Narrow Gauge Coaches

Several types of four-wheeled Narrow Gauge Coaches have been used on the Mid Sodor, Skarloey and Talyllyn Railways.

Blue Narrow Gauge Coaches

These coaches are four-wheeled coaches which were seen on the Skarloey Railway and the Mid Sodor Railway in the television series.

Biography

They are the most commonly used coaches and have endured many accidents and adventures; such as leaving the Refreshment Lady behind, derailing several times, stopping at wrong places, being stuck in tunnels and having a full train of passengers on a stormy day.

The coaches are very fond of Peter Sam, due to the fact he treats them with respect, and they originally took a dislike to Sir Handel because he insulted them by calling them "cattle trucks".

Technical Details

Basis

The blue narrow gauge coaches are based on the Talyllyn Railway's No. 4 coach. Jemima shares the same basis.

Livery

These coaches are painted blue with cream window surrounds. A red version of this type of coach can be seen in the My Thomas Story Library book, Rheneas.

Appearances

They first appeared in the fourth series and last appeared in the tenth series. In the fourth series, the coaches had faces. After this the coaches were faceless, although they appeared with faces in stock footage in the fifth series.

Trivia

• The blue narrow gauge coaches strongly resemble Agnes, Ruth, Lucy and Jemima from the Railway Series and the My Thomas Story Library books.
• Motor Road and Rail and TrackMaster are repainted from Branch Line Coaches. Coincidentally, their colour schemes would be tweaked for some coaches in India.
• The Capsule Plarail coaches are repainted from Annie and Clarabel.
• Three small-scale models of these coaches (one with a face) are owned by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch.

Merchandise

• Bachmann
• Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
• TrackMaster (discontinued)
• Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
• Departing Now (discontinued)
• Nakayoshi (discontinued)
• Waku Waku (discontinued)
• Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
• Mini Die Cast Collection (connected to Rheneas and Peter Sam; discontinued)
• Choro-Q (discontinued)
• Capsule Plarail

Red Narrow Gauge Coaches

These coaches are four-wheeled coaches which were seen on the Skarloey Railway and the Mid Sodor Railway in the television series.

Biography

Since Sir Handel insulted the coaches, they do not trust him, even when he tries his best to be kind towards them. They are considered to be awkward and rude. They bumped Sir Handel off the rails when he had to stop suddenly to avoid running over a flock of sheep. Skarloey scolded the coaches severely and had to pull Sir Handel's train instead.

Peter Sam found a dilapidated red coach and it was later restored into a mobile Refreshment Coach. Later, Rusty took the Sodor Brass Band around on a tour of the Skarloey Railway using one of these coaches. On Mrs. Percival's birthday, Mr. Percival arranged for Sir Handel to take them to Culdee Fell Hill for a picnic, using one of these coaches.

Technical Details

Basis

The red narrow gauge coaches are based on the Talyllyn Railway's No. 1-3 coaches; they share the same basis as Agnes, Ruth and Lucy.

Livery

These coaches are painted red with yellow lining, and the number "1" painted on their doors.

Appearances

They first appeared in the fourth series and last appeared in the eleventh series. In the fourth series, the coaches had faces. After this, the coaches were faceless, although they appeared with faces in stock footage in the seventh series.

Trivia

• The red narrow gauge coaches have "1" on their doors, implying that they are First Class.
• Motor Road and Rail and TrackMaster are repainted from Branch Line Coaches.
• Capsule Plarail is repainted by Annie and Clarabel.
• A small scale version of one of these coaches from Series 4 is owned by ThomasTankMerch.

Merchandise

• Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
• TrackMaster (discontinued)
• Thomas Engine Collection Series (discontinued)
• Departing Now (discontinued)
• Nakayoshi (discontinued)
• Waku Waku (discontinued)
• Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
• Mini Die Cast Collection (connected to Skarloey and Sir Handel; discontinued)
• Choro-Q (discontinued)
• Capsule Plarail

Green Narrow Gauge Coaches

These coaches are four-wheeled coaches with open sides, which were seen on the Skarloey Railway and the Mid Sodor Railway in the television series.

Biography

These open air coaches are mainly used on sunny days for tourist trains and excursions. They were a part of Duke's Picnic Train on the Mid Sodor Railway. Rheneas pulled one of these coaches during a school excursion.

Once, Mighty Mac accidentally derailed one of them and pushed it into a mountain. This caused a rock slide and the passengers had to help lever the coach back onto the rails. Duncan and Peter Sam took the Percival Twins for a train ride on their birthday using one of these coaches.

Technical Details

Basis

The coaches are based on the Llanberis Lake Railway's 4-wheeled coaches.

Livery

They are painted green with cream window surrounds. A blue version of this type of coach can be seen in the My Thomas Story Library book, Mighty Mac.

Appearances

They first appeared in the fourth series and last appeared in the twelfth series. In the fourth series, the coaches had faces. After this, the coaches were faceless.

Trivia

• The coaches resemble Ada, Jane and Mabel from the Railway Series, but with added roofs.
• Whenever these coaches had faces, their ends were entirely cream-coloured. However, if they did not have faces, the green stripe on their sides was continued onto their ends.
• All three coaches' faces (including the blue and red coaches) are made similar to Annie and Clarabel's faces.
• When these coaches returned in series 7 in large-scale form, their bodies seem to increase in size and their roofs became more rounded.
• The Capsule Plarail coaches are repainted from Annie and Clarabel.
• Two small-scale versions of these coaches are owned by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch.
• These were the only Skarloey Railway coaches to be made in Wooden Railway form.

Merchandise

• Wooden Railway (discontinued)
• Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
• TrackMaster (discontinued)
• Waku Waku (discontinued)
• Mini Die Cast Collection (connected to Duncan; discontinued)
• Capsule Plarail

Talyllyn Railway Coaches

These coaches resemble the ones used on the Talyllyn Railway. They have been used since the sixteenth series.

Duncan once took his coaches and the coaches meant for Skarloey's train, to make more room in order to please a grumpy passenger.

Technical Details

Basis

These coaches are based on the Talyllyn Railway's No. 4 coach in the CGI era. Jemima and the blue narrow gauge share the same basis.

In the Railway Series, they are based on Talyllyn Railway coaches No.1 to 4.

Livery

These coaches are painted cherry red with middle brown frames and ends and deep bronze green lining.

Appearances

Trivia

• These coaches are out of scale, being too long and too tall.

Merchandise

• Bachmann
• TrackMaster (sold as Express Coaches; discontinued)

Glyn Valley Tramway Coaches

These coaches are of the same design as the four-wheeled coaches from the Glyn Valley Tramway and are used on the Skarloey Railway. They first appeared in the twenty-second series.

Technical Details

Basis

These coaches are based on the Talyllyn Railway's ex-Glyn Valley coaches numbers 14 and 15.

Livery

The coaches are painted dark green with white window surrounds.

Appearances

Thomas & Friends

• Series 22 - Counting on Nia

Trivia

• The Glyn Valley coaches were actually modelled by Nitrogen Studios and went unused by Arc and Jam Filled Productions until the twenty-second series.^[1]

Other Narrow Gauge Coaches

Five small, brown carriages can be seen in the 2000 magazine story, A Special Story About Peter Sam, where they are pulled by Peter Sam. A brown coach (similar in colour to Annie and Clarabel) and a white coach with yellow lining can be seen in the 2006 magazine story, Splendid Sight.

Basis

The brown narrow gauge coaches appear to be based on the Ffestiniog Railway's "Bug Box" coaches.

References