- “Connecting people all across Sodor.”
- ― Tagline
The North Western Railway (NWR) also known as Sodor Railway(s) (SR) is the main standard gauge rail network on the Island of Sodor.
History[]
Not much is shown or told directly about the North Western Railway's construction in the television series, although in Hero of the Rails, it is said that Hiro was one of the first engines to run the line, and he presumably helped in the construction of some of the line.
By the time of the events of series one, as well as The Adventure Begins, many more engines were brought on to help the railway after Hiro was retired. The smallest engine on the line was Edward, the number #2 engine, who would occasionally shunt and arrange trains in the yards. The biggest engine on the line was Gordon, numbered #4, who was and currently still is the island's main express engine. The second biggest being Henry, the number #3. Henry would primarily take smaller passenger trains but would also take heavy goods trains. At the time, the newest engine was James, who was number #5. All four had arrived after Glynn, a small vertical boiler engine who previously was the number #1, and ran the Ffarquhar branchline. Glynn was retired and left in a siding similarly to Hiro.
Shortly after James arrived, a tank engine named Thomas arrived after Glynn had been retired, and took Glynn's spot as the number #1. Thomas would briefly take the role as the station pilot at Knapford before gaining his own branchline along with two coaches named Annie and Clarabel.
It was implied at the end of The Adventure Begins that the big engines would go on strike after Thomas left for his branchline, as he was no longer the station pilot at Knapford and there was now no engine to arrange the trains. Percy would later be brought on to help and become the station pilot and would become the railway's 6th engine, the events of which were previously shown in the first series episode Trouble in the Shed.
Later on, a steam tram named Toby would be brought to the railway after his old line further north on the island was shut down. He then became the railway's number #7, and would work with Thomas on his branchline.
Liveries[]
The steam engines are painted primarily cerulean with red lining (Thomas, Edward, Gordon), secondarily green with red lining (Henry, Percy, Duck, Oliver) tertiarily red with yellow and blue or black lining (James) and quaternary black with red and white lining (Donald and Douglas, but they were painted primarily cerulean with red lining in the Story Library Books). The numbers are painted in yellow with red borders on the side of the cabs, tanks or tenders. From the fifth series onwards, there is no set colour scheme for the engines.
The coaching stock are primarily painted in dark green and cream with yellow lining, secondarily red and cream with yellow lining, tertiarily dark red, and quaternary orange (Annie and Clarabel).
Secondary carriages are principally painted either orange (Annie and Clarabel), red or dark green with cream window surrounds (Emily's coaches and the old coaches) and white wheel rims.
The open wagons are painted in grey or a washed out red, both with dark grey frames, but have previously been a more vibrant red with black frames, as well as teal with light grey frames, or blue, green or black, all with black frames.
The brake vans are mostly painted grey, brown or black, usually with black frames and white fittings.
NWR railway lines[]
- The Main Line
- Norramby Branch Line
- Kirk Ronan Branch Line
- Peel Godred Branch Line
- Brendam Branch Line
- Ffarquhar Branch Line
- The Little Western
- The Loop Line
- The Headland Line
- Toby's Branch Line
- Stepney's Branch Line
- Coaling Plant Branch Line
- Ulfstead Branch Line
- Quarry Branch Line
- The Main Line Loop
- Misty Valley Branch Line
- Killdane Branch Line
- Harwick Branch Line
Interchanges with other railways[]
- The Main Line - the Skarloey Railway at Crovan's Gate
- Norramby Branch Line - the Skarloey Railway at the Wharf and the Transfer Yards
- Stepney's Branch Line - the Skarloey Railway at Bluebell Valley
- Peel Godred Branch Line - the Culdee Fell Railway at Kirk Machan
- Quarry Branch Line - the Skarloey Railway at Blue Mountain Quarry
- Ulfstead Branch Line - Skarloey Railway at Boulder Quarry
- Ulfstead Branch Line - Skarloey Railway and Estate Railway at Ulfstead Castle
- The Little Western - the Arlesdale Railway at Arlesburgh West
Movements of rolling stock (particularly engines) to and from the narrow-gauge railways is achieved by transporting them on flatbeds on the standard-gauge system, for example, when Rheneas is sent away for repairs.
Trivia[]
- In the Thomas & Friends television series, Diesel, Mavis, Bill, Ben and Stepney are owned by the North Western Railway despite being owned by British Railways and private railways respectively in The Railway Series. The Skarloey Railway was under the same management as the NWR from its introduction in the fourth series until the introduction of Mr. Percival in the ninth series.
- The Adventure Begins marked the first time the name North Western Railway was stated in the Thomas & Friends television series.
- Some merchandising and promotional material had previously referred to it as Sodor Railways.
- In Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Harvey to the Rescue, Respect for Gordon and Percy and the Calliope (albeit with the letters on the calliope), it was known as the Sodor Railway.
- Question Time with Sir Topham Hatt has the Fat Controller say that the railway was originally called the North Western Railway before all the railways on Sodor joined together to become Sodor Railways.
- The railway is shown to have at-least a total of 58 locomotives. Other assets include Flynn, Elizabeth, Kevin, Cranky, Big Mickey, Carly, Winston, Bertie, and Bulgy, plus a surplus of rolling-stock.
- Rosie and Rebecca are the only engines to have the railway's initials displayed on them.
- By the end of the series, the NWR owns 59 locomotives, 61 including non-locomotive vehicles and over such including formerly owned locomotives.