There have been several real locomotives that have appeared in other forms, both in The Railway Series and Thomas & Friends media.
Bahamas[]
Bahamas is a preserved British steam locomotive.
Biography[]
The Railway Series[]
Henry mentioned that he met Bahamas at Crewe during his overhaul in Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines.
Technical Details[]
Real-life history[]
5596 was built in 1935 by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow. It 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, it was fitted with a double blastpipe and chimney and was returned to traffic and based at Carlisle. It was transferred to Stockport in July 1962, from which it was withdrawn from traffic in July 1966.
Now based at the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway, it 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 its 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 its own steam since its 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of the Falklands War, Bahamas was temporarily renamed Falkland Islands after another LMS Jubilee class 45606 which was withdrawn 27 June 1964, before being scrapped on 28 February the following year.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
- Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines - Birdstrike (mentioned)
Companion Volumes[]
- 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection (mentioned)
Bluebell Railway[]
Fenchurch[]
Fenchurch is an LB&SCR A1 class "Terrier" tank engine who lives on the Bluebell Railway. She was mentioned in the 1980 Thomas the Tank Engine Annual.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
Fenchurch is painted in the London Brighton & South Coast Railway's Marsh Umber livery with white and black lining and a white roof. Her name is painted on her side tanks and "No. 672" is painted on her front bufferbeam, both in yellow.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Fenchurch is the oldest engine in the Bluebell Railway's heritage collection, being built in 1872.
Birch Grove[]
Birch Grove is an LB&SCR E4 class tank engine preserved on the Bluebell Railway. It was seen in the 1980 Annual and later appeared in Hashire! The "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" Steam Locomotive is Alive! under its British Railways number, 32473. In the documentary, Gaku Hamada learns on Birch Grove how to clean, fire and drive a steam engine and cooks eggs in its firebox on the shovel.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
Birch Grove was painted in the LB&SCR Marsh Umber livery with white and black lining and with her name painted on her side tanks in yellow. For a limited time, in February 2005, she was painted in BR lined black. After re-entering service in January 2010, she carried the 1920s Southern Railway olive green livery.
Appearances[]
Annuals[]
- 1980 - Annual (cameo)
Documentaries[]
- 2005 - Hashire! The "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" Steam Locomotive is Alive! (does not speak)
- 2015 - Original 70th Anniversary History Time Travel
Trivia[]
- Birch Grove's Days Out with Thomas face is now privately owned.
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre[]
Peckett No. 1900[]
Peckett No. 1900, nicknamed The Flying Bufferbeam is a tank locomotive that Gachapin and Mukku saw while visiting the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Thomas and the U.K. Trip.
Built in 1936 by Peckett & Sons of Bristol, England, it is the smallest standard gauge steam locomotive built in Britain, at a height of five feet, four inches.
Appearances[]
Coventry[]
Coventry is a tank engine owned by the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre which appeared in Thomas and the U.K. Trip painted to resemble Thomas.
Appearances[]
Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway[]
Cumbria[]
Cumbria is a saddle tank engine. It appeared in the Down at the Station segments. It is seen pulling passengers. Cumbria is owned by the Furness Railway Trust and is the trust's first steam locomotive.
Wilbert and Sixteen are other members of its class.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
Cumbria is painted in the Furness Railway Indian Red livery with black lining.
Trivia[]
- While the engine is mostly referred to as an "it" in the Down at the Station segments, in the segment "The End of the Line", it is referred to as male.
5643[]
5643 is a tank engine which appeared on the Down at the Station segments. It was seen pulling passengers and being shunted by 44422. It is owned by the Furness Railway Trust and based at the Ribble Steam Railway but is currently out on loan.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
5643 is painted in British Railways' Deep Bronze green livery with a brass safety valve bonnet.
42073[]
42073 is a tank engine. It appeared on the Down at the Station segments.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
As newly-built, but with a boiler manufactured in 1946, 42073 spent its first three months working from Stewarts Lane Depot, in Battersea, in London’s east end, before moving on to Ashford in Kent in February, 1951.
It was sent to Dover later the same year, then back to Ashford again in 1952. In November 1954, it was transferred to the North Eastern Region and allocated to Gateshead. Probably its most famous moment occurred on the 19th April 1955 at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, when, below the Norman Keep of the castle, it did battle with the LNER Gresley V2 2-6-2 number 60968 on the diamond crossing.
They converged onto the same stretch of line and in the resulting collision the V2 fell onto its side. In 1957 it worked from Bradford and Sowerby Bridge; in 1958 from York and Neville Hill; in 1959 from Low Moor and Wakefield. At Copley Hill it was to have its longest stay from 1960 to 1964.
In 1965 it was back at Low Moor again and finally in Normanton in June 1967, where it joined 42085 for the first time.
Livery[]
42073 is painted in British Railways black with white lining.
Llangollen Railway[]
3802[]
3802 is a GWR 2884 class tender engine which appeared in the Down at the Station segments. It is owned by the Llangollen Railway.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
3802 is painted in the British Railways black livery.
6430[]
6430 is a GWR 6400 class pannier tank engine which appeared in the Down at the Station segments.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
6430 is painted in the Great Western Railway's Deep Bronze green livery.
The Lancashire Fusilier[]
The Lancashire Fusilier is a tender engine. It appeared in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments. Henry is another member of its class.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
The Lancashire Fusilier is painted in the British Railways' lined black livery, with red and black lining.
Trivia[]
- The nameplate the engine carries is named after a regiment that was in the British Army.
- This engine was once painted in the Furness Railway Indian Red Livery.
North Yorkshire Moors Railway[]
825[]
825 is an LSWR S15 class tender engine. 30506 is also a member of this class. It appeared in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments.
30506[]
30506 is an LSWR S15 class tender engine that appeared in Hello Thomas and James, on the Mid Hants Railway. 825 is also a member of this class. The engine was withdrawn from service in January of 1964 and was bought by The Urie Locomotive Society. 30506 underwent a major overhaul in 1998 and is currently undergoing another one.
Sir Nigel Gresley[]
Sir Nigel Gresley is a streamlined tender engine, named after the man who designed its class.
Biography[]
It is the 100th Gresley pacific built. In May 1959, Sir Nigel Gresley broke the record for fastest postwar steam locomotive at 112mph. Sir Nigel Gresley first appeared in Hello Thomas and James, when P-Chan was visiting the Watercress Line. It later appeared in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments.
At the time of when the locomotive's respective Mr. Perkin's Railway segment was filmed, the locomotive was preserved at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway in daily operation. It is owned by the Sir Nigel Gresley Locomotive Preservation Trust Ltd. and operated by the A4 Locomotive Society Ltd. on behalf of the Trust.
60007's boiler ticket has now expired and the locomotive was withdrawn from service for overhaul in September 2015. The overhaul is being carried out in public view at the National Railway Museum in York. In 2021, The National Railway Museum said that they wanted 60007 removed from their workshop to make way for other restoration projects. 60007's overhaul was completed in Crewe, and returned to service in 2022 wearing a temporary Wartime Black livery and LNER number 4498, before returning to its previous BR blue and 60007 number.
Spencer and Mallard are other members of its class.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
Sir Nigel Gresley is painted in British Railways' express passenger blue livery with black and white lining.
Appearances[]
The Green Knight[]
The Green Knight is a tender engine. It appeared in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments and works at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
After a crack in the firebox was discovered in 2015, The Green Knight was taken out of service and the engine's restoration began in summer of 2017.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
The Green Knight is painted in British Railways' Deep Bronze green livery with red buffer beams.
63395[]
63395 is a tender engine. It appeared in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments.
This engine's boiler ticket expired at the end of 2016 and is currently having a ten year overhaul before it could return to the line.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
63395 is painted in British Railways' black livery.
Trivia[]
- This engine was the very last in BR days to be given a heavy/general overhaul at Darlington Works, hence it was selected for preservation.
Cock O' The North[]
Cock O' The North is a tender engine which appeared in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments. Murdoch is another member of this class.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
Cock O' The North is painted in BR black livery.
Nunney Castle[]
Nunney Castle is a preserved steam locomotive from the Great Western Railway. It appeared in the second half of Thomas and the U.K. Trip when Gachapin and Mukku were visiting a few heritage railways.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Built by the Great Western's Swindon Works as one of its Castle class locomotives, Nunney Castle was used to haul passenger trains out of Old Oak Common, London. It also worked on segments of the Great Western out of Newton Abbott, Laira and Cardiff.
The engine was withdrawn from service in December 1963. In 1964 it was sold to Woodham Brothers Scrapyard, where it remained until 1976, when it was rescued and brought to the Didcot Railway Centre to undergo restoration.
It returned to steam in 1990 and began operating on the main line. After another overhaul which saw the addition of air brake equipment and changes to its tender to increase water capacity, it returned to steam again in 2008. After its boiler ticket expired in 2017, it went to Crewe to undergo repairs to its boiler, with a completion date unknown.
Swanage[]
Swanage is a Southern Railway West Country class steam locomotive that appears in Thomas and the U.K. Trip. Rebecca is another member of its class.
Biography[]
The locomotive spent its career based primarily at Bournemouth and pulling express trains from London's Waterloo Station to Bournemouth and the Somerset and Dorset line to Bath. Taken out of service in 1964, it was sold to Woodham Brothers Scrapyard at Barry, Wales, where it remained until 1978 when it was bought by Richard Hedder and moved to the Mid Hants Railway. Returning to steam in 1987, it was taken out of service in 1997 to undergo an overhaul. It is currently at the Watercress Line for overhaul.
Trivia[]
- Swanage is one of ten preserved un-rebuilt Southern Railway West Country and Battle of Britain class locomotives. Two other members of this class, Blackmoor Vale and Winston Churchill, are preserved at the Bluebell Railway and the National Railway Museum, respectively.
William H. Austen[]
William H. Austen is a Hunslet Austerity that appears in Thomas & the U.K. Trip when Gachapin and Mukku were visiting several heritage railways. Wilbert and Sixteen are other members of its class.
76017[]
76017 is a steam locomotive that appears in the end credits of the first half of Thomas and the U.K. Trip.
Biography[]
Built at Horwich Works, it was allocated to British Railways' Southern Region, where it was primarily used on goods trains between Eastleigh and Southampton and Bournemouth. Taken out of service in 1965, it was sold to the Woodham Brothers Scrapyard in Barry, Wales and remained there until 1974, when it was sent to Quainton and underwent some restoration. In 1978, it was moved to the Mid Hants Railway, where its restoration was completed. Returning to steam in 1984, in 1995 it remained out of service due to a dispute between the owners of the locomotive and the Mid Hants Railway. In 2009, an agreement was concluded and 76017 underwent an overhaul, returning to steam in 2016.
Trivia[]
- 76017 is one of four preserved BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 locomotives.
Beatrice[]
Beatrice is a preserved 16 inch saddle tank engine on the Embsay & Bolton Abbey Steam Railway that appears in the Storytime with Mr. Evans segments.
828[]
No. 828 is a preserved CR 812 tender engine that works on the Strathspey Railway in Scotland that makes an appearance in the Character Encyclopedia. It is the sole survivor of the CR 812 locomotive class.
Donald and Douglas share its basis.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
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Books
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Aerolite[]
Aerolite was built in 1869 to replace a destroyed Kitson locomotive of the same name and to haul the Mechanical Engineer's saloon coach, which is also preserved on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. It was rebuilt extensively several times during its career. It was classified X1 by the LNER in 1923 and was retired in 1933, being preserved at York the following year. It can be found today at the National Railway Museum in York.
Aerolite is the real life counterpart and basis of Whiff.
Appearances[]
Annuals
Books
Miscellaneous
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44422[]
44422 is an LMS class 4F locomotive that appeared in Thomas and the U.K. Trip. 44422 was built in October of 1927 for the LMS and was later withdrawn in June 1965. The locomotive is currently on long term lease to the West Somerset Railway, as of December 2014, following an overhaul at the Crewe Heritage Centre.
Trivia[]
- 44422 is one of three preserved LMS-built class 4F locomotives, with an additional Midland Railway built example also preserved.
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania[]
Tahoe[]
Tahoe is a steam engine that once belonged to the Virginia and Truckee Railroad. It now resides at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. It appeared in A Wonderful American Journey with Thomas and Connie.
John Bull replica[]
John Bull is a historic British-built railroad steam locomotive that operated in the United States. It was operated for the first time on September 15, 1831, and became the oldest operable steam locomotive in the world when the Smithsonian Institution ran it under its own steam in 1981.
John Steven’s Geared Locomotive Replica[]
John Steven’s Geared Locomotive Replica appears in A Wonderful American Journey With Thomas and Connie. The original John Stevens was built to demonstrate very high pressure steam locomotives. It was the very first locomotive to run in the United States of America. John Steven ran on a loop in his estate in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Strasburg Rail Road[]
Strasburg Rail Road No. 90[]
Strasburg Rail Road No. 90 is a steam locomotive owned by the Strasburg Railroad in Strasburg, Pennsylvania that appears in one of the interview segments of 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, as well as Storytime with Thomas.
In addition it also appears in a Shining Time Station episode "Bad Luck Day at Shining Time Station".
Silver Link[]
Silver Link was the first London and North Eastern Railway A4 Class locomotive, built in 1935 to pull a new train called the Silver Jubilee.
Spencer, Mallard and Sir Nigel Gresley are other members of its class.
Technical Details[]
Reali-life History[]
Livery[]
Appearance[]
Union of South Africa[]
Union of South Africa is a streamlined tender engine.
Spencer, Mallard and Sir Nigel Gresley are other members of its class.
Technical Details[]
Reali-life History[]
Union of South Africa was built at the LNER's Doncaster Works in 1937 and entered service in June of that year carrying the number 4488. Under Thompson's 1946 renumbering scheme, the engine was renumbered 9 after the Second World War. After nationalisation, British Railways renumbered the engine 60009. Union of South Africa was withdrawn from service in June 1966. The engine was later purchased by John Cameron the following month and 60009 was preserved on the now-defunct Lochty Private Railway in Fife, Scotland, travelling the 1.5 miles of track near Anstruther. In 1973 the loco left the Lochty Private Railway by road and was taken to Ladybank to be placed back on the National Network. From there it was taken to Kirkcaldy and was based in the former goods shed, from where it worked occasional tours from the Fife town. After a few years at Kirkcaldy it moved to Markinch and took up residency in the former goods shed, where it stayed until May 1994 – with the exception of a couple of years in a shed in the yard at nearby Thornton.
Union of South Africa is currently preserved.
Livery[]
Union of South Africa is painted in British Railways Deep Bronze green livery.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- It was involved in an incident with a carriage on December 22, 2019.
Locomotion No. 1[]
Locomotion No. 1 (originally named Active) is an early steam locomotive built by Robert Stephenson and Company in 1825 for the Stockton and Darlington Railway.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Locomotion No. 1 was ordered by the Stockton and Darlington Railway Company in September 1824; its design benefitted from George Stephenson's experience building his series of Killingworth locomotives.
In September 1825, Locomotion No. 1 hauled the first train on the Stockton and Darlington Railway, and became the first locomotive to run on a public railway. On 1 July 1828, it was heavily damaged when its boiler exploded at Aycliffe Lane station, resulting in the death of its driver. It was rebuilt but, as a consequence of the rapid advances in locomotive design, Locomotion No. 1 became obsolete within a decade. It was used on the railway until 1850, after which it was converted into a stationary engine. The locomotive was later preserved in 1857 and put on display.
The locomotive is currently on static display at the Locomotion museum in Shildon. A working replica of Locomotion has also been built in 1975 and following years of operation at Beamish Museum is now on display at the Head of Steam museum.
Livery[]
Locomotion No.1 is currently painted dark brown with black wheels and funnel.
Appearances[]
Gallery[]
Furness Railway No. 115[]
Furness Railway No. 115 is an former Furness Railway locomotive who was built in 1881 as part of the FR D1 class. She appears in the 1980 annual
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
No.115 was built at Sharp, Stewart & Company in 1881 for the Furness Railway. One day, she was busy shunting when the driver, Thomas Postlethwaite, saw cracks opening up in the ground right below. Knocking off steam, he jumped for his life, no sooner clear than the earth opened up to expose a sheer-sided hole 30 feet (9.1 m) across and similar in depth. The driver and his fireman stared in disbelief as their locomotive fell into it front first, the funnel and front part embedded, with only the tender remaining visible above the surface. The rails on which the engine had been standing were snapped off and went down with it, while the supporting baulks under the main lines were laid bare. The adjacent up passenger line was left hanging lopsidedly, its ballast having cascaded into the abyss.
After the rescue operations, only the tender of No. 115 was recovered while the locomotive kept falling further still until the earth closed over it and eclipsed it from sight. As of today, the current depth of subsidence of the locomotive is currently unknown and is subject to speculation.
Livery[]
No. 115 was painted in the Furness Railway's indian-red livery.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
Companion Volumes[]
- 1980 - Annual: The Engine Which Disappeared (does not speak)
- 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Her incident served as the basis for Down the Mine.
Old Coppernob[]
Old Coppernob is a preserved steam locomotive from the Furness Railway.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
It was built in 1846 by Bury, Curtis, and Kennedy of Liverpool as a four-coupled version of Bury's famous bar frame design.
Old Coppernob was withdrawn from service in 1900 and is currently on static display at the National Railway Museum in York.
Livery[]
Old Coppernob is currently painted in the Furness Railway's Indian red livery with black lining.
Appearances[]
Jupiter[]
Jupiter
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Livery[]
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
There is another engine named Jupiter, an american 4-4-0 steam locomotive that is #60 (For the former Central pacific railroad) & is currently based at the Golden spike NHS in Promontory, Utah, USA.
Britannia[]
Britannia is a steam locomotive owned by the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust. It appears in the 1998 annual.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Britannia was built at Crewe, completed on 2 January 1951. It was the first British Railways standard locomotive to be built and the first of 55 locomotives of the Britannia class.
Britannia was withdrawn in May 1966, after 15 years of service and it is currently owned by the Royal Scot Locomotive and General Trust.
Livery[]
Britannia is currently painted with the British Railways' dark green livery with orange and black lining. Its number is painted on the sides of his cab in tan. In addition, it has red and gold nameplates on the side of its smoke deflectors.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- 55 of these engines were built from 1951 and 1954, Britannia, along with his classmate Oliver Cromwell is one the two engines in preservation.
Stourbridge Lion[]
Stourbridge Lion was an old steam locomotive. It was the first foreign built locomotive to be operated in the United States, and one of the first locomotives to operate outside Britain. It takes its name from the lion's face painted on the front, and Stourbridge in England, where it was manufactured by the firm Foster, Rastrick and Company in 1829. The locomotive, obtained by the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company, was shipped to New York in May 1829, where it was tested raised on blocks. It was then taken to Honesdale, Pennsylvania for testing on the company's newly built track. The locomotive performed well in its first test in August 1829 but was found to be too heavy for the track and was never used for its intended purpose of hauling coal wagons. During the next few decades a number of parts were removed from the abandoned locomotive until only the boiler and a few other components remained. These were acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1890 and are currently on display at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
Appearances[]
Union Pacific Big Boy[]
Union Pacific Big Boy are a series of of 4-8-8-4 simple articulated type of steam locomotive built specially for the Union Pacific Railroad between 1941-1944.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
The Union Pacific Big Boy were designed to haul heavy freight trains over Sherman Hill and Wasatch mountains. They’re the elongated version of the early challengers by Arthur H Fetter.
Livery[]
The Big Boy is painted in graphite black with grey smokebox
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- 8 Union Pacific Bigboys are preserved with one No. 4014 is operational condition although No. 4018 was considered to be restored for the 1998 movie Big Boy but was never done.
- Big Boys were rarely occasionally assigned to passenger service.
- A model of the Big Boy was seen in the Eyewitness Train book with a Thomas & Friends puzzle.
- No. 4014 assisted a stalled Union Pacific freight train by coupling behind the rear end of the train on June 29 2023.
Locomotives | Stepney* | Bluebell and Primrose | Cromford | Adams | Captain Baxter | Fenchurch | Birch Grove |
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Rolling Stock | Metropolitan Railway Coaches |
People | Bluebell Railway Controller |