Culdee

Culdee is a narrow gauge mountain-climbing engine named after Culdee Fell, the mountain his railway climbs. He has his own coach named Catherine.

Biography

The Railway Series

Culdee was built at the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur, Switzerland, and arrived on Sodor in time for the railway's inspection. In March 1900, he was the first to be used in the test runs on the Culdee Fell Railway. When Lord Harry was delivered in March 1962, Culdee left for overhaul instead of Shane Dooiney as he was the most run down of the two. He arrived back on Sodor in May 1963, which is where the first story of Mountain Engines begins.

Personality

Culdee is careful, cautious and friendly. He is filled with advice to give to the other engines, including unruly ones. Culdee is the sensible one of the Mountain Railway, and he often tries to tell difficult engines their faults and warns them what might happen. He and his coach, Catherine are a fine team, and favourites with passengers. But he does like a bit of excitement, and tells great stories about the other engines, including the sad story about Godred's misfortune.

Technical Details

Basis

Culdee is based on the Snowdon Mountain Railway's No. 4 Snowdon.

Culdee's Basis

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Livery

Culdee is painted purple with orange lining. The number "4" is painted on the sides and back of his cab in yellow and he has red nameplates, with his name in gold on the sides of his tanks.

Appearances

Trivia

• The Railway Series: Surprise Packet reveals that Culdee's driver's name is Joe.
• Though he has not made an appearance in the TV series as of yet, he is mentioned by a parent in an interview on the 10 Years of Thomas VHS/DVD.
• Culdee has buffers in some magazine stories and on his Take Along and Take-n-Play toys.
• Culdee is the only Culdee Fell engine to have a Wooden Railway or Take Along/Take-n-Play model.
• In Sudric, "Culdee" translates as "Companion of God". The real life origin of the term comes from members of Christian monastic and eremitical communities of Ireland, Scotland, and England in the Middle Ages who were called "Culdees", which means "client/companion of God".
• Like the other Culdee Fell Railway engines, Culdee is equipped with a face at each end.

Merchandise

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Ertl Company Name Released Discontinued Highlights Photo Culdee 1995 2004 Originally sold under Shining Time Station brand as a "Special Edition" character Wooden Railway Name Released Discontinued Highlights Photo Culdee 1996 2001 Culdee 2005 2008 Sold in "Culdee and the Apple Orchard Cars" value pack. Culdee 2015 2015 Reintroduced as a "Limited Release" Take Along Name Released Discontinued Highlights Photo Culdee 2005 Unknown Take-n-Play Name Released Discontinued Highlights Photo Culdee 2014 Unknown Trading Cards Name Released Discontinued Highlights Photo Culdee 2002 2009

References