Circus Train

The Circus Train is a train consisting of colourful rolling stock and is used by the circus when it comes to Sodor. The train has special cattle trucks used to transport horses, and trucks, flatbeds and vans used to transport circus goods and equipment.

The Circus Train is also used by the funfair when it comes to Sodor. Funfairs usually consist of carousels, roller coasters, bumper cars, a ferris wheel, the Chinese Dragon, and a fireworks display.

The Railway Series
When the circus came to town, shunting the special trucks and coaches helped cheer up the sulky Gordon, James and Henry. However, James later was told to pull the train away, much to the dismay of Gordon and Henry.

List of rolling stock used in the Railway Series:

Season 4
When the circus first visited Sodor, special "Topham Circus" trucks were delivered to the Island by ship. The Fat Controller arranged for the engines to shunt the special trucks, this cheered up Gordon, James and Henry who were originally feeling unpleased. The engines soon forgot to be tired and cross, until, much to the dismay of Gordon and Henry, James chosen to pull the Circus Train away,.

List of "Topham Circus" rolling stock used in the television series:

Season 8
Sir Topham Hatt once gave Thomas the job of talking the Circus Train and told him share the load due to its weight. However, Thomas wanted all the glory, so he tried to pull the circus train all by himself. Soon, his side-rods break from the strain of pulling the heavy train and he was forced to stop. James and Percy came to the rescue of Thomas and the Circus Train.

Some of the Circus trucks were later reused for the Funfair Train whenever the funfair comes to Sodor.

List of rolling stock used in the television series:

Miscellaneous
There are also coaches for circus performers to travel in. Two of these coaches were seen in the book Henry and the Elephant. The coaches are painted yellow with red lining and with "Circus" written on their sides in blue.

They appeared again in another Henry and the Elephant book. This time with red lining and "Miller Circus" written on their sides in red.

List of rolling stock used in the books:

Basis
In the Railway Series, the vans are based on LMS banana vans. The trucks are based on 7-plank open wagons. The livestock wagons are a freelance design.

In the television series, the trucks are based on 7-plank open wagons. The vans were based on LNER 12 ton van, Saxa salt wagons, GWR cattle trucks and SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV (with added bogies). The flatbeds are GWR J28 Macaw B flatbeds. The brakevans are based on a BR Standard 20 Ton brakevan and a GWR Toad brakevan. There were also 1-plank trucks with the top part of a ventilated van on top of it which could be removed.

Livery
In the Railway Series, the trucks were painted light brown.

In Season 4 of the television series, the rolling stock were painted white with red lining. They had yellow banners with red lettering on their sides reading "TOPHAM CIRCUS". The open wagons had green tarps, while the flat truck carried a red and white one. Some vans had brown fronts and backs.

In Season 8, they were then gold, blue, and red. Some vans had an illustration of a clown's face on both sides. There are also multiple ventilated van colour varients used for the 1-plank trucks.

Other 1-Plank truck ventilated van designs seen in the television series:

In the books, the circus trucks are painted yellow.

Appearances
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The Railway Series

 * Troublesome Engines - Henry and the Elephant

Companion Volumes
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 * Annuals
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Thomas & Friends

 * Season 4 - Henry and the Elephant
 * Season 8 - Thomas and the Circus
 * Season 9 - Thomas Tries His Best (as funfair trucks)
 * Season 10 - Percy and the Funfair (as funfair trucks)
 * Season 12 - Rosie's Funfair Special (as funfair trucks)

Music Videos
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Books
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Trivia

 * Some of the circus train were on display at Drayton Manor, but is currently now in storage.
 * The circus flatbeds were first white in the fourth season, they were then gold and red since the eighth season.
 * Toad's model, without a face, was used for the brake van of the Circus Train in the eighth season episode Thomas and the Circus.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway
 * Take Along
 * Take-n-Play
 * Hornby
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series
 * Nakayoshi
 * Capsule Plarail

רכבת הקרקס サーカス列車 Wagony Cyrkowe