Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
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In the Railway Series, many foreign engines from British Railways have visited the Island of Sodor.

Percy's Friends

The Railway Series

These four tank engines are friends with Percy. He once met them at Barrow-in-Furness and told them of the time he braved a flood to help Thomas. However, Henry came along and ordered them to go away, saying they didn't belong in a shed for The Fat Controller's engines.

Personality

These engines were fond of Percy and idolized him. They were entertained by his adventures on the North Western Railway. Whereas, Henry found them to be a nuisance and referred to them as "silly things".

Following the decline of steam on the Mainland, Percy expressed such sorrow and sympathy for these engines to Douglas.

Technical Details

Basis

It is currently unknown what classes Percy's friends are, however it is likely they are all based on ex-LMS tank engines allocated to Barrow-in-Furness. At the time there were only four 0-6-0T's allocated to Barrow-in-Furness, these were all Fowler 3F's; 47287, 47322, 47323 & 47605.[1][2][3][4]

Livery

Percy's friends are painted in the British Railways' unlined black livery.

Appearance

Trivia

Gallery


The Derailed Engine

In the 1950s, Gordon would stop at Barrow-in-Furness with the Express and an engine from the Other Railway would take the train on to London. One day in 1956, the engine pulling the express that day rolled over while coming out of the yard, blocking the line and with permission from the Fat Controller, Gordon took the train on to London.

Technical Details

Basis

The engine's basis is currently unknown.

Livery

The engine is painted in British Railways' Deep Bronze green livery with orange and black lining and has white buffers.

Appearances

Trivia

  • This engine was given a face when they were illustrated by Loraine Marshall.

Gallery


Jinty and Pug's Companions

These engines came to Sodor with Jinty and Pug to run the line while Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby and Duck were on display in England.

Personalities

These engines kindly came from the Other Railway to volunteer for the Sodor engines while they were away. When the Sodor engines returned, the passengers were quoted saying "those others did their best, but they don't know our ways. Nothing anywhere can compare to our Fat Controller's Engines".

Technical Details

Basis

It is unknown what classes these engines are based off of. However, the three engines seen in a revised illustration by Loraine Marshall made for Mr. Perkins' Storytime and Postcards seem to resemble (from left to right), a BR Standard Class 2 2-6-0, LMS Stanier Black 5 4-6-0, and a LMS Stanier Jubilee 4-6-0.

Concerning that engines of these types in real life were allocated to Barrow-in-Furness, nearby Carlisle, specifically Carlisle Kingmoor[5] and Carlisle Upperby[1][2], and Carnforth[6][7][3] around 1956, when the events of The Eight Famous Engines is supposed to take place, it would make sense if some of these engines would've been among those that came with Jinty and Pug to Sodor during that time.[8][9][10]

Livery

These engines appear to be painted in British Railways' Deep Bronze green livery with orange and black lining and British Railways' black liveries.

Appearances

Trivia

Gallery


Other Foreign Engines

While Henry was pulling the Flying Kipper, a goods train had pulled into a siding to let the Flying Kipper pass and the engine's crew were enjoying cocoa in the brake van. However, when the crew noticed that it was nearly time for Henry to pass by, they left to return to their engine. Their escape happened just in time, as Henry came flying down the siding at full speed and unable to stop, collided straight into the train, and caused a massive wreck which derailed the brakevan and launched the guard out and into the snow. The crash also caused Henry to derail, and he was damaged so badly that he had to be completely rebuilt.

Engines from the Other Railway would sometimes visit Sodor and pulled their trains to Tidmouth. They would spend the night at Tidmouth Sheds and return home the following day. Gordon and Duck once had an argument with one of these engines.

When Duck was sent to work at Wellsworth, he often worked as a banker, by helping foreign engines with their trains up Gordon's Hill. One day, he bravely stopped one of these engines' runaway goods train. In addition, Duck almost collided with another foreign engine pulling a passenger train at Crosby.

According to Old Stuck-Up, following dieselisation on British Railways, the "steam engines are kept strictly in their place and not allowed on the Main Line without special permission".

Technical Details

Basis

The basis for these engines are unknown, as two of these engines were unseen and the third was only shown from a distance.

Appearances

Trivia

Gallery

See Also


References



* RWS only | ** T&F only
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