Express Coaches

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There are many types of express coaches used for express trains on the Main Line of the North Western Railway and other railways.

Main Coaches

Green Express Coaches

Red Express Coaches

Spencer's Coaches

Railway Series-only Coaches

Orange Express Coaches
BR Blue Express Coaches
Brown Express Coaches
Maroon Express Coaches
Character Overview
Country	Island of Sodor England (built)
Technical Details
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Vehicle	Rolling Stock
Type	Coaches
Wheels	8 each
Designer(s)	LMS Crewe Works BR Darlington, Derby, Doncaster or Horwich Works
Builder(s)	LMS Crewe Works BR Darlington, Derby, Doncaster or Horwich Works
Year built	1923–1928/9 (LMS) 1951–1963 (BR MK1)
Railway	North Western Railway British Railways
Owner(s)	Sir Topham Hatt

Express coaches form the fast and important passenger trains and are normally pulled by Gordon, James or Henry. Several of these coaches form the express, known as the "Wild Nor' Wester. Other coaches form the "Limited", which was pulled by Bear in Enterprising Engines.

Some blue express coaches belong to British Railways.

Technical Details

Basis

The orange later repainted to brown coaches appear to be based on the LMS Suburban Coaches and BR MK1 Coaches, whilst the maroon coaches were based on BR MK1 Coaches and the blue coaches were based on BR MK2 Coaches.

Livery

The coaches were primarily painted yellow-orange until around 1984, when they were repainted brown with a yellow stripe. There were also some BR blue and white coaches. In John T. Kenney's illustrations, the coaches are painted red and custard.

Merchandise

Orange Coaches

• Capsule Plarail
• Tomica

Blue/Brown Coaches

• Motor Road and Rail (blue coach with OT-03, brown coach with OT-05; Asia only)
• Capsule Plarail
• Tomica

Thomas' Special Coach

Thomas' Special Coach
Background Information
First appearance	The Twin Engines (RWS) Percy and the Signal (T&F)
Last appearance	The Twin Engines (RWS) Duck Takes Charge (T&F)
Creator(s)	Rev W. Awdry
Character Overview
Country	Island of Sodor England (built)
Affiliation	Thomas Gordon Annie and Clarabel
Technical Details
Basis	BR MK1 (RWS) LB&SCR Stroudley coach (T&F)
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Vehicle	Rolling Stock
Type	Coach
Wheels	8 (RWS) 4 (T&F)
Designer(s)	British Railways (RWS) William Stroudley (T&F)
Builder(s)	BR Derby, Doncaster, Eastleigh, Swindon, Wolverton and York Works (RWS) Brighton Works (T&F)
Year built	1951–1963 (RWS) 1872-1892 (T&F)
Railway	North Western Railway
Owner(s)	Sir Topham Hatt

Every day, after arriving at Tidmouth at 3:30 PM with the express, engines have to shunt a coach from the train into the bay platform for passengers wanting to travel to destinations on Thomas' Branch Line. Thomas, Annie and Clarabel then come from Knapford Junction to collect it.

One time, Douglas accidentally forgot to shunt this coach for Thomas. Instead, he shunted the coach with the others into the carriage siding.

Technical Details

Basis

In the Railway Series, Thomas' Special Coach is based off of a BR MK1 brake one. In the Television Series, it was going to be based off of an LB&SCR Stroudley four-wheeled 3rd class composite coach.

Livery

In the Railway Series, Thomas' special coach is painted burgundy red with cream coloured window surrounds. In the television series, its model was going to be a reused Orange Branch Line Coach.

Appearances

• Railway Series
• Television Series
• Other Media

The Railway Series

• The Twin Engines - The Missing Coach

Thomas & Friends

• Series 2 - Percy and the Signal, Duck Takes Charge and The Missing Coach (episode cancelled)

Annual Stories

• 1993 - James' Traffic Jam

Books

• 2003 - Donald and Douglas

Trivia

• The special coach in the television series was thought to be a reuse of the green express ones because of a scene of Douglas shunting them. However, in August 2020, it was discovered that the special coach turned out to be an Orange Branch Line one behind the green express coaches.

The Royal Train

The Royal Train
The Royal Carriage
Background Information
First appearance	Gordon the Big Engine (RWS) Paint, Pots and Queens (T&F)
Last appearance	Gordon the Big Engine (RWS) Thomas and the Royal Engine (T&F)
Character Overview
Country	England Island of Sodor (magazines)
Technical Details
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Vehicle	Rolling Stock
Type	Coaches
Wheels	8 4 (magazines)
Designer(s)	Joseph Armstrong
Builder(s)	GWR Swindon Works
Year built	1842
Visited Sodor	1953 (RWS)
Owner(s)	Elizabeth II Sodor Museum (magazines)

The Royal Train was the train that transported Queen Elizabeth II in Paint Pots and Queens. Henry was supposed to pull it, but after an accident with some paint cans, Gordon was given the job instead. In both The Railway Series and the television series, it was made up of blood and custard express coaches with whitewall wheels and white buffers.

Another Royal Carriage appeared in the magazine story, The Royal Carriage. This carriage is painted brown with red flags and a crown on its roof. Inside it has some comfortable chairs and a royal blue carpet. It is on display at the Sodor Museum.

Technical Details

Basis

In the Railway Series, the coaches were based on BR MK1 coaches. In the Television Series, they were based upon the SR Maunsell Coaches and Pullman First Class Parlour Car "Topaz". In the Magazines, the coach is based on a GER Wisbech and Upwell Tramway 4-wheel coach.

Livery

The Royal Train was painted dark red with white window surrounds, light grey rooftops, whitewall wheels and white buffers. In the Magazines, the one coach is painted brown-orange with red bufferbeams and a grey roof.

Appearances

• Railway Series
• Television Series
• Other Media

The Railway Series

• Gordon the Big Engine - Paint Pots and Queens

Thomas & Friends

• Series 4 - Paint Pots and Queens
• Series 24- Thomas and the Royal Engine

Videos

• 2019 - Meet Gordon

Magazine Stories

• 2014 - The Royal Carriage

Books

• 2020 - Thomas and the Royal Engine

The Dining Coach

The Dining Coaches
Background Information
First appearance	Bye George! (T&F)
Last appearance	Steam Team to the Rescue (T&F)
Character Overview
Country	Island of Sodor England (built)
Technical Details
Basis	SR Maunsell Third-class Dining Saloons
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Vehicle	Rolling Stock
Type	Coaches
Wheels	8 each
Designer(s)	Richard Maunsell
Builder(s)	Southern Railway
Year built	Between 1925 and 1936
Railway	North Western Railway
Owner(s)	Sir Topham Hatt

The Dining Coach, also known as The Buffet Car, is often added to the express so that people can have something to eat and drink on their journey. It has a bar, serving area, pantry and tables. Henry once shunted this coach hard enough to make its contents fly everywhere.

Technical Details

Basis

These coaches were based upon the SR Maunsell coaches. In the model series, they are more specifically based off of SR Maunsell third-class dining saloons. One of these, No.1365, is preserved at the Bluebell Railway.

In the magazine story Fast Food!, the dining coach is depicted as a clerestory coach.

Livery

In the television series, the coach is painted green with custard-yellow window surrounds.

In the CGI series it is identical to the regular green express coaches, however in the model series the buffet coach has a specialised model. The model has the word "BUFFET" on the sides as well as bars across the top of the windows and a different door layout.

In the magazines, the Buffet Car is painted yellow-orange and has yellow stripes.

Appearances

• Television Series
• Other Media

Thomas & Friends

• Series 5 - Bye George!
• Series 8 - Henry and the Wishing Tree
• Series 16 - Express Coming Through
• Series 18 - Toad's Adventure
• Series 23 - Steam Team to the Rescue (fantasy)

Magazine Stories

• 2003 - Fast Food!
• 2010 - Christmas Dinner Diner

Merchandise

• Motorized (sold with Talking Gordon)

Gordon's Special Coaches

Gordon's Special Coaches
Background Information
First appearance	Emily and the Special Coaches (T&F)
Last appearance	Emily and the Special Coaches (T&F)
Creator(s)	James Mason
Character Overview
Country	Island of Sodor England (built)
Affiliation	Gordon
Technical Details
Basis	SR Maunsell Non-corridor Coaches
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Vehicle	Coaches
Type	Rolling Stock
Wheels	8 each
Designer(s)	Richard Maunsell
Railway	North Western Railway
Owner(s)	Sir Topham Hatt

For breaking his speed-record again, Gordon was rewarded with a new set of special coaches. Emily was to collect them and deliver them to the ceremony, but Diesel stole the coaches and hid them in a siding. Diesel gave them back after he told Emily that he had set a record as well.

Technical Details

Basis

Gordon's special coaches are based on Southern Railway Maunsell standard non-corridor carriages.

Livery

Gordon's special coaches are painted in a dark blue coat of paint with a red and gold stripe beneath the windows. The coaches' roofs are white with black vents.

Appearances

Thomas & Friends

• Series 7 - Gordon and Spencer (dropped)
• Series 10 - Emily and the Special Coaches
• Series 12 - Thomas and the Billboard (deleted scene)

Trivia

• The television series models of Gordon's Special Coaches are currently on display at Drayton Manor Theme Park.

The German Express Coach

The German Express Coach
Character Overview
Country	Germany
Technical Details
Vehicle	Rolling Stock
Type	Coach

A German express coach with a face appeared in the Great Race Friends Near and Far online video series.

It appeared at the last station in Germany that Frieda and Ivan arrived to after competing in the Great Railway Show.

Appearance

Videos

• 2017 - Frieda The Grumpiest Engine (cameo)

Other Coaches

Four grey coaches with an orange stripe appeared in Thomas and the Big, Big Bridge.

A white express coach with orange lining was seen in the 2006 magazine story, Splendid Sight.

Trivia

• In the magazine story, Airship, Gordon's express carriages are once referred to as "Pullman Coaches".
• Some of the express coaches' television series models are currently on display; three red ones and two green ones at Drayton Manor Theme Park and two red ones at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan. One green express coach model (made in the sixth series) is owned by Twitter user TomsProps.
• The wind-up toys are repainted from those representing Japanese National Railways coaches.
• The Dining Coach is the only express coach with an aisle.
• Unlike other express coaches on Sodor, The Dining Coach appeared once in every era of the show.

References

North Western Railway

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* RWS only | ** T&F only | --- Dropped