There are many types of express coaches used for express trains on the Main Line of the North Western Railway and other railways.
Railway Series-only Coaches
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 coaches appear to be based on the LMS Period 1 corridor coaches, LMS Stanier corridor coaches and BR MK1 non-corridor suburban coaches, whilst the blue coaches were based on BR MK2 coaches and the brown coaches appear similar to the Midland Railway suburban 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 blue and white coaches. In John T. Kenney's illustrations, the coaches are painted red and custard.
Merchandise
Orange Coaches
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
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 coach. 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, it was going to be identical to the Orange Coaches.
Appearances
Thomas & Friends
- Series 2 - Percy and the Signal, Duck Takes Charge and The Missing Coach (episode cancelled)
Trivia
- The special coach in the television series was thought to be a reuse of the green express coaches because a scene of Douglas shunting them. However, in August 2020, it was discovered that the special coach turned out to be the orange coach in front of the green express coaches, positioned just behind Gordon on the train.
The Royal Train
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, on 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
The Dining Coach
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
Gordon's Special Coaches
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 too had set a record.
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 (role cut)
- Series 10 - Emily and the Special Coaches
- Series 12 - Thomas and the Billboard (deleted scene)
Trivia
- Despite only being seen in the tenth series, these models were originally created in the seventh series to be Spencer's Coaches. In the end, they were replaced by the maroon coaches.[1]
- The television series models of Gordon's Special Coaches are currently on display at Drayton Manor Theme Park.
The German Express 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
Thomas & Friends
Videos
- 2017 - Frieda The Grumpiest Engine (cameo)
The Chinese Coaches
The Chinese express coaches were used for carrying and transporting passengers, and special visitors across China.
Technical Details
Basis
These coaches were based upon the SR Maunsell coaches.
Livery
They are painted red with yellow stripes on the side and yellow lining around the windows.
Appearances
Thomas & Friends
Specials
- 2018 - Big World! Big Adventures!
The Indian Coaches
The Indian express coaches are used for various trains in India.
Several different engines can be seen pulling the coaches regularly, Noor Jehan also has her own set of coaches which she uses for her Tiger Safari trains, though they are occasionally used by other engines.
Technical Details
Basis
These coaches are based on Pullman luxury coaches, Aubrey, Aiden, Spencer's, Connor's and Caitlin's coaches all share the same design.
Livery
The coaches are painted in two different liveries, some are yellow with dark green stripes bordering the windows. They have yellow buffer beams and black buffers.
There are also ones painted cream with red, purple, lavender and sky blue patterns along their sides with purple roofs, similarly to Noor Jehan, who uses a rake for her tiger safaris.
A third version of the coaches was seen in a magazine, they are painted blue with a yellow stripe, similarly to the Branch Line Coaches seen in Tiger Trouble.
Appearances
Thomas & Friends
Trivia
- The livery of yellow and green coaches is based upon the livery used for coaches produced for Senegal by the Rail Coach Factory in India, while the livery of the cream coaches is based upon that of the Palace On Wheels, a luxury train in India.
The Italian Express Coach
An Italian express coach was seen in Series 23. Lorenzo used it as an alternative to Beppe to transport Dame Bella.
Technical Details
Basis
This coach is based on a Pullman luxury coach. Aubrey, Aiden, Spencer's, Connor's and Caitlin's coaches all share the same design.
Livery
The coach is painted in a similar ultramarine blue colour to Lorenzo, with a gold patterned band along the bottom. It has faded baby blue window surrounds with gold patterns in the corners, not unlike those found on Beppe.
Appearances
Thomas & Friends
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.
References