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Milk Tankers are specialised wagons used for transporting milk.

History[]

On the Ffarquhar Branch Line, a milk tanker is used for transporting milk down from local farms to the dairy at Elsbridge. Each morning, Thomas takes one with him on his first train.[1] Occasionally, Daisy pulls the milk tanker, though she dislikes this job.

Personalities[]

Sentient milk tankers fall into the category of Troublesome Tankers.

Type of sentient tankers:

Technical Details[]

Basis[]

The milk tankers are based on standard fourteen-ton pre-war tankers common across the United Kingdom.

Livery[]

The milk tankers are painted white with black bracing and straps, albeit some tankers have white bracings. Between the first and twelfth series, the tankers had "TIDMOUTH MILK" painted in blue on both sides. Since the switch to CGI, the milk tankers have a logo of a cow in a blue circle on both sides, replacing the former "TIDMOUTH MILK" lettering.

Milk has also been transported in plain white tankers without any labels.

Appearances[]

Thomas & Friends

Specials

Music Videos

Learning Segments

Books

Magazine Stories

Miscellaneous

Official Description[]

From Official Media:[1]

Tar & Milk Wagons: Thomas and his friends from time to time pull the milk and tar wagons to different ports and stations so they can be pumped - nice break from pulling those foolish freight cars!


Historical Note: The Tar and Milk wagons are based on rolling stock developed in large quantities during the 1940's and 1950's, and used throughout Great Britain.

Trivia[]

  • In the first two series, due to budget limitations, the milk tankers were only painted on one side, the other side being used for the tar tankers. Resultingly, the black from the tar wagons can be seen in some shots.
  • In the television series, a total of three milk tanker models were constructed.
  • In the televised adaptation of Daisy, the milk tanker is called a van due to the script being copied nearly word-for-word from the original story.
  • Milk tankers with faces appeared in the fourth series episode Toad Stands By.
  • The milk tankers have had several different appearances:
    • In the Television Series, they are based on 14 Ton Fuel Tankers.
    • In the Capsule Plarail merchandise range, they are JNR 3900 Series tankers.
    • In the Lionel Trains merchandise range, they are North American unibody tank cars with bogies.
    • In the Hornby clockwork range, they are DB (Deutsche Bahn) tankers from Germany.
  • In Germany, the Wooden Railway version has text reading MILCH on the tanker instead of Tidmouth Milk. Its name of Milchwagen translates to "Milk Wagon".

Merchandise[]

References[]

  1. T&F S2 #19 "Daisy"



--- Dropped | * 1991-1994 maps only | ** 2014 map only
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