Doncaster (RWS)

The Railway Series

Thomas & Friends

Doncaster
Background Information
First appearance	Enterprising Engines (1968)
Last appearance	Gordon the High-Speed Engine (1987)
Overview
Location	Doncaster, England
Year opened	1853
Operations
Managed by	British Railways (formerly) London and North Eastern Railway (formerly) Great Northern Railway (formerly) London North Eastern Railway

Doncaster is a city named after the River Don in the north east of England and the location of the Doncaster Railway Works.

History

Around 1919, there was a scandal at Doncaster Works when a set of drawings for Sir Herbert Nigel Gresley's planned "Pacific" locomotives were allegedly stolen by a rival locomotive builder who had a grudge against Gresley. The story goes that the spy blundered and stole an earlier set of drawings which had been rejected. Nothing was ever proven, though this is believed to be the origins of Henry's original shape.

Gordon would later be built at Doncaster between 1920-21 as a prototype for Gresley's new A1 Pacifics. Following Gordon's trials and the ironing out of any design defects, the first batch of the new Pacifics were built here in 1923, including the two famous engines, Flying Scotsman and Mallard in 1938.

Appearances

• Railway Series

The Railway Series

• Enterprising Engines - Tenders For Henry (mentioned)
• Gordon the High-Speed Engine - High-Speed Gordon (mentioned)

Companion Volumes

• 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned)

References

United Kingdom

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