Irene

Henrietta's Sister (Irene in real-life)
Background Information
First appearance	1988 Annual (RWS)
Last appearance	Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (RWS)
Creator(s)	Rev. W. Awdry
Character Overview
Name	Henrietta's Sister Irene
Gender	Female
Country	The Mainland
Relative(s)	Henrietta (sister) Hannah (sister)
Technical Details
Basis	GER Wisbech and Upwell passenger coach
Gauge	4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge)
Vehicle	Rolling stock
Type	Passenger coach
Wheels	8
Builder(s)	GER Stratford Works
Year built	1883
Number	7 (formerly)
Railway	Wisbech and Upwell Tramway (formerly) Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society

Henrietta's Sister, known as "No. 7" or Irene, is a Wisbech and Upwell bogie coach, currently preserved by the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway Society. In an annual, she was described as being Henrietta's only surviving sister, with a noticeable different of being a bogie coach whereas Henrietta is a 4-wheeled coach.

From the beginning, the Wisbech and Upwell used its own special passenger stock. Initially, only four wheelers were used, but bogie coaches were introduced in 1884. The coaches had balconies at each end and a drawbridge type gangway between coaches. Each balcony had an emergency hand-brake wheel. The coaches looked squat and low-lying due to the need to handle raised track and the absence of platforms at some of the depots. All the four-wheeled coaches were scrapped by 1948, but the bogie coaches survived into British Railways.

Appearances

• Railway Series

Companion volumes

• 1988 - Annual (mentioned in intro and Henrietta's bio)
• 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)

Gallery

United Kingdom

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* RWS only | ** T&F only