Vans

There are many different types of vans (also sometimes referred to as box vans) on Sodor, which are used to carry various kinds of goods and animals. In the US, they are known as boxcars. Brake vans are other types of vans that are used for carrying the guard.

Single Ventilated Vans
""I'd say it's...'Lostville'!"

- A van, Journey Beyond Sodor

   III= |-|II= |-|I=   Single Ventilated Vans (Type 1)    I=   Single Ventilated Vans (Type 2) The Single Ventilated Vans serve as Sodor's main type of van. Percy once had to deliver these vans of sugar, but on his way to the chocolate factory, he slipped on an oily track and crashed into the factory's wall. Arthur once had to take some vans of fruit, but he sped down Gordon's Hill a bit too fast, causing the vans to be destroyed and the fruit and veggies to fly everywhere. Since the eighth season, BR Vent Vans have been known to carry other things, such as fireworks equipment and ice cream.

Livery
These Vans are painted in many colours, like white, grey, brown, orange, etc. Since the CGI Series, all the vans were painted cream, until the twentieth season, where the vans were given new liveries.

Basis
These vans are based of LMS 12 Ton Covered Steel Vans and LNER 12 Ton Covered Vans.

Trivia

 * Since the eighth season, all the vans were faceless. They regained faces in the twentieth season, however the faces were raised and the front vent was removed, although in the fifth season episode, Haunted Henry, a van had a rectangular face because the vents were removed.

Merchandise

 * Meccano
 * ERTL (as Silly Trucks; discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (The Circus Train, discontinued))
 * Bachmann (normal and large scale)
 * Minis

Utility Vans
 III= |-|II= |-|I=   Utility Vans (bogies)  I=   Utility Vans (4w) Utility Vans are types of vans used to transport goods across the island. They have been seen in many liveries such as olive green, white, brown, grey and red being the most common. Some have four axles while others have eight. "The Flying Kipper" is primarily made up of utility vans. Though they are usually faceless, a utility van with a face was once briefly seen in the third season episode Oliver Owns Up, although the face was crooked. The Mail Train also consists of similar looking vans, that specialise in carrying mail.

Basis
The utility vans are based on the General Utility Vans, previously known as "CCT" (covered carriage trucks). These types of vans were designed for carrying parcel goods. The mail vans also share the same basis.

Trivia

 * In the first season episode, Thomas and Gordon, a utility van was used for carrying passenger's luggage, which was apart of Henry's express.
 * In the CGI Series, the amount of vents on the front and back of utility vans were reduced.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster (used as ice cream vans)
 * Hornby (discontinued)
 * Bachmann (green, live lobster refrigerator versions)
 * Capsule Plarail (ice cream vans)

Cattle Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#302013; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #302013; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:#302013;"><td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:color:#302013;"> Model Series= |-|Railway Series= <tr style="color:white; background:#302013; font-size:larger;">  Cattle Vans The North Western Railway owns many cattle vans, which are used for carrying cows and bulls. The circus also owns some cattle vans, which are used for carrying animals for circus performances.

Cattle vans are painted brown, orange and yellow. Brown is the most common livery they are seen in.

Trivia

 * In more recent seasons, cattle vans do not have faces.
 * From the second to the fifth season, the cattle van models were constructed out of Tenmille kits, which are still made today. From the sixth season onwards, the cattle van models were scratch built.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster
 * Hornby (discontinued)
 * Bachmann (discontinued)
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play(discontinued)

LBSC Railway 8-ton Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:grey; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid grey; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:grey;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:grey;"> I= <tr style="color:black; background:grey; font-size:larger;">  LBSC Railway 8-ton Vans LBSC Railway 8-ton Vans were frequently used from the second to sixth seasons.

Livery
These vans were mostly painted brown.

Basis
These Vans are based of the LBSC Railway 8-ton Vans.

Trivia

 * Twitter user 'ThomasTankMerch' owns an original face mask that was used on one of these vans.

Merchandise

 * Hornby
 * Tomix Trains (discontinued)
 * Capsule Plarail
 * Departing Now (discontinued)
 * Choro-Q (discontinued)

Sheep and Pig Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#BF0048; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #BF0048; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:#BF0048;"><td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:#BF0048;"> CGI Series= |-|Model Series= <tr style="color:white; background:#BF0048; font-size:larger;">  Sheep and Pig Vans The North Western Railway owns a few sheep and pig vans.

Percy once bumped a van and made a big hole in it.

Livery
Sheep and pig vans are painted pink.

Merchandise

 * Plarail (discontinued)
 * TrackMaster
 * Capsule Plarail

Salt Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:grey; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid grey; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:grey;"><td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:grey;"> III= |-|II= |-|I= <tr style="color:black; background:grey; font-size:larger;">  Salt Vans Salt Vans (also known as fish vans or ice vans), are used to carry fish, and are often used in fish trains. They are also a frequent sight on the Norramby Branch Line.

The salt vans first appeared in the second season, and were used frequently until the twelfth season. However, they later returned in the special, Journey Beyond Sodor.

Livery
Salt vans have been painted white, brown, grey and green.

Basis
They are based on Saxa Salt Vans.

Trivia

 * In the CGI Series, the Salt vans models are modified versions of the single vent vans.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Hornby (discontinued)
 * Bachmann
 * TrackMaster
 * Motor Road and Rail

Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:grey; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid grey; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:grey;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:grey;"> I= <tr style="color:black; background:grey; font-size:larger;">  Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Vans The Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Vans were used in the Classic Series.

One of these pushed Duck into a Barber Shop. These vans were later used as part of The Flying Kipper, as extra vans were required after a boat returned with a greater load of fish than usual. Duck accidentally rammed into the rear van when a faulty tail-lamp fell off on Gordon's Hill.

Livery
These vans were all painted brown. In later seasons, there was white graffiti on them. From the forth to fifth seasons they are rust coloured.

Basis
These vans are based of Lynton and Barnstaple Railway Box Vans. In real life, the vans are narrow gauge, but have been resized to standard gauge in the Television Series.

Merchandise

 * Tomica
 * Waku Waku
 * Motor Road and Rail
 * TrackMaster
 * Capsule Plarail
 * Bachmann (narrow gauge)

LNWR Non-Ventilated Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:grey; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid grey; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:grey;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:grey;"> I= <tr style="color:black; background:grey; font-size:larger;">  LNWR Non-Ventilated Vans The LNWR Non-Ventilated Vans first appeared in the first season and continued to appear until the sixth season.

Percy once crushed one of these vans loaded with fruit in the third season episode, Percy, James and the Fruitful Day.

Livery
These vans were mostly coloured grey and had "N.E." (North Eastern Railway) painted light yellow on either sides.

Basis
These vans are based of LNWR (London and North Western Railway) Non-Ventilated Vans.

Voices

 * Kari Tamminen (Finland: Toad Stands By, singing voice only)

GWR Ventilated Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:grey; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid grey; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:grey;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:grey;"> I= <tr style="color:black; background:grey; font-size:larger;">  GWR Ventilated Vans The GWR Ventilated Vans made appearances throughout the Classic Series.

Livery
These vans were painted brown.

Basis
These vans are based of GWR Ventilated Vans.

Trivia

 * Some vans have faces covering the front vents, while others have faces below the vents.

Merchandise

 * Bachmann
 * Hornby
 * TrackMaster (discontinued)

Chicken Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#0c457d; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #0c457d; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:#0c457d;"><td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:#0c457d;"> Model Series= <tr style="color:white; background:#0c457d; font-size:larger;">  Chicken Vans The North Western Railway owns a few chicken vans.

Livery
They are painted blue.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster{{clear

Banana Vans
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:#FF9900; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid #FF9900; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:#FF9900;"><td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:#FF9900;"> I= <tr style="color:#FFFFFF; background:#FF9900; font-size:larger;">  Banana Vans In the Railway Series many Banana Vans appeared. One of these includes U.L.P., who laughed at Oliver after he returned from the works.

Livery
These vans were painted all sorts of colours, such as brown, grey or pink.

Basis
These vans were based of LMS Banana Vans.

Merchandise

 * Take-Along
 * Take-n-Play

Milk Van
"Do they expect me to pull that?!"

- Daisy refusing to pull the milk van, Branch Line Engines

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:chocolate; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid chocolate; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "><tr style="text-align:center; background:chocolate;"><td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:#FFFFFF; color:chocolate;"> I= <tr style="color:white; background:chocolate; font-size:larger;">  Milk Van The milk van is an old-fashioned van used for transporting milk from Ffarquhar down to the dairy at Elsbridge.

Every morning the van is coupled to Thomas' first train, the farmers send the milk to the stations, and Thomas delivers the milk to the Dairy. When Daisy was preparing for her first train, she refused to pull the van once it was coupled to her, saying "it is bad for her swerves.", and blew a fuse on purpose. Percy and Toby had to take the van in Thomas' absence and Daisy's refusal. However, now that Daisy has learnt sense, she sometimes takes the milk instead of Thomas.

Basis
The milk van is based on the Great Western Railway's four-wheel slatted side milk van.

Livery
The milk van is painted chocolate brown with a light grey roof, and with "NW" in yellow paint on both sides. The letters "NW" was later repainted on both sides in white paint. In the My Thomas Story Library books, the milk van was painted dark blue with white lettering reading "MILK" on both sides.

Appearances
{{Scroll box|

Railway Series

 * Branch Line Engines - Daisy and Percy's Predicament
 * Really Useful Engines - Mind that Bike
 * More About Thomas the Tank Engine - Drip Tank
 * Toby, Trucks and Trouble - Bulstrode
 * Wilbert the Forest Engine - Foaming at the Funnel (mentioned)

Magazine stories
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 * 1988 - Percy's Predicament (mentioned)
 * 2006 - Food Chain Train
 * 2011 - Dairy Delivery
 * 2013 - Dairy Delivery
 * 2016 - Food-Chain Train

Trivia

 * In the Railway Series, the milk van is a four-wheeled van, while the original model belonging to Reverend W. Awdry was a six-wheeled van and based on a cattle van.
 * In the television series, the milk van was replaced with a milk tanker, though it was still referred as a van.

Merchandise

 * TrackMaster (discontinued)

The Giraffe Van
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:green; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid green; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:green;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:green;"> CGI Series= <tr style="color:white; background:green; font-size:larger;">  The Giraffe Van The giraffe van is an open van which appeared in Thomas' Tall Friend. Thomas used it to take a giraffe to the Sodor Animal Park.

Livery
The giraffe van is painted green.

The Stray Animal Van
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4" style="float:right; margin:0 0 .5em 1em; width:350px; background:saddlebrown; border-collapse:collapse; border-collapse:collapse border:1px solid ; font-size:smaller; line-height:1.5; "> <tr style="text-align:center; background:saddlebrownn;"> <td colspan="2" style="padding:0; background:white; color:saddlebrown;"> CGI Series= <tr style="color:black; background:saddlebrown; font-size:larger;">  The Stray Animal Van

Whenever an animal strays onto the line or gets lost, the engines use this van to take them home. It is an open van. Charlie used it to take a stray elephant back to the Sodor Animal Park. Thomas also used it to take a stray cow back to the McColl Farm.

Livery
The stray animal van is painted brown.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * TrackMaster
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)