Timeline

This is a timeline chronicling the events of the Railway Series, the television series and the railways of Sodor:

=1806=
 * Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladswail built.
 * The Skarloey Railway is opened.
 * Neil is built.

=1853=
 * The Sodor and Mainland Railway is built.

=1864=
 * Skarloey is built.
 * Bertram is built.

=1865=
 * Skarloey arrives on Sodor.
 * Rheneas is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Skarloey has trailing wheels added to improve stability, and has a cab installed.

=1866=
 * Bertram arrives on Sodor.

=1869=
 * Whiff is built.

=1870=
 * The Wellsworth-Suddery Railway is opened.
 * Emily is built.

=1875=
 * Stepney is built.

=1879=
 * Duke is built.

=1880=
 * The Mid Sodor Railway is opened.
 * Victoria is built.
 * Sir Topham Hatt I is born.
 * The Mines Engine is built.

=1881=
 * Petit is built.

=1883=
 * The Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway is opened.

=1886=
 * Whiff's side tanks are added.

=1887=
 * Tim is built.

=1892=
 * Whiff is rebuilt into a 4-2-2. The well tank is removed, the side tanks are expanded, and the two-cylinder Worsdell-von Borries compounding system is applied.

=1894=
 * Merlin is built.

=1895=
 * Godred is built.
 * Ernest is built.
 * Wilfred is built.

=1896=
 * Edward is built.
 * Godred arrives on Sodor.
 * Ernest arrives on Sodor.
 * Culdee is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Shane Dooiney is built and arrives on Sodor.

=1897=
 * Construction on the Culdee Fell Railway begins.
 * Wilfred arrives on Sodor.
 * Percy is built.
 * Eagle is built.

=1898=
 * Jim is built.

=1899=
 * Donald and Douglas are built.
 * Lady is built.

=1900=
 * The Culdee Fell Railway is opened.
 * Godred dies, falls down the cliff and is taken out of service.

=1901=
 * The Culdee Fell Railway is re-opened after receiving further maintainance after the events of Godred's death.
 * Harvey is built.

=1902=
 * Whiff is rebuilt into a 2-2-4T.

=1903=
 * Toby is built.
 * Billy is built.
 * Falcon is built.
 * Proteus is built.
 * Albert is built.

=1904=
 * Molly is built.
 * Flora is built.

=1905=
 * Falcon is rebuilt with a rear pony truck.

=1906=
 * Fearless Freddie is built.

=1911=
 * The Reverend W. Awdry is born.

=1912=
 * Stepney is rebuilt.

=1913=
 * Thomas is built.

=1914=
 * The North Western Railway is formed from the Sodor and Mainland, the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light and the Wellsworth & Suddery railways.
 * Sir Topham Hatt II is born.
 * Hank is built.

=1915=
 * Thomas arrives on Sodor.
 * James is built.
 * The Ballahoo tunnel is built.
 * The workshops at Crovan's Gate are established.

=1916=
 * The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is built.
 * Johnny Morris is born.

=1917=
 * Stanley is built.
 * Peel Godred E1-E4 are built and arrive on Sodor.
 * Petit is rebuilt into a 2-6-2 petrol engine.

=1918=
 * Duncan is built.

=1919=
 * Smudger is built.
 * Jerry is built.

=1920=
 * Edward arrives on Sodor and has still 'Seagull' design features-open cab, flared top tender.
 * Henry is built.
 * Trevor is built.
 * George is built.

=1921=
 * Edward still retains some 'Seagull' design features, but rebuilt with enclosed cab and a Fowler tender.

=1922=
 * Eagle arrives on Sodor.
 * Gordon is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * 98462 and 87546 arrive on Sodor and are shortly sent packing.
 * Henry arrives on Sodor.
 * Thomas teases Gordon, making him cross, and forgets to uncoupled Gordon's coaches.
 * Gordon once stalls on the large hill in the middle of the line, and hence its name.
 * A second bore is cut for the Ballahoo tunnel after Henry stops in the original.
 * Lord Harry is built.
 * Gordon breaks his safety valve while pulling the Express and Henry is let out of the tunnel

=1923=
 * Victoria arrives on Sodor and is made into a summerhouse at an Elsbridge orchard.
 * Alaric is built.
 * Eric is built.
 * Stuart is built.
 * Rex is built.

=1924=
 * The Reverend Teddy Boston is born.

=1926=
 * Fergus is built.

=1927=
 * Annie and Clarabel are built.
 * Merlin is renamed "Bert".
 * Bert is rebuilt into a 0-8-2 tender engine.

=1928=
 * Petit's remains are left lying.

=1929=
 * Duck is built.
 * The spiteful breakvan is built.
 * Peter is built.

=1931=
 * Peter is given a rear stabilising bogie and a body of mock-steam outline.
 * Elizabeth is built.
 * Tim dies in a fall into a ravine. The death of the ghost engine

=1932=
 * Oliver is built.
 * Blister I and Blister II are built.
 * Stanley is built.

=1934=
 * Terence is built.

=1935=
 * Spencer is built.

=1937=
 * George Carlin is born.
 * Willie Rushton is born.

=1938=
 * David Mitton is born.

=1939=
 * Gordon is overhauled.
 * Gordon is rebuilt with Stanier parts and a Fowler tender.
 * Colin is built.

=1940=
 * Christopher Awdry is born.
 * Bulgy is built.
 * Toad is built.
 * Ringo Starr is born.
 * Death of Edward's ghost engine

=1941=
 * Sir Topham Hatt III (Stephen Hatt) is born.

=1942=
 * Rosie is built.
 * Neville is built.

=1944=
 * Sixteen is built.

=1945=
 * Michael Brandon is born.
 * Rocky is built.
 * Rosie arrives on Sodor.
 * Elizabeth arrives on Sodor.
 * The Three Railway Engines is published.

=1946=
 * Thomas takes Edward's trucks up Gordon's Hill and nearly crashes
 * James arrives on Sodor and has an accident.
 * Thomas is given his branch line.
 * James is overhauled.
 * Arthur is built.
 * Stanley/Smudger breaks down and is scrapped.
 * Elizabeth is abandoned in a shed.
 * Thomas the Tank Engine is published.

=1947=
 * The Mid Sodor Railway and the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branches are closed.
 * Duke is sheeted and abandoned in shed.
 * Falcon and Stuart are purchased by the aluminium works at Peel Godred for an expansion project.

=1948=
 * The North Western Railway becomes officially known as the "North Western Region of British Railways".
 * Bertie is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Terence arrives on Sodor.
 * James the Red Engine is published.
 * James is rebuilt into a 2-6-0 with the removal of front sandbox and proper brakes.
 * James sprays water on The Fat Controller's new hat
 * James bangs his coaches so hard he puts a leak in the pipe and is sent to Tidmouth Sheds
 * James makes the worst Trucks on the line behave and is permenantley painted in red
 * Gordon loses his way while pulling the express and James takes over the train.

=1949=
 * Henry gets attacked by an elephant in his tunnel
 * Gordon jams the turntable near the sea.
 * James spins round like a top on the turntable near at Tidmouth
 * Henry, Gordon and James go on strike.
 * Percy arrives on Sodor.
 * Percy does a runner all the way to Suddery
 * Harold is built.
 * Hector is built.
 * Tank Engine Thomas Again is published.

=1950=
 * Henry is overhauled.
 * Rheneas is overhauled.
 * Falcon and Stuart are sheeted.
 * Henry is rebuilt into an LMS Stanier Class 5 following his crash when pulling the Flying Kipper.
 * Gordon's whistle breaks while pulling the express
 * Percy complains about not having a scarf and crashes into a cart
 * Henry gets attacked by little boys and retaliates by sneezing black soot on them
 * Fred is built.
 * Troublesome Engines is published.

=1951=
 * Toby's tramway closes down after Topham visits
 * Thomas has a brush with the law after he is booked for travelling from Anopha Quarry without cowcatchers or sideplates.
 * Toby arrives on Sodor.
 * James crashes into two tar wagons at Maron after being rude to Toby
 * Mrs. Kyndley rescues Thomas from a landslide
 * Stuart and Falcon are purchased by the Skarloey Railway and renamed Peter Sam and Sir Handel respectively.
 * Henry the Green Engine is published.

=1952=
 * Gordon falls into a ditch after refusing to pull a goods train
 * Gordon is forced to pull trucks until Henry turns into an iced cake and Gordon has to pull the royal train instead of Henry
 * Michael Angelis is born.
 * Mavis is built.
 * The abandonment of Great Waterton and Sodor Tramways.
 * Trevor is scrapped.
 * Toby the Tram Engine is published.

=1953=
 * Edward parts begin getting worn
 * Edward runs into cows while taking a train of cattle trucks to market.
 * Bertie chases Edward when Thomas' fireman is taken ill.
 * Trevor is saved by Edward
 * James's driver falls ill, and James runs away while shunting, with Edward coming to the rescue.
 * Edward is overhauled
 * On the way to the works Edward reunites with Skarloey.
 * Pierce Brosnan is born.
 * Bill and Ben are built.
 * Splatter and Dodge are built.
 * Diesel is built.
 * Arry and Bert are built
 * Wilbert is built.
 * Kevin is built.
 * Barry is built.
 * Gordon the Big Engine is published.

=1954=
 * Sir Handel causes a great deal of trouble for The Thin Controller and is sent to the shed
 * Peter Sam becomes worried about missing Henry in the evening and accidently leaves The Refreshment Lady behind.
 * Skarloey's is returned to service when Sir Handel is let out of the shed and the coaches cause trouble for him.
 * After taking the holiday makers back home despite breaking an axel Skarloey is sent to be overhauled.
 * Edward takes Trevor to the junction to meet Thomas, and Trevor helps clear the site of the proposed Knapford Harbour.
 * Rusty is built.
 * Edward the Blue Engine is published.

=1955=
 * Percy teases both Gordon and James and they both get revenge by lying to him about backing signals.
 * Duck arrives on Sodor.
 * The big engines boss Duck and Percy about and they get revenge by preventing them from entering the shed.
 * Percy races Harold to the docks.
 * Percy promises to take kids from the vicars sunday school back home, unfortunatley falls into a big puddle, despite this he still manages to get the children home.
 * Mark V is built and arrives on Sodor.
 * Four Little Engines is published.

=1956=
 * Percy tries to go beyond a danger sign and only ends up falling in the sea.
 * Gordon goes to London but doesn't enjoy it.
 * Toby breaks down on the way to the works due to lack of water and ticks off James who now has to push him all the way to the works station.
 * Sir Topham Hatt I dies.
 * Daisy is built.
 * Ted Robbins is born.
 * Percy the Small Engine is published.

=1957=
 * City of Truro pays a visit to Sodor.
 * Gordon loses his dome on Cronk viaduct.
 * Diesel arrives on Sodor, but is sent packing shortly after.
 * The Eight Famous Engines is published.
 * Duck crashes into the barbershop.

=1958=
 * Alec Baldwin is born.
 * BoCo is built.
 * Rusty arrives on Sodor.
 * Peter Sam is attacked by colourblind trucks at the incline when Sir Handel pretends to be ill to get out of going there
 * Duncan arrives on Sodor.
 * Skarloey returns from being mended and mentions his twin Talyllyn.
 * Duncan gets trapped in a tunnel for rock 'N' roll.
 * Duncan derails at a dangerous part of the line after doing rock 'N' roll over it.
 * Cora, Ada, Jane and Mabel, Gertrude and Millicent are purchased for the Skarloey Railway.
 * Freddie's departure from the Skarloey Railway.
 * Duck and the Diesel Engine is published.

=1959=
 * Donald and Douglas arrive on Sodor.
 * Thomas's special coach disappears
 * Donald crashes into the signalbox at Tidmouth and has to have his tender overhauled.
 * The spiteful breakvan gets crushed by Douglas.
 * The Little Old Engine is published.

=1960=
 * D199 is built.
 * The Diesel is built.
 * Old Stuck-Up is built.
 * Stepney is rescued by Rusty and arrives on Sodor.
 * Murdoch is built.
 * The formation of the Sodor Construction Company.
 * Petit is renamed CoBoCo.
 * The Twin Engines is published.

=1961=
 * Diesel 10 is built.
 * Thomas is indiposed after crashing into the station master's house
 * Daisy arrives on Sodor.
 * Daisy blows her fuse after refusing to take a milk wagon.
 * Daisy runs into Champion and can't move him so Toby moves him for her.
 * D7101 is built.
 * Peel Godred Electric Multiple Units are built and arrive on Sodor.
 * Branch Line Engines is published.

=1962=
 * Percy crashes into a cart and gets revenge on Thomas for saying he's a silly little engine
 * Percy gets caked with treacle and hay and becomes a green catepillar with red stripes.
 * Mavis arrives on Sodor, and used as a shunting engine at Anopha Quarry.
 * Mavis gets stuck on the crossing and is rescued by Toby.
 * Mavis is banned from going on Toby's line, until she rescues Toby from a tightrope.
 * Peter Sam gets a Gisel funnel.
 * Sir Handel gets "steamroller" wheels.
 * Duncan stops on a viaduct after Nancy refuses to polish him.
 * Rheneas returns to the Skarloey Railway.
 * Lord Harry arrives on Sodor.
 * Alaric arrives on Sodor.
 * Eric arrives on Sodor.
 * Salty is built.
 * Derek is built.
 * Gallant Old Engine is published.

=1963=
 * Stepney visits Sodor.
 * Caroline chases Stepney all the way to Ffarquhar
 * Bowler sucks an inspector's hat into his air intake and it causes him to break down.
 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine is published.

=1964=
 * The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is re-opened, to be serviced by Duck.
 * Culdee returns to Culdee Fell Railway.
 * Lord Harry is renamed "Patrick".
 * Wendell is built.
 * Mountain Engines is published.

=1965=
 * Skarloey Railway is celebrated.
 * BoCo arrives on Sodor.
 * Barry is scrapped, however in 1994, he got rescued, therefore he either died and was brought back to life or survived when he was scrapped.
 * Very Old Engines is published.

=1966=
 * Bill and Ben arrive on Sodor.
 * James gets stung by a bee at Vicarstown
 * Gordon gets diverted onto the branch and his views on diesels change when he is saved by Boco
 * Edward breaks his crank pins while taking tourists home but gets the tourists home anyway
 * Mike is built.
 * Main Line Engines is published.

=1967=
 * Bert, Mike and Rex arrive on Sodor, to service the Arlesdale Railway.
 * Reverend W. Awdry and Reverend Teddy Boston arrive on sodor and Teddy Boston gets splashed by water.
 * Mike loses his whistle after getting ticked off at Rex and Bert
 * Small Railway Engines is published.

=1968=
 * Diesels D199 and D7101 arrive on Sodor.
 * D7101 is renamed "Bear", whilst D199 is sent away.
 * Oliver, Isabel and Toad are rescued by Douglas and arrive on Sodor.
 * Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel are saved from scrap for service with Oliver and Duck.
 * Oliver falls down the turntable well.
 * Scruffey gets pulled apart by Oliver and is scrapped.
 * Enterprising Engines is published.

=1969=
 * Bulgy arrived on Sodor and is turned into a henhouse.
 * Duke is discovered by Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Reverend W. Awdry and the Reverend Teddy Boston.
 * Oliver the Western Engine is published.

=1970=
 * Duke the Lost Engine is published.

=1971=
 * Railway Map of the Island of Sodor is published.

=1972=
 * Bert is rebuilt into a narrow gauge outline with a taller chimney, dome and cab.
 * Tramway Engines is published.

=1973=
 * Peel Godred Goods Engines are built and arrive on Sodor.

=1975=
 * Petit/CoBoCo's Fordson petrol engine is replaced with a Perkins P6 diesel engine.

=1976=
 * Jock is built.
 * Bert is rebuilt with a larger boiler.
 * Pip and Emma are built.

=1980=
 * Thomas is overhauled.
 * Thomas is rebuilt with longer extended side tanks and dipped running-plates at both front and rear.
 * Diesel 10 arrives on Sodor.
 * Splatter and Dodge arrive on Sodor.
 * The Magic Railroad is discovered.
 * Lady arrives on Sodor.
 * Wendell arrives on Sodor.

=1983=
 * Really Useful Engines is published.
 * Old Stuck-Up visits Sodor and crashes into a wall of the back of the shed.
 * James complains about diesels having two cabs and pushes wellwagons going over the points, causing it to go sideways into a signal.

=1984=
 * Duke is fully restored.
 * Sir Handel visits the Talyllyn Railway.
 * Annie and Clarabel are rebuilt.
 * Peter is rebuilt again, and a modern diesel outline replaced the fake steam body.
 * Peter is renamed "Frank".
 * James and the Diesel Engines is published.

=1985=
 * Madge arrives on Sodor.
 * Blister I and Blister II arrive on Sodor.
 * Great Little Engines is published.

=1986=
 * The Reverend Teddy Boston dies.
 * Thomas gets covered in coal and angrily blames it on Percy
 * Thomas runs away when his firemen falls ill and is rescued by an inspector and harold.
 * CoBoCo is renamed "Sigrid of Arlesdale" and arrives on Sodor.
 * More About Thomas the Tank Engine is published.

=1987=
 * Mavis is involved in a collision with a lorry.
 * Bulstrode is turned into a children's playground on a beach.
 * Gordon the High-Speed Engine is published.
 * The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways is published.

=1988=
 * Toby, Trucks and Trouble is published.

=1989=
 * Thomas and the Twins is published.

=1990=
 * After Privatisation, the name "North Western Railway" becomes official.
 * Thomas is invited to a railway show in York.
 * Jock the New Engine is published.

=1991=
 * A forest is pulverized by a storm and Henry rescues it.
 * Part of Thomas' branch line is damaged by the sun and Thomas has to work in the yard while its being repaired.
 * Thomas takes some trucks from the quarry and crashes into a muddy pond, afterwards he sends Edward to Wellsworth to fetch some tar for Bertie.
 * Bill and Ben are sent to work at Tidmouth and have a fall out after colliding with each other on the turntable. They are brought back together when they have to take a goods train together.
 * Percy takes James's fruit train and crashes because of faulty points.
 * Thomas and the Great Railway Show is published.

=1992=
 * Mighty Mac is built.
 * Thomas Comes Home is published.

=1993=
 * Donald and Douglas need help from Wilbert, but as Percy is away, Wilbert is redirected to Thomas' branch.
 * Henry and the Express is published.

=1994=
 * Barry is rescued by Donald and Douglas and arrives on Sodor.
 * Wilbert the Forest Engine is published.

=1995=
 * The Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series is celebrated.
 * Pip and Emma are purchased by the North Western Railway.
 * Scruffey is rebuilt and purchased by the Sodor Mines.
 * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines is published.

=1996=
 * Ivo Hugh is built.
 * Willie Rushton dies.
 * New Little Engine is published.

=1997=
 * The Reverend W. Awdry dies.
 * Sir Topham Hatt II dies.
 * Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection is published.

=1998=
 * Cranky arrives on Sodor.
 * Scruffey apparently gets buried by a landslide.
 * Derek arrives on Sodor.
 * Splatter and Dodge are purchased by the Sodor Ironworks and renamed 'Arry and Bert respectively.
 * Toby discovers Bertram.
 * Thomas and Percy save Old Slow Coach from being scrapped.
 * Tiger Moth arrives at Dryaw Airfield and is grounded for reckless flying.
 * Duncan gets a fright.
 * Stepney gets lost after taking a train of stone to a building site and is nearly scrapped by 'Arry and Bert
 * BoCo mysteriously disappears without a trace.
 * Dowager Hatt comes to visit sodor
 * George causes trouble for the engines and has his roller taken away for a whole week.
 * A hungry ram goes on the loose during the best dressed station competition and during maithwaite's award ceremony eats The Fat Controller's top hat again
 * Gordon crashes through the wall of the station at Kirk Ronan.
 * Thumper is bought to drill rock from a new quarry.
 * Three Horrid Lorries are brought to service on Sodor, but removed shortly after due to difficulties.

=2000=
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad is released on July 26.

=2001=
 * Billy is overhauled.

=2002=
 * Percy sees spooky things happen at the quarry on the branch line to Maithwaite.
 * Cyril gets replaced by a foghorn, but an accident gets reinstated.
 * Cranky gets ticked off at Salty and drops the pipes, knocking over the shed.
 * Duncan falls into a muddy pond after getting angry at Rusty, Skarloey and Rheneas.
 * Harold falls into a haystack while carrying sacks of mail.
 * Toby comes to the rescue of lambs.
 * Salty arrives on Sodor.
 * Harvey arrives on Sodor.
 * Elizabeth is re-discovered and restored to her original beauty.
 * Jack arrives on Sodor and joins the Sodor Construction Company.
 * Duncan's whistle is replaced with an organ for a little while.
 * Arry and Bert play tricks on Percy and James.
 * The Skarloey Railway is temporaily closed but thanks to Elizabeth it is reopened.
 * Percy turns into Jack Frost one winter and scares the dry coal out of James
 * Percy crashes into the wall of Mr. Jolly's Chocolate Factory after having an awful day
 * Thomas teases Percy about being scared but gets whats coming to him when he is left at the smelter's.
 * Alicia Botti visits Sodor.
 * Donald and Douglas fall out after crashing into Trevor.

=2003=
 * Emily arrives on Sodor.
 * Fergus arrives on Sodor.
 * Arthur arrives on Sodor.
 * Murdoch arrives on Sodor.
 * Spencer visits Sodor with the Duke and Duchess of Boxford.
 * Bulgy is reinstated to service and is converted to be a Vegetable Bus.
 * Arthur crashes into Duck while taking the fruit train
 * Victor is built

=2005=
 * Sodor Airport is built.
 * Diesel 10 is returned to service.
 * Mighty Mac arrives on Sodor.
 * Molly arrives on Sodor.
 * Neville arrives on Sodor.
 * Dennis arrives on Sodor.
 * Sodor: Reading Between the Lines is published.

=2006=
 * The manager of Anopha Quarry is visited by the police after Henrietta is booked for allowing workmen to ride on her balconies.
 * Rocky arrives on Sodor.
 * Freddie returns to Skarloey Railway.
 * Jeremy arrives on Sodor.

=2007=
 * Victoria is returned to service.
 * Whiff arrives on Sodor.
 * Hector arrives on Sodor.
 * Billy arrives on Sodor.
 * Great Waterton is rediscovered.
 * Stanley arrives on Sodor.
 * Hiro is built
 * Thomas and Victoria is published.
 * Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection is published.

=2008=
 * David Mitton dies.
 * George Carlin dies.
 * Hank arrives on Sodor.
 * Sodor Tramways is rediscovered.
 * Flora arrives on Sodor.

=2009=
 * Hiro arrives on Sodor.
 * Kevin arrives on Sodor.
 * Victor arrives on Sodor.