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Throughout The Railway Series, several diesel engines from British Railways have made various appearances.

The Brighton Diesels

These three diesels were diesels who worked on British Railways. The three were present at Brighton Station when Stepney passed through on his way to Sodor in 1962.

Technical Details

Basis

The first diesel is a British Rail (BR) Class 31 Co-Co diesel-electric engine. Two-hundred and sixty-three members of this class were built from 1957 to 1962, with thirty-six currently preserved by museums and heritage railways. Eleven more of these engines were once in preservation, but were later scrapped due to either accidents or in order to provide spare parts for other engines. 31120 is another real member of this class.

The second diesel is a British Rail (BR) Class 52 "Western". All engines of this class were given two-word names, with the first word being "Western" and thus the class became known as Westerns. Seventy-four of these engines were built between 1961 and 1964. Seven of these engines have been preserved by heritage groups.

The third diesel is a British Rail (BR) Class 40 1Co-Co1 diesel-electric engine. Two-hundred members of this class were built from 1958 to 1962, and the last was withdrawn in 1985. They were given the nickname "Whistlers" because of the strange whistling noise their engines would make. Seven BR Class 40s are preserved, including D200 at the National Railway Museum, the first BR Class 40 ever built. D4711 and 40125 are also members of this class.

Liveries

The first diesel is painted BR Deep Bronze green with yellow warning panels on each end. It has red buffer beams with silver buffers. Its rooftop and the stripes along each side are painted white. Its number is painted on the sides of its cab in white.

The second diesel is painted BR maroon. It has red buffer beams with black buffers.

The third diesel is painted BR Deep Bronze green with full green ends and a white rooftop. It has red buffer beams with black buffers. Its number is painted on the sides of its cab in white.

Appearances

Trivia

  • Two of these diesels were once portrayed by surviving classmates at a Day Out with Thomas event at the National Railway Museum. The Class 31 was portrayed by D5500 (31018), while the Class 52 was portrayed by D1015 "Western Champion".

Gallery

Diesel 5701

D5701 was a blue mixed-traffic diesel engine who worked on British Railways.

Biography

D5701 was built for British Railways in 1958, and along with the rest of its class, worked in the Barrow-in-Furness area from 1962. It and some other diesel engines were alongside a signal box near an old quarry branch where Oliver, Isabel and Toad briefly hid to escape scrap. Oliver described the diesels as "baying and growling like hounds outside", and he felt very frightened.[1]

Diesel 5701 was later retired from service in September 1968, and scrapped by the end of 1969.

Technical Details

Basis

D5701 is based on the real British Rail (BR) Class 28 Co-Bo diesel-electric engine of the same number. The BR Class 28s were initially used on the "Condor" express freight services, but the class' Crossley engines quickly proved problematic. They suffered frequent failures, and in 1961 the entire class was handed back to the manufacturer for remedial work on the engines, and to cure problems with cab windows falling out while running. Upon return to service in 1962, all members of the class were allocated to Barrow-in-Furness. The BR Class 28s were withdrawn and scrapped by the end of 1969 with only one engine, D5705, surviving in preservation.

BoCo is also a member of this class.

Livery

D5701 was painted in the BR Rail Blue livery with yellow warning panels and a light grey rooftop.

Appearances

Trivia

  • D5701 was the only BR Class 28 to be painted in the later Rail Blue livery.

Gallery

Class 08

This Class 08 is a diesel shunter who works on British Railways.

Biography

The Class 08 and some other diesel engines were seen alongside a signal box near an old quarry branch where Oliver, Isabel and Toad briefly hid to escape scrap. Oliver described the diesels as "baying and growling like hounds outside", and he felt very frightened.[1]

Technical Details

Basis

The Class 08 is based on a British Rail (BR) Class 08 diesel-electric shunter. In the real world, BR Class 08s were in fact the most successful shunting engines in the world with 996 of them built. Over seventy of them are preserved by heritage railways, such as the Dean Forest Railway and museums, such as the National Railway Museum. Around one-hundred BR Class 08s also remain in service on the national rail network.

Diesel is another member of this class.

Livery

The Class 08 is painted BR Black livery. It has red buffer beams.

Appearances

Gallery

The Passing Diesel

“Yoohoo! Yoohoo! A steamer's escaping! Yoohoo!”
― The Passing Diesel[src]

The Passing Diesel is a diesel which shouted a warning that Oliver was escaping when Douglas helped him, Isabel and Toad escape from scrap.[1] The diesel does not appear in illustrations, so very little is known about it.

Appearances


Visiting Diesels


Several diesels from British Railways have visited the Island of Sodor on several different occasions. Visiting diesels are known to be particularly haughty, as they feel superior to steam engines who they often put down. Known visiting diesels include Diesel, Class 40, D199 and Old Stuck-Up. BoCo, Bear, Pip and Emma originally visited the Island of Sodor on loan, only to end up staying while the rest were sent away due to bad behaviour, being rude or not wanting to stay.


Appearances

31120

31120 (formerly known as D5538) was a diesel engine who worked on British Railways.

Biography

31120 was built by Brush Traction on 2 July 1959. It originally carried the number D5538, until 1973 when it was renumbered 31120 in the British Rail TOPS Renumbering scheme.

31120 was once present to take Gordon's passengers at Barrow-in-Furness in 1986, after Gordon's puncture dampened his fire and he narrowly avoided overheating.[2]

Technical Details

Basis

31120 is based on the British Rail (BR) Class 31 A1A-A1A diesel-electric engine of the same number. Two-hundred and sixty-three members of this class were built from 1957 to 1962, with thirty-six currently preserved by museums and heritage railways. Eleven more of these engines were once in preservation, but were later scrapped due to either accidents or in order to provide spare parts for other engines. the first of the Brighton Diesels is another real member of this class.

Livery

31120 wore BR Rail Blue livery with yellow ends, black bufferbeams and silver buffers. The engine's number was painted on its cab sides in white.

When first built, 31120 was painted BR Deep Bronze green with yellow warning panels, white stripes and a grey roof. The real 31120 was later painted Railfreight grey with yellow warning panels and black cab windows and doors.

Appearances

Trivia

  • 31120 is illustrated with the Headcode "1X01". This is seemingly incorrect, as "X" can indicate either "Royal Train" or "out-of-gauge load".
  • In The Railway Series, 31120 did not have the British Rail logo on its sides.

Gallery

Class 127

The Class 127 is a diesel multiple unit who worked on British Railways.

Biography

In 1986, the Class 127 was taking a railtour train of enthusiasts to Carlisle, but broke down at Barrow-in-Furness. At this time, Gordon arrived with the Express. As he was the only engine available, he got to take the enthusiasts to Carlisle, with permission from the Fat Controller.[3]

Technical Details

Basis

The Class 127 is based on a British Rail (BR) Class 127 diesel–hydraulic multiple unit. Over thirty sets of this class were built in 1959, with six of these units preserved by heritage railways. The number 10751 is actually a headcode as opposed to their running number. The latter is unknown, but it would logically be in the range of 51591 to 51650.

Livery

The Class 127 is painted BR Rail Blue with yellow warning panels on its ends. Its rooftop is painted dark grey. It has black buffer beams with silver buffers.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes


Gallery


Other Diesels

In a flashback scene, upon closer inspection of the main line going away from the signal box, a diesel engine can be seen in the background. Their class is unknown. [1]

A Class 40 diesel engine makes a cameo in an illustration in the My Thomas Story Library book, Oliver when Douglas and Oliver were stopped by the Foreman.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion volumes

Books

Trivia

References


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