Red Express Coaches
Basis
British Railways Mark 1 coaches (RWS Southern Railway Maunsell coaches (T&F
Gauge
4'8½" (1,435 mm; standard gauge )
Builder(s)
British Railways (RWS Southern Railway (T&F
Year built
Sometime between 1951 and 1963 (RWS Sometime between 1925 and 1936 (T&F
The Red Express Coaches are generally used for other fast trains, but occasionally used for the Express .
Biography The Railway Series These coaches are commonly pulled by Gordon . They were first used as part of the Royal Train during Queen Elizabeth II 's visit to Sodor . They were later used for the Wild Nor' Wester up until being replaced by Pip and Emma .
One of these coaches is pulled by Thomas . After arriving at Tidmouth at 3:30pm with the express, engines have to shunt a coach from the train into the bay platform for passengers wanting to travel to destinations on Thomas' Branch Line .
Thomas & Friends These coaches are commonly pulled by Edward , Henry and James . In the third series , Duck commonly pulled them on the Little Western . Gordon pulled them in the fourth series when he met Sir Handel and in the fifth series when he went to go test the new station . Sidney has also pulled them at least once. They vanished after the twelfth series but returned in the twentieth series .
Some red express coaches belong to British Railways and are pulled by D261 and the Flying Scotsman .
Personality In the Railway Series, were sentient despite never being illustrated with visible faces. Like many coaches on Sodor , they do not appreciate being bumped by an engine, and if they are not handled properly, they can get back at their engine.
In the television series, they are non-sentient.
Technical Details Basis In the Railway Series, they were based on British Railways Mark 1 coaches with corridors.
In the television series, the models of the coaches were based on the Southern Railway Maunsell coaches without corridors. In the model era, they first appeared in Series 2 . These red coaches were long, had broad windows on one side and narrow windows on the other. For production of the third series , shorter variants of these coaches were introduced and gradually replaced the original longer coaches. In Thomas and the Magic Railroad , the short variants of the red coaches received updated models with more details. Since the CGI Series, the coach designs had been altered to be much taller and thinner compared to the previous ones.
Types of designs in the Railway Series:
Composite coaches (with corridors )
Brake coaches (with corridors )
Types of designs in the Model era:
Composite coaches (longer variants; broad windows 1 side only )
Brake coaches (longer variants; broad windows 1 side only )
Composite coaches (longer variants; narrow windows 1 side only )
Brake coaches (longer variants; narrow windows 1 side only )
Brake coaches (shorter variants; broad windows 1 side only )
Composite coaches (shorter variants; narrow windows 1 side only )
(shorter variants; broad windows 1 side only )
Brake coaches (shorter variants; narrow windows 1 side only )
Types of designs in the CGI era:
Composite coaches (shorter variants; broad windows both sides )
Brake coaches (shorter variants; broad windows both sides )
Livery In the Railway Series, these coaches are commonly painted have been painted red with cream coloured window surrounds.
Red express coaches in the Railway Series
The long variants are painted dark red with white window surrounds and black rooftops in Series 2 .
Dark red coaches with white window surrounds
The short variants are painted dark red with cream window surrounds. These coaches have a yellow stripe running down each sides and black rooftops.
Dark red coaches with cream window surrounds and yellow stripes
The Royal Train
The Royal Train was painted dark red with white window surrounds, light grey rooftops, whitewall wheels and white buffers.
The Royal Train in the Railway Series
The Royal Train in the Television Series
Appearances
Series 2 Thomas, Percy and the Coal , Cows , Old Iron , Thomas and Trevor , Percy and the Signal , Duck Takes Charge , The Runaway , Pop Goes the Diesel , Better Late Than Never , The Deputation , Thomas Comes to Breakfast , Edward's Exploit , Woolly Bear and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree Series 3 Percy's Promise , Time for Trouble , Gordon and the Famous Visitor , Donald's Duck , Thomas Gets Bumped , Thomas, Percy and the Dragon (deleted scene ) , Henry's Forest , The Trouble with Mud , No Joke for James , Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party , Buzz, Buzz , All at Sea , One Good Turn , Tender Engines , Escape , Oliver Owns Up , Bulgy , Heroes and Percy, James and the Fruitful Day (deleted scene ) Series 4 A Bad Day for Sir Handel , Thomas and Stepney , Bowled Out , Toad Stands By , Bulls Eyes , Thomas and the Special Letter , Paint Pots and Queens and Mind that Bike Series 5 A Better View for Gordon , Lady Hatt's Birthday Party , Thomas and the Rumours and Busy Going Backwards Series 6 Middle Engine , James and the Red Balloon , Jack Frost , Gordon Takes a Tumble , Thomas the Jet Engine and Edward the Very Useful Engine Series 7 Emily's New Coaches , Bulgy Rides Again , Harold and the Flying Horse and Best Dressed Engine Series 8 Thomas and the Tuba , Percy's New Whistle , Henry and the Wishing Tree , Thomas Saves the Day , Percy's Big Mistake , Emily's New Route , Gordon Takes Charge , Spic and Span , Edward the Great , Thomas Gets it Right , As Good as Gordon and Too Hot for Thomas Series 9 Percy and the Oil Painting , Thomas' Milkshake Muddle , Respect for Gordon , Thomas and the New Engine , Toby Feels Left Out , Saving Edward and Keeping Up with James Series 10 Toby's Afternoon Off , It's Good to be Gordon , Edward Strikes Out , Emily and the Special Coaches , Thomas and the Colours and James the Second Best Series 11 Thomas and the Storyteller , Smoke and Mirrors , Don't be Silly, Billy , Toby's Triumph and Thomas in Trouble Series 12 Thomas and the Billboard , Steady Eddie , Toby's Special Surprise and Percy and the Bandstand (stock footage ) Series 20 Sidney Sings , Toby's New Friend , Engine of the Future and All in Vain Series 22 Confusion Without Delay Series 24 Thomas and the Royal Engine Specials
Merchandise Trivia See Also
* RWS only | ** T&F only | --- Dropped
* RWS only | ** T&F only
Locomotives
Henry | Gordon | James | Donald and Douglas | Thomas ** | Emily ** | Murdoch ** | Molly ** | Rosie ** | Hiro ** | Nia ** | Rebecca ** | Bear * | The Works Diesel * | Pip and Emma * | Philip **
Rolling Stock
Express Coaches | Branch Line Coaches | Thomas' Special Coach * | Annie and Clarabel ** | Emily's Coaches **
Locations
Tidmouth (Harbour , Engine Sheds , Tunnel , Loop | Knapford (Yards , Engine Sheds , Bus Yard ** | Crosby (Tunnel , Washdown ** | Wellsworth (Yards | Suddery Junction | Gordon's Hill | Maron | Cronk (Viaduct | Killdane | Balladrine Bridge | Kellsthorpe Road | Crovan's Gate (Works , Yards ** | Henry's Tunnel | Vicarstown (Engine Sheds , Yards , Bridge , Goods Depot **, Junction **, Dieselworks ** | Barrow-in-Furness | Lower Tidmouth ** | Sodor Suspension Bridge ** | West Maron Junction ** | East Maron Junction ** | Balladrine ** | Kellaby ** | Whispering Woods ** (Halt | Kirk Ronan Junction ** | The Difficult Bend ** | Sodor Steamworks ** | Neville's Bridge ** | Henry's Forest ** (Wishing Tree | The Lumber Mill ** | Great Waterton ** (Water Works
