Wellsworth is a town with a population of 550, located near Sodor's south coast, at the far northern end of the Brendam peninsula. As it is the start of Edward's Branch Line, the station is commonly refered to as Edward's Station.
History
The Railway Series
The name is most likely derived from a well, now dry, in the grounds of the Old Nunnery. Legend has it that St. Tibba (or Saint Ebba), in the seventh century, dug a well to collect water which yielded remarkable cures. A Nunnery was later established here in 1160. The Poor Clares, an Order of Catholic Nuns, settled there sometime after 1286 and built their hospital around the well. Though King Henry VIII nominally suppressed the Order in 1534, the Sudrian interpretation of the Act secured that St Tibba’s Hospital remained and expanded as need arose. Shortly before 1987, it was rebuilt on a new site and has deservedly the highest reputation of any hospital on the Island.
Wellsworth is a pleasant seaside village. The air here is reputedly pure and bracing. There is a Convalescent Home and many doctors recommend a period spent here to patients suffering from respiratory ailments.[1] Sir Topham Hatt and his family live here their mansion, Topham Hall, located in the outskirts of the town. Crocks Scrap Yard is located here.
The line from Wellsworth to Brendam is one of Sodor's oldest and was built in 1870 as part of the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway, which was later extended to Knapford in 1912 to connect with the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway before becoming part of the North Western Railway in 1915. Wellsworth became a station on the Main Line, while the line to Brendam was downgraded to a branch line, with the junction located slightly east of the station.[2] At some point, Edward was given the branch line, resulting in the station being rebuilt and nicknamed Edward's Station.
A goods yard, commonly known as Edward's Yard, is located here. It consists of several sidings, a turntable and a two-berth engine shed, with a coal hopper nearby. A breakdown train is kept here. As Wellsworth is some 280ft below Maron, engines based here serve as bankers for trains going up Gordon's Hill.
Appearances
The Railway Series
Companion Volumes
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Magazine Stories
Books
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Trivia
- According to Series 1 concept art, the station building was made referencing these two illustrations from Gordon's Whistle, and the bridge behind the station was made referencing this illustration of the bridge at Knapford Junction from Percy Runs Away.
- Wellsworth is named after Elsworth, where the Rev. W. Awdry was Rector between 1946-53. In merchandising, it is occasionally misspelt as "Ellsworth".
- In both the PC game Railway Adventures and the eleventh series episode, Edward and the Mail, Wellsworth was referred to as a Post Depot. This idea seems to be carried onto the later series when it returned in CGI.
- In the eighteenth series episode, Duck and the Slip Coaches, the station set was reused to represent a station on the Great Western Railway in Duck's flashback.
- Wellsworth station has had numerous modifications throughout the years:
- Series 1-11:
- The shunting yard's size and layout constantly changed, due to scenes on one particular set filmed in one go.
- Series 2:
- The banker siding is removed.
- A red brick road bridge was added near the station.
- The station window frames, doors and canopies become green.
- Series 3:
- The station gained an extra large shunting yard behind it. It was later reused as the yard from Oliver Owns Up.
- Series 4:
- The extra large shunting yard is removed.
- The banker siding returns.
- The track leading up to the red brick road bridge is curved.
- Series 5:
- The banker siding is removed again.
- The track leading up to the red brick road bridge returns to being straight.
- A single berth shed is added to the yard.
- Series 7:
- The single berth shed is removed.
- Day of the Diesels:
- The green metal bridge nearby became larger and received a new design.
- The shunting yard layout became one single siding with three ends with no more turntables.
- A large warehouse was added nearby.
- The tracks entering the station changed from straight to curved.
- The road bridge now has rails running across it.
- Series 17-18:
- The asphalt in the yard was occasionally replaced with grass before becoming consistent within the following series.
- Series 21:
- The three ended shunting siding became a two ended siding and gained a two berth shed on it.
- Series 1-11:
- The green steel bridge used to be on display at Nitrogen Studios.
- Wellsworth Drive in Columbus, Ohio, is named after the town.
Merchandise
- ERTL (discontinued)
- Wooden Railway (discontinued)
- Take-Along (discontinued)
- Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
- TrackMaster (discontinued)
- Brio (discontinued)
- LEGO (discontinued)
- Mega Bloks (discontinued)
- Hornby (signal box only, discontinued)
- Bachmann (signal box only)
- Lionel (discontinued)
- Sui Sui Oekaki (discontinued)
References
| Locomotives | Steam | Edward | Donald and Douglas | Porter** | Nia** | |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | BoCo | Derek** | Salty** | |
| Rolling Stock | Coaches | Branch Line Coaches | Express Coaches |
| Trucks | Quarry Trucks | |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Trevor | Big Mickey** | Cranky** | Carly** | Reg** | |
| People | The Vicar of Wellsworth | The Mayor of Sodor** | The Dock Managers** | |
| Affiliates | Sodor China Clay Company | Bill and Ben | Timothy** | Marion** | Sodor Shipping Company** | |
| Locations | Wellsworth (Vicarage Orchard, Yards, Engine Sheds) | Crocks Scrap Yard | Suddery (Island Records Office, Castle, Junction) | Brendam (Docks, Canal**) | The Fenland Track** | The Flour Mill** | Lower Suddery** | Suddery Coastal Village** | Sodor Animal Park** | Dingley Hall** | Upper Brendam** | |