Several types of narrow gauge Slate Trucks have been used on the Skarloey, Talyllyn, and Ffestiniog Railways.
Talyllyn Slate Trucks[]
These Slate Trucks are used by the Skarloey Railway to transport slate from Rheneas Quarry and previously the Skarloey Slate Quarry. They have also been seen being used by Rusty to clear branches from the line.
Biography[]
The Railway Series[]
Once, the slate trucks mistook Peter Sam for Sir Handel, and decided to play a trick on him. At the slate mine, they snapped the chain attached to the winch on the incline and ran into him, cracking his funnel and denting his boiler. Rusty would also use these trucks for maintenance work along the line.
Personalities[]
Like the standard gauge Troublesome Trucks, the slate trucks are known to cause trouble, though only to engines who they think deserve it. The trucks dislike Sir Handel in particular as he bumps them frequently, so they often try to play tricks on him in retaliation. Peter Sam, on the other hand, never bumps the trucks unless they misbehave, and as a result they have a respect for him and do not play tricks.
Types of sentient slate trucks in the Railway Series:
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
These trucks are based on the 2-bar wooden slate wagons of the Talyllyn Railway.
Livery[]
The slate trucks are painted grey. During Clive Spong's tenure as illustrator, the trucks were changed to brown with grey axleboxes and corner bracing.
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
- Four Little Engines - Sir Handel (mentioned)
- The Little Old Engine - Trucks!
- Gallant Old Engine - Special Funnel (mentioned) and Steam Roller (cameos)
- Great Little Engines - Peter Sam and the Prickly Problem (cameos)
Companion Volumes[]
- 1976 - Famous Engines
Trivia[]
- Despite having dialogue, the trucks are never illustrated with faces in The Railway Series, likely due to their designs. When Trucks! was adapted for Mr. Perkins' Storytime segment, the trucks were re-illustrated with faces similar to those in Thomas & Friends by Loraine Marshall.
- Erroneously, the added faces cover where the coupling hooks would go.
Gallery[]
The Railway Series[]
Main Series[]
Miscellaneous[]
Ffestiniog Slate Trucks[]
These Slate Trucks are four-wheeled open wagons which were used on the Ffestiniog Railway.
In the annuals, Prince was illustrated by Edgar Hodges pulling a load of these trucks on the Ffestiniog Railway.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
These trucks are based on the Ffestiniog Railway slate wagons. They were also used on other narrow gauge lines such as the the Corris, the Welshpool and Llanfair and the Vale of Rheidol Railways.
Livery[]
These trucks are painted coral.
Appearances[]
Gallery[]
The Railway Series[]
Miscellaneous[]
See Also[]
| Locomotives | Steam | Skarloey | Rheneas | Sir Handel | Peter Sam | Duncan | Ivo Hugh | Duke |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Rusty | Fred | | |
| Other | Ivo's Flying Bedstead | Skarloey Funicular Railway Cars | |
| Rolling Stock | Passenger | Agnes, Ruth, Jemima, Lucy and Beatrice | Ada, Jane and Mabel | Cora | Gertrude and Millicent | Saloon Coaches | Quarrymen's Coaches |
| Goods | Slate Trucks | Open End Door Wagons | Plank Trucks | V-Tipper Wagons | Side Tipping Wagons | Mineral Wagons | Vans | |
| People | The Owner (Sir Handel Brown I, Sir Handel Brown II) | The Thin Controller (Mr. Mack, Mr. Robert Sam, Mr. Peter Sam, Mr. Roger Sam) | Mr. Hugh (David Hugh I, Ivo Hugh, David Hugh II) | |
| Infrastructure | Stations | Crovan's Gate | Cros-ny-Cuirn | Glennock | Rheneas | Lakeside | Skarloey |
| Sheds | Skarloey Railway Engine Sheds | |
| Tunnels and Bridges | Rheneas Bridge | Rheneas Tunnel | Rheneas Viaduct | |