Two different types of electric Pier Trains have appeared working at Tidmouth Pier throughout the Thomas & Friends magazine stories.
The Pier Train (1994)
The Pier Train is an electric multiple unit operating a small narrow gauge electric line along Tidmouth Pier. It provides public passenger transport from the shore to the pier head, and is a popular tourist attraction among holiday makers.
This Pier Train is powered by a conductor rail in-between the tracks.
Technical Details
Basis
The Pier Train is based on the Southend Pier Railway's original electric multiple units built by AC Cars. These 3ft gauge trains were constructed in 1949, with a total of four sets being built comprising of seven cars (three powered, four unmotorised) each. Two sets were withdrawn by the 1970s, with the remaining two being taken out of service in October 1978 when the railway closed down due to the deterioration of the trackwork. Today, only a few cars from the original units survive, including numbers 8, 21 and 22.
The Pier Train seen in the magazines differs slightly from those of the Southend Pier Railway, having an extra window above the front doors and consisting of only two cars.
Livery
The Pier Train is painted red with yellow stripes beneath each row of windows. The interior is comprised of brown vinyl seats.
Appearances
Gallery
The Pier Train (2004)
The Pier Train is a cheery little electric train who travels up and down Tidmouth Pier all day. Thomas used to be envious of this train until he got a taste of what it was like to be a pier train.
This Pier Train has a pantograph mounted on its roof, thus collecting electrical power through contact with an overhead line.
Technical Details
Basis
The exact basis of the pier train is currently unknown. However, it bares resemblance to the minimum gauge diesel locomotive, Shelagh of Eskdale, built by Severn-Lamb. Coincidentally, Severn-Lamb built diesel-hydraulic and battery-electric trains for the Southend Pier Railway. Whereas, the coaches resemble scaled-down LBSC Stroudley Coaches.
Livery
The Pier Train is painted green with yellow window surrounds. It has yellow and red stripes along each side, a red headboard, and a grey roof.
Appearances
Gallery
See Also

- The Miniature Green Engine - a minimum gauge steam engine working on a Pier Railway that appeared in the 1989 Christopher Awdry book, Thomas's Big Book of Games and Puzzles.
Locomotives | Victor | Sidney | Thirteen | Little Barford | Silver | The Blue Engines | The Flying Thistle | The Pier Train | The Cable Car | The High-Speed Post Train | River Mite | Prince | Livingston Thompson | The Coalbrookdale Locomotive |
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Rolling Stock | Annie and Clarabel's Old Friend | The Animal Sanctuary Coach | The Station Coach | The Play Coach | The New Coach | The Posh Coaches | Old Bennett | The Naughty Pink Truck | Carols on Wheels | The Old Guard's Van | The Elderly Brake Van |
Vehicles | Angus | The Special Bus Service | The Open-Topped Double-Decker Bus | The Ice-Cream Van | The Float Lorry | The White Van | Bluebird | The Dodgems | Algy | The Tandem Rotor Helicopter |
People | Farmer Collett | Dave | Minor Human Characters (magazines) | Minor Human Characters (annuals) |
Locomotives | Steam | The Little Blue Tank Engine* | Coffee Pots | W&SR Tank Engines* | Arlesdale Tramway Engines* | The Dark Green Tank Engine* | Lady** | Sodor Tramway Engines** |
---|---|---|
Diesel | Mavis | |
Other | Ministry of Defence Engine* | Skarloey Funicular Railway Trams* | Vicarstown Tramway Engines** | |
People | Burnett Stone** | |
Locations | Anopha Quarry | The Magic Railroad** | Sodor Tramways** |