally known by his number “Diesel 7101”, was built and designed by Beyer, Peacock and Company sometime in 1964. Diesel 7101, originally painted in BR Rail Blue with yellow window surrounds livery, came to Sodor on loan to the Fat Controller’s Railway in 1967, along with another diesel numbered D199 (later nicknamed “Spamcan” and “Old Reliable”). Unlike 7101 who, like BoCo, was a friendly diesel, 199 was blatantly rude and arrogant, accusing steam engines of spoiling their image. This offended James and Duck until 7101, who, despite being friendly, was also extremely noisy and obstreperous – often making unusual growling noises (even when he wasn’t cross), managed to quieten down 199.

The day after they arrived, 7101’s vacuum brake ejector failed whilst he was pulling a passenger train called “The Limited”. Henry, who was already towing 199 and his train of fuel and oil tankers, came to 7101’s rescue, and helped him move, which 7101 was still able to do by himself. The passengers from “The Limited” were angry but were delighted when Gordon’s last surviving brother Flying Scotsman (who came to visit Sodor) took their train. When Henry helped 7101 home, he told him about the fact his ejector failed. 7101’s opinion of steam engines was greatly changed after the incident. 199 was later sent back to the Other Railway by the Fat Controller.

Overtime, the engines (including James who was the last to accept diesels) could not help but like 7101 because of how polite, charming, respectful, useful, loyal, friendly and sympathetic he was, despite his growls. The engines later persuaded the Fat Controller to let him stay on the North Western Railway. 7101 did stay and earned the name “Bear” because of his growls. Bear liked his name saying it was nicer than just having a number and meant he “really belonged”. In addition, he was repainted BR Brunswick Green with a narrow band of lime along the bottom of his sides and cream windows surrounds livery, and his number was changed from “D7101” to “D3”. He has been working on the Fat Controller’s Railway happily ever since, and it just goes to show that diesels are just as useful as steam engines.

Mavis the Quarry Diesel Engine

Built by Robert Stephenson and Hawthorns and designed by the Drewry Car Company between 1952 and 1962, Mavis arrived on Sodor sometime in the latter year. She was supplied by the Drewry Car Company to the Ffarquhar Quarry Company. A young, naïve and arrogant engine, she liked to arrange trucks at different places in Ffarquhar Quarry, much to the frustration of Toby who continually protested “Trucks should be where you want them, when you want them!” and after losing patience, left Mavis, who thought Toby was a fusspot, to her own devices. Under Daisy’s advice, Mavis started to ignore Toby’s advice and embarrassed herself when getting stuck at a level crossing in Ffarquhar, not helped by the troublesome trucks.

After this, Mavis was forbidden to leave the quarry, but she persuaded her manager to let her go up to the first crossing so she could shunt trucks quicker, and made a plan to pass the level crossing with help from the trucks. This plan backfired when the trucks bumped Toby instead, causing him to be suspended by flimsy rails rushing over a rushing stream. After Mavis helped Toby from this, she confessed it was her fault it happened. Nevertheless, the Fat Controller and Mavis’ manager were impressed by her courage and honesty, and so Mavis was allowed her occasional trips at Ffarquhar. She is now more capable of keeping trucks in line and is more willing to listen to take advice.

The Works Diesel

Designed and built by Brush Traction sometime between 1962 and 1968, the Works Diesel is a mixed-traffic diesel engine who lives and works at Crovan’s Gate Works.

Although he never speaks in any of the stories he’s featured in, he is described as someone who is friendly and, much like Bear, is impossible not to like.

One frosty day in 1984, the Works Diesel rescued James after his injector failed, and his charismatic personality impressed James so much that he could not help but befriend him before the two engines reached the Works. Thanks to the Works Diesel, James even overcame his hearty dislike for diesels, realising that not all diesels are bad and can be useful engines just as much as steam engines could.

The Works Diesel would continue to do greater services for the engines of Sodor, and he is not just involved in rescuing engines, pretty evident when during Christmas 1985, he brought a Christmas tree from the Other Railway to Sodor.

Pip and Emma the High-Speed Electric Diesel Engines

Philippa (nicknamed "Pip")

Emma

Built sometime between 1975 and 1982 by Crewe Works and designed by British Rail Engineering Limited and Sir Kenneth Grange, Philippa (nicknamed “Pip) and Emma are two diesel-electric engines which make up an InterCity 125 High Speed Train. They visited Sodor in the years 1986 and 1995. They would eventually be purchased to permanently work on Sodor in 2011, but that is a future story…

In 1986, Gordon was taking a railtour to Carlisle, and so Pip and Emma were asked to take the Express back to Tidmouth, the Big Station on Sodor. Despite Pip’s cooling system being faulty, Emma was still in order but ended up failing to pull the Express at Crovan’s Gate, necessitating in James needing to pull them back home, and the engines quickly befriended Pip and Emma. When Gordon returned to Sodor, Pip and Emma were returned to Barrow-in-Furness on the Other Railway by Donald and Douglas.

Pip and Emma are kind and friendly, and despite suffering from cooling system problems, they are efficient and reliable.

In 1995, Pip and Emma were borrowed in order to bring Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and some other guests to Tidmouth station for the Golden Jubilee of The Railway Series celebrations.

In 2011, Pip and Emma were purchased by the Fat Controller to run a faster express service to London following privatisation, and became the engines who pulled the Express, replacing Gordon, who, after about 88 years in the service, humbly accepted his retirement. During that same year, they were responsible for bringing Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and his wife Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall (now Queen Camilla) to Tidmouth station, this time for the Thin Clergyman’s centenary.

Wilbert the Forest Engine

Built by the Hunslet Engine Company in Leeds, England in 1953, Wilbert, formerly named “G. B. Keeling” is a sensible, polite, clever and inventive Austerity saddletank engine who works on the Dean Forest Railway in Gloucestershire.

After his build, Wilbert was purchased by the National Coal Board and he worked as a shunter at a colliery in Staffordshire. In 1976, he was bought by the Dean Forest Railway, becoming the first engine to be owned by the Forest of Dean Railway Ltd.

In August 1981, the Thin Clergyman (who was a one-time president of the Dean Forest Railway) christened the Austerity engine as “G. B. Keeling” after the first Chief Mechanical Engineer on the Severn and Wye Railway. G. B. Keeling was responsible for hauling the Dean Forest Railway’s royal train on 8 November 1983 when the Duke of Gloucester visited and rode in the engine. On 13 September 1987, following a major overhaul and repainting, G. B. Keeling was renamed “Wilbert” by the Thin Clergyman in his honour. On 8 September 1991, Wilbert even attended the opening of the line to Lydney Lakeside alongside City of Truro.

Wilbert’s first job was at the lead mine. Before that happened, whilst he spent the evening with Thomas and Toby, Thomas warned Wilbert to not pass a danger notice, but Wilbert knew of this, telling a story about an engine like him called “Sixteen” who did pass a danger notice. One day, whilst Wilbert delivered Percy’s trucks, his tanks were filled with milk instead of water by mistake after stopping at the wrong hosepipe at the St. Pedroc’s Dairy in Elsbridge when he tried to make up for neglecting to take on water after talking to James at Knapford.

After Percy returned from the Works, Wilbert was finally sent to Duck’s branch line to help Duck and Oliver, and whilst taking ballast wagons to the loading dock beside the Small Railway, he met the engines there. However, when Wilbert was about to take a ballast train, the coupling plate on the front ballast truck fell off, but that was resolved when Wilbert spotted a coil of wire and used it to couple up to the damaged truck, and he managed to get his train to Tidmouth safely. Afterwards, Wilbert left Sodor and returned to the Forest of Dean, by which time, the Fat Controller knew he needed another engine like Wilbert on his own railway.

The time where the Fat Controller eventually did get another Austerity engine to work on Sodor was never seen or mentioned in future stories, but although not confirmed, it is reasonable to assume that the Austerity engine did arrive on Sodor, and thus Donald and Douglas were never overworked again.

As for Wilbert, he underwent a major overhaul in 2010, and returned to service in 2012. By 2017, Wilbert was undergoing boiler repair work, and as of 2022, he is currently in storage waiting for his next overhaul to be carried out.

The Skarloey Railway (or "The Little Railway")

Skarloey

Built as a narrow-gauge engine with four wheels and no cab in England, by Fletcher, Jennings & Co., designed by Henry A. Fletcher in 1864, Skarloey, the twin of Talyllyn and the brother of Rheneas, arrived on the Island of Sodor by steam ship at Kirk Ronan Harbour in May 1865. Skarloey was then sent by a Scottish simple but kind unusually box-shaped tank engine called Neil, to Crovan’s Gate where the newly opened Skarloey Railway was located.

Skarloey was initially a bothersome engine who bounced about a lot because of no cab or trailing wheels. He matured slightly after receiving his cab and trailing wheels at Whitehaven where he briefly reunited with his twin Talyllyn in 1867. Skarloey became egotistical with his cab and trailing wheels, but matured even more, especially by the time he returned to Whitehaven for a second and final time for heavy repairs in 1897.

No further overhauls were done to Skarloey apart from general maintenance in the SR Workshop, and as a result, by 1945, his boiler and smokebox were in such a bad state that he could not be steamed unless it was in a dire emergency. One instance of this was that in 1952 whilst he was bringing home Sir Handel’s train, Skarloey broke his springs. Despite this, he brought his train home, but he needed a much needed overhaul. By that time, Skarloey became a very wise old engine.

Skarloey was sent away to Gibbons Bros. Ltd. in England to have the overhaul done, reuniting with Talyllyn who was there for the same reason. Skarloey returned to the Skarloey Railway in 1958, and after being fully repaired and returned to service, he became the wisest engine on the Skarloey Railway, as well as being the eldest engine on Sodor.

Rheneas

Built as a narrow-gauge engine without a cab in England, by Fletcher, Jennings & Co. and designed by Henry A. Fletcher in 1865 like his brother Skarloey, Rheneas, the twin of Dolgoch, arrived on the newly opened Skarloey Railway around the same time as Skarloey in that same year.

Unlike Skarloey (who at that time was bothersome and egotistical), Rheneas was stern and thoughtful, often falling out with Skarloey after the former called him an “stick-in-the-mud” following an argument over cabs. Eventually, the two reconciled when Rheneas saved Skarloey from a landslide in 1867. Unlike Skarloey (and Rheneas’s twin Dolgoch), Rheneas never returned to Whitehaven. Any repairs he needed were instead done at the Skarloey Railway workshop, but the precise time is happened is unknown. He was even overhauled at Crovan’s Gate two times in 1937 and 1943.

By the late 1940s, the Skarloey Railway was in a very lean period. Because Skarloey was in desperate need of repairs by 1945, Rheneas ran the line alone, and managed to save the railway by keeping the services going. He even managed to pull a train full of passengers home one windy day despite having a jammed valve gear, and was rewarded with an overhaul. If he didn’t make it home, the Skarloey Railway would have closed. By the time Sir Handel and Peter Sam arrived in 1952, Rheneas was finally sent to England for his overhaul, which lasted for 9 years until returning to service on the Skarloey Railway in 1961. He was known as a “Gallant Old Engine” by the railway staff for his bravery.

Rheneas is a highly determined, brave, courageous, level-headed and adventurous. He is a tough and committed worker who takes great responsibility in his work, and is a great brother to Skarloey, even if they had their differences when they first arrived.

Sir Handel

Built in England by Falcon Works in Loughborough, designed by Henry Hughes in 1904, Sir Handel (named by the Skarloey Railway’s Owner Sir Handel Lloyd Brown II in honour of his father Sir Handel Brown I) arrived on the Island of Sodor to work on the Mid Sodor Railway shortly after he was built, but then moved to the Skarloey Railway shortly after the Mid Sodor Railway was closed in 1947. During his days on the Mid Sodor Railway, Sir Handel was originally named “Falcon” (after the works where he was built) was painted blue, and had no buffers. He and Peter Sam would eventually be given buffers by 1958.

Like Gordon on the standard-gauge North Western Railway, Sir Handel can be quite arrogant, pompous, impulsive, rude, stubborn, naughty and bad-tempered, and do things like calling Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice the narrow-gauge coaches “cattle trucks” or pretending to be ill to avoid the jobs he hates.

In 1960, Sir Handel had been given new wheels with broad tyres as he kept slipping between the rails. The other engines called them his “steamroller wheels”. When a bad-tempered steamroller named George arrived around this time, Skarloey had Sir Handel meet his match with George to teach him some sense. Sir Handel and George’s conflict resulted in an accident in which George rammed his roller into Sir Handel’s train. Despite this, Sir Handel genuinely thought he sent George packing and become conceited. This was stopped when some children heard about his and George’s conflict and teased him about it.

In 1982, Sir Handel went to visit the Talyllyn Railway and help on it because his brother Sir Hadyn needed repairs, and because Talyllyn was feeling ill. Before returning to Sodor two years later, Sir Handel had many adventures on the Talyllyn Railway, such as pulling a wedding train. But his most interesting escapade there was colliding with a tree at Nant Gwernol, for which he needed an eye-patch!

Peter Sam

Built in England by California Works in Stoke-on-Trent, designed by Kerr, Stuart & Co. in 1920, Peter Sam, (named after The Thin Controller – Mr. Peter Sam), arrived on the Island of Sodor to work on the Mid Sodor Railway in 1920, but, like Sir Handel, moved to the Skarloey Railway after the Mid Sodor Railway was closed in 1947. Peter Sam was originally named “Stuart” (after his builder Stuart Kerr) and painted green during his days on the Mid Sodor Railway.

After Peter Sam arrived on the Skarloey Railway and was repainted red (like Skarloey and Rheneas), he had quite a series of adventures. In 1952, when he was new to the railway, he arrived late at Crovan’s Gate Station where Henry was waiting, and Henry threatened to leave Peter Sam’s passengers behind if he was late again. He left the Refreshment Lady behind after trying to leave the station she was at too quickly. The Refreshment Lady was furious, but after Peter Sam told her what Henry said, she clarified that Henry was teasing and that he had to wait as he was a guaranteed connection. In 1958, after the Owner gave him and Sir Handel some buffers, Peter Sam had an accident at the Skarloey Slate Quarry with its Slate Trucks, causing his old funnel to be severely damaged. By 1961, Peter Sam’s old funnel was knocked off after he passed under a tunnel and it was temporarily replaced with a rusty pipe. After that, Peter Sam was granted his new funnel, a very squashed-looking one called a “Giesl”. Initially doubtful it would work, Peter Sam found out that this new funnel suited him much better and his performance has been improved. Peter Sam has maintained his new funnel ever since.

Peter Sam is extremely enthusiastic, eager, bubbly and can occasionally be quite cheeky, but is well-meaning, kind-hearted, well-mannered, friendly to everyone, and accepts doing the jobs he’s required to do, unlike his rude and arrogant friend Sir Handel. However, Peter Sam can get very angry if the big engines (particularly Henry) tease him or cause him to misunderstand something. One significant time when Peter Sam really seemed bad-tempered was in 1982, when he, not wanting to miss James’s train, recklessly ploughed through some prickly branches that were on the track, damaging his valve gear when they got caught in it as a result. Despite his passengers and the guard managing to cut him out of the branches, his front was left sore for several day.

Throughout most of the early 1990s, Peter Sam visited the Talyllyn Railway in Wales. One particular thing that happened during his visit to Wales was when he took on bad water which sprayed sludge out of his funnel by the time he got to the station. To make things worse for him, he had to stay in a siding as the visitors wanted to see him. Skarloey’s twin Talyllyn took his train for him. As it turned out, the water used on the Talyllyn Railway had a special powder to make it taste nice, and clearly on that day, too much powder was used. Peter Sam was cleaned inside and out, and after he returned to Sodor by 1996 (around the same time the new little engine Ivo Hugh’s construction), he told this story to two young volunteers named Kathy and Lizzy, who found the story hilarious.

Duncan

Built in Scotland by Caledonia Works, designed by Andrew Barclay Sons and Co. in 1928, Duncan was brought second-hand by The Owner in 1958.

In his early days, Duncan meant well, but he could be quite rough, rude, stubborn and bad-tempered. His rough manners and strong temper, often got him into trouble. When he first arrived on the Skarloey Railway in 1958, he had the tendency to boisterously bounce about, which eventually became known as his “rock ‘n’ roll”, which was eventually stopped after he derailed and Rusty the Little Diesel rescued him. In 1961, Duncan even became extremely jealous when Nancy, a guard’s daughter, who would occasionally polish the engines, didn’t have time to polish him after polishing Skarloey because of needing to help the Refreshment Lady later in the day. Duncan got so cross that he actually stalled on the Rheneas Viaduct, claiming he was overworked and not polished enough. That was until Skarloey taught Duncan sense with Rheneas’ story about running the railway by himself, thus concluding that passengers are far more important than polish.

Overtime, Duncan’s grumpiness seemed to gradually die down, showing some kindness and willingness to help others. One time in 1983, some boy scouts were camping and volunteering on the Skarloey Railway and were going to fix a part of the line that was wet and mushy thanks to the rain. When the scouts became thirsty and had nothing to drink, their leader stopped Duncan so he could help prevent them from being dehydrated. The Refreshment Lady unfortunately had run out of drinks because of her business that day being quite busy, so Duncan suggested they go to another tea shop near the station by the lake. The boy scouts managed to get enough drinks and cheerily thanked Duncan for helping them.

Rusty

Built and designed in England by Ruston and Hornsby from 1936 – 1942, Rusty arrived on the Skarloey Railway in 1957 after being bought by the Owner to assist Sir Handel and Peter Sam, including preparations for Skarloey’s return from repairs.

Rusty is a trusty, tame and friendly little diesel, and a dedicated worker, but can be quite hurt when his warnings about the Skarloey Railway’s problems are disregarded. This was particularly evident when in 1958, Duncan, who had the tendency to “rock ‘n’ roll”, ignored Rusty’s warnings about a bad bit on the railway that needed repairs and called him a “smelly diesel”. When Duncan did derail, foreman and Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Skarloey Railway, Mr. Ivo Hugh, tried to get Rusty to start in order to help Duncan back on the rails. Rusty, still hurt by Duncan’s remark, refused, until Skarloey reminded him about the state of the passengers. Once Duncan was rescued, he apologised to Rusty, and they both became friends, with Duncan saying “I wish all diesels were like you.”.

Duke

Duke (also formerly known as “The Duke”) was built in 1879 in Wales by Boston Lodge Works and designed by George England and C. M. Holland to the order of John Arnold Norramby, Earl of Sodor (nicknamed “The Duke of Sodor” or “His Grace”) and Chairman of the Mid Sodor Railway in Arlesdale for the Mid Sodor Railway’s opening in 1880. He was named in honour of the Earl by Board of Director’s who commissioned him to haul the opening train.

Duke worked with Peter Sam and Sir Handel (then known as “Stuart” and “Falcon” respectively), trying to keep them in order, otherwise they’d end up like the cocky and reckless American engine Stanley (known as “No. 2”) – who the Mid Sodor Railway Manager turned into a pumping engine after his stubbornness to be reckless persisted. Duke remained in service until 1947 after the Mid Sodor Railway was closed. Whilst Falcon and Stuart were bought, the buyers had no interest in Duke, so his crew oiled him, greased him and sheeted him up, leaving him in Arlesdale Sheds, where he was all but forgotten. Duke believed the Earl would come and rescue him, but that never happened, and he was unaware that John Norramby had been killed in the Second World War, and that his successor who was just a boy had never heard of his little engine.

By 1969, Duke was eventually discovered by the Small Controller (controller of the Arlesdale Railway aka “The Small Railway”), the Thin Clergyman and the Fat Clergyman. Duke was taken by road to Crovan’s Gate Works where he was repaired, through the kindness and generosity of the Fat Controller and Richard Robert Norramby, the current Earl of Sodor who previously came to Skarloey and Rheneas’s 100th Birthday five years earlier and shared the cost of the Skarloey Railway’s Owner, Sir Handel Brown II. After his repairs, he was finally reunited with Sir Handel and Peter Sam, and has worked on the Skarloey Railway ever since.

Much like Skarloey, Duke is one of the oldest, wisest, kindest and most experienced engines on the Skarloey Railway. In his days on the Mid Sodor Railway, he was the mentor of Sir Handel and Peter Sam, and being the oldest engine on the line, he wanted everything “just so”. If an engine does something wrong, Duke would often say “That would never suit His Grace”. As Sir Handel and Peter Sam developed a great respect for Duke, especially in the early days, they dearly nicknamed him “Granpuff” for his long service to the railway. Coincidentally enough, the nickname “Granpuff” was also one given to the Thin Clergyman by his grandchildren because of the similarities to the smoke from his pipe and a steam engine.

Ivo Hugh

Built at Crovan’s Gate Works on the Island of Sodor in 1996, five years after his twin Tom Rolt, Ivo Hugh, named after the Skarloey Railway’s former foreman and Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Skarloey Railway Mr. Ivo Hugh, is a young and powerful narrow-guage tank engine, who, since he was built, has done sterling work for the Skarloey Railway. Whilst the heavier construction work on the then unnamed “Number 7” was done at Crovan’s Gate Works, the engine was actually constructed by the Skarloey Railway’s own engineering department led by Ivo Hugh’s son and successor David Hugh II.

Mr. Ivo Hugh christened Number 7 as “Ivo Hugh” during the naming ceremony shortly after his build which was attended by all the engines. Not much is known about Ivo Hugh as he was never shown to speak, but Ivo Hugh is nevertheless unique in the Skarloey roster as he’s a side-tank engine, and he is strong enough to handle the heaviest work. Even information on Ivo Hugh is very vague, but according to a trading card he was on tied-in with a television series made about the engines of Sodor, being a new engine, he “relies on the knowledge and experience of the older engines to get his job done.”

Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice

Agnes

Ruth

Lucy

Jemima

Beatrice

Built at Britannia Works & Lancaster Carriage and Wagon Works in England between 1865 and 1866, and arriving on Sodor around the same time – therefore being part of the Skarloey Railway since its beginning, Agnes, Ruth, Lucy and Jemima are the oldest coaches on the Skarloey Railway, whilst Beatrice is their guard's van. Lucy in particular arrived in 1866.

Agnes is a deep-voiced and proud first class coach and appears to be the leader of the coaches. Jemima is somewhat deaf. All four coaches look down on Beatrice, claiming that she smells of fish and cheese, despite the fact Beatrice’s usefulness cannot be overstated, not to mention her ticket booth and an emergency buzzer.

When the Skarloey Railway was facing hard times, the coaches were sometimes so full, that passengers had to travel in Beatrice, resulting in the necessity on some occasions, particularly Market Day, to have third-class passengers travel in Agnes, which she, being a first-class coach, did not like at all.

In 1952, when Sir Handel and Peter Sam arrived, the coaches did not like the former after he called them “cattle trucks”, and paid Sir Handel out by holding him back on the hill. The coaches much preferred the company of Peter Sam, who called them “his dears”, despite a minor incident when Peter Sam left the Refreshment Lady behind. The coaches still did not like Sir Handel, to the point where (after they thought Sir Handel deliberately bumped them when really he stopped to avoid running over a sheep), they bumped him onto a set of points. Skarloey, the only engine left, took over and scolded the coaches for their bad behaviour and warned them not to play tricks on him, to which the coaches were left ashamed of themselves. Since then, after Skarloey was sent away to be mended, the coaches never played tricks on Sir Handel to cause him to derail again, although they could still be awkward with him sometimes, and act in a way that only Skarloey and Rheneas know how to handle.

In the early summer of 1982, the Skarloey Railway had so many visitors that there was not any room in the four coaches to carry all the passengers, so some of them had to travel in Beatrice. Sir Handel, who was anticipating his trip to the Talyllyn Railway in Wales, was made impatient when the Guard (as he always did) had to check the passenger tickets at the station by the Waterfall. The guard, having finished the checking, blew his whistle, but he struggled to get back into Beatrice because the entrance was blocked by the passengers. Sir Handel set off without the Guard, and Beatrice couldn’t stop on her own, but a passenger was able to press a buzzer inside her which sounded an alarm in Sir Handel’s cab. This alerted his crew to the problem and made them stop Sir Handel and pick up the guard.

Despite being hot-tempered and sinister if an engine does not treat them properly, and occasionally silly and awkward (necessitating in Skarloey and Rheneas putting them in their place if they misbehave), Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice are genuinely nice and quiet unlike many other coaches.

Cora

Cora is a tool van and occasionally a guard’s van, who works on the Skarloey Railway. She was built and designed by Falcon Works for the Mid Sodor Railway, where she started out as a tool van, though she served as Peter Sam (then named Stuart)’s guard's van for a time. In 1947, she was acquired by the Thin Controller in the sale following the Mid Sodor Railway’s closure in 1947. She was used as a guard’s van when Beatrice was unavailable, though she eventually returned to her original use after Millicent’s arrival in 1955.

When Peter Sam returned to service after his accident with the slate trucks, he told Skarloey, who had returned from his overhaul, all about Cora. Skarloey then took Cora to rescue Duncan after he got stuck in the Rheneas tunnel for doing “Rock ‘n’ Roll”, and whilst Skarloey took the workmen home, Cora was left in a siding for the workmen to inspect the tunnel.

George the Steamroller once collided into Cora while exchanging insults with Sir Handel near Cros-ny-Cuirn. Duncan later took Cora to help repair one of Skarloey’s coaches after it derailed.

Not much is known about Cora personality-wise, but she clearly has a good friendship with Peter Sam, being his guard’s van during a period of time.

Ada, Jane and Mabel

Ada

Jane

Mabel

Built in 1954, Ada, Jane and Mabel started out life as three open carriages, more specifically, plain coaches without roofs. Where they were built and who they were designed by is unconfirmed, but Ada, Jane and Mabel were acquired at some point prior to 1958 whilst Skarloey and Rheneas were away being repaired. Their arrival on the Skarloey Railway was to supplement the prior carriage fleet. Originally used for transporting quarry workers, they are now used for tourist traffic on sunny days. When Peter Sam returned to service after his accident with the slate trucks, he told Skarloey, who had returned from his overhaul, all about the open carriages.

Because of having no roofs, Sir Handel thought they were trucks, though Peter Sam (who Ada, Jane and Mabel are very fond of) insisted they were coaches because they had seats. When Ada leads the way, these three always find laughter in a day’s work.

In 1958, when some producers from the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) 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. Seven years later in 1965, they were used for the same purpose when a documentary was made about Skarloey and Rheneas’s 100th birthday.

Prior to May 2005, Ada, Jane and Mabel had been converted into covered stock (to have roofs), much like coaches similar to them on the Talyllyn Railway.

Gertrude and Millicent

Gertrude

Millicent

Gertrude and Millicent are two bogie coaches, who were built at Crovan’s Gate Works at some point between 1952 and 1958, while Skarloey was being overhauled in England. The pair were built on the chassis of two former Mid Sodor Railway bogie coaches, that were recovered by the Skarloey Railway.

Sir Handel considers Gertrude and Millicent to be the only “proper” coaches on the railway, as they run on bogies. Furthermore, they remind him of pulling express trains on the Mid Sodor Railway. Millicent has a small covered compartment for a guard where they can sell tickets, although Peter Sam doesn’t like this as he believes Guards need vans, referring to his compartment as a cupboard place.

The Arlesdale Railway (or "The Small Railway")

Rex

Rex was originally built in 1923 by Davey, Paxman & Co. and designed by Henry Greenly at the same time as River Esk was for the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway. After being found to be “powerful but erratic”, Rex was sent to the Yorkshire Engine Co. for a rebuild in 1928 at the same time as River Esk, and for the same reasons. He was fitted with Walschaerts valve gear, replacing the originally fitted poppet gear.

Rex’s old line in England closed down in 1967, so he, Bert and Mike were brought by the Fat Controller and sent to the Arlesdale Railway, where they have been working ever since.

Rex is playful, strongly good-humoured, kind-hearted, friendly and hard-working. He is the natural leader the Small Railway engines – which causes friction between him and Mike who likes to think he’s the leader. Rex is very proud of his railway and is a great friend to the other engines, but can’t resist teasing Mike about being full of himself.

Bert

Built circa 1894 by Duffield Bank and designed by Sir Arthur Heywood, Bert initially worked on an unnamed railway line in England until it was closed in 1967. After this, he, Rex and Mike were sent to Sodor to work on the Arlesdale Railway, where they have been working ever since.

Bert is easy-going, friendly, and is the quietest of all the Small Engines, though he dislikes it when bigger engines (or even people) might look down on the Small Engines as “Small” just because they are small. Regardless, he is friendly with big engines and he would usually correct them if they look down upon smaller engines. Bert normally gets on well with his jobs without complaining, not minding what work he’s given, as long as he’s treated with respect.

Mike

Built as a tough and robust engine circa 1966 by H. Clarkson and Son of York from a designed intended to incorporate improvements on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway’s River Esk, and has succeeded like his relative River Mite. Mike initially worked on an unnamed railway line in England until its closure in 1967. He, Rex and Bert were sent to Sodor to work on the Arlesdale Railway, where they have been worked ever since.

Mike is well-meaning and hard-working, but he can be quite grumpy, a little argumentative and irritable, often overheating when he loses his temper. He is also a little cunning and arrogant, thinking he should be in charge of the other engines, regardless of Rex being the natural leader, and neither Rex or Bert really let him boss them around. Bert likes to simply humour Mike, but Rex never fails to tease or wind him up, and because Mike is hot-headed, it’s not difficult. Unlike Gordon, Mike prefers pulling goods trains as opposed to passenger trains, as he considers the former more straightforward and is less likely to complain about it. He has great pride in his strength and appears to have great confidence, but he would not be so easy to tease if he was hiding at least some insecurity.

Frank

Frank was built circa 1967 at Arlesburgh Works on Sodor out of bits and pieces from several other engines and designed by Ivan Farrier, the Small Railway’s Chief Engineer. Powered by a Perkins diesel engine and named after its creator, Frank is a shunter who is used for maintenance work and empty carriage workings across the Small Railway.

Frank is quite prone to being grumpy and easily irritable, especially when he feels left out, and his bad mood can make him uncooperative which would often lead him to an accident. Despite his at times bad attitude, Frank nevertheless values friendship and teamwork, always willing to help a friend in need.

Around the same time Frank arrived on the Small Railway in 1967, the Railway Series book Small Railway Engines had only just been published. Frank became absolutely furious and felt left out when he found out that the Thin Clergyman (author of The Railway Series) had not included him in the book as he was not aware of his presence. Frank became grumpy, refused to move out of his shed and when his Driver forced his engine to start, he carelessly moved backwards and crashed into the Shed’s back wall, cracking one of its supports. Frank was later ashamed of what he had done, and redeemed himself after rescuing Rex whose steam pipe leaked and took his train. Despite Frank’s success, the Small Controller thought that Frank doing rescues would be too much work for him, so he decided the Small Railway needed a new engine, who eventually arrived in 1976, who eventually arrived in 1976 in the form of Jock.

Jock

Jock was built in 1976 at Arlesburgh Works, as arranged by the Small Controller, who decided the Small Railway needed another engine, following the time Frank the Diesel rescued Rex after his steam pipe leaked. Jock was designed by Ivan Farrier, the Small Railway’s Chief Engineer, working with Ian Smith of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway at Cumbria in England, who also needed a fourth steam engine – that being Northern Rock, which explains their marked similarities.

Jock’s design incorporates all the best features of Rex, Bert and Mike, and in the case of Bert, the tall chimney and cab gives Jock a true narrow gauge appearance. With the exception of the boiler, firebox and cylinders which were fabricated at Crovan’s Gate Works, Jock was built entirely at Arlesdale Works, with Stephen Topham Hatt III (the Third Fat Controller) playing a role in arranging Jock’s construction, a project which was dear to his father’s heart.

Jock was initially unnamed when he came out for tests, but was eventually named after Douglas and Duck visited one day; Jock’s paint job reminded Douglas of his days on the Highland railway, and thus suggested “Jock” as the name, which Jock liked.

When Jock was first built, he was quite cocky about being stronger and more popular than the other small railway engines, but eventually realised the importance of teamwork when Mike’s injector failed and he had to pull Mike and his train single-handedly. Since then, he has become more kind and helpful towards the other small railway engines, feeling thankful that he was “one of the team.”

The Culdee Fell Railway (or "The Mountain Railway")

The most notable engines on this railway, who have two faces (one at the front, and one at the back) as opposed to the usual singular at the front like on most other engines, are the following…

Culdee

Built and designed sometime in 1900, in Switzerland, by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur, Culdee arrived on the Island of Sodor in that same year. In March 1900, Culdee was the first rack-equipped tank engine to be used in test-runs on the Culdee Fell Railway, and was named after Culdee Fell – the mountain on Sodor which the railway climbs. When Lord Harry was delivered to the Culdee Fell Railway in March 1962, Culdee went away for an overhaul, being the most run-down engine compared to another engine called Shane Dooiney. Culdee returned to Sodor in May 1963, with Donald taking him back to the Culdee Fell Railway. On the way, Culdee told stories about his railway to some of the Skarloey railway engines.

Culdee is careful, cautious and friendly, being the most sensible engine on the Culdee Fell railway, and is a fine team with his coach Catherine. He always tries to give advice to the other engines, and often tries to warn them about what might happen if they act recklessly, which was the case with the arrogant engines Lord Harry and Godred. Culdee also likes a bit of excitement when it comes to telling stories, including the unfortunate story of Godred’s misfortune – whether the story was true or made up will forever be a mystery…

Wilfred

Built and designed in 1900, in Switzerland, by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur, Wilfred arrived on the Island of Sodor in that same year just as the Culdee Fell Railway opened.

Much like Culdee, Wilfred is old, kind, hard-working and very cautious. He would get upset if other engines acted carelessly. The other engines refer to him as the musical engine because he loves whistling whilst going up and down the steep hills of Culdee Fell.

Alaric

Built and designed sometime in 1962, in Switzerland, by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur to the latest “superheated” design, Alaric arrived on Sodor sometime in May of that same year, allowing another engine called Shane Dooiney to be sent away for an overhaul.

Alaric is described by other engines as “nice and quiet”, and is just careful and cautious like Culdee and Wilfred.

Patrick

Built and designed sometime in 1962, in Switzerland, by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur, Patrick was the first built there to the latest “superheated” design. He arrived at the Culdee Fell Railway on Sodor in March 1962 just as Culdee went away for his overhaul, and was initially named “Lord Harry”, after the Culdee Fell Railway’s chairman Lord Harry Barrane.

Lord Harry, much like the ill-fated Godred, was at first reckless, very arrogant, pompous and troublesome, and always took risks, frightening his coaches. After he derailed at Culdee Fell Summit which made Wilfred unable to take his down-train, Lord Harry had his name taken away (now known as “No. 6”) and was put at the back of the shed in disgrace. After being told the story of Godred, “No. 6” desperately wanted a second chance, but being given one was as lowly as a shunting engine. All this changed when he, along with the “Truck”, was tasked with climbing a difficult part of the Mountain Railway called “Devil’s Back” in order to rescue some injured climbers. With the rescue successful, “No. 6” was renamed Patrick in honour of a climber who risked his life to help the others. Patrick is now an engine who only takes risks when necessary, being more responsible and mature than ever before.

Catherine

Built sometime in the 1920s by Lancaster Carriage and Wagon Company, Catherine is a mountain railway coach who, over the years, has developed a strong friendship with Culdee. Catherine is in fact so trustworthy and clever that Culdee knows at once if anything is wrong. Being very safety-conscious, she was very upset by Lord Harry’s risk-taking when she worked with him. Like the other rolling stock on the Culdee Fell Railway, she is responsible for warning Culdee about any dangers lying ahead of them.

Other Vehicles

Terence the Tractor

Built and designed by the American company Caterpillar Inc. sometime in 1934, Terence arrived on the Island of Sodor to work on ploughing the fields of Thomas’s branchline. Thomas insulted Terence for his caterpillar trucks, but eventually regretted it after Terence, being the assertive tractor that he is, showed bravery rescuing him from the snow.

Bertie the Bus

Built in England by Leyland Motors and designed by Leyland Motors/Brush BET sometime between 1929 and 1948, Bertie arrived on the Island of Sodor around the same time.

A friendly, but quite cheeky and boastful single-decker bus, Bertie was responsible for rescuing Thomas’s passengers after he got stuck in the snow and Terence the Tractor pulled him out. In 1948, he later races Thomas after boasting he was the fastest of the two, but was soon proven wrong when Thomas won the race, and the two of them have been busy on the branchline ever since.

In 1985, the Viaduct on the Main Line was undergoing repairs meant that Gordon, Henry and James were delayed in bringing Thomas’s passengers, which made Thomas late in meeting Bertie at the stations on his branch line. Bertie teased Thomas about racing again, which made Thomas cross. However, Bertie broke down one day, and pleaded Thomas to take his passengers home and call for help at the next station, which he did. After he was repaired, Bertie apologised to Thomas for teasing him and thanked him for helping his passengers, and Thomas learnt that being late wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

Trevor the Traction Engine

Built in England by William Foster & Co. in 1927, Trevor arrived on the Island of Sodor and used to work on farms doing odd-jobs like threshing corn, sawing timber and giving children rides. Unfortunately, despite his usefulness, his original owner thought he was old-fashioned and sold him for scrap.

That was until Edward befriended the kind and benevolent traction engine and encouraged the Vicar of Wellsworth to buy Trevor and save him from scrap. He has been working happily in the Wellsworth vicarage ever since.

Harold the Helicopter

Built in England by Westland Aircraft in Yeovil, Somerset and designed by Sikorsky Aircraft in Stratford, Connecticut in 1949, Harold arrived on the Island of Sodor in 1953.

When Percy first met him two years later, Harold liked to boast that “railways are slow and quite out-of-date”, but was proven wrong when the former beat him in a race. Harold still can be boastful, but is very helpful when an emergency on the Island arises. One instance of this happened in the 1980s, when Thomas’s brakes failed when boarding at a station, and Harold chased him down the line with an Inspector who managed to stop Thomas at Toryreck station. During one Christmas in that same decade, Harold brought Father Christmas to the Party at Tidmouth Station.

George the Steamroller

Built between 1946 and 1950 and designed by Aveling-Barford, George arrived on the Island of Sodor in 1960, and he assisted with the road widening works near the small village and station of Cros-ny-Cuirn on the Skarloey Railway.

He had immediate conflict with the Skarloey Railway engines, rudely remarking to them “Railways are no good! Pull them up, turn them into roads,” whenever they passed. During this time, Sir Handel had been given broad tyres on his wheels, which the others jokingly referred to as his “steamroller wheels”. Skarloey tried to make Sir Handel confront George. Conflict ensued between Sir Handel and George immediately and they hated each other. One afternoon, Sir Handel was taking a train down the line near the site where George was working. George would not give Sir Handel’s train enough room to pass and rammed his front roller into Sir Handel’s train. Sir Handel and George’s drivers and the construction crews hotly argued about whose fault it was until a policeman intervened before things got too intense. Eventually, a barrier was built between the road and the rails, and George was taken away after he finished work, but Sir Handel became conceited and took credit for George’s departure, until some children teased him about it.

By 1991, George had been working near Thomas’s Branch Line, still grumbling. One day, whilst doing repairs, he informed Daisy he had been building roads over old railway lines, and threatened to do the same to Thomas’s Branch Line, prompting Daisy to not cross with him in case he went through with his threat. One day, George and his crew left some road traffic cones where they were working, and a wind forced the cones to be blown over and move to the level crossing, falling into Daisy’s path, jamming her brakes. Daisy was certain that George did it on purpose.

Bulgy the Double-decker Bus

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Built in 1968 by Associated Equipment Company, Bulgy arrived on the Island of Sodor that same year. Unlike Bertie, Bulgy was very grumpy, rude, cold-hearted and cynical. He despised railways so much that he believed roads would eventually completely replace them. On his side, Bulgy carried a poster saying “JOIN THE ANTI-RAIL LEAGUE.”

One Bank Holiday, Duck met the cynical double-decker bus, who showed his dogmatic antagonism to railways, chanting “Free the Roads!” (which was his slogan). Oliver, who nicknamed the bus “Bulgy”, told Duck he should not be taken seriously, but concerns arose when Bulgy’s friend (who was also rude) arrived and took Bulgy’s passengers home, so as to leave him free to steal Duck and Oliver’s. Bulgy attempted to do so by pretending to be a “railway bus”, determined to get Duck’s passengers back to Tidmouth before Duck himself could. But, in trying to take a shortcut, Bulgy in the end got wedged firmly under the bridge. Duck’s passengers were angry that Bulgy didn’t even accept their return tickets, and attempted to make them think “railways were no good”. Duck accepted the passengers’ request to get them to their destination, and safely got them across the damaged bridge. Bulgy’s lies were eventually exposed, and Bulgy continued to lie while he had to stay until the bridge was mended. Bulgy was eventually turned into a henhouse in a field beside the railway, after he still told lies till no-one could believe his destination boards. The hens never listen to his lies, if he still tells them.

Bulstrode the Barge

Built in circa the 1920s, Bulstrode was a grumpy, rude and disagreeable self-propelled coastal barge, who was used to carry some coal and stone to Knapford Harbour. He annoyed the trucks by constantly complaining about not being loaded fast enough. One day in 1987, an emergency at the Habour required Percy to do some shunting there, despite the fact Mavis was away being repaired after an incident with a lorry, and Toby had to take over her duties at the quarry whilst she was gone. However, whilst Percy was shunting, a coupling broke, causing the trucks to fall off the quay and into Bulstrode’s hold, bursting a hole in his hull. Bulstrode luckily didn’t drown because the tide was out, but he was towed to a beach where he is now a children’s play structure, much like how Bulgy the Bus became a hen house. He is still there on that beach, most likely still grumbling and complaining.

Human characters

The Fat Controller, Controller of Sodor’s North Western Railway

In all the stories adapted in Sodor Railway Tales, either three or possibily four Fat Controllers have been in charge of the Island of Sodor’s North Western Railway. These are Sir Topham Hatt I (born 1880, died 1956), his son Sir Charles Topham Hatt (born 1914, died 1997), his grandson Stephen Hatt (born 1941), and possibly his great-grandson Richard Topham Hatt (born 1972), but all have been known as “The Fat Controller”, and are firm but fair leaders for whom the engines have the greatest respect.

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Sir Topham Hatt I

Sir Charles Topham Hatt II

Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III

Richard Topham Hatt IV (possibly)

Topham Hatt I (or “The Fat Director” as he was known before Sodor’s Nationalisation in 1948), initially was controller of the railway, and upon becoming Controller in 1948, he received the Baronetcy.

However, in 1954, Topham retired and his son Charles did not hesitate to take his place as the North Western Railway’s rightful controller.

Charles’ son Stephen Hatt who, at the age of 10, went on holiday with his grandfather Topham and his sister Bridget to visit Toby the Tram Engine on his tramway in East Anglia, took Charles’ place as Controller of the North Western Railway in 1984, and received the Baronetcy in 1997.

Stephen’s son Richard Topham Hatt was no doubt destined to be Sir Topham Hatt IV when Stephen retired, but events surrounding those circumstances are unclear; Stephen was still controller by 2005 (then aged 64). Either Stephen has continued to be the Fat Controller despite the fact that he would be 80 years old by 2021, or he did retire by 2006/07, and his son Richard did become the next Fat Controller.

Lady Hatt

Jane Hatt (nee Brown) was the kind and gentle wife of Sir Topham Hatt I, whom she married in 1910, and they had two children: Barbara Jane (born 1911), and Charles Topham (born 1914), the latter of which would take his father’s position as Controller of the North Western Railway after Topham Hatt retired. Jane became Lady Hatt at the same time as her husband received his Baronetcy, and was widowed after Topham Hatt’s death in 1956.

It is reasonable to assume that Lady Hatt herself died sometime afterward.

Mrs. Kyndley

Mrs. Kitty Kyndley was a wonderful lady who lived with her husband Mr. Kyndley in a cottage by the railway. She loved trains and waved when they went by.

During the Christmas of 1951, when Mrs. Kyndley was middle-aged, she became so ill that she had to stay in bed all day, and eventually she no longer had the energy to wave, but passing trains always whistled when they passed. Regardless, when a landslide occurred at the tunnel just near her cottage, she waved her red dressing gown out of her window to prevent Thomas from crashing.

In gratitude for doing so, Sir Topham Hatt I sent her to Bournemouth to get well, and one year later, she fully recovered and returned to Sodor. Thomas and Toby invited her to a Christmas Party in the Big Engine’s grand new sheds. After Thomas, Toby and Terence rescued Mrs. Kyndley and her husband from her cottage which had been snowed up, they made it to the party and had lots of fun.

Mr. and Mrs. Kyndley were still alive by the early 21st Century. Whether they still are during the present day remains unconfirmed, but considering they were middle-aged in the early 1950s, it is most likely they may had died in recent years. Even so, Mrs. Kyndley, despite being elderly remained active and continued to wave to trains when they went by.

The Thin Controller, Controller of the Skarloey Railway

There are three Thin Controllers shown: Mr. Peter Sam, Mr. Roger Sam, and Mr. Mack the Manager, and one mentioned: Mr. Robert Sam. Mr. Peter Sam (born 1915) was first shown as the Thin Controller (or “The Line Manager”) in charge of the Skarloey Railway, who succeeded his father Mr. Robert Sam (born 1881, died 1971) in 1951, and was hired by the Owner. Peter retired in 1980, and was still alive by the 21st Century, which would have made him 100 by 2015. Whether he’s still living now was never confirmed, but it might be reasonable to assume that he most likely quietly passed away in recent years.

After Peter retired in 1980, Peter’s son Mr. Roger Sam (born 1948) took his place as The Thin Controller after Peter retired. Much like The Fat Controllers of the North Western Railway, the Thin Controllers are strict and would reprimand the engines whenever they get into trouble, and are firm but fair. Peter in particular once jokingly threatened Sir Handel to be taken to pieces when he tried pretending to be ill so as not to take part in the BBC television event on Skarloey’s 95th birthday.

Mr. Peter Sam

Mr. Roger Sam

Much like The Fat Controllers of the North Western Railway, the Thin Controllers are strict and would reprimand the engines whenever they get into trouble, and are firm but fair. Peter in particular once jokingly threatened Sir Handel to be taken to pieces when he tried pretending to be ill so as not to take part in the BBC television event on Skarloey’s 95th birthday.

When the Skarloey Railway opened in 1865, its first manager was Mr. Mack, but who he was succeeded by and when he retired is unknown.

Mr. Mack

Unlike the later Thin Controllers, Mr. Mack was new to the feelings of an engine and lacked the proper patience to steam Skarloey when he first came to the railway. Losing patience, Mr. Mack, covered Skarloey up with a tarpaulin. Mr. Mack did later gain patience however after he brought Mr. Bobbie to be Skarloey’s driver, and arranged Skarloey to have an extra set of wheels and be rebuilt with a cab.

The Owner

There have been two Owners of the Skarloey Railway. Both are known as “The Owner”.

The first was Sir Handel Brown I (born 1875, died 1950), who ran it from 1910 until his death. He never appeared in any of the stories because of how busy he was.

The second is Sir Handel Lloyd Brown II (born 1924), the cousin of the second Fat Controller: Sir Charles Topham Hatt II. Sir Handel Brown II’s home is at the Rowans, near Cros-ny-Cuirn, which was built by his father.

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Sir Handel Brown II

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Sir Handel Brown II had inherited the Skarloey Railway, which was in a very bad state. He felt that the Railway would have to be sold, unable to afford his father’s philanthropic view of the dubious bundle of assets he now held. At this point, the Skarloey Railway was taken over by Mr. Peter Sam, who became the Thin Controller. With the assistance of his foreman Mr. Ivo Hugh, and a number of volunteers, they managed to keep the Skarloey Railway going.

In 1952, he purchased two former Mid Sodor Railway locomotives: Falcon and Stuart from the Sodor Aluminium Company for a sum of £50, and renamed Falcon “Sir Handel” in honour of his father.

In 1969, Sir Handel Brown II was told by the Thin Controller about Duke the Lost Engine, and by the time Duke was found, he arranged for Duke to be restored. He later purchased two worn out Hunslet Diesels from the National Coal Board and, using parts from both engines, constructed Fred. He also arranged for the engine Ivo Hugh to be built.

In 1951, Sir Handel Brown II married Rachel Qualtrough, descendent of the Last Bishop of Sodor Lancelot Qualtrough, and together they had two children; Rebecca Dorothy Brown (born 1954) and Handel Qualtrough Brown (born 1957), who has administrated the estate since 1994.

Sir Handel Brown II was still alive by the 21st Century, and would have been 90 years old by the year 2014. Whether he still runs the Skarloey Railway or not remains unconfirmed, but it is reasonable to assume that he retired from being the Skarloey Railway's owner, possibly at an old age, and one of his children took over that duty. Whether he is still living now, also remains unconfirmed.

Mr. Hugh

There have been three “Mr. Hugh”s, all of them are the foreman and Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Skarloey Railway.

The first was David Hugh I, who was Sir Handel Brown I’s first foreman. When the railway was facing hard times, David Hugh I ran the line with Mr. Robert Sam (the first Thin Controller) and served as sole driver and fireman for all trains. David retired in 1951 and was succeeded by his son, Ivo. David I did not appear in any of the stories.

Ivo Hugh (born 1921) was the second foreman, and he lived in a comfortable cottage at Cros-ny-Cuirn, near the station. He joined the railway in 1940 and worked as a platelayer/fitter. After the death of Sir Handel Brown I, the railway faced closure, and Ivo backed Mr. Peter Sam (the second Thin Controller) in convincing Sir Handel Brown II that the line still had a future, thus delaying closure for a year. In 1952, whilst Rheneas was taking his train to Glennock, he got cramp mid-way through the journey, and Ivo rendered emergency first aid to Rheneas, who managed to get the train back; the railway would have closed if Rheneas had not.

Mr. Ivo Hugh

In 1957, after Rusty the Diesel arrived, Ivo became his driver, and helped the workmen repair the Rheneas bridge. Shortly after Skarloey’s return in 1958, Ivo Hugh managed to fix the engine’s problem with shy steaming, after many experiments. Three years later, Ivo was also responsible for fitting Peter Sam with an experimental Giesl Ejector, after Peter Sam’s old funnel was knocked off. In 1969, he was told by the engines about Duke, and after telling the Thin Controller, the word was spread to the Owner, Sir Richard Norramby (the Earl of Sodor), Mr. Fergus Duncan (the Small Controller), the Thin Clergyman and the Fat Clergyman, and thus, Duke the Lost Engine was found. In 1996, Ivo was honoured by having the engine Ivo Hugh named after him. The foreman Ivo Hugh was still alive by the 21st Century, and would have been 100 years old in 2021, but whether he is still living now remains unconfirmed.

David Hugh II (born 1950), named after his grandfather, is the third and current Skarloey Railway foreman, having followed in his father Ivo Hugh’s footsteps as a fitter on the Railway, before succeeding Ivo in 1991. He was responsible for the construction of the engine Ivo Hugh, named after his father.

Nancy

Nancy Rushen (born 1953) is a guard’s daughter who lived near the Skarloey Railway and was distantly related to Mr. Roger Sam, the Thin Controller, being the great-granddaughter of Beatrice, one of the sisters of Mr. Robert Sam, Mr. Peter Sam’s father.

In her young days, Nancy would occasionally polish the engines. In 1961 at the age of eight, she polished Skarloey for Rheneas’ return, but Duncan became jealous after she had no time to polish him too as she was scheduled to help the Refreshment Lady. Four years later, she polished Skarloey again for his centenary. After Skarloey, who often thought Nancy was a “fusspot” due to her pernickety polishing, became cross, Nancy called him a “horrid old crosspatch”, which prompted him to tell the story of his first days on Sodor and how at that time, he really was a crosspatch.

Nancy has since grown up and now lives with her husband, whom she met whilst he was working as a volunteer on the Isle of Man railway. They have been living on the Isle of Man ever since, but make the short journey back to Sodor to see their married daughters and the railway as often as they can.

The Small Controller, Controller of the Arlesdale Railway

Mr. Fergus Duncan (born 1936), nicknamed “The Small Controller” is the General Manager of the Arlesdale Railway (known as “The Small Railway”). Though he is actually taller than the Fat Controller and Thin Controller, he is nicknamed “The Small Controller”, simply because of how his railway is known as “The Small Railway”.

In 1965, a consortium was formed by managements of the railways on Sodor to build a new railway to exploit a source of ballast on the closed Mid Sodor Railway. Mr. Duncan was appointed to oversee the construction of this new line, the Arlesdale Railway, which rapidly went ahead under his direction. When the line was opened during Easter in 1967, the Small Controller was appointed as its General Manager. He lives in a house which he built himself at Arlesdale Green, near the station and his office is located at Arlesburgh West station.

Mr. Duncan is very passionate about doing the work on his railway, and devoted his life entirely to doing so. He was so devoted that he never married. Much like all the other Controllers on the railways of Sodor, Mr. Duncan acts as a fatherly figure to his engines, always knowing when to be stern with them if they misbehave.

In 1969, Mr. Duncan, The Thin and the Fat Clergymen went on a search for Duke the Lost Engine. The search was successful and Duke was found in the remains of his shed.

Two years before that in 1967, right around the time the first Railway Series book written by the Thin Clergyman about the Arlesdale Railway entitled Small Railway Engines was published, Rex’s steampipe began leaking, meaning that Frank the Diesel had to take his train. The Small Controller then decided that the Small Railway needed another engine, prompting the construction of the new engine in question: Jock.

It was also around this time that the Small Controller adopted a Radio Control system for his railway. Whether this was actually true is unknown as the Thin Clergyman wrote in his comprehensive history book about the Island of Sodor that the Small Controller adopted the Radio Control system in 1977 at the suggestion of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, but the Thin Clergyman’s son Christopher who wrote the second Railway Series book about the Small Railway in 1990, was somehow told that the Radio Control system on the Small Railway did become a thing in 1967, and that the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway adopted it ten years later. So the events surrounding this are quite debated. Either way, by 1987, the Radio Control system worked perfectly, and had the conditional approval of the Railway Inspectorate. The Small Controller looked forward to the day that the other railways on Sodor would be recommended by the Inspector to follow the Small Railway’s lead.

By 2007, despite being 71 years old, the Small Controller continued to be General Manger of the Small Railway, but had plans to retire in 2017, which he most likely did. Who took his place however, was never confirmed, let alone whether he is still living now.

The Thin and the Fat Clergyman

Wilbert Awdry

Teddy Boston

The Thin Clergyman, a kind and caring English Anglican clergyman, railway enthusiast, and children’s author, was actually none other than The Railway Series author himself, the Reverend Wilbert Awdry (born 1911, died 1997), who began writing books about the engines of Sodor since 1945.

The Fat Clergyman, another railway enthusiast and a happy and optimistic man, was his close friend the Reverend Teddy Boston (born 1924, died 1986), who enjoyed capturing engines on film, especially the engines of Sodor.

Awdry and Boston once visited the Arlesdale Railway (or “The Small Railway”) in early 1967 to take photographs of the Small Engines for Awdry’s upcoming book Small Railway Engines which would be published in August of that same year. One of those engines Bert, initially was uncomfortable with Awdry and Boston’s company because they wouldn’t wave to him whilst taking their photographs, as they couldn’t do both things at the same time. Things worsened when Boston accidentally splashed Bert when they drove through a puddle. Thinking Boston did it deliberately, Bert splashed Boston back, to which the Small Controller (who would not tolerate rudeness to visitors) reprimanded him for. Eventually, the two clergymen apologised and Bert got on well with them, as did the other Small Engines.

In 1969, Awdry and Boston visited the Small Railway again when the Small Controller told them about the story of Duke the Lost Engine, having discovered that Duke’s old line (the Mid Sodor Railway), used to be in the Arlesdale area. The Small Engines were initially disappointed when Awdry’s next book was not about them, but Awdry promised them that the illustrator would put them in pictures if they were good, which they were, especially when they felt sorry for Duke. After making plans to find Duke and bring him to the Skarloey Railway after restoration at Crovan’s Gate Works, they organised a search party. They came everyday on Bert’s train to find Duke, to no avail. They finally found Duke when Boston fell through the roof of the buried engine shed and landed on top of Duke, who had been sleeping the whole time.

After Awdry’s death in 1997, to celebrate his 100th birthday in 2011 (which is when his son Christopher wrote the last Railway Series book), the Fat Controller made plans to unveil a bust of him at Tidmouth Station. The celebration plans were almost delayed due to the collapse of Henry’s tunnel, but the party went ahead anyway when the problems were rectified, and Prince Charles (now King Charles III) attended the bust unveiling, 16 years after attending the Railway Series Golden Jubilee celebration at Tidmouth Station in 1995.

The Duke of Sodor

In 1404, after the last Regent, Sir Arnold de Norramby had assisted the King’s troops in expelling the Percy garrisons from Sodor, King Henry IV conferred the title Earl of Sodor on him.

In 1715, the Earldom was put out by Attainder, but at the end of his first term of office as Lieutenant Governor in 1873, Queen Victoria responded to popular petition very graciously and therefore restored to John Arnold Norramby the Earldom of Sodor and the estates of Ulfstead Castle of which his ancestor had been deprived, and which had been reverted to the Crown.

John Arnold Norramby (born 1822, died 1894), the First Earl of Sodor was Promoter and Chairman of the narrow-gauge Mid Sodor Railway, and presented the company with a narrow-gauge engine they named in his honour, the engine of course being Duke.

Henry John Norramby (born 1854, died 1915) was the Second Earl.

Charles Henry Norramby (born 1883, died 1941), was the Third Earl, who served throughout World War I in the Sodor Regiment, and eventually retired with the rank of Lieutenant General.

Robert Charles Norramby (born 1918, died 1943), was the Fourth Earl and Lieutenant Colonel Sodor Regiment, who was tragically killed in action in North Africa during World War II.

Richard Robert Norramby (born sometime in January 1940) is the current Earl of Sodor who in 1943, at the age of 3, immediately succeeded his father after his father was killed. Richard is commonly reffered to as the "Duke of Sodor" due to the Earls being involved in the Duchy of Lancaster, which does not have a Duke.

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Richard Robert Norramby, the Current Earl of Sodor

In 1965, at the age of 25, Richard opened the Skarloey Railway Loopline at Lakeside, and drove Skarloey himself around the Loop, then giving a speech to the assembled crowd of people and engines. Due to a misunderstood conversation with Duck, Peter Sam mistook Richard for a scrapped Great Western “Duke” engine, and so Richard confirmed he was a real, live Duke. Later that year, Richard was forced to sell his Mansion on the Estate after his life there became impossible, and so he moved into a more comfortable house on the outskirts of Ulfstead. Ulfstead Castle was offered to the Sodor Island Trust, while the castle muniments, which included such treasures as the Sigrid Saga and the Book of Sir Harald, were placed on loan to the Island Records Office at Suddery.

In 1969, at the age of 29, Richard was informed of Duke by the Skarloey Railway’s Owner Sir Handel Brown II, and he told Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Small Controller, who, with the help of the Thin and Fat Clergymen, arranged a search party. Once Duke was found in his shed, Richard visited him before he was removed from his old shed (having insisted on being cleaned beforehand) and brought to the Skarloey Railway. Richard was even generous enough to share the costs of Duke’s restoration with the Fat Controller and The Owner.

The Manager of the Culdee Fell Railway

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Mr. Walter Richards was manager of the Culdee Fell Railway in 1963, a small railway with limited traffic. He was a strict disciplinarian when it comes to running such a railway with stringent safety precautions. After Patrick (then known as “Lord Harry”) derailed at the Summit due to being reckless, Mr. Richards, who had to pacify the angry passengers, forced Lord Harry to stay in the shed and took his name away as a punishment. Mr. Richards let “No. 6” out, but only allowed him to perform maintenance duties with the “Trucks”. Eventually, “No. 6” redeemed himself by rescuing climbers, and as a reward, Mr. Richards renamed him Patrick after one of the climbers and allowed him to return to passenger duties.

Mr. Richards was still managing the Culdee Fell Railway in 1992.