- "Oh, Isabel's a funny coach, and so is Dulcie too. If I didn't look after them, they'd not know what to do!"
- ― Oliver sings about his coaches
Isabel and Dulcie are two Great Western autocoaches pulled by Oliver on the Little Western. Isabel joined Oliver and Toad when they escaped from the Other Railway, and Dulcie was later rescued by the Fat Controller and given to Oliver to help run the Little Western.
Biography
Before coming to the Island of Sodor, Isabel at one point worked autotrains along the Golden Valley Line between Gloucester and Chalford with Oliver.[2]
In 1967, Oliver's crew plotted an escape to the Island of Sodor following the rapid closure of branch lines in the West Country, with Isabel joining them alongside a brake van named Toad. They were nearly caught by diesels several times, and eventually made it to Barrow-in-Furness, where Oliver ran out of coal. Shortly afterwards, Douglas helped the group escape across the bridge to Sodor and stored them at Crovan's Gate Works; Oliver's crew hid inside Isabel during the journey. Sir Topham Hatt then had the three repaired and repainted in Great Western colours for work on the Arlesburgh Branch Line.
The Fat Controller was already making plans to acquire an autocoach for the purpose of handling passenger traffic on the re-opened Arlesburgh branch. The coach turned out to be Dulcie, and thus the arrival of Isabel, with Oliver, to augment the stock could not have been better timed.[3] Isabel and Dulcie were joined by Alice and Mirabel shortly after, who were paired with Duck.
Personality
Oliver says Isabel is very clever, as she always keeps a good look out when he pushes his trains and cannot see where he is going, and talks to him with her bell. He finds them to be funny coaches, and believes that they would not know what to do without him. Despite what Oliver thinks, they are very faithful to him and are easily able to see when he is heading for trouble.
Technical Details
Basis
Isabel and Dulcie are based on British Railways (BR) Hawksworth autocoaches, which were used in push-pull services on branch lines - while designed by Hawksworth for the Great Western Railway (GWR), they were never built until after BR was formed. The autocoaches were efficient because it eliminated the need for the engine to run around to the other end of the train to turn around. Sixteen Hawksworth autocoaches are preserved by heritage railways, such as the Llangollen Railway in North Wales.[4]
Alice and Mirabel are also based on these coaches.
Livery
Isabel and Dulcie are painted in the GWR chocolate brown with cream window surrounds livery. Their rooftops are pained light grey.
When Isabel first came to Sodor, she was painted in the BR maroon with yellow lining livery. Dulcie was also painted in this livery in the 1985 annual.[5]
In the last illustration of Enterprising Engines, Isabel and Dulcie were briefly seen painted in the GWR crimson and cream livery.
Appearances
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
|
Annual Stories
Books
My Thomas Story Library
Engine Adventures
|
Official Description
The Railway Series
From Official Media:[6]
“ | Isabel: A Great Western auto-coach brought over to the Island with Oliver - she has acquired her name because, as Oliver explains "...there is a bell on her." Along with Dulcie - her duty is the carriage of passengers along what is officially the Arlesburgh branch but is generally known as 'Duck's Branch line'. | ” |
“ | Dulcie: When the Fat Controller re-opened the Arlesburgh branch he already had plans for the passenger traffic and was making plans to acquire an auto-coach - this turned out to be Dulcie. The arrival of Isabel to augment the stock, with Oliver, could not have been better timed. | ” |
From Official Media:[1]
“ | Isabel Auto-Coach: Isabel is a very clever carriage who is pulled by Oliver. Douglas saved her from the scrap, at the same time as Oliver and Toad. She now works on Duck's Branch Line. | ” |
Trivia
- Isabel's name is a pun on the fact that there "is a bell" on her.[7]
- Wilbert Awdry did not have any models of Isabel and Dulcie nor Alice and Mirabel.
Merchandise
- Ertl (Isabel only; discontinued)
References
- ↑ Isabel's ERTL character card
- ↑ Ffarquhar Branch Sequence III, Draft 3, p. 1
- ↑ RWS Sodor: Reading Between the Lines p. 18
- ↑ Llangollen Railway - GWR Vehicles
- ↑ 1985 Annual - "Oliver Gets the Bird"
- ↑ RWS "Sodor: Reading Between the Lines" (2005)
- ↑ RWS #23 Enterprising Engines - "Escape"
Locomotives | Duck | Donald and Douglas | Oliver | |
---|---|---|
Rolling Stock | Passenger | Alice and Mirabel | Isabel and Dulcie |
Goods | Toad | Fred Pelham | |
Former | S.C. Ruffey | |
Non-Rail Vehicles | Bulgy | Bulgy's Friend | |
Stations | Tidmouth | Haultraugh | Arlesburgh West |