Timeline

Proceed with Caution!This article may contain information relating to Thomas the Tank Engine which is not suitable for younger viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

This page is a timeline chronicling major events of The Railway Series continuity.

10th Century

960s

960

• Earl Sigurd of Orkney is born.

970s

979

• Godred MacHarold becomes King of Sodor and Man.

980s

• Earl Sigurd of Orkney attempts to invade Sodor but is repelled by Godred MacHarold.

987

• Harold the Black is born.

989

• Earl Sigurd slays Godred MacHarold and his two eldest sons. Earl Sigurd becomes King of Sodor and Man.

11th Century

1000s

1009

• Thorfinn is born.

1010s

1014

• Earl Sigurd of Orkney is killed during the Battle of Clontarf in Ireland.
• Harold the Black claims the title of King of Sodor and Man.

1030s

1034

• Thorfinn seizes control of the kingdom of Sodor and Man.
  • Harold the Black is driven to exile in Iceland.

1040s

1043

• Ogmund is born.

1045

• Godred Crovan is born.

1047

• Harold the Black dies in a failed attempt to reclaim his kingdom.

1050s

1054

• An attempted Norman invasion of Sodor takes place, but is successfully repelled at Cas-ny-Hawin by Lady Sigrid of Arlesdale.

1060s

1061

• Sigmund is born.

1065

• Thorfinn dies; his sons, Erland and Paul, rule jointly over Sodor and Man.

1067

• Godred Crovan reclaims the kingdom of Sodor and Man.
• Thorkell arrives on Sodor and settles at Kellsthorpe.
• Ulf arrives on Sodor.

1070s

1070

• Roolwer becomes Bishop of Sodor and Man.
• Ulfstead Castle is completed.

1071

• Under Roolwer, work begins on Suddery cathedral.

1079

• Roolwer dies on a visit to the Isle of Man and is buried at Kirk Maughold.

1080s

1089

• A Norman invasion of Sodor takes place.

1090s

1095

• Godred Crovan dies of pestilence.

12th Century

1100s

1104

• The castle at Cronk is completed.

1150s

1150

• Cronk Abbey is founded.

1160s

1160

• St Tibba's Nunnery is established at Wellsworth.

15th Century

1400s

1404

• Sodor is annexed by England.
• Sir Arnold de Normanby becomes the first Earl of Sodor and is granted control of Ulfstead Castle.

16th Century

1540s

1540

• Cronk Abbey is dissolved on the order of King Henry VIII.

17th Century

1650s

1659

• James Catherick's remains are laid at Crosby church.

1660s

1665

• Rolf's Castle is rebuilt.

19th Century

1800s

1802

• The Coalbrookdale Locomotive is built.

1806

• A plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is built and opened.

1810s

1810

• The plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is closed down and torn up.

1813

• The Dean Forest Railway is built and opened.

1820s

1820

• The plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is rebuilt and extended up the Benglas valley to the mine.

1822

• John Arnold Norramby is born.

1829

• Stephenson's Rocket is built.

1830s

1836

• The Ffestiniog Railway is constructed.

1837

• Euston station is built.

1840s

1840

• Stephenson's Rocket is retired from service.
• Crewe Works is opened.

1846

• Carnforth is built.

1850s

1851

• Bloomer is built.

1852

• King's Cross station is built.

1853

• The Act to build the Sodor and Mainland Railway is passed by government.
• Doncaster Works is built.

1854

• Paddington station is built.
• Henry John Norramby is born.
• Vere Awdry (Reverend W. Awdry's father) is born.

1857

• Fletcher, Jennings & Co. is opened.

1859

• The Corris Railway is constructed.

1860s

1861

• Sodor and Mainland Railway is opened.
  • Stations at Rolf's Castle, Crovan's Gate and Ballahoo are built.
• Neil and his brothers are built and arrive on Sodor.

1863

• Prince is built.

1864

• Talyllyn and Skarloey are built.
• Albert Regaby is born.
• Prince arrives at the Ffestiniog Railway.

1865

• The Sodor and Mainland Railway is extended to Kirk Ronan.
  • Stations at Kirk Ronan and Crovan's Gate are built.
• Skarloey arrives on Sodor and assists with the construction of the Skarloey Railway.
• Rheneas is built and arrives in time for the BoT (Board of Trustees) inspection and official opening of the railway in October.
• Agnes, Ruth, Jemima and Beatrice are built for the Skarloey Railway.
• Talyllyn arrives in Wales and the Talyllyn Railway is constructed.

1866

• Dolgoch is built and arrives on the Talyllyn Railway.
• Skarloey has trailing wheels added to improve stability and has a cab installed.
• Lucy arrives on Sodor and joins Agnes, Ruth, Jemima and Beatrice on the Skarloey Railway.

1868

• St. Pancras is built.

1870s

1870

• The Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is opened.
  • Stations at Crosby and Wellsworth and Suddery are built.
  • Two Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST locomotives are purchased by the railway and arrive on Sodor.
• The people of Peel Godred plan for a railway to be built.

1872

• Albert is built.
• The Mid Sodor Railway Company is formed.

1873

• Brendam School is founded.

1874

• The rebuilt Arlesdale Tramway portion of the Mid Sodor Railway is opened.

1875

• 21 December: Stepney is built.
• Sir Handel Brown I is born.
• The Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway is constructed.

1877

• Captain Baxter is built.
• York station is opened.

1878

• Coronel Church is built and arrives in Brazil.
• Sir Haydn is built and arrives on the Corris Railway.
• Wilbert Awdry's mother Lucy Awdry is born.

1879

• Duke is ordered.
• Coronel Church is abandoned in the Amazon Rainforest.

1880s

1880

• Duke is shipped to Sodor.
• The Mid Sodor Railway's extension to Arlesdale Road is opened.
• Sir Topham Hatt I is born.
• 20 August: Boxhill is built.
• Cromford is built.

1881

• The Wellsworth and Suddery Railway purchases a Sharp Stewart 0-6-0T locomotive from the Cornwall Minerals Railway.
• Robert Sam, father of Mr. Peter Sam, is born.

1882

• Victoria and Helena are built for the Furness Railway.
• Barrow-in-Furness station is built.
• The Bluebell Railway is opened.

1883

• Charles Henry Norramby is born.
• The Elsbridge & Knapford Railway is formed.
• Irene is built.

1884

• Henrietta and Elsie are built.

1885

• Adams is built.
• Knapford station is built.
• Knapford Harbour is opened.

1886

• Livingston Thompson is built.
• Frederick Regaby dies; Albert Regaby succeeds to his Barony.

1890s

1891

• Albert is rebuilt.

1894

• John Arnold Norramby dies.
• Bert is built.
• Topham Hatt is apprenticed at Swindon Works.

1895

• L.A.D.A.S., Enid and Wyddfa are built and arrive in Wales for the Snowdon Mountain Railway.

1896

• Edward is built.
• Snowdon and Moel Siabod are built and arrive in Wales for the Snowdon Mountain Railway.
• The Snowdon Mountain Railway is opened.
• L.A.D.A.S. is scrapped after a fall on the opening day.

1897

• February: Construction on the Culdee Fell Railway begins.
• Skarloey returns to Whitehaven for an overhaul.

20th Century

1900s

1900

• Godred, Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney are built and arrive on Sodor.
• 4 June: The Culdee Fell Railway is opened, but is temporarily closed just over a month later when Godred takes a fall. He is subsequently scrapped due to being too expensive to repair.
• The Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is extended to Brendam and the old wharf at Suddery is closed.
• The Mid Sodor Railway is extended to King Orry's Bridge and Arlesdale Road closes.
• The Skarloey Slate Quarry opens.

1901

• 8 April: The Culdee Fell Railway is re-opened after receiving further maintenance following the events of Godred's accident.
• Sir Topham Hatt comes to Sodor and joins A.W. Dry and Company.
• The Sodor and Mainland Railway goes bankrupt and becomes dormant.
  • Neil is sold to the Crovan's Gate Mining Company, while engines 1 and 3 are scrapped.
  • The Motive Power Depot of the S&M is closed.

1903

• April: City of Truro is built.
• Kevin Volley is born.

1904

• 9 May: City of Truro allegedly becomes one of the first engines to reach 100 mph.
• Falcon is built and shipped to Sodor to replace an older engine of the Mid Sodor Railway, who is then scrapped.
  • Falcon is given his name and blue livery by the Mid Sodor Railway.
  • Also, while double-heading "The Picnic Train" with Duke, he had an accident at the Mountain Road. Luckily, he was rescued and brought back on the rails.

1905

• The Elsbridge & Knapford Railway is extended to Tidmouth along a coastal road.
• Coffee Pot No. 1 is built at A.W. Dry and Co.'s works by Mr. Topham Hatt.
• March: Boxhill is converted into a 2-4-0T.

1906

• The Refreshment Lady is born.
• Tidmouth becomes the first town on Sodor to be lit by electricity, powered by the falls of the River Tid.

1908

• The line from Knapford to Tidmouth along the coast is destroyed by a strong autumn gale.
• Using a treasury loan, A.W. Dry & Co. puts unemployed miners to work cutting a tunnel through a ridge to Tidmouth.
• The Elsbridge & Knapford Railway reforms to become the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway.

1909

• Donald and Douglas are built.
• Coronel Church is discovered.

1910s

1910

• Bluebell and Primrose are built.
• The Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway is opened.
  • Tidmouth station is built.
  • Coffee Pots Nos. 2, 3, and 4 are built.
    • Coffee Pot No. 1 is withdrawn from service.
• Sir Topham Hatt marries Jane Brown.
• Falcon returns to Loughborough to have trailing wheels fitted.
• 5 July: The first train runs to Tidmouth.

1911

• 15 June: The Reverend W. Awdry is born.
• Barbara Jane, daughter of Sir Topham Hatt, is born.
• September: City of Truro is rebuilt.

1912

• James is built.
• October: Stepney is rebuilt.
• The Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is formed from the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Railway and the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway.
  • Coffee Pot No. 1 is scrapped.
  • Wellsworth and Suddery Railway No. 3 is rebuilt as a tender engine.
• 12 July: Margaret Emily Wale Awdry is born.
• Coronel Church is restored and returned to service.

1913

• Boxhill is restored.

1914

• The North Western Railway is formed from the Sodor and Mainland Railway and the Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt II is born.
• 30 June: Toby is built.
• World War I begins.

1915

• The North Western Railway is built.
  • Stations at Maron, Cronk, Killdane, Kellsthorpe Road and Norramby are built.
  • The main line and Norramby branch line is built.
  • The lines from Knapford to Elsbridge and Wellsworth and Brendam become branch lines.
  • Albert Regaby becomes chairman of the North Western Railway.
  • Annie and Clarabel arrive on Sodor.
  • Thomas is built and arrives on Sodor.
  • Edward arrives on Sodor.
  • The Ballahoo Tunnel is built.
  • The workshops at Crovan's Gate are established.
  • The North Western Railways' Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters at Vicarstown are built.
  • Vicarstown Station, Bridge and Sheds are built.
  • Kevin Volley joins the North Western Railway as a lad/porter at Knapford.
• Mr. Peter Sam is born.
• Henry John Norramby dies.
• City of Truro is rebuilt for a second time.
• A naval base is established at Harwick.
• Plans for the engine that becomes Henry are stolen from Doncaster.

1916

• The Arlesburgh branch line is built.
• 10 August: George Edward Vere Awdry is born.

1917

• Stanley is built.

1918

• Robert Charles is born.
• World War I ends.
• Douglas is built.
• Percy is built sometime after the turn of the 20th Century.

1919

• Henry is built.
• Adams is sent to work on Colonel Stephens' East Kent Light Railway.

1920s

1920

• Stuart is built, for work on the Mid Sodor Railway.
• Construction of Gordon begins at Doncaster.
• The Vicar of Wellsworth, Charles Laxey, is born.
• Sir Handel Brown marries Dorothy Lloyd.
• Thomas is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
  • Later that year he is rebuilt at Crovan's Gate.
• 16 April: Alan Pegler is born.
• Stanley is bought by the Mid Sodor Railway.

1921

• Edward is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
• Mr. Ivo Hugh is born.
• Kevin Volley is promoted to porter.
• Edward Thomas is built and arrives on the Corris Railway.
• Gordon is built.

1922

• Padarn is built and arrives in Wales for the Snowdon Mountain Railway.
• Henry arrives on Sodor and is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
• A second bore is built in the tunnel after Henry stops in the original and was bricked up as punishment by Sir Topham Hatt I for refusing to come out of the tunnel.

1923

• 24 February: Flying Scotsman is built.
• The Peel Godred Power Company and the North Western Railway plan to build a new branch line.
  • The branch line is opened.
  • Kirk Machan station is extended so the North Western Railway engines can bring passengers to the Culdee Fell Railway.
  • Peel Godred and Abbey stations are built.
• Gordon arrives on Sodor and is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
• Sir Topham Hatt becomes General Manager of the North Western Railway.
• Rex is built.
• Ralph and Eryri are built and arrive in Wales for the Snowdon Mountain Railway.
• River Esk is built and arrives at the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.
• 87546, 98462, The Green Tender Engine and the Red Engines arrive on Sodor, though 87546 and 98426 are shortly sent packing.
• 31 July: 8783 is built.
• After waiting a long time, Edward is finally let out of the sheds and back at work.
• Gordon gets stuck on the Main Line Hill and is helped by Edward, and the hill was nicknamed "Gordon's Hill" after the incident.
• Henry is freed from the tunnel.
• Edward is rebuilt at Crovan's Gate.

1924

• 20 August: The Reverend Teddy Boston is born.
• Sir Handel Lloyd Brown II is born.
• Gordon takes Thomas on a high speed run across the Island.
• Henry begins to present problems.
• Thomas takes Henry's train but leaves the coaches behind.
• Jinty is built.
• July: Lemberg is built.
• The Ffarquhar Quarry is founded by Jabez Croarie.

1925

• Thomas takes Edward's trucks out on the main line but cannot handle them.
• James arrives on Sodor.
  • On his first day, he gets into an accident with some troublesome trucks and is rescued by Thomas, who is subsequently rewarded with running the newly extended Ffarquhar branch line.
• Annie and Clarabel are rebuilt into bogie coaches to assist with the construction of the Ffarquhar branch line and were given to Thomas.
• The Elsbridge branch extended to Ffarquhar and Thomas takes charge of the line.
  • Elsbridge Viaduct is built.
  • Hackenbeck and Ffarquhar stations are built.
  • Ffarquhar Sheds is opened for Thomas.
• The NWR/LMS agreement is made.
  • The North Western Railway starts running to Barrow-in-Furness.
  • The London, Midland and Scottish Railway starts running branch line services to Norramby.
  • The Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters are moved to Tidmouth.
• The Crovan's Gate Works are expanded.
• James is repaired with new metal brakes and repainted scarlet red.
• James causes a leak in one of the coaches' brake pipes in the middle of the Main Line and was shut up in the shed.
• James is finally let out of the shed and chosen to pull a goods train of Troublesome Trucks.
• James becomes one of the spare engines for the Wild Nor' Wester after Gordon presented problems by switching from the main line on to the branch.
• An impatient Thomas accidentally leaves his guard behind.
• Thomas takes on water from the river below the Elsbridge Viaduct and gets fish in his tanks.
• The Toryreck mines begin to decline.
• 17 April: Pretty Polly is built.

1926

• Henry, Gordon, and James go on strike.
• Percy arrives on Sodor and is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
• Henry, Gordon, and James get shut up in the sheds for being naughty, but are let out again after several days.
• Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman, and becomes a runaway engine after Gordon nearly crashes into him.
• The Sodor Aluminium Company is formed.
• 21 April: Queen Elizabeth II is born.
• Caroline is built.

1927

• Vicarstown Sheds and Fletcher, Jennings & Co. are closed.
• Kevin Volley becomes booking clerk of Elsbridge.
• The road bridge crossing the River Els at Elsbridge is widened to accommodate more traffic.

1928

• Stanley is turned into a pumping engine.
• Duke plays a trick on Stuart for his teasing.
• Duncan is built.
• April: King James I is built.
• 12 June: Vere Awdry dies.
• Smaller sheds are built at Vicarstown.

1929

• Duck is possibly built.
• 29 October: The Great Depression begins.

1930s

1930

• A fire occurred at Crovan's Gate Works, which destroyed the dossiers for Thomas, Edward and Henry.
• The Lead Mine at Toryreck is closed down.

1932

• Blister I and Blister II are built.
• Pug is built.

1934

• 31 August: Oliver is possibly built.
• Terence is built.
• Henry is given special coal from Wales to help with his steaming troubles.
• Albert Regaby steps down from his position as NWR chairman.

1935

• Henry is sent to be rebuilt at Crewe into an LMS Stanier Class 5 following his crash with the Flying Kipper.
• Gordon's whistle ends up getting jammed.
• Percy crashes into a luggage trolley and ruins Sir Topham Hatt I's trousers.
• Henry sneezes at some troublemaking boys.
• January: Bahamas is built.
• The Isle of Man steamers stop arriving at Arlesburgh, so the traffic to Peel Godred stops too.
• The Silver Jubilee is put into service.

1936

• 13 June: Green Arrow is built.
• Mr. Fergus Duncan is born.
• Sir Topham Hatt is promoted from General Manager to Managing Director.
• The mountain section of the Mid Sodor Railway is closed.
  • The Mid Sodor bogie stock along with three of the six engines are subsequently sold.
• Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Ffarquhar.

1937

• Rheneas is overhauled.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt leaves Sodor for railway service overseas.
• Judy is built.

1938

• Barbara Jane marries Henry Regaby, Viscount Harwick.
• 3 March and 3 July: Mallard is built and sets the world speed record for a steam engine: 126mph.
• 30 September: Duchess of Hamilton is built.

1939

• Gordon is rebuilt at Crewe.
• Duchess of Hamilton tours the United States.
• The Silver Jubilee is retired from service.
• World War II begins.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns from railway service overseas to enlist with the Royal Engineers.
• Two diesel locomotives are leased to the Skarloey Railway by the War Department to supplement Skarloey and Rheneas on timber and explosives traffic.

1940s

1940

• 2 July: Christopher Awdry is born.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt marries Amanda, daughter of Mr. Jabez Croarie of Ffarquhar.
• Richard Robert Norramby is born.
• Midlander is built.

1941

• Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III is born.
• Barrow Station is destroyed by the Luftwaffe in the Barrow Blitz.
• Charles Henry Norramby dies.
• 18 December: Veronica Awdry Chambers is born.
• The Great Depression ends.

1942

• Duchess of Hamilton is shipped back from the United States.

1943

• Bridget Amanda Hatt is born.
• Rheneas takes over the majority of the workload on the Skarloey Railway.
• Robert Charles is killed in action while in North Africa.
  • Richard Robert Norramby succeeds his father as the Earl of Sodor.
• 14 December: Creator of the Thomas & Friends television series Britt Allcroft is born.

1945

• 12 May: The first book of The Railway Series is published.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt II is demobilised from the Royal Engineers and spends a further period overseas.
• The Mid Sodor Railway mines are closed one by one.
• 7 May: World War II ends.
• The two diesels leased by the War Department leave the Skarloey Railway.

1946

• The Cas-ny-Hawin mine is flooded and subsequently closes, leading to the closure of the Mid Sodor Railway.
  • Stanley breaks down and is abandoned.
• 12 April: Hilary Fortnam is born.
• The National Coal Board is established.
• Thomas' first book is published.
• Adams is sent to work on the Lyme Regis branch line in Devon.
• Bertie is built.

1947

• The Mid Sodor Railway is closed and the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch starts running a minimal service.
  • Duke is sheeted and abandoned in a shed.
  • Falcon and Stuart are purchased by the aluminium works at Peel Godred for an expansion project.
• Albert Regaby dies; Henry Regaby succeeds to his Viscountcy.
• Terence and Bertie arrive on Sodor.
• Thomas gets stuck in the snow, and Terence pulls him out.

1948

• British Railways is formed from the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), the London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS), the Southern Railway (SR) and the Great Western Railway (GWR).
  • The North Western Railway becomes officially known as the "North Western Region of British Railways".
    • Sir Topham Hatt is granted a Baronet on his appointment as Chairman of the Regional Executive, after Nationalisation.
• Thomas meets Bertie and befriends him after triumphing over him in a race.
• Mr. Roger Sam is born.
• The claybeds near Brendam are discovered and an industrial line is built to them.
  • Bill and Ben are built and arrive on Sodor.
• The Corris Railway is closed.
  • Sir Haydn and Edward Thomas are sheeted.
• 14 November: King Charles III is born.

1949

• Harold is built.
• The Slate Quarry begins to decline.
• Tom Rolt is built.
• Percy misunderstands a backing signal for his false cognate about the meaning.

1950s

1950

• Sir Handel Brown dies; Handel Lloyd Brown succeeds to his Baronetcy.
• David Hugh II is born.
• Alf is built.

1951

• Falcon and Stuart are sheeted.
• Toby's tramway closes down.
  • Toby, Henrietta and Elsie arrive on Sodor shortly after.
• Thomas gets in trouble with a new policeman.
• Coffee Pot No. 2, Coffee Pot No. 3, and Coffee Pot No. 4 are all scrapped.
• James crashes into some tar wagons.
• Sir Handel Lloyd Brown marries Rachael Qualtrough.
• David Hugh I retires.
• Mrs. Kyndley rescues Thomas from a landslide near the Hackenbeck Tunnel.
• Sir Haydn and Edward Thomas are purchased by the Talyllyn Railway.
• Edward, Gordon and Henry have some incidents with some cows.
• Ffarquhar Sheds gains one more berth after Toby's arrival, in total, two berths.
• Rheneas Quarry opens.

1952

• Bertie chases after a tardy Edward.
• Trevor is sent to be scrapped, but is soon purchased by the Vicar of Wellsworth.
• Rheneas is overhauled for a second time.
• Stuart and Falcon are purchased by the Skarloey Railway and renamed "Peter Sam" and "Sir Handel" respectively.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns to Sodor, to become Chief Mechanical Engineer at Crovan's Gate and general assistant to his father.
• Edward is overhauled after chasing down and rescuing a runaway James.
• Sir Handel is shut up in the shed after misbehaviour.
• Peter Sam leaves the Refreshment Lady behind.
• Skarloey is overhauled for a second time.
• Gordon has an incident after falling in a ditch.
• Gordon is demoted to only pulling goods trains.
  • During this time, he helps James with the express when leaves make the hill slippery.
• Mrs. Kyndley returns home to Sodor from Bournemouth.
• Thomas has an accident at the Toryreck Mines.
• Sir Topham Hatt I hosts a Christmas party for Mrs. Kyndley.

1953

• Harold arrives on Sodor.
• Thomas is given back his branch line, and Gordon is chosen to pull Queen Elizabeth II's Royal Train.
• Queen Elizabeth II visits Sodor.
• Nancy is born.
• Wilbert is built.
• The Ministry of Defence approaches Sir Handel II to buy the nearly worked out slate quarry.
• Alfred is built.
• Douglas arrives at the Talyllyn Railway.
• A television adaptation of The Railway Series is attempted, but fails.

1954

• Sir Topham Hatt I retires; Sir Charles Topham Hatt II becomes the Fat Controller.
• Rebecca Dorothy Brown is born.
• Ballast from the North Western Railway is obtained for the Skarloey Railway.
• Alice, Mirabel, Isabel and Dulcie along with Ada, Jane and Mabel are built.

1955

• Duck arrives on Sodor.
• Percy is permanently allocated to the Ffarquhar Branch Line
• Percy and Harold have a race on the Branch Line.
• Ffarquhar Sheds is given one more berth, in total, three berths.
• Gertrude and Millicent are bought by the Skarloey Railway.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 10th anniversary.
• British Railways proposes its Modernisation Plan.
• Toby's last remaining brothers are withdrawn from service and scrapped.

1956

• Sir Topham Hatt I dies; Charles Topham Hatt inherits his father's baronetcy.
• Knapford Junction is moved from south to north of the River Els.
• Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Knapford.
• The Big City Engine visits Sodor.
• Jinty and Pug visit Sodor, while the engines of the North Western Railway visit London.
• Diesel is built.
• The cutting of hay begins on a farm on the Harbour Line.

1957

• City of Truro visits Sodor.
• Gordon loses his dome on the viaduct.
• Diesel arrives on Sodor, but is shortly sent packing.
• Diesel plots to tell lies about Duck
• Duck crashes into the barbershop.
• Rusty arrives on Sodor.
  • Mr. Ivo Hugh becomes his driver.
• Midlander arrives on the Talyllyn Railway.

1958

• Peter Sam has an accident with some slate trucks at the quarry.
• Duncan arrives on Sodor.
• Skarloey returns from being mended.
• BBC producers make a documentary about the Skarloey Railway.
• D5701 and BoCo are built.
• 31 August: 8783 is withdrawn from service.

1959

• British Railways Diesels#31120, D701 and 10751 are built.
• Donald and Douglas arrive on Sodor.
• Donald crashes into the signal box.
• The Spiteful Brake Van is crushed by Douglas and scrapped.
• The Thin Controller finds a Mid Sodor Railway bogie coach at Harwick and eight coaches are rescued.
• 31 January: 8783 is scrapped.
• Captain Baxter is withdrawn from service.

1960s

1960

• Bulgy is built.
• Thomas crashes into the stationmaster's house and is rebuilt for the second time with his running board straightened.
• Daisy is built and arrives on Sodor.
• Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Cronk.
• The Ministry of Defence buys the empty slate quarry and the money is used for the construction of the Lakeside loop line.
• Old Stuck-Up and Class 40 are built.
• The Bluebell Railway is established and Stepney and Cromford arrive there after being withdrawn from service.

1961

• Peter Sam goes into a tunnel and loses his old funnel.
• Peter Sam is given a new Giesl Ejector funnel.
• Sir Handel is given a pair of special wheels with broad tyres.
• Rheneas returns to the Skarloey Railway.
• Adams is withdrawn from service.
• Mavis is built.

1962

• Lord Harry, Alaric and Eric are built and arrive on Sodor for the Culdee Fell Railway.
• A lime-covered Percy pretends to be a ghost and scares Thomas.
• Stepney visits Sodor.
• Class 40 arrives on Sodor, but is shortly sent packing.
• The last of the Class 08 diesel locomotives are built.
• Percy gets himself covered in treacle and hay.
• Mavis arrives on Sodor and is officially sold to the Ffarquhar Quarry Company.

1963

• Mavis becomes stuck on the wrong part of Toby's line.
• Toby ends up on a "tightrope" bridge.
• Culdee returns to the Culdee Fell Railway.
• Lord Harry is renamed "Patrick".
• Flying Scotsman is saved by Alan Pegler.
• The Lakeside loop line extension begins construction.
• D199 is built.

1964

• The Arlesburgh branch is rebuilt.
  • Haultraugh is built.
• Skarloey has his 100th birthday.
• Bear is built.
• King James I is withdrawn and scrapped.
• British Railways is rebranded to British Rail.

1965

• Shane Dooiney returns to the Culdee Fell Railway.
• The one-hundredth anniversary of the Talyllyn and Skarloey Railways are celebrated.
  • Rheneas has his 100th birthday.
  • The loop line extension at Lakeside is opened.
• BoCo arrives on Sodor.
• Bill and Ben attempt to rescue their trucks from BoCo.
• Gordon is switched by mistake onto Edward's Branch Line after a mishap with a lady wearing a green floppy hat causing the fireman to mistake her hat for a flag.
• One of Edward's crank-pins breaks while taking an enthusiast train.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 20th anniversary.

1966

• Mike is built.
• The Skarloey Railway becomes a Company instead of being in private ownership.
• River Mite is built.
• Gordon's last remaining brothers are withdrawn from service and scrapped.

1967

• Sodor Railway Repair arrives on Sodor.
• Blister I and Blister II arrive on Sodor for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway.
• Bert, Rex and Mike soon arrive on Sodor to service the Arlesdale Railway.
• Reverend W. Awdry and Reverend Teddy Boston visit Sodor.
• The small engines have some incidents:
  • Bert is splashed with mud by the clergymen's car.
  • Mike loses his whistle.
  • Rex has an accident with wool.
• Frank arrives on Sodor.
• Flying Scotsman visits Sodor.
• D199 and D7101 arrive on Sodor, but D199 is shortly sent packing after he fails on the level crossing.
• The Arlesburgh branch is re-opened, to be serviced by Duck.
• Duck plays a joke on Donald, who makes friends with Dilly the duckling.
• Oliver, Isabel and Toad are rescued by Douglas and arrive on Sodor.
• D7101 is named "Bear" and renumbered D3.
• Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel are saved from scrap for service with Oliver and Duck.

1968

• Oliver has an accident on the turntable well after being pushed by the ballast trucks.
• S.C. Ruffey is pulled apart by Oliver and scrapped.
• Kevin Volley retires and lives out his life at Ffarquhar.
• Bulgy arrives on Sodor and is shortly turned into a henhouse after getting stuck under a bridge.
• D5701 is withdrawn from service.
  • 12 August: The Fifteen Guinea Special runs, and then standard gauge steam traction officially ends on British Rail.

1969

• Sigrid of Arlesdale is built and arrives on Sodor.
• Duke is discovered by Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Reverend W. Awdry and the Reverend Teddy Boston.
• D5701 is scrapped.
• Flying Scotsman begins his tour of the United States.

1970s

1970

• The Dean Forest Railway becomes a heritage railway.
• Sir Stephen Topham Hatt marries Helen Margaret.
• The siding at Cros-ny-Cuirn is extended to make a passing loop.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 25th anniversary.

1971

• Robert Sam dies.

1972

• Sir Richard Topham Hatt is born.
• A second platform is added at Marthwaite.
• 15 October: The twenty-sixth and final book in the Railway Series written by the Reverend W. Awdry is published.

1973

• Bert is rebuilt.
• Flying Scotsman is sold to Sir William McAlpine and returns to England after touring the United States.
• 10 November: The first three books in The Railway Series are published in Japan.

1974

• Charles Nicholas Hatt is born.

1975

• Stepney's 100th birthday.
• The National Railway Museum is built and purchases Mallard.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 30th anniversary.
• Bloomer arrives on Sodor.
• Bloomer visits Shildon to take part in a cavalcade for the 150th anniversary of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

1976

• Jock is built.
• Northern Rock is built.

1977

• Emily Helen Hatt is born.
• A Motorail Terminal is opened at Killdane.
• Tom Tipper temporarily runs his mail deliveries with a bike instead of his post van.
• The Dean Forest Railway ends commercial operations.

1978

• Thomas saves the Ffarquhar Stationmaster's stolen car.

1979

• A replica of Stephenson's Rocket is built.
• Duke and Coronel Church's 100th birthdays.
• Thomas, Percy and Duck triple head the express after Gordon and Henry become ill.

1980s

1980

• Roger Sam becomes the new Thin Controller.
• Richard Awdry (Christopher's son) is born.

1982

• Duke is overhauled.
• Sir Handel visits the Talyllyn Railway.
• Old Stuck-Up visits Sodor, but leaves after crashing into the sheds.
• Captain Baxter is rebuilt.
• Pip and Emma are built.

1983

• 12 September: Christopher Awdry becomes the new writer for the Railway Series.
• Old Stuck-Up and Class 40 are withdrawn and scrapped.

1984

• Sir Charles Topham Hatt retires; Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III becomes the Fat Controller.
• Sir Handel returns from the Talyllyn Railway.
• The National Railway Museum purchases City of Truro.
• 9 October: The Railway Series' television adaptation airs for the first time.

1985

• Skarloey is overhauled for a third time. He would return in May.
• September: The Skarloey Funicular Railway and its engines are built.
• The Iron Duke replica is built.
• Sigrid is re-engined.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 40th anniversary.

1986

• 1 April: The Reverend Teddy Boston dies.
• The Refreshment Lady dies.

1987

• Thomas is sent to work at Edward's Branch Line temporarily while a bridge is being repaired on his branch line.
• Mavis is involved in a collision with a lorry.
• Bulstrode is turned into a children's playground on a beach.
• The National Coal Board is disbanded.

1988

• Peter Sam visits the Talyllyn Railway.
• Flying Scotsman tours Australia.
• Thomas returns to his branch line.
• Mallard celebrates the 50th anniversary of breaking the record run and works a series of railtours under the banner "Mallard 88", before being returned to static display at the National Railway Museum.

1989

• Fred is built and put into service on the Skarloey Railway.
• 21 March: Margaret Emily Wale Awdry dies, aged 77.

1990s

1990

• Flying Scotsman returns to England from touring Australia.
• Thomas is invited to a railway show in York, England.
• Frank is re-engined.
• Ralph is dismantled and stored off-site.

1991

• Mr. Ivo Hugh retires, with David Hugh II succeeding him as the current foreman of the Skarloey Railway.
• Tom Rolt arrives on the Talyllyn Railway and is rebuilt.
• Thomas returns from the railway show in York, England.
• 31120 is withdrawn from service.

1992

• Henry is overhauled.
• Eryri is dismantled and stored off-site.

1993

• Wilbert visits Sodor.

1994

• 27 October: George Edward Vere Awdry dies, aged 78.
• British Railways is privatised until 1997.
• Bert's 100th birthday.
• 31120 is scrapped.
• The television series celebrates its 10th anniversary.

1995

• The Golden Jubilee of The Railway Series is celebrated.
• Prince Charles (King Charles III) visits Sodor.

1996

• Edward's 100th birthday.
• Peter Sam returns to the Skarloey Railway to help with the extra work.
• Flying Scotsman is sold to Tony Marchington.
• Ivo Hugh is built.

1997

• 21 March: The Reverend W. Awdry dies, aged 85.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt II dies; Stephen Topham Hatt inherits his father's Baronetcy.
• 20 November: British Rail ceases operations.

1999

• Harold's 50th birthday.

21st Century

2000s

2000

• Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney's 100th birthday.
• 4 June: 100th anniversary of Godred's accident.

2002

• Rheneas is overhauled.
• The Corris Railway is reopened.

2003

• City of Truro's 100th birthday.

2004

• Sir Handel's 100th birthday.
• The National Railway Museum purchases Flying Scotsman.
• The television series celebrates its 20th anniversary.

2005

• The Railway Series celebrates its 60th anniversary.
• Duncan visits the Talyllyn Railway.

2007

• The manager of Ffarquhar Quarry is visited by the police after Henrietta is booked for allowing workmen to ride on her balconies.
• Victoria is restored and returned to service.

2008

• Mallard celebrates the 70th anniversary of breaking the record run.

2009

• Donald and Douglas' 100th birthday.

2010s

2010

• The Railway Series celebrates its 65th anniversary.
• Stepney, Bluebell and Captain Baxter's overhauls are completed and the Bluebell Railway celebrates its 50th anniversary.
• Wilbert is scheduled to be back in service after a major overhaul.

2011

• Pip and Emma are purchased by the North Western Railway.
• 6 July: The forty-second and final book in The Railway Series is published.
• The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 100th birthday.
• Prince Charles (King Charles III) visits Sodor once again.

2012

• Wilbert is returned to service.
• James' 100th Birthday.
• 18 March: Alan Pegler dies, aged 91.

2013

• Mallard celebrates the 75th anniversary of the record run with the remaining five LNER Class A4's.
• 25 November: Hilary Fortnam dies, aged 67.

2014

• The North Western Railway celebrates its 100th anniversary.
• Toby's 100th birthday.
• Stepney is withdrawn from service, following the failure of his main steam pipe.
• The television series celebrates its 30th anniversary.

2015

• The Railway Series celebrates its 70th anniversary.
• The Skarloey Railway celebrates its 150th anniversary.
• The Bluebell Railway celebrates its 55th anniversary.
• The North Western Railway celebrates running for over 100 years.
• Thomas' 100th birthday.

2016

• Flying Scotsman returns to steam in England.
• The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 105th birthday.
• Ivo Hugh's 20th birthday.
• Bertie's 70th birthday.

2017

• The Arlesdale Railway celebrates its 50th anniversary.
• Fergus Duncan retires from being controller of the Arlesdale Railway.

2018

• Mallard celebrates the 80th anniversary of the record run.

2019

• Henry's 100th birthday.
• Harold's 70th birthday.

2020s

2020

• The Railway Series celebrates its 75th anniversary.
• 100 years since construction of Gordon began at Doncaster.
• Peter Sam's 100th birthday.

2021

• The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 110th birthday.
• Gordon's 100th birthday.
• Bertie's 75th birthday.
• Mavis' 60th birthday.
• Thomas & Friends ends and is replaced with Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.

2022

• 8 September: Queen Elizabeth II dies; King Charles III succeeds her.
• Lord Harry, Alaric and Eric's 60th Birthdays.

2023

• 24 February: Flying Scotsman's 100th birthday.
• Rex's 100th birthday.
• Mallard celebrates the 85th anniversary of the record run.

2024

• 20 August: The Reverend Teddy Boston's 100th birthday.
• The Thomas & Friends television series celebrates its 40th anniversary.
• Harold's 75th birthday.
• Terence's 90th birthday.
• The North Western Railway celebrates its 110th anniversary.
• 25 December: Britt Allcroft dies, aged 81.

2025

• The Railway Series celebrates its 80th anniversary.
• The railways of England celebrate 200 years since the first steam engines ran on the Stockton and Darlington Railway.