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The Mail Train (also occasionally known as the Post Train in the UK dub) is a train which transports letters and parcels across the Island of Sodor. Pulling the Mail Train is noted as being one of Percy's favourite jobs. Between the third series and Thomas and the Magic Railroad, two separate trains were pulled by Thomas and Percy as the load was too heavy for one engine to do the work alone. Since the sixth series, Percy usually carries the mail alone, with Thomas substituting for him whenever he is not available, though Edward, James and Gordon have also pitched in when needed. Hiro usually takes a mail train to the mainland, while Hong-Mei pulls the mail train in China. The train usually consists of special utility vans and a brake van, however these have occasionally been accompanied by open wagons or conflats.
Mail Vans
- “I pull the mail trucks. They're red and they're wooden, and they're full of very exciting parcels!”
- ― Percy
The Mail Vans (also known as the Sodor Mail Coaches) are specialised pieces of rolling stock used for transporting letters and parcels across the railway. These vans form the majority of the rolling stock used for the mail train. The mail train usually consists of only two of these vans, although there have been occasions when trains of up to six have been seen. Daisy takes one of these mail vans from Arlesburgh West up to Harwick every morning.
Technical Details
Basis
The mail vans are based on the Southern Railway Diagram 3101 Covered Carriage Truck (CCT), albeit with bogies in place of the usual four wheels. This van was derived from the earlier SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV, It remained in production until 1955, and remained in regular service until 1986, with a few surviving on departmental duties into the 1990s. The utility vans share the same basis.
Livery
The mail vans are painted red with black roofs, valences, buffer beams, wheels and hinges. The vans originally had the words "SODOR MAIL" written across the doors on both sides in white. Starting from Hero of the Rails, the lettering was replaced by a graphic of an envelope with wings, also in white.
Appearances
Magazine Stories
The vans also appear in the magazine story Snatched to Safety Books
My Thomas Story LibraryReally Useful Stories
Video Games
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Official Description
From Official Media:[1]
| “ | Sodor Mail Coaches: The Sodor Mail Coaches ensure fast and efficient mail delivery service. The mail for the townsfolk is picked up by the engines and sorted on the move just like the typical mobile sorting offices that were designed and build in the 1940's in Britain.
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” |
Trivia
- The Capsule Plarail toys of the mail vans are repainted from pre-existing JNR coaches.
- The Wooden Railway toys of the mail vans were among the toys that were part of the lead paint crisis in 2005.
Merchandise
- ERTL (discontinued)
- Wooden Railway (discontinued)
- Take-n-Play (with Pull 'n 'zoom Percy; discontinued)
- Bachmann
- Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
- TrackMaster (normal and see-inside; discontinued)
- Motorized
- Motorized Railway
- Take Along (discontinued)
- Collectible Railway (discontinued)
- Adventures (with Talking Percy; discontinued)
- Hornby (two versions; discontinued)
- Tomix
- Capsule Plarail
- Thomas Engine Collection Series (with a brake van; discontinued)
- Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
- Nakayoshi (discontinued)
- Choro-Q (discontinued)
- Mega Bloks (discontinued)
Plank Trucks
These trucks are special 7-Plank Trucks that are occasionally used as part of the Mail Train. The trucks have been pulled by Edward and Percy. James once helped Edward deliver these trucks containing presents from Brendam Docks to Knapford.
Technical Details
Basis
These trucks are based on 7-plank trucks.
Livery
These trucks are painted crimson with black frames. Their Take Along toys depict them with "SODOR MAIL" on both sides in white.
Appearances
Official Description
From Official Media:[2]
| “ | Mail Train: Thomas and Percy steam through the stations all night to ensure heavy loads of letters are delivered on time making the Mail Train, the pride of the line. | ” |
Merchandise
- Take Along (discontinued)
- TrackMaster (discontinued)
Travelling Post Office Vans
The Travelling Post Office Vans are specialised vans with nets to catch mail bags from lineside posts.
Technical Details
Basis
The vans are based on London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) Royal Mail Travelling Post Office Vans.
Livery
The TPO vans are red with two yellow stripes along the sides. They have black ends and light grey roofs.
Appearances
Merchandise
- Hornby (discontinued)
| Locomotives | Steam | Thomas | Percy | Toby |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Mavis | |
| Former | Glynn | Coffee Pots | Daisy | |
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Annie and Clarabel | Henrietta | Hannah |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Terence | Bertie | Harold | Bulgy | Caroline | Bulstrode | Tiger Moth | Elizabeth | The Hot Air Balloon | Cleo | |
| People | Mrs. Kyndley | Farmer Finney | Farmer McColl | Farmer Trotter | Ruth | |
| Affiliates | Toby's Branch Line | Ffarquhar Quarry Company | |
| Infrastructure | Stations | Knapford | Dryaw | Toryreck** | Sports Field Halt** | Elsbridge | Maithwaite** | Hackenbeck | Ffarquhar | New Harbour* |
| Sheds | Elsbridge Engine Sheds (Carriage Shed) | Hackenbeck Shed | |
| Tunnels and Bridges | The Valley Bridge* | Elsbridge Viaduct | Bulgy's Bridge* | The Watermill | Hackenbeck Tunnel | |
| Locomotives | Duck | Donald and Douglas | Oliver | |
|---|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Old Slow Coach | Slip Coaches |
| Goods | Toad | S.C. Ruffey | |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Bulgy | Bulgy's Friend | Skiff | |
| People | Captain Joe | The Museum Manager | |
| Stations | Tidmouth | Tidmouth Hault | Tidmouth Town Hall** | Haultraugh** | Bluff's Cove** | Arlesburgh West** | |
| Locomotives | Steam | Thomas | Henry | Gordon | James | Donald and Douglas | Emily | Murdoch | Molly | Nia | Rebecca |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | BoCo | |
| Former | Edward | |
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Annie and Clarabel | Emily's Coaches | Green Express Coaches | Red Express Coaches |
| Former | The Spiteful Brake Van | Slip Coaches | |
| Trains | Passenger | The Express | The Local | The Great Waterton Special |
| Goods | The Flying Kipper | The Midnight Goods | |
| Infrastructure | Stations | Tidmouth | Lower Tidmouth** | Knapford | Crosby | Wellsworth | Maron | Cronk** | Killdane** | Balladrine** | Kellaby** | Whispering Woods Halt** | Kellsthorpe Road** | Crovan's Gate | Great Waterton** | Vicarstown | Barrow-in-Furness** |
| Sheds | Tidmouth Sheds | Tidmouth Yard Sheds | Knapford Sheds | Crovan's Gate Sheds* | Vicarstown Sheds | |
| Tunnels and Bridges | Tidmouth Tunnel (South) | Henry's Tunnel | Crosby Tunnel** | Crosby Bridge* | The Viaduct | Sodor Suspension Bridge** | Maron Bridge* | Standard Gauge and Narrow Gauge Viaduct | Vicarstown Bridge** |
| Locomotives | Ryan | Daisy |
|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Judy and Jerome |
| Other | Skiff |
| People | Captain Joe | The Museum Manager |
| Stations | Arlesburgh West | Arlesburgh Maritime Museum | Harwick |