| For other uses, see Godred (disambiguation). |
Godred, named after a famed Sudrian king, was a narrow gauge mountain-climbing engine who worked on the Culdee Fell Railway.
Biography
Godred was built by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in Winterthur, Switzerland in 1900, and arrived on Sodor alongside the other four engines in time for the railway's inspection and opening. He was named after Godred MacHarold, a famed Sudrian king, which was believed by Culdee to be the cause of his arrogance; Godred believed that nothing bad could happen to him, and that should he be in trouble, his automatic brakes would save him. Despite being looked over by his crew and the manager, Godred continued acting on in his pompous ways.
On 4 June 1900, just over a month after the railway had officially opened, Godred was coming back down the mountain with his coach, when he derailed on Devil's Back and rolled down the mountain. Luckily, his coach remained on the rails so nobody was hurt in the accident, but Godred was badly damaged. When he was recovered the following day, Godred was found to be beyond being repaired and the Manager knew it would be too expensive to mend him, so he was left at the back of the shed where he was eventually scrapped. His remains were cannibalised to help keep the other engines going until newer engines could arrive and they could go to Switzerland for overhauls.
Culdee later told the cautionary story of Godred to Skarloey, Rheneas, Sir Handel and Duncan during his brief stay at Crovan's Gate.[1] He also told Patrick about Godred when he was sent to the back of the shed for being naughty.[2]
Personality
Godred was very arrogant, supercilious and reckless; Culdee speculated that this was due to the nature of his naming. He believed that nothing bad could ever happen to him and put too much faith into his automatic brakes, believing that they would save him if he was ever in the face of danger. Despite all warnings, Godred never learned sense, and paid the price when he met his unfortunate demise on the mountain.
Technical Details
Basis
Godred was based on No. 1 L.A.D.A.S., an engine who worked on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. L.A.D.A.S was a 0-4-2 rack-equipped tank engine built by the Swiss Locomotive and Machine Works in 1895. The engine was named after Laura Alice Duff Assheton-Smith, the daughter of a major landowner, and was the railway's only engine to carry the number one.
On 6 April, 1896, L.A.D.A.S. was taking the railway's first public passenger train, when she derailed while coming down the line and fell down the mountain, the fall destroying the engine. A passenger died from loss of blood after jumping from the carriage. L.A.D.A.S. was found to be beyond being repaired, so she was scrapped. To this day, the Snowdon Mountain Railway has never replaced her with another engine carrying her number.
Livery
Godred was painted in the Culdee Fell Railway's livery of purple with orange lining. His number (1) was painted on the sides and back of his cab in yellow and he had a red nameplate with a gold boarder on the sides of his tanks with his name (Godred) on them, also in gold. His buffer beams are painted red.
In a magazine story, Godred was painted red with yellow lining. His buffer beams were painted grey with black buffers. Among other changes, Godred had arch-shaped windows, standard buffers and a straightened boiler.
Appearances
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
|
Magazine StoriesGodred also appeared in the magazine feature "What Happens Each Day on Sodor?" Books
Video Releases |
Official Description
The Railway Series
From Official Media:[3]
| “ | Godred (No.1): Godred, Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney were the first batch of engines built in Switzerland, and delivered in time for the Inspection of the line before its opening in 1900. A few weeks later, however, Godred was derailed, scrapped and never replaced. | ” |
From Official Media:[4]
| “ | Godred (1): Numbers 1-5 were built at Winterthur in Switzerland in 1900, and work on the Abt rack system, pinion wheels below the engine engaging with a fixed 'rack' of teeth set between the rails. Godred was the ill-fated engine which had the misfortune to become derailed on opening day - perhaps by a stone lodged in the 'rack'. He was so badly damaged that he was scrapped and never replaced. | ” |
Thomas & Friends
From Official Website:[1]
| “ | Godred: Godred was the very first engine in the Mountain Railway, and this made him rather conceited. He would never keep a good look-out on the steep and dangerous tracks. One day he fell off, and was taken in pieces to the engine shed. He could not be repaired, and his bits were taken off him to mend the other engines.
|
” |
From Official Media:[2]
| “ | Godred: Godred was a conceited, careless engine who worked the Culdee Fell mountain. It was his recklessness that caused him to derail and tumble down the mountainside. After his recovery from the bottom of the mountain, he was placed in the back of the shed and his parts where used to repair Culdee, Lord Harry and Wilfred.
|
” |
Trivia
- Like the other engines of the Culdee Fell Railway, Godred had a face at each end.
- In the Korean version of Mountain Engines, Godred's name is "Loui".
- The name Godred is the English equivalent from Guðrøðr.
- Godred's rear face is never seen in the illustrations, only his merchandise.
Merchandise
Ertl Company
| Name | Released | Discontinued | Highlights | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Originally sold under Shining Time Station brand as a "Special Edition" character |  |
Trading Cards
| Name | Released | Discontinued | Highlights | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Gallery
The Railway Series
Main Series
Others
Merchandise
References
- ↑ RWS #19 Mountain Engines - "Bad Look-Out"
- ↑ RWS #19 Mountain Engines - ""Devil's Back""
- ↑ RWS "The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways" (1987)
- ↑ RWS "Sodor: Reading Between the Lines" (2005)
| Locomotives | Godred | Ernest | Wilfred | Culdee | Shane Dooiney | Patrick | Alaric | Eric |
|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Coaches | Catherine | The "Trucks" |
| People | Lord Peter Barrane | Lord Harry Barrane | Walter Richards |
| Locations | Kirk Machan (Engine Sheds) | Shiloh | Poll-ny-Chrink | Skarloey Road (Viaduct) | Devil's Back | Culdee Fell Summit |