Started in 1945 and concluded in 2011, The Railway Series is a series of 42 British books written by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry. This is a list of all characters who appeared in the book series.
Unless otherwise said on this page, the technical notes come from actual notes laid out by Awdry when he was developing the characters and setting for his stories; these notes are cited in his publication The Island of Sodor: Its People, History, and Railways.[1]
The North Western Railway (NWR) is the main standard gauge rail network on the Island of Sodor. The railway's motto is "Nil Unquam Simile", which is Latin for "There's nothing quite like it". From nationalisation on January 1, 1948 until it was privatised, the railway was the North Western Region of British Railways (BR). From 1925 onwards, it has been managed by three Fat Controllers.
"Please tell everyone that whatever happens elsewhere, steam will still be at work here. We shall be glad to welcome all who want to see and travel behind, real engines."
A little blue 0-6-0tank engine. He initially worked as the station pilot at Vicarstown. After helping to rescue James from an accident, Thomas was rewarded by being permanently assigned to the Ffarquhar Branch Line with his two coaches, Annie and Clarabel.
A green 4-6-0 mixed-traffic tender engine. He was originally built as a prototype engine and needed special Welshcoal to operate properly. Following his accident when pulling the Flying Kipper, Henry underwent an extensive rebuild, giving him a new shape and better performance.
A big blue 4-6-2 tender engine who is one of the fastest and strongest engines on Sodor. His main task is to pull the Wild Nor' Wester, which leads him to feel superior at times. Gordon is mainly used for passenger duties, but has occasionally pulled goods trains, much to his disliking, as he believes that these are below him. He is Flying Scotsman's only surviving brother. Gordon works on the Main Line and now pulls other fast and local trains.
A red (originally black) 2-6-0 mixed-traffic tender engine. He is proud of his red paintwork who does not like getting dirty. Despite being a mixed-traffic engine, he does not like pulling trucks. James is an experimental version of his class; he was initially built with wooden brake blocks that caught fire, resulting in a crash on his first day.
A little green 0-4-0saddle tank engine.[5] He was first brought to Sodor to help run the railway while Henry, Gordon and James went on strike and later became station pilot at Tidmouth.[6] Following the Knapford Harbour Improvement Scheme in 1955, Percy was moved permanently to Thomas' branch line, where he now works as a goods engine. His favourite job is pulling the mail train at night.
A brown 0-6-0 square tram engine.[7] He used to work on a tramway in East Anglia, however was later brought to Sodor after his line closed down to run the tramroad to Ffarquhar Quarry. He has three coaches: Henrietta, the Quarryman's Coach, and Victoria, as well as a luggage van named Elsie.
A green 0-6-0Great Westernpannier tank engine. His real name is Montague but goes by "Duck" because some engines claim he "waddles". He thinks that there are two ways of doing things: "the Great Western way" and the "wrong way". He runs the Little Western with Oliver and his two autocoaches, Alice and Mirabel.
A pair of blue (originally black) 0-6-0 goods engines from Glasgow, Scotland. Originally numbered "57646" and "57647", the twins work as utility engines wherever or whenever they are needed, primarily on the Main Line, the Brendam Branch Line, and the Little Western. Douglas also has his own brake van, Toad, who was given to him after he saved Oliver from scrap.
A green 0-4-2 Great Western tank engine. After being saved from scrap by Douglas, he runs the Little Western with Duck and his two autocoaches, Isabel and Dulcie.
A green mixed traffic diesel engine who primarily works on Edward's branch line and occasionally on the Main Line. He, along with Edward, act as mentors to Bill and Ben.
A green (originally blue) mixed-traffic diesel engine who works on the Main Line. Originally numbered "D7101", he first came to Sodor in 1967, and was accompanied by another diesel engine, D199, who talked about taking over the railway, which 7101 did not like. After 7101 suffered from a leaked brake ejector and was helped by Henry along with 199 and their trains, he befriended him. After 199 was sent back home, the Fat Controller decided to give 7101 another chance to stay and work on the North Western Railway. 7101 was nicknamed "Bear" due to the "growling" sound his engine makes. He was given a new number, D3, and a new coat of paint. Nowadays, Bear pulls the "Limited", and the Wild Nor' Wester whenever the big engines are busy or unavailable.
Thomas' faithful coaches whom he loves dearly. They are a pair of orange-brown push-pull coaches. Annie can only take passengers, but Clarabel can take passengers, luggage, and the guard. The pair usually work on the Ffarquhar branch line with Thomas.
Henrietta
A faithful tram coach that travels with Toby, Elsie, Victoria, and the Quarryman's Coach.
Isabel, Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel
Four ex-Great Western autocoaches who are pulled by Duck and Oliver on the Little Western. Isabel joined Oliver and Toad when they escaped from the Other Railway. Afterwards, the Fat Controller was able to rescue Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel in order to handle the passenger traffic.
Toad
A 20-ton Great Western brake van. He escaped from scrap along with Oliver and Isabel and is now Douglas' loyal brake van.
Troublesome Trucks
Open wagons which they carry goods on the railway, nicknamed because they can be very troublesome and play tricks on the engines.
Victoria
A vintage four-wheeled coach originating from the Furness Railway. She was built in 1882 and worked on the Lakeside and Haverthwaite branch line with Albert and Helena. After leaving service, Victoria was moved to Sodor and was turned into a summer house in a garden close to Elsbridge. In "Thomas and Victoria", after being discovered, it was a decision Victoria could be restored and used on the line to Ffarquhar Quarry to help Toby and Henrietta.
The Skarloey Railway (SR) is a 2' 3" narrow-gauge railway, which runs from the North Western Railway's station Crovan's Gate to Skarloey. Beyond Skarloey, the line continues to a former slate quarry, now used as ammunition dumps. The railway is owned by Sir Handel Brown, who serves as its chairman, and is run by Mr. Roger Sam, the son of the previous controller, Mr. Peter Sam. The engines are all based on their Talyllyn Railway counterparts.
A red narrow gauge 0-4-0 saddle tank engine. He is one of the eldest engines on Sodor. Talyllyn, from the Talyllyn Railway is his twin, and Rheneas is his brother.
A red narrow gauge 0-4-0 well tank engine. Rheneas has the nickname "Gallant Old Engine", after saving the railway from closure. Dolgoch is his twin, and Skarloey is his brother.
A red (originally blue) narrow gauge 0-4-2 saddle tank engine and is named after Sir Handel Brown, the first manager. His original name was Falcon, after the Falcon Works where he was built.
A red (originally green) narrow gauge 0-4-2 saddle tank engine who lives and works on the Skarloey Railway and is named after the previous controller. His original name was Stuart. Following an accident with some slate trucks in 1958, Peter Sam lost his old funnel and was fitted with a Giesl ejector in 1961.
A young red narrow gauge 0-4-0 tank engine. He is named in honour of the former chief mechanical engineer, Mr. Ivo Hugh. Ivo Hugh was built in 1996 at Crovan's Gate Works by the Engineering Department in New Little Engine. Ivo Hugh is unique in the engine roster due to being a side-tank engine and he is powerful enough to handle the heaviest work.
An orange-brown narrow gauge 0-4-0 tank-tender engine, who is widely respected and considered a hero amongst all the engines. Duke initially worked on the Mid Sodor Railway from its opening until its closure in 1947. He was left in the abandoned sheds for the next 22 years before being found and rescued in 1969. Duke was then moved to the Skarloey Railway where he works today.
A blacknarrow gauge diesel engine. He is the railway's second diesel engine, and is mentioned in "New Little Engine". According to the book Sodor: Reading Between the Lines, Fred entered service in 1989, having been acquired from the National Coal Board (NCB).
The oldest coaches on the Skarloey Railway, whilst Beatrice is the guard's van. On Market Days, the coaches were sometimes very full that third-class passengers were allowed to ride in Agnes, to the latter's anger. In 1952, Sir Handel made fun of the coaches by calling them "cattle trucks", which resulted in them holding him back on the hill.
Ada, Jane and Mabel
SR 6, 7, and 8
Three open-topped carriages who were acquired at one point prior to 1958, while Rheneas and Skarloey were away being overhauled. They were originally used for transporting quarry workmen, but are later used for tourist traffic during sunny days. When some BBC Television producers visited Sodor to film a documentary about the Skarloey Railway, Ada, Jane and Mabel had the honour of transporting the television equipment and cameras for them, as part of the "Television Train".
Cora
SR 9
A tool van, and also occasionally a guard's van, who works on the Skarloey Railway. Cora was built by the Falcon Works for the Mid Sodor Railway, where she was a tool van, however she served as Stuart's guard's van for one time. She was accepted for sale following the closure in 1947. Cora was used as a guard's van whenever Beatrice was not available, then she returned to her original use after Millicent's arrival in 1955.
Gertrude and Millicent
SR 10 and 11
Two bogie coaches that were built at Crovan's Gate from around 1952 to 1958 on a pair of former Mid Sodor Railway coach chassis, Gertrude serving as a passenger coach while Millicent being built with a guard's compartment, which Peter Sam described as a "cupboard place". When the BBC Television producers visited Sodor, Gertrude was filled with wires and instruments as part of the "Television Train".
The Culdee Fell Railway (CFR) is Sodor's only rack railway. It climbs to the top of Sodor's highest mountain, which shares the railway's name. It is based on the Snowdon Mountain Railway in North Wales, was opened in 1900 and for many years was operated under the direction of Mr. Walter Richards, the General Manager. The railway was only featured in Mountain Engines. The engines on the line are all 0-4-2RTs.
A mounting-climbing engine who works on the Culdee Fell Railway. He was the original engine on the railway and is named after one of Sodor's historical rulers. Culdee tells a made-up story about Godred in Mountain Engines:[10] Shortly after the railway opened, he lost contact with the rack rail at a loosened rail joint and plunged sideways over a cliff. No one was injured except for Godred, who was so badly damaged that he was scrapped, with his parts being used to repair the other engines. This incident is based directly upon the Snowdon Mountain Railway's opening day accident when their No. 1 L.A.D.A.S suffered a similar accident.
L.A.D.A.S.
Culdee
CFR 4
A mountain-climbing engine who works on the Culdee Fell Railway. He is the principal engine on the Culdee Fell Railway. When introduced in Mountain Engines, he had been overhauled in Switzerland between 1962 and 1963 and was on the last stage of his journey home. Culdee has great respect for dangers found on the line and relies on his coach, Catherine, to help him travel safety.
Snowdon
Lord Harry
CFR 6
A mountain-climbing engine who works on the Culdee Fell Railway. He arrived in 1962 and was named after the manager. When he was new, Lord Harry was reckless and scared his coaches by taking risks. After he derailed and disgraced himself, Lord Harry was punished by having his name taken away. He asked for a second chance and was given a job of doing lowly shunting. But he was fittingly renamed "Patrick" in honour of the climber who risked his life to help the others.
Arrived on Sodor with Godred and Culdee in time in March 1900. Following Godred's accident shortly after opening, the engines worked the line successfully for 60 years. They were gently maintained and sent back, in rotation, to the builders in Switzerland for overhaul.
A mountain coach who works with Culdee on the Culdee Fell Railway. Unlike most coaches, Catherine is actually coupled in front of Culdee and is responsible for warning him of dangers ahead on the tracks.
The Arlesdale Railway is Sodor's smallest railway. It is based on the Ravenglass & Eskdale Railway in Cumbria. The railway is run by Fergus Duncan (The Small Controller). Its five engines appear in the books. The diesel engines are mentioned in the companion books: Sigrid of Arlesdale, Blister I and Blister II.
A red 2-8-2 miniature tender engine who prefers goods trains to passengers.
River Mite
Rex
A green 2-8-2 miniature tender engine. He enjoys nothing more than teasing Mike. Rex is a hard worker, but sometimes has a problem with traction.
River Esk
Bert
A blue 0-8-2 miniature tender engine. He is the quietest of all the engines on the railway.
River Irt
Jock
A yellow 2-6-2 tender engine who was built by the Arlesburgh Works between 1972 and 1976 to cover a shortage of power. Jock was built in the workshop at Ravenglass, and then to the design of chief engineer, Ian Smith.
A grumpy but kind diesel engine. He has a tendency to get uptight and moody which gets him into trouble by causing minor bumps and accidents. Unlike Perkins, Frank has added round buffers.
A Scottish accented dark green tank engine with an unusual box shape, originating from the Sodor and Mainland Railway (S&M). In a flashback in Very Old Engines, he helped to transport Skarloey from Kirk Ronan Harbour to his new home at Crovan's Gate. He warned Skarloey about V-tipper wagons and they became friends. It is mentioned by Christopher Awdry in Sodor: Reading Between the Lines that Neil is still around but his whereabouts are unknown.[8]
Bill and Ben
SCC 1 and 2
A pair of dark yellow 0-4-0 saddle tank engine twins belonging to the Sodor China Clay Co (SCC). They both work in the china clay pits, and at Brendam Docks, where they shunt trucks. Bill and Ben are Sodor's most mischievous engines, which they like teasing and playing tricks on the other engines.
A privately owned diesel shunter who works for the Ffarquhar Quarry Co. (FQC). She mainly rearranging trucks in different sidings, knowing how to keep them in line.[11][12]
Various engines from British Railways (BR; also known as "the Other Railway"), and some from preserved/private railways and museums have visited the North Western Railway, both on regular trains to-and-from the mainland, for special events, or under a lease agreement.
Two blue tender engines who once visited the North Western Railway on trial from a railway on the Mainland. They stayed at Vicarstown Sheds with the other engines, and notably made fun of Edward for being too old and weak to work. For their rude and nasty behaviour, the Fat Director decided to send them away. It is unknown what happened to them since the end of steam, but it's most likely that they were scrapped.
Workshop engines
Many unnamed engines appeared at the workshop, where Percy originally lived before coming to Sodor. Some engines, old and new, were built, repaired and stored until they could be purchased by railways or other industrial workshops. When things were not going well on Sodor, the Fat Controller went on a visit to the Workshop, where they showed him all of the engines they had. Some of the engines were happy, sad, and anxious hoping the Fat Controller would choose them. He finally chose a green saddle tank engine and named him Percy. Later on, Percy mentioned to Edward, that the engines would have to wheesh loudly to make themselves heard.
Big City Engine
An express green tender engine who worked for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway and later British Railways. Once, he had gotten into an argument with Gordon and Duck about what was the name of the big station in London: King's Cross, Euston, Paddington, and St. Pancras. However, none of the engines realized that London had several major stations, not just one.
Two ex-LMS tank engines who once visited the North Western Railway on loan from British Railways, while the Fat Controller and his engines went to be on display in London. Both are friends of Percy.
As his name implies, a black diesel engine originating from the Other Railway, and is the first known standard gauge diesel to ever arrived on Sodor, and also, the first created by the Rev. W. Awdry.
A famous tender engine from the Great Western Railway, In The Railway Series, he once visited the Island of Sodor in 1957 on a railtour and stayed for one night. City of Truro befriended Duck, as the two were both Great Western engines and talked all night, much to Gordon's annoyance. Gordon tried to beat City of Truro's speed record, but only to have his dome blown off on the Viaduct. He normally resides at the STEAM Museum in Swindon, Wiltshire.
An ochre gold tank engine, named after a district in London, from the Bluebell Railway. In the Railway Series, his friendly and enthusiastic attitude makes him a welcome visitor on the Fat Controller's railway.
A big green diesel engine who once visited the North Western Railway on loan from British Railways. He was brought to Sodor to help the other engines. He intentionally sucked in an inspector's bowler hat through his air intake, which lead to his engine failing. Afterwards, he was sent away in disgrace, leaving behind "a rather nasty smell, and a battered bowler hat".
A green LNER Class A3, and formerly a Class A1. Flying Scotsman holds the record for being the first engine to officially run at over 100 mph. In addition, he has been described as the world's most famous steam engine. Flying Scotsman is named after a service that runs from London King's Cross to Edinburgh Waverley. He is the last of Gordon's brothers.
A blue diesel engine who once visited the North Western Railway on trial from British Railways. He soon made himself an enemy of the steam engines. The next day, 199 failed while pulling a train of fuel and oil tankers at a signal box in Kellsthorpe Road. After Henry came to help, the signalman called 199 "Spamcan" as an insult. After 7101 fails with the Limited, Henry helps both diesels and their trains to the next station. The Fat Controller wasn't pleased with 199 and soon sent him back for offending his engines.
A dark blue 0-6-0 saddle tank engine named after the Thin Clergyman (Wilbert Awdry), who was a one-time president of the Dean Forest Railway. In Wilbert the Forest Engine, the Fat Controller arranged for Wilbert to come help on his railway. During his visit, Wilbert tells Thomas and Toby the story of his brother, Sixteen, accidentally filled up with milk instead of water, and used a coil of wire to couple it up to his damaged ballast truck.
A red 2-4-2 tank engine who worked on the Furness Railway with his two coaches, Victoria and Helena. Albert was once buried at a tunnel by an avalanche when he lets off too much steam starting from the station, one day after boasting about the snow.
An orange caterpillar tractor who usually works near Thomas' Branch Line, and is driven and owned by Farmer Finney. When Thomas first met Terence, he insulted him for having 'ugly' caterpillar tracks, but later regretted it and befriended Terence after he pulled Thomas out of a snowdrift when Thomas gets stuck in it.
Caterpillar Model 70
Bertie
A red single-deck bus who works alongside Thomas' Branch Line. Bertie had a race with Thomas to Ffarquhar after claiming he was the faster of the two, but lost after having to stop at a traffic light.
A traction engine who resides at the Wellsworth Vicarage Orchard and driven by Jem Cole. He was due to be broken up for scrap before he was saved by the Vicar of Wellsworth.
A white and red helicopter belonging to the Coastguard Service who patrols the skies of Sodor, searching for emergencies. When Harold first met Percy, he insulted the railways were "slow and out-of-date". Percy, who was cross at this when taking some trucks, decided to race Harold to Knapford Harbour.
A grumpy green steamroller whose interactions with engines generally lead to trouble. Whenever he is flattening a road, he is seen rebelling by saying "Railways are no good! Pull 'em up! Turn them into roads!". He is owned by the Sodor Island Council.
Caroline
An elderly car owned by a cricket player from the Elsbridge Cricket Club. She tends to overheat when traveling at high speeds.
Bulgy
A bad-tempered double-decker bus with an ideological opposition to railways. His catchphrase was "Free the roads from railway tyranny!".
Sir Topham Hatt I, better known as the Fat Controller, is the first manager of the North Western Railway. He makes sure everything is running well and right on time, without any confusion and delay. His son, Charles, succeeded him in 1954, and his grandson, Stephen, became the third controller in 1984. His son, Richard, would be the fourth Fat Controller.
Sir Handel Brown is the manager of the Skarloey Railway. He often had other business to attend to and was never seen in the books.
Peter Sam, known as the Thin Controller, is the director of the Skarloey Railway. He succeeded his father, Mr. Robert Sam in 1951 and was hired by the new owner, Sir Handel Lloyd Brown. Like his father, he spent his entire working life on the Skarloey Railway.
Fergus Duncan, known as the Small Controller, is the manager of the Arlesdale Railway. Despite being known as by his nickname, he is taller than both the Fat Controller and the Thin Controller.
The Fat and Thin Clergymen are two clergymen with a strong interest in the railways on Sodor. The Thin Clergyman is an author and is strongly hinted to be the Rev. W. Awdry. The Fat Clergyman, who likes taking pictures, is implied to be Awdry's real-life friend, the Rev. Teddy Boston.
