Toby

"I might look old, but I'm very useful!"

- Toby, Horrid Lorry, fifth season

Toby is a GER C53 steam tram who came to Sodor after his tramway in East Anglia closed down. He has two coaches named Henrietta and Victoria and a luggage van named Elsie, and works on Thomas' Branch Line.

Bio in the Railway Series
Toby was built by James Holden at the Great Eastern Railway's Stratford Works in Stratford, London, England in 1914 and originally lived at Great Yarmouth Docks, Norfolk with his brothers before working on an unnamed tramway. In 1951, Toby came to work at the quarry on Thomas' Branch Line after his old railway in East Anglia closed, as it was found to be illegal for Thomas to go on the Quarry Tramroad without sideplates or cowcatchers. At first, Toby was teased by James for his shabby paint. James stopped calling him names after he crashed into some tar wagons and Toby was given chocolate-brown paint for his hard work and a new coat for Henrietta as well.

Toby also got into a bit of a controversy with a female diesel shunter named Mavis, as she was not willing to shunt the trucks where they needed to be. After an accident with some trucks, the two engines made up their quarrel and are now good friends.

When Mavis was sent to the works after her accident with a lorry, Toby was sent to do her work at the quarry, leaving Percy to do Toby's work as well as his own. Toby once came off the rails at a crossing when the earth was swollen over the rails and ended up on the road. Luckily, with the fireman guiding the driver, they managed to reverse Toby back on the rails. The Fat Controller, however, heard about it, but rather than being cross, he only joked with him and told him that he should leave the roads to what they were made for.

By 2007, Toby was having trouble taking the workmen to the quarry as Henrietta didn't have enough room in her to carry them all at once. Bertie usually helped, but one day, he was ill, and Henrietta was so full that some workmen even had to ride on her balcony. As he went past a part of his line that went through a town, he stopped quickly when a car came out of a side street and nearly collided with him. To make matters worse, a policeman witnessed the workmen riding on Henrietta's balcony, and after he made a report, an inspector spoke to the quarry manager, telling him that passengers were not allowed to ride on coach balconies. Luckily, Thomas managed to help Toby when he found an old and worn out coach named Victoria, who was used as a summer house for many years when she was taken out of service. Victoria was eventually restored, and now works with Toby and Henrietta along their line.

Bio in the Television Series
When the Horrid Lorries arrived on the Island, Toby found his work at the quarry being taken over by Lorry 2 and his work at the mill being taken over by Lorry 3. When the two lorries became damaged and sent back to the docks, Toby threw Lorry 2's remarks about usefulness back at him.

After many weeks of rain, Toby inspected a dam for potential damage due to rising floodwaters along his branch line. Unable to cross the dam, Toby finds that the dam was breaking and tries to return to safety, but the dam breaks just as Toby was crossing a wooden bridge, which broke off and carried Toby toward a waterfall. Harold managed to drop one end of a rope to Toby and the other end to Percy, who pulled Toby to safety. Afterwards, a party was held for Toby, and the Fat Controller praises Toby's bravery.

When taking the Fat Controller and his grandchildren to the seasides, the Fat Controller decided to use Toby for an exploration in search of a castle, which they found as well as a mine. Toby was scared of the mine's spooky atmosphere (certain it was haunted) and stayed on guard at night during the restoration. Thomas told Toby about the Old Warrior Ghost, who was really a narrow gauge engine named Bertram. After this, the two engines became good friends and now take visitors to and from the castle and mine. Toby once took Sir Topham Hatt's family on vacation again, this time to a small river inlet.

Toby has had several winter escapades. The thick fog concealed Thomas' crash site from Toby's view, and the foghorn had been damaged from the landslide Thomas had crashed into. Luckily, Cyril the Fogman managed to place a detonator on the rails to warn Toby just in time. During the holidays, Toby was unable to clear the snowdrifts by himself, so he needed Thomas' help to deliver a Christmas tree to the festivities on his branch line. During one harsh winter, Toby had to rescue Farmer McColl's lambs that were trapped on a hillside.

Toby was given a temporary three-chime whistle while his bell was being cleaned at the Steamworks. It helped with warning Thomas and Gordon that the tracks were blocked. He once was scared of Knapford Junction.

He once ran out of coal while delivering scrap to Crocks Scrap Yard, and after a few unsuccessful attempts at stopping passing engines to ask for some of their coal, Reg decided to lift Toby into the air so that the next engine would see him. Unfortunately, Thomas passed by and thought Reg was about to scrap Toby. After the story spread across the island, Emily took Henrietta to the scrapyard so that she and Toby could explain the truth.

In Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, Thomas nearly collided with Toby while racing Bertie. The next morning, Toby attempted to warn Thomas about his red signal, but Thomas was too late to stop and, nearly hitting Emily, and crashed Gordon's coaches. Thomas tried to blame him along with Gordon and Emily, but Sir Topham Hatt saw through his lie.

In the twentieth season, Toby met Philip for the first time and was rather taken aback by the boxcab's talkative nature and desire to have races. Philip also had mistaken Toby as a boxcab before realising Toby was a steam tram. Later, he told Thomas the trees look very spooky. Toby told Thomas and Percy that reminded the others about how the littlest goat survived by going across the bridge first and told the troll to eat his bigger brothers.

In the twenty-first season, after Toby took Henrietta to the Steamworks to getting her seats refurbished, he's given a replacement carriage named Hannah. Hannah ordered him to go faster down the line and pushed him down Gordon's Hill, nearly making him derailed. He gets fed-up with Hannah abandons her on a siding beside the main line. When he returned to the siding to fetch her, he saw James is going so faster with Hannah until she broke away and crashed into a siding. After Henrietta had finished her new seats fitted, he's took Hannah to the Steamworks to be mended, where she reunited with Henrietta and revealed to him that they were sisters. Afterwards, he began working with Henrietta once again.

Persona
Toby is old but wise, hardworking, and knows enough about running branch lines to justify running Thomas' line with Daisy after Percy's accident with the trucks until Thomas came back. He is also savvy enough to control the trucks. However, his advanced age and design means that he is weaker than the other engines. While Toby is always ready to work hard without any fuss, he can be a bit temperamental sometimes, especially when young and inexperienced engines who are full of themselves make things difficult for him. However, work at the quarry line often soothes off his moods without any cause of grief to anyone, except of course his old faithful coach, Henrietta.

From the eighth to sixteenth seasons, however, Toby had been portrayed as being nervous about the capabilities of his work and uncertain about being an old steam tram, believing that he is not a proper engine, only good enough as a museum piece and not really special at all. But Toby does enjoy listening to the birds in the birdhouse next to his shed. He also is friends with the pigs at Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm.

From King of the Railway, onwards, Toby has been portrayed with his original wiser, and more jovial personality, having more subtle shades of nervousness. He has also been shown to be placid and easy-going, enjoying the peace and quiet of the countryside along Thomas' branch line.

Basis
Toby is based on a GER Class C53 0-6-0T Wisbech steam tram (reclassified as J70 by the LNER) built at Stratford Works. They were seen by the Reverend Wilbert and Christopher Awdry on a holiday at Yarmouth, hence Toby's origins. The J70 started their career on the Great Eastern Railway and were known as C53. They spent most of their career on the Wisbech and Upwell tramway pulling slow goods trains and, until 1927, passenger trains, though several were also assigned to the docks at Ipswich and Yarmouth. The first withdrawal came in 1942. Eventually, the sole survivor of this class was withdrawn from service and scrapped at Stratford Locomotive Works by 1955. They were replaced by BR Class 04s, Mavis' class.

According to The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways and Sodor: Reading Between the Lines, Toby is probably BR no. 68221. This tram was built as GER no. 127 in June 1914 as part of a batch of three at Stratford. Shortly after grouping in 1923, it became LNER no. 7127, this changing to no. 8221 under Edward Thompson's 1944 re-numbering scheme. Upon nationalisation in 1948, it became no. 68221. It was withdrawn in May 1951 from Ipswich Shed and scrapped at Stratford shortly after.

Livery
In the Railway Series, Toby was painted brown with black cowcatchers and sideplates (which sported "LNER" in bright yellow letters) before working on his tramway, where he was repainted greyish-brown with grey sideplates and cowcatchers. After helping James he was repainted chocolate-brown with olive frames and blue sideplates.

In the television series, Toby has consistently been painted brown with grey sideplates and cowcatchers. He has the number "7" painted on his sides in yellow with a red border.

In the Railway Series, he carries two plaques on the sides of his cab stating that he works on the NWR, his number, and the last time and place that he was rebuilt.

In various books released by Publications International, the top side of his sideplates are red, going along with the bufferbeams.

Toby on the Big Screen
Toby was voiced by Colm Feore in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. In the film, after Diesel 10 eavesdropped on Thomas and Percy talking about the buffers to the magic railroad, Toby tells them to carry on taking the Mail Train while he followed him to the Smelters Yard. There, he distracted Diesel 10 by ringing his bell, in result of Diesel 10 demolishing the shed that he, Splatter and Dodge were in.

Appearances
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Railway Series

 * Toby the Tram Engine - Toby and the Stout Gentleman, Thomas in Trouble, Dirty Objects and Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas
 * Gordon the Big Engine - Paint Pots and Queens
 * Edward the Blue Engine - Cows
 * Percy the Small Engine - Percy and Harold (does not speak)
 * The Eight Famous Engines - Double Header and The Fat Controller's Engines
 * Duck and the Diesel Engine - A Close Shave (cameo)
 * Branch Line Engines - Thomas Comes to Breakfast, Daisy, Bulls Eyes and Percy's Predicament
 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Stepney's Special (cameo), Train Stops Play (does not speak) and Bowled Out
 * Tramway Engines - Ghost Train, Woolly Bear (does not speak), Mavis and Toby's Tightrope
 * James and the Diesel Engines - Crossed Lines (mentioned)
 * More About Thomas the Tank Engine - Thomas, Percy and the Coal and Drip Tank
 * Toby, Trucks and Trouble - Mavis and the Lorry, Toby's Seaside Holiday and Toby Takes the Road
 * Thomas and the Twins - Scrambled Eggs (does not speak)
 * Thomas and the Great Railway Show - Museum-Piece
 * Thomas Comes Home - Snow Problem (does not speak), Washout! (not seen), Toby's Megatrain and Thomas Comes Home (cameo)
 * Wilbert the Forest Engine - Percy's Porridge (cameo), Cab Over Wheels and Wired-Up (does not speak)
 * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines - Golden Jubilee (does not speak)
 * Thomas and Victoria - Overloaded, Eels on Wheels and Toby's Vintage Train (does not speak)
 * Thomas and his Friends - Centenary
 * Thomas's Christmas Party
 * Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (does not speak)
 * Thomas and the Evil Diesel
 * Thomas and the Hurricane

Television Series

 * Season 1 - Toby and the Stout Gentleman, Thomas in Trouble, Dirty Objects, and Thomas' Christmas Party
 * Season 2 - Thomas, Percy and the Coal, Cows, Old Iron (incorrectly mentioned in redubbed Swedish version), Percy and Harold (does not speak), Duck Takes Charge (mentioned), The Runaway (does not speak), Thomas Comes to Breakfast, Daisy, Percy's Predicament, Ghost Train, Woolly Bear (does not speak), and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (does not speak)
 * Season 3 - Time for Trouble, Gordon and the Famous Visitor (cameo), Donald's Duck, Henry's Forest, Mavis, Toby's Tightrope, and Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure
 * Season 4 - Granpuff, Sleeping Beauty, Bulldog, Train Stops Play (does not speak), Bulls Eyes, Thomas and the Special Letter, Paint Pots and Queens, and Special Attraction
 * Season 5 - Horrid Lorry, Baa!, Toby and the Flood, Stepney Gets Lost, Toby's Discovery, Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday (does not speak), and A Surprise for Percy
 * Season 6 - A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter (cameo), The Fogman, It's Only Snow, Scaredy Engines (cameo), Percy and the Haunted Mine (cameo), Percy's Chocolate Crunch (cameo), Toby Had a Little Lamb, and Thomas, Percy and the Squeak (stock footage cameo)
 * Season 7 - Emily's New Coaches (originally), Percy Gets it Right (does not speak), Edward's Brass Band (stock footage cameo), Toby's Windmill, Peace and Quiet (does not speak), Harold and the Flying Horse (cameo), and Not So Hasty Puddings (stock footage cameo)
 * Jack and the Sodor Construction Company - Thomas and the Moles (stock footage cameo)
 * Season 8 - Percy's New Whistle (cameo), James Gets a New Coat (deleted scene), Thomas Saves the Day (does not speak), Don't Tell Thomas (does not speak), Gordon Takes Charge (does not speak), Thomas Gets it Right, As Good as Gordon (cameo), You Can Do it, Toby!, Too Hot for Thomas (does not speak), and Percy and the Magic Carpet (does not speak)
 * Season 9 - Percy and the Oil Painting (cameo), Thomas and the Rainbow, Thomas and the Toy Shop (cameo), Thomas and the Birthday Picnic (cameo), Thomas and the New Engine, Toby Feels Left Out, Thomas Tries His Best (cameo), Thomas and the Statue, Henry and the Flagpole, Emily Knows Best, Saving Edward (cameo), and Keeping Up with James (cameo)
 * Season 10 - Percy and the Funfair, The Green Controller, Toby's Afternoon Off, Toby's New Shed, Sticky Toffee Thomas, and Thomas and the Colours (cameo)
 * Season 11 - Thomas and the Storyteller (cameo), Dream On, Gordon and the Engineer (cameo), Thomas and the Spaceship (cameo), Thomas and the Lighthouse, Hide and Peep (cameo), Toby's Triumph, and Thomas in Trouble
 * Season 12 - Thomas and the Billboard (cameo), Rosie's Funfair Special (incorrectly referred to on French title card), Henry Gets it Wrong (does not speak), Heave Ho Thomas! (cameo), Toby's Special Surprise, Saved You!, and Tram Trouble
 * Season 13 - The Lion of Sodor, Tickled Pink, Play Time (cameo), Time for a Story (cameo), Toby's New Whistle, A Blooming Mess, Splish Splash Splosh (cameo), and The Biggest Present of All
 * Season 14 - Pingy Pongy Pick Up (cameo), Toby and the Whistling Woods, Henry's Health and Safety (does not speak), Diesel's Special Delivery (cameo), Being Percy, Henry's Magic Box, Thomas and the Snowman Party, O the Indignity (cameo), Jitters and Japes, and Merry Misty Island
 * Season 15 - Toby and Bash, Edward the Hero (cameo), James to the Rescue, Happy Hiro (cameo), Let it Snow (cameo), Surprise, Surprise (cameo), Big Belle, Tree Trouble (cameo), and Fiery Flynn (cameo)
 * Season 16 - Ol' Wheezy Wobbles (cameo), Express Coming Through (cameo), Percy and the Monster of Brendam, Flash Bang Wallop! (cameo), Thomas and the Rubbish Train (cameo), Thomas Toots the Crows (cameo), Bust My Buffers! (cameo), Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor (cameo), Salty's Surprise (cameo), Whiff's Wish (does not speak), Welcome Stafford (cameo), and The Christmas Tree Express
 * Season 17 - Gordon Runs Dry (cameo), The Lost Puff, and The Missing Christmas Decorations (not named; does not speak)
 * Season 18 - Old Reliable Edward (cameo), Disappearing Diesels (incorrectly mentioned in Italian title), Signals Crossed, Thomas the Quarry Engine, Spencer's VIP (cameo), Marion and the Dinosaurs, and Samson at Your Service (mentioned)
 * Season 19 - The Truth About Toby, Den and Dart, Diesel's Ghostly Christmas (cameo), Two Wheels Good (cameo), Thomas the Babysitter, The Other Side of the Mountain (cameo) and Goodbye Fat Controller (cameo)
 * Season 20 - Toby's New Friend, Ryan and Daisy, Letters to Santa, Love Me Tender, The Christmas Coffeepot, Three Steam Engines Gruff, Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Trucks, and Tit for Tat (does not speak)
 * Season 21 - Dowager Hatt's Busy Day (cameo), P.A. Problems, Hasty Hannah, Philip's Number, The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor, Emily in the Middle and The Big Freeze

Specials:
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad
 * Calling All Engines! (does not speak)
 * The Great Discovery
 * Hero of the Rails
 * Misty Island Rescue
 * Day of the Diesels
 * Blue Mountain Mystery
 * King of the Railway
 * Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
 * The Great Race (cameo)
 * Journey Beyond Sodor

He may appear in Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie.

Learning Segments: Models:
 * Season 8 - Toby is Surprised to See... (speaking role) & How Does Thomas Get to the Timber Yards? (speaking role)
 * Season 9 - Same Colour, Emily Respects, Which Route Should Thomas Take? (cameo), Getting Up Gordon's Hill, What Goes Where? (cameo) & Who Respects Whom?
 * Season 10 - Where is Henry's Coal?, Percy's Story, Old Route New Route (cameo), Toby's Favourite Place & Where is Salty's Favourite Place to Work? (stock footage cameo)
 * Calling All Engines! - Which Diesel Engine with Which Steam Engine?

Animated:
 * Season 8 - Guess the Engine - Henry, Toby and Thomas & Getting There
 * Season 9 - Who's Under the Coal Dust? - James & What Does Toby See?
 * Season 10 - What's Found Where?, Who's Under the Coal Dust? - Emily, Toby's New Shed, Over the Bridge & Dot to Dot - Toby
 * Unknown - Pulling Coaches & Who's Going Where?

Magazine Stories

 * 1987 - Thomas' Christmas Party
 * 1988 - Toby and the Stout Gentleman, Thomas in Trouble, James and the Tar Wagons, Thomas, Percy and the Coal, Percy and Harold (mentioned), The Runaway (mentioned), Cows, Ghost Train, Woolly Bear, and Percy's Predicament
 * 1989 - Showing Off, Clearing Up, One Good Turn and A Surprise for Thomas (does not speak)
 * 1990 - Too Hot
 * 1993 - Roof Repairs! and Thomas and the Lamps
 * 1994 - Lucky Landing!
 * 1995 - The Engine Parade!
 * 1996 - Duck and the Deer! and Singing in the Rain!
 * 1997 - Clowning Around!
 * 1998 - Toby and the Stout Gentleman!
 * 1999 - Peter Sam (does not speak)
 * 2000 - A Shock for Mavis, Rude James, The Milk Train (does not speak), Toby's Treat!, Henrietta's Holiday, A Special Story About Henrietta (does not speak) and Painting the Shed
 * 2001 - A Special Story About Toby and A Song for Caroline (cameo)
 * 2002 - Toby to the Rescue! and Daisy and the Troublesome Trucks (mentioned)
 * 2003 - To the Harbour
 * 2004 - Toby and the Lambs, It's Only Snow!, Good as New (does not speak), Toby's Troubles!, Henry's Forest, All Puffed Out, Henry's Forest, The Big Wheel, Thomas Gets It Right (does not speak) and Glider Rider (does not speak)
 * 2005 - Percy and the Magic Carpet (cameo), You Can Do it, Toby! and Daisy and the Bull
 * 2006 - No Trouble for Toby, First-class Carriage, Toby Feels Left Out, Emily Knows Best, Thomas and the Statue (cameo) and Tunnel Trouble (does not speak)
 * 2007 - Toby's Afternoon Off, Rocky Ride, The Best Smile (does not speak), and A New Shed for Toby
 * 2008 - Toby's Triumph, Fearless Freddie, and Funny Faces!
 * 2010 - The Best Present of All (cameo), Henry Gets It Wrong!, Misty Island Rescue (cameo), A Blooming Mess, and Thomas and the Rainbow!
 * 2011 - Jitters and Japes, Tickled Pink (speaks in speech bubble only), A Lion on Sodor, and Toby's Treat
 * 2012 - Rescue Team, Tender Trouble (does not speak), Edward's Big Rescue, The Fat Controller's Bedtime Story (Issue 645), Big Belle (speaks in speech bubble only), and Prize Guys (cameo)
 * 2013 - Being Percy (does not speak), Henrietta's Holiday, The Lost Puff, Toby to the Rescue and Christmas Tree Express
 * 2014 - Kite Flying (does not speak), Emily Makes a Splash! (mentioned), and That's Snow Business (speaks in speech bubble only)
 * 2015 - Signals Crossed, Toby and Bash, Silent Puffing! (cameo), Marion and the Dinosaurs The Perfect Present (cameo) and Henrietta's Holiday
 * 2016 - Toby and Bash and Tickled Pink! (mentioned)
 * 2017 - Den and Dart

Toby also appeared in the magazine stories, Arthur and Emily, Diesel's Nasty Turn, Henry's Soaking!, Percy and the Trucks, Spotting Shapes, Stolen Apples, Taking Toby, The Big Ship, The Lost Parcel, and The Poorly Engine!.

Annual Stories
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 * 1985 - Thomas and the Important Visitor (mentioned), The Strawberry Special and Unhappy Landing (mentioned)
 * 1986 - Terence Takes a Bath (not seen) and You Never Know
 * 1987 - Lost in the Snow (mentioned) and Percy's Passengers (does not speak)
 * 1988 - Responsibilities (mentioned)
 * 1989 - The Trouble with Sheep (mentioned) and Post Early for Christmas (mentioned)
 * 1990 - Thomas and the Cricketers (cameo) and Hosepipes and Shunters
 * 1992 - Percy and the Vicar's Prizes (does not speak)
 * 1993 - Thomas and the Snow Block
 * 1995 - Thank You, Thomas and Toby
 * 1996 - Rings a Bell! and The Wrong Shirt
 * 1997 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas! (does not speak)
 * 1998 - Toby and the Mail Train
 * 1999 - Toby Saves the Day (does not speak)
 * 2000 - Slow Down, Thomas!, Thomas the Famous Engine (mentioned) and Star Engines
 * 2013 - The Biggest Present of All (cameo)

Trivia

 * Toby is Christopher Awdry's favourite engine. This is because while on a trip in Yarmouth, he and his father got to ride in the cab of a J70 tram, thanks to Wilbert's good friend, the late Reverend Charlie Rand.
 * Due to an illustration error in Thomas Comes Home, the illustrations of "Toby's Megatrain" show Toby with a face at the rear cab as well as the front cab. This is the only time in the Railway Series that Toby has been illustrated with two faces.
 * One of Toby's models is currently on display in Japan at the Hara Model Railway Museum (previously on display at Nitrogen Studios) and is currently wearing his scared face mask. Another was previously on display at Drayton Manor but the model was stolen from the display in early 2011.
 * In the fifth season episode Baa!, Toby revealed that his favourite station is Maithwaite.
 * In an interview with SiF, Andrew Brenner stated that Toby was one of his favourite characters, along with James, Bill, and Ben.
 * His second-third season bell sound was heard after Ryan stops the pirate ship during the wide shot of Arlesburgh Harbour in Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
 * Toby went through several aesthetic changes in the television series:
 * Season 2:
 * His bell sound changed.
 * His front lamp was lowered down.
 * Season 4:
 * His bell sound returned back to it's original sound.
 * He had an unseen whistle (which is actually Percy's from the third season; which is actually in a whole step lower in pitch).
 * Hero of the Rails:
 * His side-rods and pistons disappeared.
 * His bell sound changed to a similar one that Flora uses.
 * His cabs appear to be blackened out.
 * He has decreased in size and is the same height as Henrietta.
 * Season 14:
 * His driver was positioned at the back of Toby's cab, where the fireman shoveled coal into Toby's firebox.
 * Blue Mountain Mystery:
 * His driver had returned back to his rightful position at the front of Toby's cab.
 * He was confused for being electric by Bridget Hatt in the first season episode, Toby and the Stout Gentleman and for being a diesel boxcab by Philip in the twentieth season episode, Toby's New Friend.
 * Toby's screen used sleeping face mask is now owned by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch.
 * Even though he has six wheels, some merchandise of him has four.