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Annie and Clarabel

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This article is about the coaches. You may be looking for the magazine story or the Story Library book.


Annie and Clarabel are Thomas' faithful coaches, whom he loves dearly and would never dream of being separated from them.

Annie and Clarabel both have seating accommodation for carrying passengers; Clarabel also has a brake compartment for luggage and a guard. The two coaches are nearly always seen coupled together, with Annie usually facing Thomas and Clarabel facing backwards.

Biography

The Railway Series

Annie and Clarabel were given to Thomas in 1925 when he was given his branch line. They operate as a push-pull set. They have had several adventures, such as losing their guard and becoming runaways. Clarabel once derailed on a set of trap points when Thomas slipped on some oily rails and had to be helped by Diesel.

Thomas & Friends

Thomas met Annie and Clarabel for the first time when he thought they were the Express Coaches. He apologised and introduced himself, leaving Annie and Clarabel impressed. At that time, they were often pulled by James. When Thomas received his branch line after rescuing James, the two coaches were given to him to use.

At times when Thomas is away, James, Percy, Toby, Duck, Stanley, Emily, Rosie (unseen) and Ryan have all taken his place to pull them. Emily and Neville have both taken them not knowing they were Thomas' coaches and Caitlin has once taken them without realising they were coupled to her own coaches and Hiro saved them. Gordon also pulled them once, when Samson took his Express Coaches by mistake. Ashima, Daisy, Diesel and Nia have also pulled them.

Thomas and the Magic Railroad

In the film, after Thomas met Junior and Lily the two agreed to help and together to find Mr. Conductor at the Windmill, he told Annie and Clarabel that Percy will pick them up, leaving Annie and Clarabel behind stating that they have heard that before.

Personalities

Annie and Clarabel are respectful to all of the engines, but most of all Gordon and Thomas, whilst they respect Daisy least of all for insulting them and Henrietta. They show a kind and caring side to everyone on the whole railway. However, despite their kindness and sweetness, when needed they can be stern, especially Annie. For instance, they scolded Thomas for teasing Gordon after his accident, although they are no saints themselves. Once when Daisy was rude to them, they naughtily tricked her into thinking there was something wrong with her which caused confusion and delay. When the Fat Controller found out he told them that two wrongs do not make a right and that he expected better from both of them. Annie and Clarabel are best friends, but like all friends, sometimes they fall out but always try to make things right in the end.

Although the two respect Gordon, both Annie and Clarabel do not tolerate his arrogance more than other engines and like others they seek to teach him a lesson, as Annie was shocked by Gordon's rude comments about Edward. Additionally, when Gordon begged Thomas to speed up on Gordon's Hill, Clarabel smiled smugly at the express engine both before and after he got stuck on the hill.

Technical Details

Basis

In The Railway Series, they are a pair of bogie coaches (i.e. each coach is supported on a pair of four-wheeled bogies or "trucks"). As currently illustrated, they appear similar to LMS Suburban Coaches. In the 1987 annual, Christopher Awdry implies the pair were likely built in the early twentieth century on the Mainland and that they were possibly six-wheeled designs. Sometime after being brought to Sodor, their bodies were lengthened, placed on bogie frames and upgraded with electric lighting.

In the television series, Annie and Clarabel are based on LBSC Stroudley Coaches built between the early 1870s and late 1880s. Several coaches of this type are preserved on the Bluebell Railway and the Isle of Wight Steam Railway. An An and Yin-Long share the same basis.

In the first series, several other coaches share the same basis as Annie and Clarabel.

Livery

In the Railway Series, Annie and Clarabel were originally painted orange-brown and were later painted brown with a yellow stripe.

In the television series, they were painted in an bright orange livery with their names painted on their sides in white. In the fifth series, they were refurbished, repainted and their buffer shank housings became red at the request of Lady Hatt.

In the CGI Series, their liveries are a more vibrant orange. In Thomas' imagination where he gets streamlined in The Great Race, Annie and Clarabel are repainted in NWR blue with a white stripe near the bottom and a thicker white stripe with red borders near the top.

In the magazine story, Thomas, Terence and the Snow, Annie and Clarabel were coloured greenish-grey.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Thomas & Friends

Specials

Music Videos

Learning Segments

Videos

Magazine Stories

Annie and Clarabel also appeared in the magazine stories, An Old Friend, Bulgy's Dream, Catch!, Christmas Puddings, Clever Carriages, Clever Clarabel!, Clowning Around, Daisy and the Troublesome Trucks, Diesel Causes Delay, Dressing Up, Fast Food!, Feeding Time, Holiday Havoc!, Lights On, Looking Splendid, Night Lights, Party Time!, Percy gets Wet!, Picnic Surprise, Pot Luck!, Problem Passenger, Really Important Luggage, Road and Rails, Santa Special, Slick Trick!, Special Passengers, The Best Bridge, The Brown Bear, The Craft Show!, The Flying Broomstick, The Hallowe'en Special, The Huge Horses!, The Open Top Bus, The Posh Coaches, The Trainspotters and Thomas Gets Delayed.

Annual Stories

Audio Stories

Trivia

  • Annie and Clarabel were the first official female characters created by the Rev W. Awdry and as such, are the first female characters of the entire series.
  • They are both the only coaches and the only female characters to appear in every series.
  • They are the first characters in the series to be seen without grey faces.
  • The Hero of the Rails intro shows Annie and Clarabel with bogie wheels as seen in the Railway Series.
  • Annie and Clarabel's models used to be on display at Nitrogen Studios but are now on display at Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan.

Early illustrations of Annie show her shocked face and this was carried on to later illustrations and most merchandise. This is likely intentional for easier identification. Even Hornby both had Annie and Clarabel models with smiling faces originally. This phased out in 2018, though it only applies to Mattel-produced items.

Annie's voice is slightly deeper than Clarabel's.

  • As of the twenty-second series, Annie and Clarabel are the only non-human twin characters who are both still voiced by the same actress.
  • Annie and Clarabel are the only sentient rolling stock to appear in every series of the television series. Henrietta had appeared in every series as well, but her streak ended when she was absent in the twenty-third series.
  • A real coach based on the television series version of Clarabel (a former LNER "Sunshine" coach) has been put into service at the Llangollen Railway in North Wales.
  • Originally, there were plans to give Annie and Clarabel 3D grey faces similar to the engines in the twelfth series, as it would be easier to animate. During the production of said series, they were referred to as Annabel and Clarabelle.
  • Their original television series models were built from Tenmille Stroudley coach kits.
  • Bachmann HO models of Annie and Clarabel appeared in the 2015 Marvel film "Ant-Man", along with models of Thomas and Emily's Coaches.
  • In the French version of the Classic Series, Annie and Clarabel were known as Annette and Claudette.
  • Several merchandise items and CGI promos of Clarabel lack her guard compartment.
  • Up until the debut of the Slip Coaches in the eighteenth series, Harold, Annie and Clarabel were the only characters with embedded faces ever since that practice had phased out.
  • Clarabel's eyes are slightly further apart than Annie's - her nose is slightly broader as well.
  • Henry and Rebecca are the only members of the Steam Team - current or former - who were not seen pulling or being coupled up to Annie and Clarabel.

Quotes

“Oh come along, we're rather late! Oh come along, we're rather late!"
"We're coming along! We're coming along!”
―Thomas, Annie and Clarabel singing, Thomas and the Guard, first series
“He's dreadfully rude, I feel quite ashamed. I feel quite ashamed, he's dreadfully rude. You mustn't be rude, you make us ashamed”
―Annie and Clarabel telling Thomas off for teasing Gordon, Down the Mine, first series
“My! What splendid coaches! So much better than those beach huts on wheels!”
―Lady Hatt, Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday, fifth series
“I'll never complain about Thomas again!"
"Nor will I!”
―Annie and Clarabel after being pulled by Caitlin, Not So Slow Coaches, eighteenth series
“Those are my coaches! Give them back!”
―Thomas telling Emily to bring Annie and Clarabel back, Emily's New Coaches, seventh series
“Clarabel: Come on, Thomas!
Annie: It's time to go!”
―lines in every twenty-second series end segment onwards

Merchandise

References

  1. ↑ T&F S5 "Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday"


* RWS only | ** T&F only | --- Dropped
Locomotives Steam Thomas | Edward | Henry | Gordon | James | Percy | Toby | Duck | Donald and Douglas | Oliver | Wellsworth and Suddery Railway Tank Engines* | Bill and Ben** | Stepney** | Harvey** | Emily** | Arthur** | Murdoch** | Fergus** | Molly** | Neville** | Rosie** | Whiff** | Billy** | Stanley** | Hank** | Flora** | Victor** | Charlie** | Bash and Dash** |Ferdinand** | Scruff** | Belle** | Porter** | Timothy** | Marion** | Ryan** | Nia** | Rebecca** | Sonny** | Barry* | The Austerity Engine* | The Märklin Engine**
Diesel Daisy | BoCo | Bear* | The Works Diesel* | Pip and Emma* | Diesel** | Mavis** | Derek** | 'Arry and Bert** | Diesel 10** | Salty** | Dennis** | Den** | Dart** | Paxton** | Norman** | Sidney** | Philip**
Other The Ballast Cleaner* | Peel Godred Engines* | Flynn** | Winston** | Stafford** | Dustin**
Former Coffee Pots | Hiro** | Glynn**
Rolling Stock Coaches Annie and Clarabel | Henrietta | Alice and Mirabel* | Isabel and Dulcie* | Victoria* | Old Slow Coach** | Slip Coaches** | Hannah** | Dexter** | Express Coaches | Branch Line Coaches | Old Coaches | Thomas' Special Coach* | The Quarryman's Coach* | Emily's Coaches** | Toby's Museum Coach** | Flora's Tram Coach** | Open-Topped Carriages** | Ulfstead Castle Coaches**
Trucks Troublesome Trucks | S.C. Ruffey | Elsie* | Fred Pelhay* | James' Trucks** | Thomas' Trucks** | Plank Trucks | Quarry Trucks | Utility Trucks | The Calliope** | Mine Trolleys** | Hoppers | Hector** | Vans | Mail Vans | Utility Vans | Animal Wagons** | Tankers | Flatbeds, Conflats and Wellwagons | Misty Island Log Trucks** | Ladle Trucks** | The Traveller** | Aquarium Tank Wagons**
Brake Vans Brake Vans | The Spiteful Brake Van | Toad
Other The Breakdown Train | Rocky** | Judy and Jerome** | The Circus Train | The Funfair Train** | The Flying Kipper | Gordon's Snow Machine** | Pump Trolley** | The Photographer's Draisine**
Non-Rail Vehicles Kevin** | Cranky** | Carly** | Big Mickey** | Reg**
People Sir Topham Hatt (Stephen Hatt*) | Albert Regaby* | Kevin Volley* | Old Bailey** | Mr. Conductor** | Mr. Arkwright** | Mr. Perkins**
Lines The Main Line (Main Line Loop**) | Ffarquhar Branch Line | The Little Western | Brendam Branch Line | Kirk Ronan Branch Line | Peel Godred Branch Line | Norramby Branch Line | Toby's Branch Line** | Stepney's Branch Line** | Misty Valley Branch Line** | Killdane Branch Line** | The Loop Line** | Ulfstead Branch Line** | Harwick Branch Line** | Coaling Plant Branch Line**
* RWS only | ** T&F only
Locomotives Steam Thomas | Percy | Toby
Diesel Daisy* | Mavis
Former Coffee Pots | Glynn**
Rolling Stock Coaches Annie and Clarabel | Henrietta | Victoria* | Thomas' Special Coach* | The Quarryman's Coach*
Trucks Quarry Trucks | Elsie*
Non-Rail Vehicles Terence | Bertie | Caroline | The Orange Caterpillar Crane* | Cleo** | Harold | Tiger Moth** | Bulstrode
People Mrs. Kyndley | Farmer Finney | Kevin Volley* | Farmer McColl** | Farmer Trotter** | Ruth**
Affiliates Toby's Branch Line**
Locations Knapford (Harbour, Airfield) | Dryaw (Goods Station, Airfield, Goods Yard**, Football Club**) | Toryreck (Lead Mines, Engine Shed**) | Crowe's Farm | Elsbridge (Dairy, Viaduct, Cricket Field, Trek and Leisure) | Hackenbeck (Bridge, Tunnel, Cottage) | Finney's Farm | Ffarquhar (Engine Sheds, Mountain**, Loop**) | Ffarquhar River Bridge | The Quarry Tramroad | Anopha Quarry | The Windmill** | McColl Farm** | Sports Field Halt** | The Watermill** | Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm** | Maithwaite** (Quarry Mine, Forest, Showground) | The Narrow Gorge** | Arlesdale End** (Engine Sheds)
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