This page is for the Steamships that have appeared in Thomas & Friends.
Notable Steamships[]
The following Steamships have their own separate pages:
Northlight[]
Northlight is a Clyde puffer which works around the coast of the Island of Sodor. It is occasionally seen around the Fishing Village and Brendam Docks.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
Northlight is based on a Clyde Puffer, a type of coal-fired single-masted cargo ship which was designed to work on the Forth and Clyde Canal in Scotland. Several examples survive in preservation, however most are now fitted with diesel engines.
Livery[]
Northlight is painted black with red sections on its funnel and hull.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- The Wooden Railway Sodor Wharf features an illustration of Northlight on the side, however it is instead given the registration number KJ 215.
- This ship was made from a Caldercraft Northlight Clyde Puffer model boat kit.[1]
Sodor Line[]
Sodor Line is a Sudrian steamship that is occasionally seen at Brendam Docks. It is used to transport passengers, cargo and railway engines.
Biography[]
Thomas travelled on the ship in Misty Island Rescue. The steamship also brought some of the Jobi Wood for the construction of the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre. Gordon, James, Edward and Sir Topham Hatt later travelled on the ship to find Thomas on Misty Island.
In Tale of the Brave, Thomas thought Percy was on board the ship so he made Cranky try and stop it before it left the Docks, which resulted in him being nearly pulled into the sea. Luckily, the crew was able to stop it before Cranky was pulled right over.
When Salty went to The Mainland, the ship took him there and back again. Salty was later perched on its deck decorated as "The Ghost of Christmas Past" as part of Thomas' trick in Diesel's Ghostly Christmas.
At the end of The Great Race, it sailed away from Brendam with several crates, including the one with Diesel in it.
Sodor Line transported Thomas from Sodor to Dakar Docks.
Edward tried to sleep on the ship when Tidmouth Sheds was being repaired, but he was awakened by the ship's horn and the ocean waves splashing him.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
Sodor Line's specific basis is currently unknown. Although, it resembles various cargo ships dating from the 1950s, albeit smaller.[2]
Livery[]
Sodor Line has a white superstructure and a green body with a yellow stripe and mast. The hull of the ship is red with a white stripe.
Appearances[]
Thomas & Friends
Specials
Promotional Videos
|
Books[]
- 2010 - Lost at Sea!, Misty Island Rescue and Trouble in the Tunnel
- 2020 - Thomas Goes on Safari
- 2022 - Thomas Goes on Holiday
Audio Files[]
Horns[]
| First used | Last used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Toad's Bright Idea | Toad's Bright Idea |
Trivia[]
Sodor Line as illustrated by Tommy Stubbs.
- The ship was never named until the book adaption of Misty Island Rescue, though the ship in the book was different.
- Sodor Line's horn sound originates from MV Georgic. It is shared with Queen Stephanie from Theodore Tugboat.
- On the last page of Thomas Goes on Holiday, Sodor Line can be seen off the coast of Brighton.
- In Misty Island Rescue, it is incorrectly referred to as being a "boat". Despite, it clearly being a much larger vessel.
Zhiyuan[]
Zhiyuan (Mandarin: 致远) is a Chinese ship that travels between San Francisco Docks in the United States and Shanghai Harbour in China. Once, Thomas boarded the ship at San Francisco Docks after asking Carter to put him on a ship bound for China in order to find Nia.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
Zhiyuan's specific basis is currently unknown. Although, it resembles various cargo ships dating from the 1950s, albeit smaller.[2]
Livery[]
Zhiyuan consists of a white superstructure and a black body with red stripes.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Zhiyuan is a retexture of Sodor Line.
- In real life, Zhiyuan was the name of a Chinese naval cruiser built in England in 1885. It was later sunk in combat in 1894.
The Steamships[]
These unnamed steamships are used to transport passengers, cargo and railway engines from country to country. All are fitted with rails on their deck.
One of these transported Victor and Luke to Sodor from Cuba and Ireland respectively. Later on, Thomas and Nia travelled on several of these ships on their impromptu world tour.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
The steamship's specific basis is currently unknown. Although, it resembles various cargo ships dating from the 1950s, albeit smaller.[2]
Livery[]
The steamships vary in their colour schemes, all have grey superstructures while the hulls have been known to be green, red, black and white.
Appearances[]
Thomas & Friends
Specials
|
Audio Files[]
Horns[]
| Only Used | Sound Effect |
|---|---|
| Blue Mountain Mystery | |
| Big World! Big Adventures! |
Trivia[]
- The steamships are a retexture of Sodor Line.
- The red steamship shares its horn sound with Bulstrode in the 10 Stories from Thomas & Friends book.
- The black steamship shares its horn sound with Sodor Line. The horn sound originates from MV Georgic.
- In Blue Mountain Mystery, it is incorrectly referred to as being a "boat". Despite, it clearly being a much larger vessel.
- According to the "2013 Character Bios", Norman, Paxton and Sidney were transferred from the Mainland on a steamship bound to Sodor.[3]
Paddle Steamers[]
A paddle steamer is an early steamship powered by a steam engine driving paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
In the magazine story, "Aye Aye Skipper!", the paddle steamer resembles the P.S. Kingswear Castle. This was built by Philip and Son and operates on the waters near the Paignton and Dartmouth Railway.
Livery[]
In "Aye Aye Skipper!", the paddle steamer had a black hull with gold lining, a light orange superstructure with white windows surrounds, white paddles-wheel covers, and a light orange, white and black funnel.
In The Boatshow, the paddle steamer had a red and black hull, a cream superstructure, a brown wheelhouse, white paddles-wheel covers, and a red and black funnel.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- Lakesider III and Cumberland Road are two examples of named paddle steamers.
- In the early 19th century, paddle wheels were the predominant way of propulsion for steam-powered boats. In the late 19th century, paddle propulsion was largely superseded by the screw propeller and other marine propulsion systems that have a higher efficiency.
P.S. Cumberland Road[]
P.S. Cumberland Road was a paddle steamer from the Mainland.
After Skarloey was built in Whitehaven, P.S. Cumberland Road, took him down the Irish Sea and around the Isle of Man to Kirk Ronan Harbour on Sodor. As there were no cranes at the harbour to lift Skarloey out, the steamer's derricks were used instead.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
P.S. Cumberland Road's exact basis is unknown, however it strongly resembles RMS Britannia (1840).
Livery[]
P.S. Cumberland Road has a grey hull and red keel, with a cream superstructure and black funnel. It flies the Red Ensign flag of the United Kingdom.
Appearances[]
Books[]
- 2003 - Skarloey
- 2008 - Thomas The Tank Engine Story Treasury
- 2012 - Pocket Treasury
- 2013 - Thomas and Friends Story Treasury
- 2016 - The Engine Shed Story Collection
Seasprite[]
Seasprite is a steamship that only appeared in the magazines.
Once Sir Topham Hatt went to Brendam Bay for a boat trip aboard Seasprite. Everything started to go out fine, until they headed further out to sea where he got seasick. Once the ship headed back to shore, the Fat Controller decided that, in the future, he will travel by train and not by sea.
Appearances[]
S.S. Sodor[]
S.S. Sodor is a steamship that is often moored at Brendam Docks. It appeared in the Golden Books and magazines.
Once, it transported Daisy from Sodor to the Mainland, where she was to take part in a railway exhibition.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
S.S. Sodor has a white hull and red keel, a white superstructure, and a red and white funnel. It flies the British flag.
S.S. Sodor first appeared in the magazines, where it was illustrated with a black and white hull.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- S.S. Sodor is modified from a 3D render of a steamship sourced from the website TurboSquid.[4]
S.S. Sodor Steamline[]
| This article is about the steamship. You may be looking for the ocean liner. |
S.S. Sodor Steamline is the steamship that Gator departs Sodor. It only appeared in the Golden Books.
Technical Details[]
Livery[]
The S.S. Sodor Steamline has a black hull and red keel, a white superstructure, a brown wheelhouse, and red, black, and white smokestacks. It flies the British flag.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- In the Golden Book adaptation of Tale of the Brave, S.S. Sodor Steamline replaces the role of Sodor Line.
- S.S. Sodor Steamline is a heavily modified 3D render of a steamship sourced from the website TurboSquid.[4]
- Its funnels are recycled from S.S. Sodor Queen's render, which in turn is based on RMS Titanic.
- The render with different coloured funnels appeared at San Francisco Docks in the Big World! Big Adventures! book adaptation.
Tuna Clippers[]
| This article is about the steamships. You may be looking for the motor vessels. |
The Tuna Clippers are steamships that were often seen at Brendam Docks and the Mainland Canal. They only appeared in the Golden Books.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
The tuna clippers are based on Gulf Star, a New Orleans clipper, which was operated by the Avondale Marine Ways Company, New Orleans from the 1950s. In real-life, this is a motor-powered fishing boat, however, in the Thomas & Friends Golden Books, they are portrayed as steam-powered with a large funnel.
Livery[]
The tuna clippers are painted white, their hulls have dark blue lining and a red keel, and they have a black funnel with a white stripe and red top. In Day of the Diesels, one of the tuna clippers has a white funnel with green lining and black top, and the red paint extends midway on the hull.
Appearances[]
Trivia[]
- The Tuna Clippers are modified from a 3D render sourced from the website Renderosity.[5]
- In the Day of the Diesels adaptation, the tuna clipper was modified with an ocean liner funnel.
T.S.S. Earnslaw[]
T.S.S. Earnslaw is a 1912 Edwardian twin screw steamer based in New Zealand.
Technical Details[]
Basis[]
T.S.S. Earnslaw is based on the steamship of the same name. She is one of the oldest tourist attractions in Central Otago, and the only remaining commercial passenger-carrying coal-fired steamship in the southern hemisphere.
Livery[]
T.S.S. Earnslaw has a white hull and superstructure, an orange-brown wheelhouse and window surrounds, and a black and deep red funnel. It flies the Red Ensign flag of New Zealand.
Appearances[]
See Also[]
References[]
- ↑ https://premiershipmodels.com.au/product/northlight-clyde-puffer-model-boat-kit-caldercraft-7001/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://greekshippingmiracle.org/en/highlights/ships-built-for-greeks/general-cargo-ships-1950-59/
- ↑ 2013.07.02 - THO Character Bios
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 https://www.turbosquid.com/FullPreview/508039
- ↑ https://www.renderosity.com/marketplace/products/89914/tuna-clipper-for-poser