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Minor Locomotive Characters (RWS)

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This page is for the minor locomotive characters who have appeared in The Railway Series.

The First Red Tender Engine

"The driver won't choose you again. He wants big, strong engines like us."
― The Red Engine[src]

The First Red Tender Engine was a large engine who once lived at Vicarstown Sheds and joined the other big engines in teasing Edward. It is unknown what happened to this engine, though it is likely it returned to the Mainland alongside the other engines loaned during the North Western Railway's early years.

Technical Details

Basis

The exact basis for the first red engine is unknown. It is depicted as a 4-6-2 by William Middleton similar to Gordon, albeit with a substantially smaller boiler than him and a different cab. However, in the Dalby illustrations, he bears a similar shape to 98462, but with a taller funnel & a taller dome.

After C. Reginald Dalby's problems with achieving consistent accuracy of his locomotive illustrations in the early books, later characters introduced were based more closely on real locomotives. This also means that this engine's guise should not be taken at face value, as the Rev. W. Awdry was often keen to retcon inaccuracies in the early books and illustrations.

Livery

This engine is painted red with yellow and black lining.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Documentaries

Trivia

The Second Red Tender Engine

The Second Red Tender Engine was an engine which visited Sodor in 1923. It attempted to push Henry out of a tunnel when it stopped there, but without success.

Personality

This engine, unlike the first, seemed to be quite helpful, seeing as he tried to push Henry out of the tunnel after being asked.

Technical Details

Basis

In C. Reginald Dalby's illustrations, this engine is depicted as being identical to James, a Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR) Class 28 fitted with a front pony truck (thus making him a 2-6-0 instead of an 0-6-0), 5'6" driving wheels instead of the class' original 5'1" ones and a Fowler tender.

After C. Reginald Dalby's problems with achieving consistent accuracy of his locomotive illustrations in the early books, later characters introduced were based more closely on real locomotives. This also means that this engine's guise should not be taken at face value, as the Rev. W. Awdry was often keen to retcon inaccuracies in the early books and illustrations.

Livery

This engine is painted red with black lining and yellow boiler bands. Its front and driving wheels are red while its tender wheels are black.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Trivia

  • Awdry's original sketches for The Sad Story of Henry depict this engine as a 4-4-0 rather than a 2-6-0.
  • In the original Middleton illustrations, the first and second red engines were depicted as the same character, hence them having had the same wheel configuration.
  • Dalby originally illustrated him to be James. However, children wrote to the Reverend W. Awdry asking why James was red before his repainting in the third book. With all the confusion, Awdry decided that it was not James, but a different character altogether. Christopher Awdry has also confirmed this to be the case, stating in 2007 that it was an engine visiting from the Mainland.[1][2]
  • The engine's role in the Thomas & Friends adaptation of The Sad Story of Henry was filled by Thomas. Ironically, James took on the engine's role in the special The Adventure Begins, in his original black livery. In the 1953 adaptation of The Sad Story of Henry, the engine's role was also filled by James.

The Blue Tank Engine

"Here are your trucks, James. Have you got some bootlaces ready?"
― The Blue Tank Engine teasing James[src]

The Blue Tank Engine was a little engine who once shunted trucks at Tidmouth Yards.

Biography

This tank engine once shunted James' goods train for him and teased him about the incident he had with some bootlaces when he needed some to mend a hole in his coaches. He ran off laughing rudely, which made James very cross.[3]

Technical Details

Basis

The tank engine's basis is unknown.

Livery

The tank engine is painted blue with red lining.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Books

Miscellaneous

Trivia

Lincoln

"Here are your trucks, James."
― Lincoln[src]

Lincoln is a saddle tank engine who at one point worked at Tidmouth Yards.

Biography

Once, Lincoln shunted a goods train of trucks for James at Tidmouth Yards.[5]

Technical Details

Basis

Lincoln's specific basis is currently unknown. He appears to be a saddle tank engine with inside cylinders.

Livery

Lincoln is painted dark green with yellow window frames.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Books

Trivia

The Goods Engine

In the winter of 1935, a goods engine and its train had pulled into a siding near Killdane to allow the Flying Kipper to pass, and its crew enjoyed hot cocoa with the guard in the brake van. Henry collided with the train due to a faulty set of points while the crew were returning to their engine. Fortunately, neither crew were injured, however, the good engine's driver waved his empty mug at Henry for the loss of his cocoa.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Thomas & Friends

Videos

Trivia

The Dukes

"But I keep telling you. There are no Dukes. They were fine and stately, but they've all been scrapped!"
― Duck to Peter Sam[src]

The Dukes were Great Western tender engines. Duck once told Peter Sam that all the Dukes had been scrapped, leading Peter Sam to misunderstand the statement and think that his Duke had been scrapped.

Technical Details

Basis

The Dukes are based on the GWR 3252 class, also referred to as the Duke class, built between 1895 and 1899 for passenger work in Devon and Cornwall. As mentioned by Duck, all of the Duke class engines were scrapped, and none survive to this day. However, a single member of the GWR 3200 "Earl"/"Dukedog" Class, (which themselves where built using the boilers and smokeboxes of the Dukes) No.9017 Earl of Berkeley, is preserved.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

See Also

Gordon's Siblings

"What sir?! All my Doncaster brothers, drawn the same time as me?"
"All gone. Except one."
― Gordon and The Fat Controller[src]

Gordon's Siblings were LNER A1 and A3 Pacifics built between 1922 and 1935. With the exception of Flying Scotsman, all were scrapped between 1959 and 1966. The scrapping of his brothers made Gordon depressed, leading the Fat Controller to bring Flying Scotsman to Sodor to cheer him up.

Technical Details

Basis

These engines were based on the LNER Class A1 and A3 4-6-2 steam locomotives. 78 of these were produced. They were all scrapped, with the exception of Flying Scotsman being the sole surviving member of his class.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Annual Stories

Books

Trivia

  • Two of Gordon's siblings are mentioned by name in the annual story Galloping Sausage, these being Lemberg and Pretty Polly.
  • One of these engines named Papyrus reached 108mph beating the Flying Scotsman's record.

See Also

Percy's Ghost Engine

"And every year on the date of the accident, it runs again as a warning to others. Plunging into the gap, shrieking like a lost soul!"
― Percy[src]

Percy's Ghost Engine was mentioned in a ghost story Percy told to Thomas and Toby.

Biography

According to Percy's story (which his driver told him the night prior), the engine fell to its doom, and its ghost continues to run every year on the anniversary of the accident as a warning to others. Thomas refused to believe the story and Percy's driver later confirmed the ghost's story to be a fictional one he saw on television.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Thomas & Friends

Videos

The Ford Diesel

The Ford Diesel was an unnamed minimum gauge diesel engine who was mentioned in a 1972 lecture, as having worked on the Arlesdale Railway.

Technical Details

Real-life History

The diesel was based on Royal Anchor, an experimental Bo-Bo Diesel-hydraulic locomotive with a Ford 4D engine built in 1956 by Charles Lane of the Royal Anchor hotel in Hampshire. Royal Anchor was originally trialled at the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, it was then purchased by the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, and later Steamtown Carnforth.

In 2000, it was sold to American film director Francis Ford Coppola for use on a railway in one of his Californian vineyards. The locomotive is now currently in storage at the Coppola estate.

Livery

The diesel was painted in a blue livery.[7]

Appearances

The Railway Series

Lectures

Trivia

  • In the Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor, two diesels were mentioned belonging to the Arlesdale Railway. One of these was based on Perkins and was later retconned as Frank with his introduction in Jock the New Engine by Christopher Awdry.
    • Following the publication of The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways, three new diesels were introduced (Sigrid of Arlesdale and the Blister Twins). However, the previous two diesels from the lecture were omitted.
    • It remains unclear if Wilbert Awdry retconned the Ford Diesel to be Sigrid of Arlesdale, or if the Ford Diesel was a seperate character altogether. As in real-life, Royal Anchor was often a problematic engine and it was superspeeded by the more powerful diesels (Shelagh of Eskdale and Silver Jubilee)
    • As there was no further mention of this diesel in any supplementary material, it can be assumed it left the Arlesdale Railway as in real-life, considering the Awdrys would parallel real-life events as inspiration for their stories.

Electric Trams

Electric Trams are powered by overhead wires delivering direct current electricity and run on rails laid in a public road.

Biography

Electric trams were first mentioned by the Hatt family during their visit to East Anglia, as Toby was very offended when Bridget Hatt asked if he was as an electric tram. An electric tram later appeared in an illustration by Edgar Hodges in one of the Famous Engines activity books.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Thomas & Friends

Books

Magazine Stories

King James I

"I knew an engine called King James. In the old days at Paddington. King James I he was, but he didn't swank about like that."
― Duck[src]

King James I was a Great Western Railway (GWR) 6000 class 4-6-0 tender engine.

Biography

King James I was a friend of Duck in the days when he worked at Paddington. Duck once compared him to James, but stated he was much humbler.[8]

Technical Details

Real-Life History

King James I was built in 1928, withdrawn in 1962, and was scrapped at Swindon Works in 1964. Like the other engines in his class, he is named after an English King, him being named after King James I of England.

Livery

King James I was painted in the British Railways Deep Bronze green livery. The BR Lion and Crown crest was on the sides of its tender. When it worked on the GWR, King James I was painted in the GWR Mid Chrome green with orange lining livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Trivia

The Loaned Engines

The Loaned Engines were steam engines who were loaned to the North Western Railway from the Furness Railway and the Midland Railway during its early years.

Biography

The North Western Railway faced an engine shortage in its early days. Aside from the Coffee Pots and the four Wellsworth and Suddery Railway Tank Engines, the railway had no engines of its own. As a result, the engines were leased from the Midland and Furness Railways on the Mainland until more could be purchased, and they were heavily relied on during the First World War. By 1923, most of these engines had returned to their original railways and replacements had been secured. Edward was one of these engines.[10]

Technical Details

Basis

These engines were based on real locomotives of the Midland and Furness Railways.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion volumes

See Also

Toby's Brothers

Toby's Brothers were tram engines who worked alongside him at a harbour in East Anglia during his younger years.[11]

Technical Details

Basis

Toby's brothers are based on a GER Class C53 0-6-0T steam tram (reclassified as J70 by the LNER) built at Stratford Works. They were seen by the Rev. W. Awdry and Christopher Awdry on a holiday at Yarmouth, hence Toby's origins.

The J70s started their career on the Great Eastern Railway, and spent most of their careers on the Wisbech and Upwell tramway pulling slow goods trains and - until 1927 - passenger trains, though several were also assigned to the docks at Ipswich and Yarmouth. The first withdrawal came in 1942. Eventually, the sole survivor of this class was withdrawn from service and scrapped at Stratford Locomotive Works by 1955. They were replaced by BR Class 04 diesel engines, Mavis' class.

Livery

Toby's brothers were painted brown with black cowcatchers and side plates. Their company's initials (LNER) were painted on their side plates in yellow. Each had a brass builder's plate on their sides and red buffer beams with silver buffers.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Books

Trivia

  • In 2025, Clive Spong christened one of the trams "Tristram". He had also considered the name "Jug" as a nod to the Toby Jug.[6]

See Also

The Highland Engines

"Some of the engines up in the Highlands were yon colour. Jocks, we used to call them."
― Douglas[src]

The Highland Engines worked on the Highland Railway in Scotland. These engines were painted in a yellow-green livery and were nicknamed Jocks. Douglas once mentioned these engines in passing, suggesting their nickname be used for the Arlesdale Railway's new engine, which wore an undercoat of a similar colour.[12]

Technical Details

Basis

These engines are based on the real locomotives of the Highland Railway.

Livery

These engines were painted in the Highland Railway's yellow-green livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

See Also

Green Arrow's Brothers

"My brothers and I were built to run fast goods trains, but we did it so well that they let us pull expresses too in the end!"
― Green Arrow

Green Arrow's Brothers were LNER Class V2s built between 1936 and 1944. Following the decline of steam, they were all scrapped. They were mentioned in passing when Green Arrow told Thomas that he and his brothers were built to pull fast goods trains, but did it so well they were allowed to pull express trains too in the end.

Technical Details

Basis

These engines were based on the LNER Class V2 2-6-2 steam locomotives. 184 of these were produced. They were all scrapped, with the exception of Green Arrow being the sole surviving member of its class.

Appearances

The Railway Series

See Also

Sixteen's Friends

"If the notice says 'danger,' you shouldn't pass it."
― Sixteen's Friends[src]

Sixteen's Friends were industrial engines who worked alongside Sixteen at his old steelworks. According to Wilbert, they - unlike Sixteen - obeyed the rules and never went beyond the danger notice at the tip. They tried their best to warn Sixteen not to go beyond it, but to no avail.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Trivia

  • It is likely that at least some of them wore the numbers 1 to 15.

Bahamas

"I know what a Jubilee is. It's an engine called Bahamas. I met him at Crewe."
― Henry[src]

Bahamas is a preserved steam engine who Henry met during his overhaul at Crewe.

Technical Details

Real-Life history

5596 was built in 1935 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow. He was named Bahamas in 1936 after the Bahamas, which were then part of the British Empire. After nationalisation in 1948, Bahamas was renumbered by British Railways to 45596 and transferred to Edge Hill, Liverpool.

In 1961, Bahamas was fitted with a double blastpipe and chimney and was returned to traffic and based at Carlisle. he was transferred to Stockport in July 1962, from which he was withdrawn from traffic in July 1966.

Now based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, he is owned by the Bahamas Locomotive Society. Until the end of 2012, Bahamas was on loan to the National Railway Museum in York as a display inside the Great Hall, after taking part in the NRM's Railfest. Having raised funds for his next overhaul, the society planned a special farewell event for Bahamas on 18 May 2013 at Ingrow station prior to dismantling their engine for overhaul. On 28 September 2018, Bahamas' overhaul was completed and the Jubilee moved under his own steam since his last run in 1994. In 2022, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War, Bahamas was temporarily renamed Falkland Islands after another LMS Jubilee class 45606 which was withdrawn 27 June 1964, before being scrapped on 28 February the following year.

Livery

Bahamas is painted in the BR lined green livery with the late crest on its tender. It was originally painted in the original LMS Crimson lake livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Trivia

See Also

The Hunslet Diesels

The Hunslet Diesels were two narrow gauge diesel engines used to build Fred, formerly owned by the National Coal Board.

Biography

These diesel engines were designed and built by the Hunslet Engine Company for work in mines. They worked for the National Coal Board on the Mainland. By the 1980s, the two diesels became worn-out, so the Skarloey Railway purchased them.[14]

They were transferred to the Island of Sodor, and dismantled at Crovan's Gate Works. By using the best parts from both engines, Fred was constructed in 1989.[14]

Technical Details

Basis

These engines are based on narrow gauge diesels designed and built by the Hunslet Engine Company. Individual examples of some of these diesel types have been preserved on heritage railways throughout England, Scotland and Wales, such as the Dean Forest Railway.

Fred's basis, Alf, an engine who works on the Talyllyn Railway, was also rebuilt using parts from another Hunslet diesel engine after they arrived on the railway. The remains of the spare engine have since been stored at Brynglas level crossing/railway station.

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion volumes

Rheneas Quarry Battery-Electric Locomotives

These battery-electric locomotives are small, light engines which handle shunting at Rheneas Quarry.[15] These are powered using electricity generated by the quarry company's own water-driven power plant.[16]

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

Trivia

  • These locomotives are only directly acknowledged in writings preserved at the Awdry Study in Tywyn, Wales.

Other Locomotives

An unnamed 4-4-0 tender engine in

An unnamed 4-4-0 tender engine in The Railway Series: Surprise Packet

Several other locomotives from various railways on the Mainland have been mentioned throughout The Railway Series and other related media.

In addition, according to The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways, the North Western Railway has at least a total of 80 locomotives with which to work its system, including British Railways and industrial locomotives.

When asked in 2008 what types of engines perform shunting duties on the NWR, Christopher Awdry stated they were "steam engines who do not appear personally in the stories".[4]

Appearances

The Railway Series

Companion Volumes

See Also

References

  1. ↑ Cabforward (3 September 2007). "I won't post the entire letter here, but just so you know, here is a part of a reply to an email Christopher Awdry sent me, about the red engine in 3RE". Sodor Island Forums. Accessed 24 September 2025. Archived from the original on 24 September 2025.
  2. ↑ Nictrain123 [@Nictrain123]. Twitter. 16 December 2024. "Just found a old thread on Sodor Island Forums confirming the origins of the 2nd Red Engine from The Sad Story of Henry". Accessed 24 September 2025. Archived from the original on 24 September 2025.
  3. ↑ RWS #3 James the Red Engine - "Troublesome Trucks"
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 shanedooiney. Sodor Island Fansite. 8 April 2008. "About two weeks ago I emailed World of Thomas with some questions for Christopher Awdry dealing with various things in the Railway Series". Accessed 12 May 2025. Archived from the original on 12 May 2025.
  5. ↑ RWS James the Red Engine and the Troublesome Trucks
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "40 Questions with Clive Spong". 01Salty. 12 May 2025. Accessed 12 May 2025. Archived from the original on 12 May 2025.
  7. ↑ RWS "Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor"
  8. ↑ RWS #28: James and the Diesel Engines - "Crossed Lines"
  9. ↑ "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - Fun to Learn Issue 182" (1998)
  10. ↑ RWS The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways
  11. ↑ RWS #32 Toby, Trucks and Trouble - "Toby's Seaside Holiday"
  12. ↑ RWS #34 Jock the New Engine - "Jock"
  13. ↑ Steam Trains of the British Isles
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 RWS: Sodor: Reading Between the Lines
  15. ↑ Railway Series Book Club #54 Trucks! (ft. Luke Ryan) on YouTube (Timestamp 59:55)
  16. ↑ [1]
Locomotives Steam 87546 and 98462 | Workshop Engines | Big City Engine | Jinty and Pug | City of Truro | Stepney | Bluebell and Primrose | Adams | Cromford | Captain Baxter | Flying Scotsman | Toby's Brothers | 8783 | 1020 | Stephenson's Rocket | Green Arrow | Boxhill | Iron Duke | Mallard | Duchess of Hamilton | Wilbert | Sixteen | Albert | King James I | Bahamas
Diesel Diesel | Diesel 4711 | Diesel 199 | Diesel 40125 | Diesel 31120 | 10751
Rolling Stock Helena
People Elizabeth II | The Thin Clergyman | The Fat Clergyman
Stations Barrow-in-Furness | Bournemouth | Brighton | Carlisle | Carnforth | Crewe | Doncaster | Euston | Horsted Keynes | King's Cross | Lakeside | Norchard | Paddington | St. Pancras | York
Railways Bluebell Railway | British Railways | Corris Railway | Dean Forest Railway | Ffestiniog Railway | Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway | Snowdon Mountain Railway | Talyllyn Railway | Toby's Old Tramway
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