Toryreck (RWS)

The Railway Series

Thomas & Friends

Toryreck
Background Information
First appearance	Tank Engine Thomas Again (1949)
Last appearance	More About Thomas the Tank Engine (1986)
Creator(s)	Rev. W. Awdry
Overview
Location	Toryreck, Island of Sodor
Year opened	1885
Operations
Managed by	North Western Railway Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway (formerly)
Line(s)	Ffarquhar Branch Line
No. of platforms	2 1 (formerly)

Toryreck is a village and station on Thomas' Branch Line.

History

For centuries the area below Elsbridge, including what is now Toryreck, had been flooded both at high tide and when the river was in spate. During the 1880s, the Ulfstead Mining Company became interested in the minerals (lead mostly) waiting to be found on the higher ground east of the marsh; but without a firm footing they could not be either extracted or transported away. They called in the drainage firm A.W. Dry and Company who created embankments on the sides of the river and assisted in the construction of a railway, allowing lead mining to begin at Toryreck.

Toryreck's origin was in many ways similar to that of Dryaw, with hutments for A.W. Dry and Company and the Mine's workers also being built on the land reclaimed from the marsh, and eventually expanding into a village, but began earlier. Being on slightly higher ground than Dryaw, A. W. Dry and the Mining Company decided to make their Headquarters here. After a somewhat shaky start the lead mine prospered for a time, but began to get run-down in 1925, before closing in 1930. Latterly however, discovery of uranium in the old workings has led to their re-opening, and the mine’s future looks fair for the present.

The Main Branch joins the Harbour Line south of Toryreck station, which has a staff of five responsible to the Elsbridge Stationmaster. There is a goods shed here; a cattle dock and coal staithes are also provided. The station has a passing loop, but only one platform. The loop is not often used, but comes in handy at busy times and in emergencies.

Landmarks

• Toryreck Station - the main station for the town of Toryreck.
• Toryreck Junction - the junction between the Harbour and Passenger Lines, situated just outside the station.
• Toryreck Road Bridge - a bridge carrying the road to Dryaw over the Harbour Line.
• The Lead Mines - a uranium (formerly lead) mine south of Toryreck.

Appearances

• Railway Series

The Railway Series Tank Engine Thomas Again - Thomas and Bertie Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Stepney's Special More About Thomas the Tank Engine - The Runaway Wilbert the Forest Engine - Foaming at the Funnel (mistakenly mentioned) Companion Volumes 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (mentioned) and Thomas and the Evil Diesel Pop-Up Books 1983 - Bertie the Bus and Thomas the Tank Engine

Trivia

• The Rev. W Awdry derived the name "Toryreck" from the word "rectory".
• In Foaming at the Funnel, St. Pedroc's Dairy is incorrectly stated to be here instead of Elsbridge.

Gallery

The Railway Series

Main Series

Toryreck as illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

Stepney's driver exchanging tablets at the junction as illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards

Toryreck as illustrated by Clive Spong

Miscellaneous

Diesel at Toryreck

Pop-Up Books

Toryreck in a Railway Series pop-up book

Station Guide

Preceding station	North Western Railway			Following station
Dryaw		Ffarquhar Branch Line Passenger line		Elsbridge
Terminus		Ffarquhar Branch Line Harbour line		Dryaw Goods Station

Preceding station	Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway			Following station
Dryaw		Elsbridge Branch Line		Elsbridge

References

North Western Railway

---

--- Dropped

Ffarquhar Branch Line

---