This is a list of Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway locomotives that have appeared in both The Railway Series and Thomas & Friends media. For a comprehensive list on all locomotives - click here.
Sans Pareil[]
| This article is about 'the minimum gauge engine'. You may be looking for 'the standard gauge'. |
Sans Pareil (formerly named Prins Olaf) was a steam engine which worked on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
The first 15 in (381 mm) gauge locomotive operated on the line, built by Bassett-Lowke of Northampton in 1912 as Prins Olaf for a railway in Cristiania (now Oslo), Norway. It arrived for the line's opening in 1915 to Muncaster Mill. It was a Bassett-Lowke Class 30 4-4-2 locomotive. It was withdrawn from traffic in the mid-1920s and parts of it were incorporated into the original articulated River Mite of 1927. Its leading pony truck was reused under Perkins (formerly known as the Passenger Tractor) of 1929 for many years. An identical locomotive, Synolda, now resides in Ravenglass railway museum.
Livery[]
Sans Pareil was painted in the dark blue livery of Narrow Gauge Railways.
Appearances[]
The Railway SeriesCompanion Volumes
|
Trivia[]
- Sans Pareil's sister locomotive, Synolda was used to portray "La'al Edward" at Day Out with Thomas events.
Colossus[]
Colossus (formerly named John Anthony) was a steam engine which worked on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
A Bassett-Lowke Class 60 4-6-2 built in 1913 for Captain JE Howey, later of Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway fame, and originally named John Anthony. It arrived at the same time as Katie in 1916 and was nearly destroyed in a collision with Muriel (later known as River Irt) in 1925. However, it ran after overhaul until 1927, when it was dismantled and utilised as part of the original articulated River Mite locomotive.
Livery[]
Colossus was painted in the Furness Railway's Indian red livery.
Appearances[]
The Railway SeriesCompanion Volumes
|
River Irt[]
River Irt is a steam engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Bert is based on this engine.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
River Irt was originally an 0-8-0T named Muriel, constructed by Sir Arthur Heywood for his Duffield Bank Railway in 1894. She arrived at Ravenglass via the Gretna munitions factory in 1917 with another Heywood engine, Ella, and was principally used on stone trains.
Muriel received a major overhaul and was rebuilt at Murthwaite in 1927, becoming a 0-8-2 tender locomotive named River Irt. She has remained in traffic on passenger duties ever since and is now the oldest working 15" gauge locomotive in the world.
In 1972, she was rebuilt to a narrow gauge outline, and was then reboilered in 1977, giving the locomotive her current appearance. She has visited the National Railway Museum in York and was part of the Ratty fleet at the Liverpool and Gateshead Garden Festival Railways in 1984 and 1990. River Irt carries an iron plaque showing her as she was originally - an 0-8-0 tank engine without a cab.
Livery[]
River Irt's livery is mid-green with yellow and black lining.
Appearances[]
The Railway SeriesCompanion Volumes
Lectures
|
MiscellaneousRiver Irt is mentioned on Bert's Engine Depot page on The Official Website[1]. |
Official Description[]
From Official Media:[2]
| “ | River Irt: River Irt, or Bert as we might think of him, was in fact rebuilt from Muriel, a famous eight-coupled veteran built by Sir Arthur Heywood in 1884. Muriel was rebuilt in the workshops at Ravensglass in 1927, to emerge as River Irt, the powerful 0-8-2, and is still in service today. | ” |
Trivia[]
River Irt in the annuals illustrated by Edgar Hodges.
- River Irt was named after one of the rivers that meets the sea at Ravenglass.
- River Irt has been used to portray Bert at Day Out with Thomas events.
River Esk[]
River Esk is a steam engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Rex is based on this engine.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
River Esk was built in 1923 as a 2-8-2 by Davey Paxman of Colchester and designed by Henry Greenly. She was first employed on stone trains, however soon found more use on passenger traffic.
During a rebuild in 1928 by the Yorkshire Engine Co., the engine received a Poultney steam tender, making the loco a 2-8-2+0-8-0. This proved unsuccessful and was soon removed, with the frames being utilised nearly forty years later as part of the second River Mite, after languishing at Murthwaite.
River Esk was out of service between 1940 and 1952 due to needing a new firebox. River Esk survived into the preservation era and a new livery of LNWR black in 1967 along with a new tender in 1970.
In the 1980s, the Esk was fitted with a gas-producer boiler and received an award from British Coal, however this has been replaced in recent years. The locomotive has visited the Romney, Hythe, and Dymchurch Railway several times and was a predecessor to that railway's Greenly Pacific locomotives.
Since July 2012, River Esk had been under a major overhaul inside the workshops at Ravenglass. Unfortunately, due to a shed fire, the work had slowed immensely and she was unserviceable. As of June 2018, River Esk returned to service after being rebuilt and modified by Nigel Day.
Livery[]
Since 1967, River Esk has been painted in the Blackberry Black livery of the LNWR with red, off-white and black lining. Before then she was painted mid-green with yellow and black lining.
Appearances[]
The Railway SeriesCompanion Volumes
Lectures
|
MiscellaneousRiver Esk is mentioned on Rex's Engine Depot page on The Official Website[3]. |
Official Description[]
From Official Media:[2]
| “ | River Esk: River Esk, on whom Rex is based, is a magnificent 2-8-2, designed by Henry Greenly and built by Davey Paxman. It is a powerful engine, and was well able to handle the heavy stone trains. | ” |
Trivia[]
- River Esk was named after a local river.
- River Esk has been used to portray Rex at Day Out with Thomas events.
River Mite[]
River Mite is a steam engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Mike is based on this engine.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Using the former Poultney tender chassis fitted to River Esk between 1928 and 1931, the new Preservation Society designed a 2-8-2 locomotive, which was built by Clarksons of York in 1966 and commissioned in May the following year. River Mite was delivered to Ravenglass by traction engine. After overhauls in 1978 and 2006/7, she celebrated her fortieth year at Ravenglass in 2007. River Mite participated at the Talyllyn Railway's Awdry Extravaganza event in 2025 under the guise of Mike.
Livery[]
River Mite is currently painted in the "Indian" red livery of the Furness Railway, with black lining and yellow lettering.
Appearances[]
The Railway SeriesCompanion Volumes
Lectures
|
MiscellaneousRiver Mite is mentioned on Mike's Engine Depot page on The Official Website[4]. |
Official Description[]
From Official Media:[2]
| “ | River Mite: River Mite, also known as Mike, is the youngest of the three 'brothers'. Built in 1966 by Clarkson of York, it is a 2-8-2 incorporating the eight-coupled frame of a steam powered tender once attached to River Esk. | ” |
Trivia[]
River Mite in the annuals illustrated by Edgar Hodges.
- River Mite was named after a river that runs parallel to the railway between Eskdale Green and Ravenglass.
- River Mite also shares the same name as the predecessor No. 8, River Mite, an articulated locomotive built in 1927. She was withdrawn from service and scrapped in the late 1930s.
- River Mite has been used to portray Mike at Day Out with Thomas events, and the fifth Awdry Extravaganza.
Northern Rock[]
Northern Rock is a minimum gauge steam tender engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Jock is based on this engine, with added round buffers and a six wheel tender instead of eight.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
After undertaking trials with the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway no. 2, Northern Chief in 1972, the railway company decided to construct a new 2-6-2 locomotive, originally to be named "Sir Arthur Heywood". The railway received funding from the Northern Rock building society and so the locomotive was named after her chief sponsor.
Northern Rock entered traffic in 1976 and has visited many railways, as far away as Dresden, Germany, to publicise the railway. The design created a considerable amount of interest; two similar locomotives have been built at Ravenglass for the Shuzenji Romney Railway in Japan, Northern Rock II and Cumbria, in 1989 and 1992, respectively.
Livery[]
Northern Rock is painted Highland Railway muscat green with red and dark green lining.
Appearances[]
The Railway SeriesCompanion Volumes
|
Trivia[]
- Northern Rock has been used to portray Jock at Day Out with Thomas events.
Perkins[]
| This article is about 'the diesel engine'. You may be looking for 'the engine driver'. |
Perkins is a diesel engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Frank is based on this engine, with added round buffers.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
NG 39 was the second Muir-Hill Fordson tractor to be bought by the railway for quarry traffic. He arrived in 1929, two years after the original tractor, and was rebuilt as a steam-outline diesel 0-4-4 in 1931 for use on passenger trains. In this guise it was named the "Passenger Tractor" and nicknamed "Pretender". He worked through the war and the first passenger services after the end of the conflict.
In 1975, the petrol engine was replaced with a Perkins P6 diesel, giving the loco a modern radiator grill at the front. In 1984, the engine was rebuilt again, however this time he lost his fake steam outline and became similar to an industrial diesel shunter. He was named "Perkins" in 1985 and was re-engined again in 1990. His main use is on permanent way trains.
Livery[]
Perkins is currently painted yellow and black. Until 1984, he was painted mid-green with yellow lining. Perkins was briefly painted in Frank's grey livery for Day Out with Thomas events.[5]
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
Companion Volumes[]
- 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines (mentioned)
Lectures[]
- 1972 - Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor (indirectly mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Perkins, like his fictional counterpart, Frank, is named after Frank Perkins, the engineer who created the Perkins diesel engine.
- Perkins has been used to portray Frank at Day Out with Thomas events.
- In the Mr. Perkins' Railway segment, Miniature Railway, Mr. Perkins comments on how interesting he finds it that their names are the same.
Royal Anchor[]
Royal Anchor was a diesel engine which previously worked on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
This engine was the original basis for Sigrid of Arlesdale.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
An experimental B-B Diesel hydraulic locomotive acquired by the railway in 1961 from the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, who had trialled it and found it not powerful enough.
It was built in 1956 by Charles Lane of the Royal Anchor hotel in Hampshire. It used a Ford 4D engine and a hydraulic drive, reputedly using parts from naval gun turrets, and could haul three full open bogie coaches but struggled with four. Without brakes other than putting the transmission into reverse, its ability to stop was limited until it could operate with the first R&ER air braked coaches around 1973.
Royal Anchor was out of use in 1968 after failing to stop for cows on the crossing at Muncaster Mill. Nevertheless, it otherwise gave good service on the overnight and first morning round trip trains.
In the high summer season of 1975 it double headed Shelagh of Eskdale when the latter was incapable of hauling a heavy train. It was superseded by the completion of the Silver Jubilee railcar in 1977.
In 1978 it was sold to Steamtown, Carnforth. After this railway closed to the public, it was sold to American film director Francis Ford Coppola in 2000 for use on a railway in one of his Californian vineyards. The engine first went to the Golden Gate Railroad Museum for repairs. The locomotive is currently in storage on the Coppola estate.
Livery[]
Royal Anchor was originally painted two-tone grey with red lining, but was later repainted blue with a silver roof and lining.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Before Sigrid of Arlesdale's creation was finalized, an unnamed blue diesel based on Royal Anchor was mentioned in the Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor lecture as one of the Arlesdale Railway's two internal combustion locomotives.
Shelagh of Eskdale[]
Shelagh of Eskdale, or simply known as Shelagh, is a diesel engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Sigrid of Arlesdale is based on her.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Tom Jones' diesel was a 4-6-4 diesel hydraulic locomotive partially built by Heathcotes of Cleator Moor in the 1950s. When the line closed and was then re-opened again, the construction was put on hold, however in 1969 the frames were sent away to Severn-Lamb of Stratford-on-Avon for completion.
The chassis utilises parts from Ella, specifically the crankwebs and centre sliding axle. Originally the engine was a Ford 4D, as in Royal Anchor, and had a Linde hydrostatic transmission, however this was replaced in 1975 by a Perkins 6/354.
In 1998, the engine was rebuilt into a diesel mechanical locomotive when she gained a Ford industrial engine with Spicer Compact Shuttle transmission. She is currently a mixed traffic engine and used throughout the year.
Livery[]
Shelagh of Eskdale is painted two-tone green.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
Companion Volumes[]
- 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (indirectly mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Shelagh of Eskdale has been used to portray Sigrid of Arlesdale at Day Out with Thomas events. It was previously named BoCoBo at these events, a reference to her wheel-arrangements.
- The Pier Train that appeared in the 2004 magazine story, Thomas Braves the Waves, bares a resemblance to Shelagh of Eskdale.
Lady Wakefield[]
| For other uses, see Lady (disambiguation). |
Lady Wakefield, known colloquially as Doris, is a minimum gauge diesel engine. She works on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
She appears in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Lady Wakefield is named after the wife of the former chairman of the Railway Company. It was designed and built at the Ravenglass workshops. Construction began in 1978 and the locomotive was commissioned in August 1980.
The power unit is a Perkins diesel engine. A twin disc hydraulic transmission drives both bogies with chain-coupled wheels. The cab is independent of the bonnet and mounted on rubber for a quiet driving position. The American-style hooded design gives good all-round vision, although the locomotive is usually run cab-first for best visibility.
The locomotive went for trials on the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in October 1980 to demonstrate that a single diesel loco could haul the 16-coach school train. The design was used as the basis for the new locos, John Southland and No. 14.
Livery[]
Lady Wakefield is painted dark green with yellow on her front.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Lady Wakefield often wore a "Doris" nameplate, at Day Out with Thomas events.
Cyril[]
| This article is about 'the diesel engine'. You may be looking for 'the fogman'. |
Cyril is a diesel engine working on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Blister I and Blister II are based on this engine.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Named after former company employee, Cyril Holland, Cyril is owned by the Murthwaite Locomotive Group, formerly named "Shabtrak", and is one of many industrial narrow gauge diesels built by R.A. Lister. He was built in 1932, was used on a Peat Bog railway not far from Manchester and first preserved at the Moseley Railway Trust, in Stockport, in his original form of an open sided cab and on 2' gauge.
When the engine arrived on the Ratty in 1985, the volunteers of "Shabtrak" used parts from another Lister locomotive and a 2-cylinder, 12 horsepower Lister engine to rebuild it to 15" gauge, and fitted a new cab and bonnet, in the style of a Lister Blackstone RM2. The engine now has full electrics, radio and air brake systems for working light passenger trains in emergencies, and in 1989 was re-engined with a 20 h.p. Lister engine to improve performance. He was rebodied in 2006 by Ian Page Engineering of Millom.
Livery[]
Cyril is currently painted sea green.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
Companion Volumes[]
- 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (indirectly mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Cyril has been featured with a circular face at Day Out with Thomas events.
- Cyril's brother locomotive, Lister, was previously rebuilt as a replica of Toby on the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway.[6]
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Douglas Ferreira[]
| For other uses, see Donald and Douglas. |
Douglas Ferreira is a minimum gauge diesel engine. He works on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway and is named after its former General Manager from 1961 to 1994.
He appears in the Mr. Perkins' Railway segments.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
Douglas Ferreira was built for the Preservation Society in 2005 by TMA Engineering Ltd of Birmingham. It was completed in July 2006 and since then has been the mainstay of the diesel fleet, commonly hauling four trips per day for much of the season. The locomotive is owned by the Preservation Society and leased to the Railway Company. It is named after the first general manager of the railway under preservation.
Its design represents the development of the original Lady Wakefield concept, including subsequent developments from the Romney diesels. It has a twin cab body giving good visibility in both directions. The bogie chassis has worm boxes on each axle all coupled by shafts, providing power to all wheels.
The Perkins four-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine is more compact yet provides more power than used hitherto, and meets current and known future emissions requirements. A Linde hydraulic transmission allows the engine to be centrally located and the mechanical elements isolated behind a bulkhead to protect them from road dirt. The direction is selected electronically and throttle/transmission speed is controlled by a single lever. The braking system has a common loco/train brake with a separate air-off/spring-on parking brake.
Livery[]
Douglas Ferreira, similarly to River Mite, is painted Indian Red with white lining.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Douglas Ferreira has been used to portray an original character, Dougie, at Day Out with Thomas events. It has been featured with two circular faces at each end.
- Christopher Awdry acknowledged the late Mr. Douglas Ferreira, longtime manager of the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway, in the preparation of The Railway Series book, Jock the New Engine.
- In addition, Mr. Fergus Duncan the Small Controller of the Arlesdale Railway was based on the late Douglas Ferreira.
Silver Jubilee[]
| This article is about the minimum gauge railcar. You may be looking for the standard gauge train. |
Silver Jubilee was a railcar which previously worked on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
Technical Details[]
Real-life History[]
The Silver Jubilee railcar was a set of coaches which first appeared in an embryonic stage in September 1976 as a single coach fitted with the Ford D engine and Linde transmission formerly in Shelagh of Eskdale, and centreless bogies. The three-car unit was named and launched in May 1977 at the inauguration of the railway's radio control system, the extra coaches being a driving trailer with air throttle controls at the Ravenglass end and a piped centre coach, which was later modified as a saloon for wheelchair access. The original livery was silver with the official Queen's Silver Jubilee vinyl badges used on buses, and later a blue line.
During its operating lifetime, the set was first used on a shuttle service from Ravenglass to the newly opened Muncaster Mill, and then largely on the first morning round trip and "overnight" trains, the latter throughout the winter. Although geared for speed, a timed run of 17 minutes in special conditions from Dalegarth to Ravenglass in November 1979 could not break the end-to-end line speed record held by ICL No. 1, from forty years before.
The original powercars were fitted with automatic gearboxes with electric direction control and air for throttle in 1983, followed both end driving coaches in early 1984. In 1984 the unit went to the Liverpool Garden Festival Railway, with an extra semi-open coach added in the middle of the formation. For this event it carried the BR InterCity Executive livery, the first vehicles in the country to do so after the concept coach, using the official BR paint. In subsequent years this livery saw detail changes as the main line HST livery evolved.
After the school train, overnight and winter services stopped in 2001, Silver Jubilee lost its particular role. Latterly repainted in FirstGroup 'Barbie' blue and pink/white striped livery, it was finally withdrawn after a trial visit as a 2-car unit to the Cleethorpes Coast Light Railway in 2003, and has now been completely converted into locomotive hauled coaching stock. The centre saloon remains disabled saloon number 123, the centre semi-open number 126 was rebuilt to a disabled saloon with new structure under the old roof, the driving trailer is now saloon 136 and the driving car has been converted into disabled saloon 137.
Livery[]
Silver Jubilee was originally painted silver with the official Queen's Silver Jubilee vinyl badges used on buses, and later a blue line.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Silver Jubilee was featured with a circular face at Day Out with Thomas events.
External Links[]
- Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway locomotives on Wikipedia.
- Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway locomotives on Locomotive Wiki.
References[]
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| Locomotives | Steam | River Irt | River Esk | River Mite | Northern Rock | |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Perkins | Shelagh of Eskdale | Lady Wakefield | Cyril | Douglas Ferreira | | |
| Rolling Stock | Coaches | Trucks | |