Timeline

This is a timeline chronicling major events of the Railway Series continuity.

=19th Century=

1806

 * Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is built.

1810

 * Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is closed and torn up.

1822

 * John Arnold Norramby is born.

1829

 * Stephenson's Rocket is built.

1853

 * The Sodor and Mainland Railway is built.

1854

 * Henry John Norramby is born.
 * Vere Awdry (Reverend W. Awdry's father) is born.

1856

 * Neil and Sodor and Mainland Railway Numbers 1 and 3 are built.

1864

 * Talyllyn and Skarloey are built.
 * Albert Regaby is born.

1865

 * Skarloey arrives on Sodor for the opening of the Skarloey Railway.
 * Rheneas is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice are built for the Skarloey Railway.

1866

 * Dolgoch is built.
 * Skarloey has trailing wheels added to improve stability and has a cab installed.

1870

 * The Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is opened.
 * The people of Peel Godred plan for a railway to be built.

1872

 * Albert is built
 * The Mid Sodor Railway Company is formed.

1875

 * Stepney is built.
 * Sir Handel Brown I is born.

1877

 * Captain Baxter is built.

1879

 * Duke is built.

1880

 * Duke is shipped to Sodor.
 * The Mid Sodor Railway is opened.
 * Sir Topham Hatt I is born.
 * Boxhill is built.
 * Cromford is built.

1881

 * Robert Sam, father of Mr. Peter Sam is born.

1882

 * Victoria and Helena are built for the Furness Railway.

1883

 * Charles Henry Norramby is born.
 * The Elsbridge &amp; Knapford Railway is formed.

1884

 * Henrietta is built.

1885

 * Adams is built.
 * Cora is built for the Mid Sodor Railway.

1886

 * Frederick Regaby dies; Albert Regaby succeeds to his Barony.

1891

 * Albert is rebuilt.

1894

 * John Arnold Norramby dies.
 * Bert is built.
 * Topham Hatt is apprenticed at Swindon Works.

1896

 * Edward is built.
 * Annie and Clarabel are built.

1897

 * Construction on the Culdee Fell Railway begins.

1900

 * Godred, Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney are built and arrive on Sodor.
 * The Culdee Fell Railway is opened.
 * Godred is scrapped after a fall.

=20th Century=

1901

 * The Culdee Fell Railway is re-opened after receiving further maintenance following the events of Godred's accident.
 * Sir Topham Hatt comes to Sodor.
 * The last of the Sodor and Mainland engines are scrapped.

1903

 * City of Truro is built.
 * Kevin Volley is born.

1904

 * City of Truro becomes one of the first engines to reach 100mph.
 * Falcon is built, arrives on Sodor and replaces an older MSR locomotive who is then scrapped.

1905

 * The Elsbridge &amp; Knapford Railway is extended to Tidmouth along a coastal road.
 * The Coffee Pots are built at A.W.Dry & Co's works by Mr. Topham Hatt.

1906

 * The Refreshment Lady is born.
 * Tidmouth becomes the first town in Sodor to be lit by electricity.

1908

 * The line from Knapford to Tidmouth along the coast was destroyed by a strong autumn gale.
 * Using a treasury loan, A.W.Dry & Co put unemployed miners to work cutting a tunnel through a ridge to Tidmouth.
 * The Elsbridge &amp; Knapford Railway reformed to become to Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway.

1909

 * Donald and Douglas are built.

1910

 * Bluebell and Primrose are built.
 * The Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway is opened.
 * Sir Topham Hatt marries Jane Brown.

1911

 * 15th June: The Reverend W. Awdry is born.
 * Barbara Jane, daughter of Sir Topham Hatt, is born.

1912

 * James is built.
 * Stepney is rebuilt.
 * The Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is formed from the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Railway and the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway.
 * Margaret Emily Wale Awdry is born.

1913

 * Boxhill is restored.

1914

 * The North Western Railway is formed from the Sodor and Mainland Railway and the Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway.
 * Sir Charles Topham Hatt is born.
 * Toby is built.
 * World War I begins.

1915

 * The North Western Railway is built.
 * Albert Regaby becomes chairman of the North Western Railway.
 * Thomas is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Edward arrives on Sodor.
 * The Ballahoo tunnel is built.
 * The workshops at Crovan's Gate are established.
 * The North Western Railways' Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters at Vicarstown are built.
 * The bridge over the Walney Channel is built.
 * Mr. Peter Sam is born.
 * Henry John Norramby dies.
 * Kevin Volley joins the North Western Railway as a lad/porter at Knapford.

1916

 * The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is built.
 * 10th August: George Edward Vere Awdry is born.

1917

 * Stanley is built.

1918

 * Robert Charles is born.
 * World War I ends.

1919

 * Henry is built.

1920

 * Stuart is built, for work on the Mid Sodor Railway.
 * Building begins on Gordon at Doncaster.
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth, Charles Laxey is born.
 * Sir Handel Brown marries Dorothy Lloyd.
 * Thomas is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
 * 16th April: Alan Pegler is born.

1921

 * Edward is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
 * Mr. Ivo Hugh is born.
 * Kevin Volley is promoted to porter.

1922

 * Gordon is built.
 * Henry arrives on Sodor.
 * 98462 and 87546 arrive on Sodor and are shortly sent packing.
 * A second bore is cut for the Ballahoo tunnel after Henry stops in the original.

1923

 * Flying Scotsman is built.
 * The Peel Godred Power Company and the North Western Railway planned to build a new branch line.
 * Gordon arrives on Sodor.
 * Sir Topham Hatt becomes General Manager of the North Western Railway.
 * Rex is built.

1924

 * 20th August: The Reverend Teddy Boston is born.
 * Sir Handel Lloyd Brown II is born.

1925

 * The NWR/LMS agreement.
 * The North Western Railway starts running to Barrow-in-Furness.
 * The Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters are moved to Tidmouth.
 * The Crovan's Gate Works are expanded.
 * The Toryreck mines begin to decline.
 * Thomas' Branch Line is extended to Ffarquhar.

1926

 * The Sodor Aluminium Company is formed.
 * 21st April: Queen Elizabeth II is born.
 * Caroline is built.

1927

 * Vicarstown Sheds is closed.
 * Kevin Volley becomes booking clerk of Elsbridge.
 * The road bridge crossing River Els at Elsbridge is widened to accommodate more traffic.
 * Trevor is built.

1928

 * Stanley is turned into a pumping engine.
 * Duncan is built.
 * Vere Awdry dies.

1929

 * Duck is built.
 * The Spiteful Brake Van is built.
 * The Great Depression begins.

1932

 * Blister I and Blister II are built.

1934

 * Oliver is built.
 * Terence is built.
 * Albert Regaby steps down from his position as NWR chairman.

1935

 * Henry is sent to be rebuilt at Crewe into an LMS Stanier Class 5 following his crash with the Flying Kipper.
 * The Isle of Man steamers stopped arriving at Arlesburgh, so the traffic to Peel Godred had stopped too.

1936

 * Green Arrow is built.
 * Mr. Fergus Duncan is born.
 * Sir Topham Hatt is promoted from General Manager to Managing Director.
 * The mountain section of the Mid Sodor Railway is closed.
 * The Mid Sodor bogie saloon stock along with 3 of 6 engines are sold.
 * Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Ffarquhar.

1937

 * Rheneas is overhauled.
 * Sir Charles Topham Hatt goes for railway service overseas.

1938

 * Barbara Jane marries Henry Regaby, Viscount Harwick.
 * Mallard is built.
 * Mallard sets the world speed record for a steam engine of 126mph.
 * Duchess of Hamilton is built.

1939

 * Gordon is rebuilt at Crewe.
 * World War II begins.
 * Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns from railway service overseas to enlist with the Royal Engineers.

1940

 * 2nd July: Christopher Awdry is born.
 * Sir Charles Topham Hatt marries Amanda, daughter of Mr. Jabez Croarie of Ffarquhar.
 * Richard Robert Norramby is born.
 * Toad is built.

1941

 * Sir Stephen Topham Hatt is born.
 * Charles Henry dies.
 * Veronica Chambers is born.

1943

 * Bridget Amanda Hatt is born.
 * Rheneas takes over the majority of the workload on the Skarloey Railway.
 * Robert Charles is killed in action while in North Africa.

1945

 * The first book of The Railway Series is published.
 * Sir Charles Topham Hatt is demobilised from the Royal Engineers and spends a further period overseas.
 * The Mid Sodor Railway mines are closed one by one.
 * World War II ends.

1946

 * The Cas-ny-Hawin mine is flooded.
 * Stanley is finally broken down and scrapped.
 * Hilary Fortnam is born.

1947

 * The Mid Sodor Railway and the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch are closed.
 * Duke is sheeted and abandoned in a shed.
 * Falcon and Stuart are purchased by the aluminium works at Peel Godred for an expansion project.
 * Albert Regaby dies; Henry Regaby succeeds to his Viscountcy.

1948

 * The North Western Railway becomes officially known as the "North Western Region of British Railways".
 * Mr. Roger Sam is born.
 * Sir Topham Hatt is created a Baronet on his appointment as Chairman of the Regional Executive, after Nationalisation.
 * The claybeds near Brendam are discovered.
 * Bill and Ben are built and arrive on Sodor.

1949

 * Harold is built.
 * The Slate Quarry begins to decline.

1950

 * Sir Handel Brown dies; Handel Lloyd Brown succeeds to his Baronetcy.
 * David Hugh II is born.

1951

 * Falcon and Stuart are sheeted.
 * Toby's tramway closes down.
 * Toby and Henrietta arrive on Sodor.
 * Sir Handel Lloyd Brown marries Rachael Qualtrough.
 * David Hugh I retires.

1952

 * Trevor is sent to be scrapped.
 * Trevor is purchased by the Vicar.
 * Edward is overhauled.
 * Rheneas is overhauled for a second time.
 * Stuart and Falcon are purchased by the Skarloey Railway and renamed "Peter Sam" and "Sir Handel" respectively.
 * Skarloey is overhauled.
 * Cora is purchased for the Skarloey Railway.
 * Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns to Sodor, to become Chief Mechanical Engineer at Crovan's Gate and general assistant to his father.
 * Diesel is built.

1953

 * Queen Elizabeth II visits Sodor.
 * Nancy is born.
 * Wilbert is built.
 * The Ministry of Defence approached Sir Handel II to buy the nearly worked out slate quarry.

1954

 * Sir Topham Hatt II becomes the Fat Controller.
 * Rebecca Dorothy Brown is born.
 * Ballast from the North Western Railway begins to be obtained for the Skarloey Railway.

1955

 * Duck arrives on Sodor.
 * Percy is sent to Thomas' Branch Line.
 * Mark V is built.
 * Gertrude and Millicent are bought by the Skarloey Railway.
 * Ada is built for the Skarloey Railway.

1956

 * Sir Topham Hatt I dies; Charles Topham Hatt inherits his father's baronetcy.
 * Jane is built for the Skarloey Railway.
 * Knapford Junction is moved from south to north of the River Els.
 * Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Knapford.

1957

 * City of Truro visits Sodor.
 * Diesel visits Sodor.
 * Mabel is built for the Skarloey Railway.
 * Ada, Jane and Mabel arrive on Sodor.
 * Rusty is built and arrives on Sodor. Mr. Ivo Hugh becomes his driver.

1958

 * Peter Sam has an accident with some slate trucks at the quarry.
 * Duncan arrives on Sodor.
 * Skarloey returns from being mended.
 * BBC producers make a documentary about the Skarloey Railway.
 * BoCo is built.

1959

 * Donald and Douglas arrive on Sodor.
 * The Spiteful Brake Van is crushed by Douglas and scrapped.
 * The Thin Controller finds a Mid Sodor Railway bogie coach at Harwick and 8 coaches are rescued.
 * Oliver is rebuilt.

1960

 * Daisy is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Thomas' running board is straightened.
 * Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Cronk.
 * The Ministry of Defence finally bought the empty slate quarry and the money was used for the construction of the Lakeside loop line.
 * Old Stuck-Up is built.

1961

 * The Peel Godred EMUs arrive on Sodor.
 * Peter Sam is given a new Giesl Ejector.
 * Sir Handel is given a pair of special wheels with broad tyres.
 * Rheneas returns to the Skarloey Railway.

1962

 * Mavis is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Lord Harry, Alaric and Eric arrive on Sodor.
 * Stepney visits Sodor.
 * The Diesel visits Sodor.

1963

 * Culdee returns to the Culdee Fell Railway.
 * Lord Harry is renamed "Patrick".
 * Flying Scotsman is saved by Alan Pegler.
 * The loop line extension around the lake began to be built.
 * D199 is built.

1964

 * The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is rebuilt.
 * Skarloey's 100th birthday.
 * Bear is built.

1965

 * Rheneas' 100th birthday.
 * Shane Dooiney returns to the Culdee Fell Railway.
 * The one-hundredth anniversary of the Skarloey Railway is celebrated.
 * The loop line extension at Lakeside is opened.
 * BoCo arrives on Sodor.
 * The Railway Series celebrates its 20th anniversary.

1966

 * Mike is built.
 * The Skarloey Railway became a Company instead of being in private ownership.

1967

 * Blister I and Blister II arrive on Sodor for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway.
 * Bert, Mike and Rex arrive on Sodor to service the Arlesdale Railway.
 * Reverend W. Awdry and Reverend Teddy Boston visit Sodor.
 * Flying Scotsman visits Sodor.
 * D199 arrives on Sodor along with 7101 and is sent back after he fails on the level crossing.
 * The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is re-opened, to be serviced by Duck.
 * Oliver, Isabel and Toad are rescued by Douglas and arrive on Sodor.
 * 7101 is renamed "Bear" and renumbered D3.
 * Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel are saved from scrap for service with Oliver and Duck.
 * Frank arrives on Sodor.

1968

 * S. C. Ruffey is pulled apart by Oliver and scrapped.
 * Kevin Volley retires and lives out his life at Ffarquhar.
 * Bulgy arrives on Sodor.
 * Bulgy is turned into a henhouse.
 * The year that steam traction officially ended on British Railways.

1969

 * Sigrid of Arlesdale is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Duke is discovered by Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Reverend W. Awdry and the Reverend Teddy Boston.

1970

 * Sir Stephen Topham Hatt marries Helen Margaret.
 * The siding at Cros-ny-Cuirn is extended to make a passing loop.

1972

 * Richard Topham Hatt is born.
 * A second platform is added at Marthwaite.

1973

 * Bert is rebuilt.

1974

 * Charles Nicholas Hatt is born.

1975

 * The Railway Series celebrates its 30th anniversary.

1976

 * Jock is built.

1977

 * Emily Helen Hatt is born.
 * A Motorail Terminal is opened at Killdane.

1979

 * A replica of Stephenson's Rocket is built.

1980

 * Thomas is overhauled.
 * Roger Sam becomes the new Thin Controller.

1981

 * Old Stuck-Up is scrapped.

1982

 * Duke is fully restored.
 * Sir Handel visits the Talyllyn Railway.

1983

 * Christopher Awdry becomes the new writer for the Railway Series.

1984

 * Sir Topham Hatt III becomes the Fat Controller.
 * Sir Handel returns from the Talyllyn Railway.
 * 9th October: The first episode of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas and Gordon, aired on ITV.

1985

 * The Skarloey Funicular Railway is opened.
 * Skarloey is overhauled a second time.
 * The Railway Series celebrates its 40th anniversary.

1986

 * Sir Handel is rebuilt.
 * 1st April: The Reverend Teddy Boston dies.
 * The Refreshment Lady dies.

1987

 * Mavis is involved in a collision with a lorry.
 * Bulstrode is turned into a children's playground on a beach.

1988

 * Peter Sam visits the Talyllyn Railway.

1989

 * Fred is put into service on the Skarloey Railway.
 * 21st March: Margaret Emily Wale Awdry died, aged 77.
 * 29 January: The first episode of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas Gets Tricked aired on US TV.

1990

 * After Privatisation, the name "North Western Railway" becomes official.
 * Thomas is invited to a railway show in York.
 * Frank is re-engined.

1991

 * Mr. Ivo Hugh retires, with David Hugh II succeeding him as the current foreman of the Skarloey Railway.

1992

 * Henry is overhauled.

1993

 * Wilbert visits Sodor.

1994

 * 27th October: George Edward Vere Awdry died, aged 78.
 * British Railways is privatised until 1997.

1995

 * The Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series is celebrated.

1996

 * Edward's 100th birthday
 * Peter Sam returns to the Skarloey Railway to help with the extra work.
 * Ivo Hugh is built.

1997

 * 21st March: The Reverend W. Awdry dies, aged 85.
 * Sir Topham Hatt II dies; Stephen Topham Hatt inherits his father's Baronetcy.

=21st century=

2000

 * Percy, Ernest, Culdee and Shane Dooiney's 100th birthday

2002

 * Rheneas is overhauled a third time.

2004

 * Sir Handel's 100th Birthday

2005

 * The Railway Series celebrates its 60th anniversary.

2006

 * The manager of Anopha Quarry is visited by the police after Henrietta is booked for allowing workmen to ride on her balconies.

2007

 * Victoria is restored and returned to service.
 * Fergus Duncan retires from being controller of the Arlesdale Railway.

2010

 * Stepney, Bluebell and Captain Baxter's overhauls are completed and the Bluebell Railway celebrates its 50th anniversary.
 * The Railway Series celebrates its 65th anniversary.
 * Wilbert is scheduled to be back in service after a major overhaul.

2011

 * Pip and Emma are purchased by the North Western Railway.
 * The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 100th birthday.

2012

 * James' 100th birthday
 * Wilbert is returned to service.
 * 18th March: Alan Pegler dies, aged 91.

2013

 * 25th November: Hilary Fortnam dies, aged 67.

2014

 * The North Western Railway celebrates its 100th anniversary.
 * Toby's 100th birthday.
 * Stepney is withdrawn from service, following the failure of his main steam pipe.

2015

 * The Railway Series celebrates its 70th anniversary.
 * The Skarloey Railway celebrates its 150th anniversary.
 * The Bluebell Railway celebrates its 55th anniversary.
 * The North Western Railway celebrates running for over 100 years.
 * Thomas' 100th birthday.

2016

 * Flying Scotsman returns to steam in England.
 * The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 105th birthday.

2017

 * The Arlesdale Railway celebrates its 50th anniversery.