Tidmouth Sheds (RWS)

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Tidmouth Sheds
Background Information
First appearance	James the Red Engine (1948)
Last appearance	Thomas and his Friends (2011)
Creator(s)	Rev. W. Awdry
Overview
Location	Tidmouth, Island of Sodor
Year opened	1925
Operations
Railway	North Western Railway
Line(s)	The Main Line
Type	Roundhouse Dead end (formerly)
Berths	12 4 (formerly)

Tidmouth Sheds are the main engine sheds on the North Western Railway located at Tidmouth. The sheds are home to many of the Main Line engines and were originally much smaller, being rebuilt as a roundhouse in 1952.

History

In 1925, an agreement was made with the LMS, which allowed NWR trains to run as far as Barrow-in-Furness. Following this, the main motive power depot was moved from Vicarstown to Tidmouth, where the new four-road engine shed was built nearby the station. There was also a turntable outside of the shed, close to the sea, which once caused James to be spun around at high speed due to the wind. Additionally, a large coaling stage for the steam engines is situated just outside of the shed, with a ramp to push up trucks supplying coal.

In 1952, the engine sheds were heavily rebuilt. While the original four-road building remained, it was now also the entrance to a much larger roundhouse building situated behind it, with the turntable now being moved inside the shed rather than outside by the sea. The roundhouse followed a similar design to typical LMS roundhouses such as Barrow Hill, with twelve berths with ash pits underneath situated around a turntable and an entrance and exit at either end. Additionally, a new two-road carriage shed was erected next to the original four-road structure. That same Christmas, a party for Mrs. Kyndley was held at the newly-completed sheds.

Later on, a diesel fuelling and cleaning facility was added to the area of the original shed shared by BoCo and Bear. Sometime after this (but before 1983), a visiting diesel from the Other Railway nicknamed Old Stuck-Up once crashed through the back of the shed wall, which was later repaired, while going to be cleaned and refuelled here before heading for home.

Residents

While the sheds are primarily used by the Main Line engines, various engines from the Ffarquhar, Brendam and Arlesburgh branch lines - alongside several visiting engines from the Mainland - have also been known to stay here. As such, who stays at the shed frequently changes between stories. For ease of reading, this list contains only engines which are (or were previously) allocated to the shed primarily.

Current

Henry

Gordon

James

Donald

Douglas

Bear

Pip

Emma

Former

Percy

Duck

Appearances

• Railway Series

The Railway Series Thomas the Tank Engine - Thomas and the Breakdown Train (mentioned) James the Red Engine - James and the Top-Hat, Troublesome Trucks and James and the Express Troublesome Engines - Henry and the Elephant, Tenders and Turntables, Trouble in the Shed and Percy Runs Away Henry the Green Engine - Coal and Gordon's Whistle Gordon the Big Engine - Paint Pots and Queens Edward the Blue Engine - Old Iron Percy the Small Engine - Percy and the Signal and Duck Takes Charge The Eight Famous Engines - Gordon Goes Foreign and The Fat Controller's Engines Duck and the Diesel Engine - Domeless Engines, Pop Goes the Diesel, Dirty Work and A Close Shave The Twin Engines - "Hullo Twins!", The Missing Coach and The Deputation Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Stepney's Special and Bowled Out Main Line Engines - Buzz, Buzz, Wrong Road and Edward's Exploit Enterprising Engines - Tenders for Henry, Super Rescue and Little Western Oliver the Western Engine - Resource and Sagacity James and the Diesel Engines - Old Stuck-Up, Crossed Lines, Fire Engine and Deep Freeze Gordon the High-Speed Engine - High-Speed Gordon, Smokescreen, Fire Escape and Gordon Proves His Point Thomas and the Great Railway Show - Museum Piece Henry and the Express - Out of Puff, Overhaul, Sliding Scales and Henry Sees Red Wilbert the Forest Engine - Percy's Porridge Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines - Birdstrike and Golden Jubilee Thomas and his Friends - Buffer Bashing, Gordon's Fire Service and Centenary Companion Volumes 1984 - Thomas's Christmas Party 1986 - Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned) Pop-Up Books 1984 - James the Red Engine and the Troublesome Trucks

Trivia

• Although they do not appear until Gordon the High-Speed Engine, the new roundhouse from the later books was actually present since 1952, being mentioned as being newly-constructed in Thomas' Christmas Party. Additionally, The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways notes this as the most accurate depiction of the sheds, indicating that its appearance between Edward the Blue Engine and James and the Diesel Engines is inaccurate.
• Prior to its depiction as a roundhouse, the layout of the sheds was inconsistent, with it having anywhere between three and eight berths, in addition to variations in the shape of the roof.
• Though largely based on the television series, the My Thomas Story Library books often illustrate Tidmouth Sheds based on its original pre-1952 appearance in The Railway Series.
  • This also carries over to some of the Engine Adventures books, the 2019 book Thomas and the Dinosaurs and the 2020 book Thomas the Hero.

North Western Railway

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The Main Line

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