Märklin Engine

The Märklin Engine is an off the shelf gauge 1 model used to haul rolling stock in the background of the first season for the sake of creating the illusion of business. It is a German Federal Railways 80 class 0-6-0 tank engine first produced by the German model railway maker Marklin in 1971.

The Marklin Engine was first acknowledged in the crew members' dedication page on the Sodor Island Fansite. The page featured a behind the scenes photograph of the Marklin engine from the episode Tenders and Turntables. It then appeared on screen in The Flying Kipper in the background shunting and preparing the Flying Kipper for Henry to take away. The Marklin engine also appeared in Off the Rails and was used as one of the tarped engines in Trouble in the Shed. It can also be seen in a still from Thomas' Train pulling a small goods train next to Henry at Knapford.

When the Second Season started production, the Marklin engine was no longer needed and other engines were used to haul rolling stock in the background. Because of this, the model was presumably cut up and used as set dressing. A scrap smokebox of the Marklin engine later appeared at Crocks Scrap Yard in Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party, the numbering and lettering was still visible on the model's smokebox door. The chassis and valve gear is later used to push trucks along and is visible in Busy Going Backwards and Put Upon Percy.

Many years later, as an Easter egg for the older fans of the series, Greg Tiernan included a scrap model of the Marklin engine in a scene at the Sodor Dieselworks in Blue Mountain Mystery.