Culdee

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This article is about 'the mountain engine'. You may be looking for 'the 1997 magazine story or the 1998 magazine story'.

Culdee
Background Information
First appearance	Mountain Engines (RWS)
Last appearance	Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (RWS)
Creator(s)	Rev. W. Awdry
Overview
Name	Culdee
Gender	Male
Country	Island of Sodor Switzerland (formerly)
Affiliation	Culdee Fell Railway Godred (formerly) Ernest Wilfred Shane Dooiney Patrick Alaric Eric Catherine
Technical Details
Basis	Snowdon Mountain Railway's Snowdon
Gauge	2'7½" (800 mm; narrow gauge)
Power type	Steam
Vehicle	Locomotive
Type	Rack-equipped tank engine
Fuel type	Coal
Configuration	0-4-2RT
Wheels	6
Top speed	20 mph
Designer(s)	Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works
Builder(s)	Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works
Year built	Sometime in 1900
Year rebuilt	1962
Arrived on Sodor	Sometime in 1900
Number	CFR 4
Railway	Culdee Fell Railway
Owner(s)	Lord Barrane (RWS) Mr. Percival (T&F)

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, with Donald taking him back to the Culdee Fell Railway. While on his way, Culdee got to tell stories about his railway to some of the engines of the Skarloey Railway.

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 No. 4 Snowdon, an engine who works on the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

Culdee's Basis

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Livery

Culdee is painted in the Culdee Fell Railway's livery of purple with orange lining. His number (4) is painted on the sides and back of his cab in yellow and he has a red nameplate on the sides of his tanks with his name painted on them in gold.

Appearances

The Railway Series Mountain Engines - Mountain Engine, Bad Look-Out, Danger Points and "Devil's Back" Companion volumes 1970 - Twelve Happy Engines (mentioned) 1972 - The Railway Series: Surprise Packet 1976 - Famous Engines and Railway Map of the Island of Sodor 1979 - Annual 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned) 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)

Books 2008 - Thomas' Sticker Express 2009 - Thomas the Tank Engine Owner's Workshop Manual (mentioned) Magazine Stories 1994 - Castle in the Hills 1997 - Culdee (does not speak) 1998 - Culdee 2001 - A Special Story About Sir Handel Culdee also appears in another magazine story. Video Releases 1999 - 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (mentioned) 2005 - Hashire! The "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" Steam Locomotive is Alive! (cameo) 2015 - Secret Journey of Thomas the Tank Engine

Trivia

• Culdee's driver's name is Joe.
• Though he has not made an appearance in the television series as of yet, Culdee is mentioned by a parent in an interview on the US VHS/DVD, 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
• 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 engines of the Culdee Fell Railway, Culdee has 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

International Characters

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* RWS only | ** T&F only | ✦ Changed location

Culdee Fell Railway

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