For other uses, see Culdee Fell. |
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
Culdee was built at the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur, Switzerland, and arrived on Sodor alongside the other four engines in time for the railway's inspection and opening. In March 1900, he was the first to be used in the test runs on the Culdee Fell Railway, pushing two coaches to the Summit. Following Godred's accident, Culdee and the three other engines worked the line successfully for 60 years. They were carefully maintained and sent back, in rotation, to the builders in Switzerland for overhaul.
By 1960, the four engines were aging and the crunch came when it became apparent that both Culdee and Shane Dooiney would need heavy overhauls in the near future, so three new engines were ordered. When Lord Harry was delivered in March 1962, Culdee left for overhaul first 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.[1]
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.[2]
Technical Details
Basis
Culdee is based on No. 4 Snowdon, an engine who works on the Snowdon Mountain Railway.
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 SeriesCompanion volumes
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Annual Stories
Magazine Stories
Culdee also appears in another magazine story. Books
Video Releases
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Official Description
The Railway Series
From Official Media:[3]
“ | Culdee (No.4): Godred, Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney were the first batch of engines built in Switzerland, and delivered in time for the Inspection of the line before its opening in 1900. A few weeks later, however, Godred was derailed, scrapped and never replaced. The four remaining engines were carefully maintained and sent back, in rotation, to the builders in Switzerland for overhaul, but by 1960/61 these four were ageing and fresh and more powerful stock was needed to tackle the ever increasing traffic. Accordingly three superheated engines of the latest design were ordered. These were delivered at two-monthly intervals during 1962.
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” |
From Official Media:[4]
“ | Culdee (4): Numbers 1-5 were built at Winterthur in Switzerland in 1900, and work on the Abt rack system, pinion wheels below the engine engaging with a fixed 'rack' of teeth set between the rails. Culdee, on the way back from overhaul in Switzerland, halts near the Skarloey Railway shed and acts as the narrator for the stories in the book, in some of which he is involved himself. | ” |
Thomas & Friends
From Official Website:[1]
“ | Culdee: Culdee is the sensible one of the Mountain Railway. He and his coach Catherine are a fine team, and are favourites with the passengers. But he does like a bit of excitement, and tells great stories about the other engines.
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” |
From Official Media:[2]
“ | Culdee: Culdee is a kind and gentle engine who works in the mountain area of Sodor. He is extremely conscious of safety, and relies on his coach Catherine to help navigate up the hills. He also scolds any other engines for being too rough or careless, as he knows the dangers the mountain can present.
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” |
From Official Website:[3]
“ | Culdee: Culdee is a mountain engine named after Culdee Fell, the mountain he climbs. He is a responsible engine. Culdee has great respect for the dangers found on the mountain and relies on his trusted coach Catherine to help him travel safely. | ” |
Trivia

Culdee with his rear face removed in the Korean version.
- Like the other engines of the Culdee Fell Railway, Culdee has a face at each end.
- However, in the Korean version of Mountain Engines, the rear faces on the mountain engines were removed for unknown reasons.
- Culdee's driver's name is Joe.[5]
- Despite the fact that he has not made an appearance in the television series, Culdee is mentioned by a parent in an interview on the US VHS/DVD 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
- Culdee is tied with Diesel 199 for having the most merchandise of any Railway Series-only character, with both having six toys and one trading card to their name.
- Culdee is erroneously depicted with buffers in some magazine stories and on his Take Along and Take-n-Play toys.
- In Sudric, "Culdee" translates as "Companion of God". The 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".
References
- ↑ RWS #19 Mountain Engines - "Mountain Engine"
- ↑ RWS #19 Mountain Engines - "Bad Look-Out"
- ↑ RWS "The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways" (1987)
- ↑ RWS "Sodor: Reading Between the Lines" (2005)
- ↑ The Railway Series: Surprise Packet - "A Trip on the Culdee Fell Railway"
Locomotives | Godred | Ernest | Wilfred | Culdee | Shane Dooiney | Patrick | Alaric | Eric |
---|---|
Rolling Stock | Coaches | Catherine | The "Trucks" |
People | Lord Peter Barrane | Lord Harry Barrane | Walter Richards |
Locations | Kirk Machan (Engine Sheds) | Shiloh | Poll-ny-Chrink | Skarloey Road (Viaduct) | Devil's Back | Culdee Fell Summit |