The Boat Train (sometimes called The Boat Express) was an express passenger train which ran on the Mid Sodor Railway. The 'up' working (Arlesburgh to Peel Godred) was known as "The Sudrian", while the 'down' working (Peel Godred to Arlesburgh) was known as "The Manxman".[1]
History[]
The boat trains were run in conjunction with the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. These were express services which connected with steamers to the ports of Douglas and Ramsey on the Isle of Man at Arlesburgh Harbour.
These trains were the pride of the Mid Sodor Railway, and the line had to be clear to allow these trains free passage. With two stops at Arlesdale and Ulfstead Road respectively, they covered the 25 miles in the very creditable time (for narrow gauge), of 1¼ hours. Special observation coaches were built at Arlesdale Works for these trains. The usual load was four bogie coaches, lengthened to six at busy times.
The trains were retired after 1936, following all passenger services ceasing on the Mid Sodor Railway.
Stops[]
The Boat Trains stopped at the following stations:
Rolling Stock[]
Locomotives[]
.png "Jennings(1).png (1.11 MB)")
Coaches[]
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
Companion Volumes[]
- 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Awdry's layout originally only had one boat train. A second was later added to the timetable, which resulted in the construction of Jennings to run it.
- The Talyllyn Railway ran a special train based on the Boat Express as part of the Awdry Extravaganza 4 event in 2024.
Gallery[]
The Railway Series[]
Main Series[]
Behind the Scenes[]
Others[]
References[]
- ↑ Awdry, Wilbert. April 1974. "Awdry Ulfstead Road Mk3 Layout Commentary Transcription". Accessed 20 August 2025. Archived from the original on 20 August 2025.
| Locomotives | Duke | Stanley | Falcon | Stuart | Albert | Jim | Tim | The Mine Engine | Alfred* | Gerry* | John* | Jennings* | Atlas* | |
|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Cora | Mid Sodor Railway Coaches | Saloon Coaches | Trucks | Vans | Brake Vans |
| Trains | The Picnic | The Boat Train | The Parliamentary | The Horse and Cart |
| People | The Mid Sodor Railway Manager |
| Stations | Arlesburgh Harbour | Arlesburgh Bridge Street | Ffarquhar Road | Marthwaite | Arlesdale Green | Arlesdale | Cas-ny-Hawin | Ulfstead Road | Ballamoddey | King Orry's Bridge |