Minor Human Characters in the Railway Series

This section is for characters who only or first appeared in the Railway Series, listed in chronologial appearance. For characters that first or only appeared in the television series see: Minor human characters in the television series.

The Little Boys
Several groups of young boys have appeared at various times. They have confused Gordon for a tank engine, taunted Daisy with "bull's-eyes", lauded Sir Handel for racing George and rode Tom Tipper's bike onto the rails.

The Lady in the Black Bonnet
At Maron, Edward told James of the time he had to push Gordon up a hill. James laughed so much he surprised an old lady as she was carrying some parcels. She dropped them and the stationmaster and some porters had to pick them up for her.

The Old Lady with the Umbrella
This old lady left her umbrella lying on the platform in Thomas and the Guard. When Thomas was about to leave, the guard tripped on the umbrella. By the time he had gotten up again, Thomas had left.

The Fire Brigade
The fire brigade were seen riding in a fire engine in Gordon's Whistle after hearing Gordon whistling and mistaking the noise for a fire siren.

The Stone-dropping Boys
Three boys found it fun to drop stones on Henry as he passed underneath a bridge, causing minor damage to several carriage windows and Henry's boiler and hitting the fireman on the head. Although the passengers wanted to call the police, Henry's crew persuaded them to let them get their own revenge by showering them, as well as some friends who came to watch, with ashes from Henry's fire.

These boys appeared in Henry's Sneeze and were later mentioned in Smokescreen.

The Hatts' Nanny
While Sir Topham and Lady Hatt went on holiday in East Anglia in Toby and the Stout Gentleman, they were accompanied by another lady, presumably a "nanny" to care for Stephen and Bridget Hatt.

The other Policemen
These policemen came to argue with the Fat Controller in Thomas in Trouble after Thomas was found to have traveled down the quarry tramroad branch illegally.

The young constable, whom Thomas startled, perhaps in hopes of a promotion and a reputation of zeal, often went around Ffarquhar enforcing out of date laws that were quite forgotten. He got his due when, one Sunday morning, he booked the cars parked outside the church, including the Vicar's, John Croarie's, the Chairman of the local Bench of Magistrates, as well as his own sergeant's! After the "criminals" were each fined half a pence, the policeman was quickly transferred.

The Butler
The butler appeared in the Railway Series book Toby the Tram Engine and the first season episode Thomas in Trouble. He told the Fat Controller he was wanted on the telephone. In the Japanese dub of the television series, the butler is voiced by Shinobu Satouchi.

The Doctor
The doctor tended to Mrs. Kyndley in Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas after Thomas' crew saw her dressing-gown waving from her window and suspected the worst. As it was, she had only fainted from the effort of warning them about a landslide ahead.

Mr. Kyndley
Mr. Kyndley is Mrs. Kyndley's husband.

Bert and Alf
Bert and Alf are two cleaners who washed Gordon down in Leaves after his dip in a ditch.

The Painter
This man was painting Tidmouth station for Queen Elizabeth II's visit in Paint Pots and Queens when Henry came in. He lost his footing in the smoke and fell. His fall was luckily broken by a tarpaulin draped over Henry's cab, but his paint-pot landed on Henry's dome, making him look, in the Fat Controller's words, like an iced cake.

Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II graced Sodor with a visit in Paint Pots and Queens. Gordon was honoured by pulling her train, while Edward cleared the line ahead.

She presumably appeared as an allusion to her coronation in the same year the book was published. The Reverend W. Awdry had also sent the royalty Railway Series volumes to read to the young Prince Charles and Princess Anne.

The Naughty Boys


These two boys wandered into James' cab and started him off, prompting a high-speed chase by Edward.

Although they were said to have been caught by the police and beaten soundly by their parents in Old Iron, nothing was said of this in their television series appearance.

Mrs. Last
"Mrs. Last" lives near a station on the Skarloey Railway. Although that is not her real name, she gained the nickname because she was always late at a station.

The Vicar of Knapford
The Vicar of Knapford hosts a Sunday School at Knapford Harbour.

He only appeared in the story Percy's Promise; in the television series, he was replaced by the Vicar of Wellsworth.

The New Signalman
The new signalman refused to listen to Toby's driver about Toby having small water tanks. He told them that they had to clear the line for James and that they could get more water from the next station. He later apologised and said that he did not understand Toby's situation.

The Railway Society
The Railway Society visited Sodor in Domeless Engines, bringing City of Truro with them. Among the members illustrated is a vicar and a man in a bow-tie, both looking at Duck; Brian Sibley joked they may have been the Reverend W. Awdry showing C. Reginald Dalby what Duck really looked like.

The Barber
This man set up a barbershop in Crosby, unwisely placed at the end of the siding. After Duck crashed into the wall, the furious barber covered Duck's face in shaving cream. He later washed it off after realising that Duck prevented a potentially fatal accident, and the North Western Railway gladly paid for the repairs.

The barber appeared in A Close Shave and the second season episode A Close Shave.

Trivia

 * In the Japanese dub of the television series, the barber is voiced by Daisuke Gōri.

The BBC Television Producers
These men came to the Skarloey Railway in Little Old Twins to film a documentary about the railway. Peter Sam and Sir Handel, recalling the same happening on the Mid Sodor Railway, at first feared the railway was going to be closed.

The Foreign Gentlemen
Three gentlemen talked to the Fat Controller after Douglas accidentally shunted the special coach in a siding in The Missing Coach. They later accompanied him when he disciplined Douglas.

The Careless Cleaner
This cleaner fiddled with Thomas' controls in Thomas Comes to Breakfast, starting him and resulting into his crashing into the stationmaster's house. It is not revealed as to what happened to him after the incident.

The Ffarquhar Stationmaster and his Family
The stationmaster of Ffarquhar lives near the Ffarquhar sheds with his wife, son and daughter. When Thomas crashed into his house, he shut off steam while his wife reprimanded Thomas for spoiling their breakfast.

The stationmaster later argued with Daisy when she refused to pull the milk truck. The stationmaster's wife also appeared in Edward's Exploit and Wrong Road.

The Dryaw Policeman
A policeman from Dryaw warned Daisy about a bull on the line ahead. He hitched a ride and tried to help shoo the bull, but the bull kept wandering back.

The Crovan's Gate Policeman
Another policeman arrived after George collided with Sir Handel's train. He arrived just in time, for George's driver and the guard were almost about to have a fistfight over who was at fault.

In the English narration of the television series, he speaks like a stereotypical British policeman.

Stepney's Controller
The controller of the Bluebell Railway accompanied Stepney to the North Western Railway on his visit.

The Important Passenger
The important passenger appeared in Stepney's Special and the fourth season episode Thomas and Stepney. After Thomas had left with his last branch line train, the passenger appeared and requested a special train for himself, resulting in Thomas being shunted to a siding while Stepney took the special train.

The Cricketers
These men were playing cricket at the Elsbridge cricket field when a batsman hit a six that landed in one of Stepney's trucks. Four of the cricketers chased after Stepney in Caroline.

The Rockclimbers
During a gale on Culdee Fell, news came at Devil's Back Station of a group of climbers injured on the mountain. #6 rescued the climbers, and was later renamed after a climber, Patrick, who had hurt himself saving the leader.

Mr. Mack
Mr. Mack was the first manager of the Skarloey Railway. He did not know much about engines' feelings, and after failing time and time again to steam Skarloey he lost patience and had him sheeted. Mr. Mack did gain patience after he brought Mr. Bobbie to be Skarloey's driver.

Mr. Bobbie
Mr. Bobbie, unlike most of the other humans in the Railway Series, was actually a real person. He helped build Skarloey, Rheneas, Talyllyn and Dolgoch in England, and later came to Sodor to help build the line. When Skarloey wouldn't cooperate with Mr. Mack, he had Mr. Bobbie drive Skarloey.

The Duke of Sodor
The current Duke of Sodor came to the Skarloey Railway to open the new loop line around Skarloey lake. Duck, however, mistook him for a Great Western engine and told Peter Sam all "engine" Dukes had been scrapped. Although a "person" Duke came to the opening ceremony, Peter Sam was doubtful and interrupted the Duke during a speech to ask him if he was real. The Duke, however, had been told to expect the question, and cheerfully replied he was a real, live person.

King Henry IV conferred the title Earl of Sodor on the last Regent, Sir Arnold de Normanby, who had assisted the King's troops in expelling the Percy garrisons from Sodor in 1404.

The Earldom was extinguished by Attainder in 1715, but on the conclusion of his first term of office as Lieutenant Governor in 1873, Queen Victoria graciously responded to popular petition and restored to John Arnold Norramby the Earldom of Sodor and the estates of Ulfstead Castle of which his ancestor had been deprived, and which had been reverted to the Crown.

List of Dukes

 * 1) John Arnold Norramby (1822-1894) - Promoter and Chairman of the Mid Sodor Railway. Presented the company with an engine which they named in his honour.
 * 2) Henry John Norramby (1854-1915) - Earl from 1894-1915.
 * 3) Charles Henry (1883-1941) - Served throughout WWI in the Sodor Regiment. Retired with the rank of Lieutenant General.
 * 4) Robert Charles (1918-1943) - Killed in action in North Africa. Lieutenant Colonel Sodor Regiment.
 * 5) Richard Robert (1940-) Succeeded as a minor. Was age seven when the Mid Sodor closed. 25 when he opened the Skarloey Railway Loop Line. 29 when Duke was found.

Trivia

 * There is really no Duke of Sodor. The Earls of Sodor are active on the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster, and as there is no Duke of Lancaster, Sudrians refer to the Earl as their "Duke".

Fred and Bert
Fred and Bert are two porters at Tidmouth. They were carrying a beehive on a trolley, but when an old lady suddenly appeared in front, they stopped so suddenly the beehive fell over and broke, prompting the station's occupants (bar James and his crew) to clear the platform.

The Lady with the Floppy Green Hat
This lady unwisely chose to wear a large green hat when saying goodbye to a friend at Tidmouth. When she waved to the friend, who was sitting near the guard's van, Gordon's fireman thought the green flag had waved and set off, causing the first of a series of mix-ups.

The Enthusiasts
Two separate groups of enthusiasts appeared in Edward's Exploit and What a Picture!. The first group were pulled home by Edward, despite his breaking a crank-pin. The second group visited Brendam, and went to watch Ben when he was asked to pull a boat into deeper water, except one man who continuously took pictures of Bill. Unluckily for the photographer, as he was about to take his best picture Bill's driver turned a tap, releasing a cloud of steam and spoiling the photo.

Bill and Ben enjoy the enthusiasts' visits, mainly because of the way they fuss over them.

Willie
Willie is a lazy tractor driver living near the Arlesdale Railway. He was late with his load of wool, and didn't secure the bales properly. Unfortunately, his load slipped onto the line, derailing Rex. Willie later helped with the clean-up.

The Other Railway Foreman
The foreman at a goods yard on the mainland tried to stop Douglas from taking Oliver, Isabel, and Toad back to Sodor, but grudgingly let them pass after finding nothing to fault.

The Mid Sodor Railway Manager
This man was the manager of the MSR when Falcon was new to the line. He arranged for Falcon to double-head with Duke on the "Mountain Road", which nearly resulted in disaster after Falcon derailed. Luckily, no harm was done, and the manager later apologised to the passengers for the trouble.

The Anopha Quarry Manager
This man is in charge of the quarry where Mavis works. He forbade her from leaving the quarry after jaunting onto the tramway, but later allowed her to go as far as the first level crossing after productivity increased, and later to Ffarquhar after she rescued Toby from a "tightrope".

The Thieves
Two men robbed the Ffarquhar stationmaster's house of his gardening trophies, and rounded it off by stealing his new car. Luckily, they were stupid enough to use the car the day after the burglary. Thomas' fireman alerted the police, and the thieves were arrested, with the car and the trophies (in the boot of the car) both unharmed.

The Boy Scouts
One summer, some boy scouts camped near the Skarloey Railway. Their leader arranged with Mr. Hugh to fix some ditches near the line. They only appeared in Great Little Engines.

The Wedding Guests
As Gordon passed Wellsworth one day, the poor coal he was using caused him to "sneeze" out a cloak of ashes, spoiling the clothes of the angry wedding guests.

The Dairy Farmer
This man's lorry broke down as he was delivering some dairy products to Brendam. He was phoning for help when Thomas crashed into the lorry and got covered in eggs. Bill and Ben were swift to tease Thomas about it afterwards.

The Traffic Warden
After Thomas crashed into a crossing gate en route to York, he was put onto a lorry and taken to York. The driver was unsure of the way to the National Railway Museum and parked the lorry while asking for directions. In the meantime, the traffic warden booked the lorry for illegal parking.

The Frightened Child
When a bag was idiotically thrown onto Thomas' demonstration line at the National Railway Museum, Thomas couldn't stop in time and ran over the bag. A child was frightened by the steam, and his furious mother went to complain to the manager.

The Royal Personage
The Royal Personage, presumably Prince Charles, visited the North Western Railway on the Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series in 1995.

Kathy and Lizzie
Two girls who worked on the Talyllyn Railway cleaning the engines. When their family went holidaying on Sodor, they polished Skarloey Railway engines.

Kathy is brunette, while Lizzie is blonde.

The Inspector
After a policeman spotted quarrymen riding on Henrietta's balcony, the inspector visited the quarry manager to inform him that it was illegal to do so.

The Prince
Prince Charles was brought to Tidmouth by Pip and Emma to unveil the statue of the Thin Clergyman at Tidmouth. He was read the Railway Series when he was younger by his parents. He appeared in the fourty-second book, Thomas and his Friends.

Father Christmas/Santa Claus
Father Christmas appeared in Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree and the second season episode Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree with no lines. His model was really one of the Fat Controller's dressed up.