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The Ffarquhar Branch Line (previously the Elsbridge Branch Line and commonly known as Thomas' Branch Line) runs between Knapford and Ffarquhar and was awarded to Thomas after recovering James from a nasty accident in 1925. The section between Knapford and Elsbridge was the original route of the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Railway.
History[]
The line from Knapford to Elsbridge was originally laid in 1885, as the Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway. In 1912 - following the construction of the Crosby Tunnel which linked the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway's network with that of the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway - the line from Knapford to Elsbridge was demoted to branch line status. The line later became part of the newly-formed North Western Railway in 1914. During these times, the branch line was worked by the "Coffee Pot" engines built for the TK&E.
In 1925, the branch line was extended to Ffarquhar in order to service the quarry there. At the same time, Sir Topham Hatt awarded the branch line to Thomas, needing a larger and stronger engine which would be capable of handling the new workload.
In 1956, the improvement scheme of the harbour at Knapford began under the direction of Sir Charles Topham Hatt II. The branch to the harbour was rebuilt on an easier gradient and the passenger stations for Knapford and Dryaw were moved north of the river, with the old passenger line being abandoned. The harbour line is now used for goods.
Stations and Route[]
Passenger Line[]
The passenger line starts from the new Knapford Junction - north of the River Els - where it connects with the Main Line. Leaving the station, it crosses over the harbour line and the mouth of the Els via a stone bridge, before crossing the road at Knapford Crossing. After that, the line crosses the harbour line a second time and passes by the airfield, before calling at Dryaw.
Leaving Dryaw, it climbs Dryaw Hill up to Toryreck Junction where it meets the harbour line, and from there runs to the station of Toryreck. Here, engines need to exchange Tablets in order to proceed on to the next section. After that, the line comes to the Low Lands where Percy once came across a flood, followed by the curve where snow blocked Daisy's air intake and she was left stranded for a week until the snow melted enough to allow her to be rescued.
Later comes the Elsbridge Cricket Field, and the line calls at Elsbridge. The line crosses the River Els, a road bridge, and then passes the place where Daisy met Champion. The line later passes the signal box where Thomas' crew threw the fireman's lunch box, with a note inside, to a signalman to alert him of a stolen car. There once was a deviating line to reach a wharf on the outskirts of Elsbridge, the original northern terminus of the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway before 1910. The wharf allowed the railway to interchange with small boats that floated along the River Els, bringing down goods from Ulfstead. When Ffarquhar was reached in 1924, Sodor Roadways was able to provide a more direct service to and from Ulfstead at the railhead, and Elsbridge Wharf likely fell into disuse.
The line comes side by side by River Callan and the road. It curves and climbs and arrives at Mrs. Kyndley's Cottage and Hackenbeck Tunnel. Going out of the tunnel, the line arrives at Hackenbeck. Later, the line crosses down a road bridge, passes Terence's field and a level crossing until it finally arrives at Ffarquhar.
Harbour Line[]
The harbour line begins from the quay below the junction. It runs alongside the river and passes below the passenger line, then goes along a steep climb past the Hay Farms. The line then reaches Dryaw Goods Station and passes under a road bridge before arriving at the junction to the the Lead Mines. Passing over Crowe's Farm Crossing, the line curves into the junction of the passenger line at Toryreck.
Old Passenger Line[]
The old passenger line began at the original Knapford Junction (south of the river), followed a stretch until it reached a signal and level crossing, where it crosses what is now the current passenger line. From here, the line continues to Dryaw Goods Station, where it now follows the route of the harbour line.
Operations[]
The branch carries passengers, quarry stone, farm produce, dairy products from St. Pedroc's Dairy in Elsbridge, general goods and uranium from the mines. Some passenger trains work into Tidmouth to pick up a through coach from the Wild Nor' Wester. Thomas runs passenger duties with Annie and Clarabel, later supplemented by Daisy from 1960. Toby - with Henrietta, Victoria, Elsie and the Quarryman's Coach - run trains to Ffarquhar Quarry.
The branch also has a goods line from Toryreck to Knapford Harbour, worked by Percy, who is in charge of goods duties, although when Thomas is absent he takes over passenger duties. He and Toby also appear to share the workload of stone trains to Knapford Harbour. James, Stepney, Duck, and Wilbert have briefly worked on the branch at various points. Edward once made a trip to the quarry before the policeman stopped Thomas for being "unsafe". The branch line was temporarily taken away from Thomas as punishment after his accident at the lead mines.
This line also has a connection to the Dryaw mines, formerly used for mining lead but now being worked for deposits of uranium. The Quarry Tramroad extends five miles from Ffarquhar, through the streets of the village, then into the hills to the private sidings of Ffarquhar Quarry. This tramway is property of the North Western Railway and was formerly worked by Toby, but more recent arrangements have allowed for Mavis to operate trains on it.
Rolling Stock[]
Locomotives[]
Coaches and Trucks[]
Non-Rail Vehicles[]
Trivia[]
- The branch line was created during the writing of Tank Engine Thomas Again when Christopher Awdry, Hilary Fortnam, and Veronica Chambers claimed the race between Thomas and Bertie in the book's fourth story, Thomas and Bertie, was unfair. To fix this, Wilbert Awdry drew up the branch line to show that Thomas and Bertie had the same amount of obstacles to overcome in order to win the race. As a result, the children deemed the race "fair".
- The branch line was the first part of Sodor to be mapped.
- The branch line is one of three lines on the Island of Sodor to have been modelled by Wilbert Awdry, the others being the Main Line and the Mid Sodor Railway.
| Locomotives | Steam | Thomas | Percy | Toby | Bloomer |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Daisy | Mavis | |
| Former | Coffee Pots | |
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Annie and Clarabel | Henrietta | Victoria | Thomas' Special Coach | The Quarryman's Coach | Observation Saloon Coaches |
| Goods | Elsie | Old-King Coal | Suncole | Milk Van | |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Terence | Bertie | Harold | Caroline | Bulstrode | Murphy | |
| People | Mrs. Kyndley | Terence's Owner | Kevin Volley | Tom Tipper | |
| Affiliates | St. Pedroc's Dairy | Ffarquhar Quarry Company | |
| Infrastructure | Stations | Knapford (Harbour) | Dryaw (Goods Station) | Toryreck | Elsbridge | Hackenbeck | Ffarquhar |
| Sheds | Knapford Sheds | Ffarquhar Sheds (Carriage Shed) | |
| Tunnels and Bridges | Knapford Harbour Bridges | Elsbridge Viaduct | Hackenbeck Tunnel | Hackenbeck Bridge | |