The Green Express Coaches are non-corridor bogie coaches used by the North Western Railway. They are usually used for the Express and can often be seen being hauled by either Gordon or Rebecca.
Biography[]
Thomas & Friends[]
The green coaches have appeared since the first series and are primarily used for the express. These coaches are commonly pulled by Edward, Henry, Gordon, James and Rebecca. Thomas and Emily have also pulled these coaches on a few occasions. Whiff has also pulled these coaches at least once. Between the thirteenth and fifteenth series, the coaches seemed to be exclusive to Gordon as he was the only engine ever seen pulling them. Since the sixteenth series, however, other engines have occasionally been seen pulling them again.
There are at least six composite coaches and two brake coaches as seen in Meet the Steam Team, with two rakes being pulled by Rebecca and Gordon with three composites each alongside a brake coach.
The coaches have been through several incidents throughout history, such as being derailed at Knapford by a defiant act on Thomas's part, having been taken by an oblivious Samson to the Blue Mountain Quarry mistakenly, being pulled by Thomas and leaving several passengers scattered before a party, being pulled by Percy when Dowager Hatt was temporarily running the railway, being coupled to Spencer and taken to Ulfstead Castle, and having fish wagons coupled behind them for an entire express run. Duck also asked to borrow them for taking schoolchildren, but Gordon refused before the pannier tank finished.
Personality[]
Between the first and third series, these coaches were sentient despite not having faces. Like many coaches on Sodor, they do not appreciate being bumped by an engine and if they are not handled properly, they can get back at their engine.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
The models of the coaches were based upon SR Maunsell Coaches without corridors. They have broad windows on the corridor side and narrow windows on the compartment side.
In the first series, Tenmille-manufactured Maunsell Coaches were used as the coaches, albeit shortened by cutting out a set of windows in the center of the sides. In the second series, new coaches were made but were unmodified and thus retained their original length. Newer coaches were yet again introduced in the sixth series, shortened as well, but this time removing sections off the ends of the coaches.
Since the CGI Series, the coach designs had been altered to be much taller and thinner compared to the previous ones. In addition the corridor windows were mirrored on the opposite side of the coaches. Inside the coaches, the corridors have been removed and the compartments have open backs, similar to early 4-wheeled coaching stock.
Types of designs in the Model era:
Types of designs in the CGI era:
Livery[]
The original coaches from the first series were painted dark green with cream window surrounds and grey rooftops. The longer coaches introduced in the second series had white window surrounds with black rooftops. They were painted into a first series style livery in the third series.
By the sixth series, the coaches gained a yellow stripe running down each side.
The Buffet Car has "BUFFET" written on its sides in white. In Best Birthday Ever!, Emily is seen pulling a coach with "Sodor Railway Company" written on its sides in yellow.
Appearances[]
Magazine Stories
Books
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Official Description[]
From Official Media:[1]
“ | Express Coaches: The Express Coaches are a great favorite with the passengers because they ride so smoothly and have extra comfortable seats.
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Trivia[]
- In total, the railway has at least six composite coaches and two brake coaches as seen in Meet the Steam Team.
- Between the thirteenth and fifteenth series, the coaches appear to be exclusive to Gordon, whereas previously they had also been seen being used by other engines. Since the sixteenth series, other engines have occasionally been seen pulling them again.
- Since the switch to full CGI production in 2009, several of the coaches' models have been sold off or sent to various places:
- One of the coaches from the HiT Entertainment model series is owned by Dalek89.
- One of the coaches made for Series 2 is owned by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch.
- Two composite coaches and one brake coach used to be on display at Drayton Manor and one formerly displayed at Nitrogen Studios.
- Before Tim Reynolds' Twitter account, tim_XLVI, was deleted, he posted a picture of a Series 2 express coach without its axles and wheels. He was one of the original production crew members on the original model series. He acquired the model during a cleanout at Shepperton Studios and kept it under his bed.
Merchandise[]
- Bachmann (discontinued 2006; 2019 reintroduction)
- Hornby (discontinued)
- Motor Road and Rail (with Gordon; discontinued outside Asia)
- Departing Now (discontinued)
- TrackMaster (discontinued)
- Motorized
- Wood (with Knapford Station)
- My First Thomas (discontinued)
- Tomica (with Gordon)
- Choro-Q (with Gordon)
- Capsule Plarail
- Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
- Boss (with Edward; discontinued)
- Waku Waku (with Gordon; discontinued)
- Nakayoshi (discontinued)
See Also[]
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** |