Vicarstown Bridge (T&F)

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Vicarstown Bridge
Background Information
First appearance	King of the Railway (2013)
Last appearance	Thomas and the Royal Engine (2020)
Creator(s)	Rev. W. Awdry
Overview
Managed by	North Western Railway
Carries	The Main Line
Crosses	Walney Channel
Locale	Vicarstown, Island of Sodor
Characteristics
Material	Steel
Bridge type	Scherzer Rolling Lift Bridge
No. of tracks	2
History
Status	Operational

Vicarstown Bridge, also known as the Vicarstown Rolling Bridge, is a bascule bridge and the main rail connection between the Island of Sodor and the Mainland.

History

Vicarstown Bridge was introduced in the special King of the Railway. It is frequently used by all the engines, especially Connor and Caitlin, who transport tourists from the Mainland to Ulfstead Castle on a daily basis, as well as Spencer and Hiro. The bridge was closed overnight in the seventeenth series episode Calm Down Caitlin whilst it underwent some maintenance, it was blocked in the nineteenth series episode The Beast of Sodor and was again under repair in the nineteenth series episode Salty All At Sea.

When Gordon underwent an overhaul to be streamlined temporarily for the Great Railway Show, he refused to undergo the final safety checks and his safety valve was never reinstalled. Thomas, who had been badly damaged in a crash with Norman, was informed of this while he was being repaired at the Steamworks. Victor was unable to go, so Thomas, not fully repaired but in working condition, rushed to the Mainland to give Gordon his safety valve. However, the bridge was being raised to let a ferry pass under it. Thomas, having no time to lose, ran up the raised bridge and jumped over the canal. He landed the jump, though he landed on the wrong track after nearly derailing and had to avoid head-on collisions with Connor, Hiro and Sidney.

Appearances

• Television Series
• Other Media

Thomas & Friends Series 17 - Calm Down Caitlin and Bill or Ben? Series 18 - Not So Slow Coaches, Spencer's VIP, Last Train for Christmas and Samson at Your Service Series 19 - Who's Geoffrey?, The Truth About Toby, Snow Place Like Home, The Beast of Sodor (mentioned), Salty All at Sea (mentioned) and Best Engine Ever Series 20 - Saving Time, Letters to Santa, Cautious Connor, Engine of the Future and Hugo and the Airship Series 21 - The Big Freeze Series 22 - Number One Engine (fantasy), An Engine of Many Colours (fantasy), Seeing is Believing and Samson and the Fireworks Series 23 - Chucklesome Trucks and Diesel Do Right Series 24 - Thomas and the Royal Engine, Nia and the Unfriendly Elephant, A New Arrival and Nia's Bright Idea (mentioned) Specials 2013 - King of the Railway 2016 - The Great Race 2017 - Journey Beyond Sodor 2018 - Big World! Big Adventures! Videos 2015 - A Friendly Farewell 2016 - Thomas & Friends in 4-D: Bubbling Boilers 2018 - Meet Ace of Australia! 2020 - Top 5 Jumps, Top 5 Animals, Top 5 Coolest Engines and Thomas the Helicopter (mentioned)

Magazine Stories

• 2014 - Not So Slow Coaches
• 2019 - An Engine of Many Colours

Books

• 2016 - The Great Race
• 2017 - Journey Beyond Sodor

Trivia

• The television series presents both the bridge and the channel it crosses as being smaller than they ought to be; the distance between Sodor and England is far larger than an average river and bridging it would be an enormous undertaking.
• The gates at either end of the bridge appear to change between yellow and red.
• In the Golden Book adaptation of The Great Race, it was replaced with what looked like the Sydney Harbour Bridge, except green and with rails.
• In the French dub, it is called: 'le pont des vicaires" (meaning: the bridge of the vicars).

Merchandise

• Motorized Railway (Thomas' Racing Bridge Jump)
• TrackMaster (Sky-High Bridge Jump; discontinued)
• Wooden Railway (Race Day Relay Set; discontinued)
• Wood (Busy Island Set; discontinued)
• Plarail (Fish! Fish! Bridge)
• Motorized (Talking Thomas and Percy Train Set)

References

North Western Railway

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--- Dropped | * 1991-1994 maps only | ** 2014 map only

The Main Line

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* 1991-1994 maps only | ** 2014 map only

United Kingdom

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