The Mail Train

The Mail Train (also known as The Post Train) is a train that consists of rolling stock used to transport letters and parcels throughout the Island of Sodor and the Mainland. Pulling the Mail Train is noted as being one of Percy's favourite jobs.

The train commonly consists of special utility vans and a standard brake van. However, they are often accompanied by open wagons or conflats.

Mail Vans
"I pull the mail trucks/cars. They're red and they're wooden, and they're full of very exciting parcels!"

- Percy, Thomas and Scruff, fourteenth series

The Mail Vans (also known as the Sodor Mail Coaches) are rolling stock used for transporting letters and parcels throughout the railway.

These vans are special utility vans that form the Mail Train, which is usually pulled by either Thomas or Percy. Oliver was once briefly transferred to the service and at times when the train is unable to run, Harold usually deputises for it. Ryan takes a mail van from Arlesburgh up to Harwick every morning. They are used at night, but in recent seasons, the vans are pulled in broad daylight. Since the seventeenth series, however, they seem to be pulled primarily at night again. Percy is almost always in charge, although other engines pull them occasionally.

Basis
In the Railway Series, the mail vans are based on general utility vans (GUV), however their specific basis is unknown.

Livery
In the Railway Series, the mail vans were painted plain brown. In the television series, the mail vans are painted crimson with grey roofs. In the Model Series, they had "SODOR MAIL" on both sides, but was changed to an envelope with wings in the CGI Series.

Appearances
Railway Series= {{Scroll box|

The Railway Series

 * Really Useful Engines - Mind that Bike

Companion Volumes
}} {{Scroll box|
 * -|Television Series=

Thomas & Friends

 * Series 3 - Thomas, Percy and the Post Train, One Good Turn and Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure
 * Series 4 - Sleeping Beauty, Bulldog, Train Stops Play, Fish and Mind that Bike
 * Series 5 - Baa!, Something in the Air and Oliver's Find
 * Series 6 - A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter, It's Only Snow, Middle Engine and Edward the Very Useful Engine
 * Series 8 - Henry and the Wishing Tree, Percy's Big Mistake, James Goes Too Far and Chickens to School
 * Series 9 - Percy and the Oil Painting and Respect for Gordon
 * Series 10 - Toby's New Shed, Thomas' Frosty Friend and Thomas and the Birthday Mail
 * Series 11 - Thomas and the Spaceship, Don't be Silly, Billy and Edward and the Mail
 * Series 12 - Best Friends
 * Series 13 - Creaky Crnaky, Play Time, The Biggest Present of All and The Early Bird
 * Series 14 - Thomas in Charge, Being Percy and Thomas and Scruff
 * Series 15 - Edward the Hero and Big Belle
 * Series 16 - Ol' Wheezy Wobbles, Express Coming Through Flash Bang Wallop!, Sodor Surprise Day, Emily's Winter Party Special, Whiff's Wish and Welcome Stafford
 * Series 17 - Scruff's Makeover, Wayward Winston, Calm Down Caitlin, Not Now, Charlie!, The Phantom Express, Percy's Lucky Day and The Smelly Kipper
 * Series 18 - Toad's Bright Idea and The Perfect Gift
 * Series 19 - Snow Place Like Home, Very Important Sheep, Helping Hiro and Goodbye Fat Controller
 * Series 20 - Ryan and Daisy, Letters to Santa and Three Steam Engines Gruff
 * Series 22 - Rosie is Red

Specials

 * 2000 - Thomas and the Magic Railroad
 * 2009 - Hero of the Rails
 * 2011 - Day of the Diesels
 * 2014 - Tale of the Brave

Music Videos
}} {{Scroll box|
 * -|Other Media=

Books
}}

Trivia

 * All the mail van models are currently on display at Drayton Manor. One used to be on display in Canada at Nitrogen Studios.
 * From the third to fifth series, the mail vans were made out of Tenmille gauge 1 Utility van kits. From Thomas and the Magic Railroad onwards, they were scratch built.
 * In the third and fourth series, two separate trains were pulled by Thomas and Percy as the load was too heavy for one engine to do the work alone.
 * The mail vans have gone through a couple modifications over the years:
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad:
 * Their roofs became slightly larger.
 * Their bufferbeams are lowered.
 * They became slightly taller.
 * Their liveries became slightly darker.
 * Hero of the Rails:
 * Their "SODOR MAIL" logos were replaced with envelopes with wings.
 * The Capsule Plarail toys are repainted from JNR Coach's toys.

Merchandise

 * ERTL (discontinued)
 * Wooden Railway (discontinued)
 * Take-n-Play (with Pull 'n 'zoom Percy; discontinued)
 * Bachmann
 * Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
 * TrackMaster (normal and see-inside)
 * Motorized Railway
 * Take Along (discontinued)
 * Collectible Railway
 * Adventures (with Talking Percy; discontinued)
 * Hornby (two versions; discontinued)
 * Tomix
 * Capsule Plarail (reintroduced)
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series (with brake van; discontinued)
 * Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
 * Nakayoshi (discontinued)
 * Choro-Q (discontinued)
 * Mega Bloks (discontinued)

Plank Trucks
These trucks are special 7-Plank Trucks that have often been used as part of the Mail Train. These trucks have been pulled by Edward and Percy. James once helped Edward deliver these trucks containing presents from Brendam Docks to Knapford.

Basis
These trucks are based on 7-plank trucks.

Livery
These trucks are painted crimson with black frames. Their Take Along toys, depict them with "SODOR MAIL" on both sides.

Appearances
Television Series= {{Scroll box|

Thomas & Friends
}}
 * Series 3 - Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure
 * Series 8 - Keeping Up with James
 * Series 11 - Edward and the Mail

Trivia

 * In the third series episode, Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure, mail was transported in standard grey trucks and was pulled by Thomas.

Merchandise

 * Take Along (discontinued)
 * TrackMaster (discontinued)

קרונות דואר 郵便車 Wagony Pocztowe Почтовый поезд