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Railways of Sodor is a 1976 lecture written by the Rev W. Awdry, which details the history of the various railway companies on the Island of Sodor.

Overview[]

The Railways of Sodor lecture takes a similar approach to The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways, in that it covers the lore of the Railway Series in greater depth than could be achieved within the main series. It covers the histories of the various railways of Sodor in the Railway Series, including the North Western Railway and its constituent companies (the Sodor and Mainland Railway, the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway and the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway), the Skarloey Railway and the Mid Sodor Railway. The lecture contains a number of additional details not included in any of the books.

Revelations[]

  • All three Sodor and Mainland Railway locomotives were "off the peg" Neilson engines.
  • Neil and one of the other Sodor and Mainland Railway engines were sold to raise funds for the Sodor and Mainland Railway prior to it's closure.
  • A Haulage Wagon was built following the sale of the two Sodor and Mainland engines as a back-up in case of emergencies; as Rheneas' wheelbase was too long, it was opted that Skarloey would use it.
  • Extra details on the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway Tank Engines and the Coffee Pots not featured in any books, including the basis for the W&SR engines, descriptions of the Coffee Pots' appearances, and histories for both railways' locomotives up to 1919.
  • The names of the three Mid Sodor Railway engines sold in 1936 are revealed: Albert, Jim and Tim.
  • Gordon is revealed to have been built in 1920/21.
  • The Thin Clergyman was briefly the publicity manager for the North Western Railway.
  • During 1930, a fire occurred at Crovan's Gate Works, which destroyed the dossiers for Thomas, Edward and Henry.

Trivia[]

  • The Talyllyn Railway is currently in ownership of Awdry's original lecture notes, which are preserved in the Awdry Study at Tywyn Wharf's Narrow Gauge Railway Museum.
  • On 14th August 2021, a re-reading of some parts of the lecture - in particular those focusing on the Skarloey Railway - was performed by Tim Dunn as part of the Talyllyn Railway's Awdry Extravaganza weekend.
    • This re-reading also included notes pertaining to Bloomer being saved by Sir Charles Topham Hatt II after being found abandoned in an old shed and attending the Shildon cavalcade in 1975, which were not a part of the original lecture.

External links[]


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