Toby

"Toby's only a little engine. If an important engine like me didn't know which way to turn . .."

- James, "James and the Diesel Engines", page 21

Toby is a tram engine with cowcatchers, warning bell, spark arrestors, governors set to 8mph, and side plates covering his wheels and motion.

Bio
Toby came to work at the quarry on Thomas' branch line in "Toby the Tram Engine" after his old railway in East Anglia closed, as it was apparently illegal for Thomas to go on the quarry line without having sideplates or cowcatchers. Toby is old and, at first, 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 and blue paint for his hard work.

He has a coach called Henrietta and a luggage van called Elsie.

It is revealed in "Toby, Trucks and Trouble" that, prior to working on his tramway, he worked at the harbour at Yarmouth with at least three of his brothers, at which time he had brown paint and black sideplates.

Appearances
Toby first appeared in the first season episode "Toby and the Stout Gentleman", and has been established as part of the "Steam Team". In recent episodes he has been portrayed as being nervous and uncertain.

Basis
Toby was inspired by a GER Wisbech steam tram J70 0-6-0T seen by the Reverend W. and Christopher Awdry on a holiday at Yarmouth, hence Toby's origins.

Livery
Toby is painted brown with usually blue side plates (while in the TV Series his side plates are gray) and gray cowcatchers (while in the Railway Series his cowcatchers are blue.