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

19th Century

1806

• Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is built.

1810

• Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is closed and torn up.

1822

• John Arnold Norramby is born.

1829

• Stephenson's Rocket is built.

1853

• The Sodor and Mainland Railway is built.

1854

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

1856

• Neil and Sodor and Mainland Railway Numbers 1 and 3 are built and arrive on Sodor.

1864

• Talyllyn and Skarloey are built.
• Albert Regaby is born.

1865

• Skarloey arrives on Sodor for the opening of the Skarloey Railway.
• Rheneas is built and arrives on Sodor.
• Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice are built for the Skarloey Railway.

1866

• Dolgoch is built.
• Skarloey has trailing wheels added to improve stability and has a cab installed.

1870

• The Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is opened.
• The people of Peel Godred plan for a railway to be built.

1872

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

1875

• Stepney is built.
• Sir Handel Brown I is born.

1877

• Captain Baxter is built.

1879

• Duke is built.

1880

• Duke is shipped to Sodor.
• The Mid Sodor Railway is opened.
• Sir Topham Hatt I is born.
• Boxhill is built.
• Cromford is built.

1881

• Robert Sam, father of Mr. Peter Sam is born.

1882

• Victoria and Helena are built for the Furness Railway.

1883

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

1884

• Henrietta is built.

1885

• Adams is built.
• Cora is built for the Mid Sodor Railway.

1886

• Frederick Regaby dies; Albert Regaby succeeds to his Barony.

1891

• Albert is rebuilt.

1894

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

1896

• Edward is built.
• Annie and Clarabel are built.

1897

• Construction on the Culdee Fell Railway begins.

1900

• Godred, Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney are built and arrive on Sodor.
• The Culdee Fell Railway is opened.
• Godred is scrapped after a fall.

20th Century

1901

• The Culdee Fell Railway is re-opened after receiving further maintenance following the events of Godred's accident.
• Sir Topham Hatt comes to Sodor.
• The last of the Sodor and Mainland engines are scrapped.

1903

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

1904

• City of Truro becomes one of the first engines to reach 100mph.
• Falcon is built, arrives on Sodor and replaces an older MSR locomotive who is then scrapped.

1905

• The Elsbridge & Knapford Railway is extended to Tidmouth along a coastal road.
• The Coffee Pots are built at A.W.Dry & Co's works by Mr. Topham Hatt.

1906

• The Refreshment Lady is born.
• Tidmouth becomes the first town in Sodor to be lit by electricity.

1908

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

1909

• Donald and Douglas are built.

1910

• Bluebell and Primrose are built.
• The Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway is opened.
• Sir Topham Hatt marries Jane Brown.

1911

• 15th June: The Reverend W. Awdry is born.
• Barbara Jane, daughter of Sir Topham Hatt, is born.

1912

• James is built.
• Stepney is rebuilt.
• The Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is formed from the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Railway and the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway.
• Margaret Emily Wale Awdry is born.

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 is born.
• Toby is built.
• World War I begins.

1915

• The North Western Railway is built.
• Albert Regaby becomes chairman of the North Western Railway.
• 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.
• The bridge over the Walney Channel is built.
• Mr. Peter Sam is born.
• Henry John Norramby dies.
• Kevin Volley joins the North Western Railway as a lad/porter at Knapford.

1916

• The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is built.
• 10th August: George Edward Vere Awdry is born.

1917

• Stanley is built.

1918

• Robert Charles is born.
• World War I ends.

1919

• Henry is built.

1920

• Stuart is built, for work on the Mid Sodor Railway.
• Building begins on Gordon 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.
• 16th April: Alan Pegler is born.

1921

• Edward is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
• Mr. Ivo Hugh is born.
• Kevin Volley is promoted to porter.

1922

• Gordon is built.
• Henry arrives on Sodor.
• 98462 and 87546 arrive on Sodor and are shortly sent packing.
• A second bore is cut for the Ballahoo tunnel after Henry stops in the original.

1923

• Flying Scotsman is built.
• The Peel Godred Power Company and the North Western Railway planned to build a new branch line.
• Gordon arrives on Sodor.
• Sir Topham Hatt becomes General Manager of the North Western Railway.
• Rex is built.

1924

• 20th August: The Reverend Teddy Boston is born.
• Sir Handel Lloyd Brown II is born.

1925

• The NWR/LMS agreement.
• The North Western Railway starts running to Barrow-in-Furness.
• The Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters are moved to Tidmouth.
• The Crovan's Gate Works are expanded.
• The Toryreck mines begin to decline.
• Thomas' Branch Line is extended to Ffarquhar.
• James is given a red coat of paint.

1926

• The Sodor Aluminium Company is formed.
• 21st April: Queen Elizabeth II is born.
• Caroline is built.

1927

• Vicarstown Sheds is closed.
• Kevin Volley becomes booking clerk of Elsbridge.
• The road bridge crossing River Els at Elsbridge is widened to accommodate more traffic.
• Trevor is built.

1928

• Stanley is turned into a pumping engine.
• Duncan is built.
• Vere Awdry dies.

1929

• Duck is built.
• The Spiteful Brake Van is built.
• The Great Depression begins.

1932

• Blister I and Blister II are built.

1934

• Oliver is built.
• Terence is built.
• 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.
• The Isle of Man steamers stop arriving at Arlesburgh, so the traffic to Peel Godred stops too.

1936

• 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 saloon stock along with 3 of 6 engines are sold.
• Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Ffarquhar.

1937

• Rheneas is overhauled.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt goes for railway service overseas.

1938

• Barbara Jane marries Henry Regaby, Viscount Harwick.
• Mallard is built.
• Mallard sets the world speed record for a steam engine of 126mph.
• Duchess of Hamilton is built.

1939

• Gordon is rebuilt at Crewe.
• Duchess of Hamilton tours the United States. 
• World War II begins.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns from railway service overseas to enlist with the Royal Engineers.

1940

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

1941

• Sir Stephen Topham Hatt is born.
• Charles Henry dies.
• Veronica Chambers is born.

1942

• Duchess of Hamilton 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.

1945

• The first book of The Railway Series is published.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt is demobilised from the Royal Engineers and spends a further period overseas.
• The Mid Sodor Railway mines are closed one by one.
• World War II ends.

1946

• The Cas-ny-Hawin mine is flooded.
• Stanley is finally broken down and scrapped.
• Hilary Fortnam is born.

1947

• The Mid Sodor Railway and the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch are closed.
• 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.

1948

• The North Western Railway becomes officially known as the "North Western Region of British Railways".
• Mr. Roger Sam is born.
• Sir Topham Hatt is created a Baronet on his appointment as Chairman of the Regional Executive, after Nationalisation.
• The claybeds near Brendam are discovered.
• Bill and Ben are built and arrive on Sodor.

1949

• Harold is built.
• The Slate Quarry begins to decline.

1950

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

1951

• Falcon and Stuart are sheeted.
• Toby's tramway closes down.
• Toby and Henrietta arrive on Sodor.
• The Coffee Pots engines are withdrawn from service.
• Sir Handel Lloyd Brown marries Rachael Qualtrough.
• David Hugh I retires.

1952

• Trevor is sent to be scrapped.
• Trevor is purchased by the Vicar.
• Edward is overhauled.
• Rheneas is overhauled for a second time.
• Stuart and Falcon are purchased by the Skarloey Railway and renamed "Peter Sam" and "Sir Handel" respectively.
• Skarloey is overhauled.
• Cora is purchased for the Skarloey Railway.
• Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns to Sodor, to become Chief Mechanical Engineer at Crovan's Gate and general assistant to his father.
• Diesel is built.

1953

• Queen Elizabeth II visits Sodor.
• Nancy is born.
• Wilbert is built.
• The Ministry of Defence approached Sir Handel II to buy the nearly worked out slate quarry.

1954

• Sir Topham Hatt II becomes the Fat Controller.
• Rebecca Dorothy Brown is born.
• Ballast from the North Western Railway begins to be obtained for the Skarloey Railway.
• Alice, Mirabel, Isabel and Dulcie are built.

1955

• Duck arrives on Sodor.
• Percy is sent to Thomas' Branch Line.
• Mark V is built.
• Gertrude and Millicent are bought by the Skarloey Railway.
• Ada is built for the Skarloey Railway.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 10th anniversary.

1956

• Sir Topham Hatt I dies; Charles Topham Hatt inherits his father's baronetcy.
• Jane is built for the Skarloey Railway.
• Knapford Junction is moved from south to north of the River Els.
• Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Knapford.

1957

• City of Truro visits Sodor.
• Diesel visits Sodor.
• Mabel is built for the Skarloey Railway.
• Ada, Jane and Mabel arrive on Sodor.
• Rusty is built and arrives on Sodor. Mr. Ivo Hugh becomes his driver.

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.
• BoCo is built.

1959

• Donald and Douglas arrive on Sodor.
• The Spiteful Brake Van is crushed by Douglas and scrapped.
• The Thin Controller finds a Mid Sodor Railway bogie coach at Harwick and 8 coaches are rescued.
• Oliver is rebuilt.

1960

• Daisy is built and arrives on Sodor.
• Thomas' running board is straightened.
• 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 The Diesel are built.

1961

• The Peel Godred EMUs arrive on Sodor.
• Peter Sam is given a new Giesl Ejector.
• Sir Handel is given a pair of special wheels with broad tyres.
• Rheneas returns to the Skarloey Railway.

1962

• Mavis is built and arrives on Sodor.
• Lord Harry, Alaric and Eric arrive on Sodor.
• Stepney visits Sodor.
• The Diesel visits Sodor.

1963

• Culdee returns to the Culdee Fell Railway.
• Lord Harry is renamed "Patrick".
• Flying Scotsman is saved by Alan Pegler.
• The loop line extension around the lake began to be built.
• D199 is built.

1964

• The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is rebuilt.
• Skarloey's 100th birthday.
• Bear is built.

1965

• Rheneas' 100th birthday.
• Shane Dooiney returns to the Culdee Fell Railway.
• The one-hundredth anniversary of the Skarloey Railway is celebrated.
• The loop line extension at Lakeside is opened.
• BoCo arrives on Sodor.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 20th anniversary.

1966

• Mike is built.
• The Skarloey Railway becomes a Company instead of being in private ownership.

1967

• Blister I and Blister II arrive on Sodor for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway.
• Bert, Mike and Rex arrive on Sodor to service the Arlesdale Railway.
• Reverend W. Awdry and Reverend Teddy Boston visit Sodor.
• Flying Scotsman visits Sodor.
• D199 arrives on Sodor along with 7101 and is sent back after he fails on the level crossing.
• The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is re-opened, to be serviced by Duck.
• Oliver, Isabel and Toad are rescued by Douglas and arrive on Sodor.
• 7101 is renamed "Bear" and renumbered D3.
• Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel are saved from scrap for service with Oliver and Duck.
• Frank arrives on Sodor.

1968

• S. C. Ruffey is pulled apart by Oliver and scrapped.
• Kevin Volley retires and lives out his life at Ffarquhar.
• Bulgy arrives on Sodor.
• Bulgy is turned into a henhouse.
• Steam traction officially ends on British Railways.
• The Guinea Special runs.
• Flying Scotsman tours the United States.

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.

1970

• Sir Stephen Topham Hatt marries Helen Margaret.
• The siding at Cros-ny-Cuirn is extended to make a passing loop.
• The Railway Series celebrates the Silver Jubilee.

1971

• Robert Sam dies.

1972

• Richard Topham Hatt is born.
• A second platform is added at Marthwaite.

1973

• Bert is rebuilt.
• Flying Scotsman returns to the United Kingdom after touring the United States.

1974

• Charles Nicholas Hatt is born.

1975

• The Railway Series celebrates its 30th anniversary.
• Stepney's 100th Birthday

1976

• Jock is built.

1977

• Emily Helen Hatt is born.
• A Motorail Terminal is opened at Killdane.

1979

• A replica of Stephenson's Rocket is built.

1980

• Thomas is overhauled.
• Roger Sam becomes the new Thin Controller.

1981

• Old Stuck-Up is scrapped.

1982

• Duke is fully restored.
• Sir Handel visits the Talyllyn Railway.

1983

• Christopher Awdry becomes the new writer for the Railway Series.

1984

• Sir Topham Hatt III becomes the Fat Controller.
• Sir Handel returns from the Talyllyn Railway.

1985

• The Skarloey Funicular Railway is opened.
• Skarloey is overhauled a second time.
• The Railway Series celebrates its 40th anniversary.

1986

• Sir Handel is rebuilt.
• 1st April: The Reverend Teddy Boston dies.
• The Refreshment Lady dies.

1987

• Mavis is involved in a collision with a lorry.
• Bulstrode is turned into a children's playground on a beach.

1988

• Peter Sam visits the Talyllyn Railway.
• Flying Scotsman tours Australia.  

1989

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

1990

• After Privatisation, the name "North Western Railway" becomes official.
• Flying Scotsman returns from Australia.
• Thomas is invited to a railway show in York.
• Frank is re-engined.

1991

• Mr. Ivo Hugh retires, with David Hugh II succeeding him as the current foreman of the Skarloey Railway.

1992

• Henry is overhauled.

1993

• Wilbert visits Sodor.

1994

• 27th October: George Edward Vere Awdry dies, aged 78.
• British Railways is privatised until 1997.
• Bert's 100th Birthday.

1995

• The Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series is celebrated.

1996

• Edward's 100th birthday. 
• Annie and Clarabel's 100th birthday.
• Peter Sam returns to the Skarloey Railway to help with the extra work.
• Ivo Hugh is built.

1997

• 21st March: The Reverend W. Awdry dies, aged 85.
• Sir Topham Hatt II dies; Stephen Topham Hatt inherits his father's Baronetcy.

2000

• Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney's 100th birthday

21st Century

2001

• Kevin Volley dies.

2002

• Rheneas is overhauled a third time.

2003

• City of Truro's 100th Birthday

2004

• Sir Handel's 100th birthday.
• The National Railway Museum purchases Flying Scotsman.

2005

• The Railway Series celebrates its 60th anniversary.

2006

• The manager of Anopha Quarry is visited by the police after Henrietta is booked for allowing workmen to ride on her balconies.

• Mr. Peter Sam dies.

2007

• Victoria is restored and returned to service.
• Fergus Duncan retires from being controller of the Arlesdale Railway.

2009

• Donald and Douglas' 100th Birthday

2010

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

2011

• Pip and Emma are purchased by the North Western Railway.
• The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 100th birthday.

2012

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

2013

• 25th 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.

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.

2017

• The Arlesdale Railway celebrates its 50th anniversary.

2018

• 50th anniversary of the end of steam on BR

2019

• Henry's 100th Birthday.

2020

• The Railway Series celebrates its 75th anniversary.