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in: Thomas

Thomas & Friends: The Ultimate Guide

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Thomas & Friends: The Ultimate Guide is a book filled with information about the characters on Island of Sodor. The one-hundred ninty pages features most of the characters featured in and takes trivia from the television series and the Railway Series. It is illustrated using photographs from the televison series and illustrations from the Railway Series.

Characters

  • Thomas
  • Edward
  • Henry
  • Gordon
  • James
  • Percy
  • Toby
  • Duck
  • Donald and Douglas
  • Oliver
  • Emily
  • "Coffee Pots"/Joe, Sean, Richard, and Ariel
  • "Dusty" Dave
  • "The Flying Kipper"
  • 199
  • 10751/Derby
  • 31120/Ped
  • 98462 and 87546
  • A.J.R. No.1
  • Ada, Janes and Mabel
  • Adams
  • Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice
  • Alaric
  • Albert
  • Albert (Mid-Sodor)
  • Alf
  • Alfie
  • Algy
  • Alice (Human)
  • Alice (NWR locomotive)
  • Alice and Mirabel
  • Alicia Botti
  • Altas and Alfred/The Mines Engines
  • Amy
  • Annie and Clarabel
  • Arlesdale Railway Coaches
  • Arlesdale Tramway 'Vertical Boiler' Engines
  • Arthur
  • Ballast Spreader
  • Bahamas
  • Barry
  • Bash and Dash
  • Bear
  • Belle
  • Bert
  • Bertie
  • Bertram
  • Bill and Ben
  • Billy
  • Blister I and Blister II
  • Blue Mountain Vehicles
  • Bluebell and Primrose
  • Boco
  • Boulder
  • Boxhill
  • Brakevans
  • Bridget Hatt
  • Bulgy
  • Bulgy's Friend
  • Bulstrode
  • Buster
  • Butch
  • Byron
  • Captain
  • Captain Baxter
  • Cardona II
  • Caroline
  • Catherine
  • Cattle Trucks
  • Charlie
  • China Clay trucks
  • The Chinese Dragon
  • City of Truro
  • Coaches
  • Colin
  • Cora
  • Cranky
  • Cromford
  • Culdee
  • Cyril the Fogman
  • D5705
  • Daisy
  • Dart
  • Den
  • Dennis
  • Diesel
  • The Diesel
  • Diesel 10
  • Dignity
  • Dologch
  • Douglas (narrow gauge)
  • Dowager Hatt
  • Driver and Fireman
  • Duchess of Hamilton
  • Duke
  • Duncan
  • Dyson Lorries
  • Eagle
  • Edward's Ghost Engine
  • Edward Thomas
  • Elizabeth
  • Ellie
  • Elsie
  • Emily's Coaches
  • Eric (CFR locomotive)
  • Eric (NWR locomotive)
  • Ernest
  • Express Coaches
  • Farmer McColl
  • Farmer Trotter
  • Ferdinand
  • Fergus
  • Ffarquhar Quarry Co. trucks
  • Fire Engines
  • Flatbeds and Wellwagons
  • Fletcher
  • Flora
  • Flora's Tram Coach
  • Flying Scotsman
  • Flynn
  • The Foreign Engine
  • The Foreign Engines
  • Frank
  • Fred
  • Fred Pelhay
  • Freddie
  • Funfair Trucks
  • George
  • Gertrude and Millicent
  • Godred
  • Gordon's Snow Machine
  • Gordon's Special Coaches
  • Gunpowder Wagons
  • Green Arrow
  • Guard
  • Gwen
  • Hank
  • Happy Hook
  • Harold
  • Harvey
  • Hector
  • Hee-Haw
  • Helena
  • Henrietta
  • Henry's Lucky Trucks
  • Hiro
  • Hiro's Friends
  • Horrid Lorries
  • Inspectors
  • Iris
  • Iron 'Arry and Iron Bert
  • Iron Duke
  • Isabel and Dulcie
  • Isobella
  • Ivo Hugh
  • JTK 62
  • Jack
  • James' New Trucks
  • Jem Cole
  • Jennings
  • Jenny Packard
  • Jeremiah Jobling
  • Jeremy
  • Jerry
  • Jim
  • Jinty and Pug
  • Jock
  • John
  • Juggernaut
  • Kelly
  • Kevin
  • King James I
  • Lady
  • Lady Hatt
  • Lilly
  • Lord Callan
  • Lord Harry/Patrick
  • Lord Harry Barrane
  • Lord Helen/Patricia
  • Lucinda
  • Luke
  • Madge
  • Mail Coaches
  • Mallard
  • Manus, Doalty and Jimmy
  • Mark V
  • Martha and Jennifer
  • Mavis
  • Max and Monty
  • Mermaid
  • Merrick
  • Mid Sodor Railway Coaches
  • Midland Railway Engines
  • Midlander
  • Mighty Mac
  • Mike
  • Milk Wagons
  • Ministry of Defence Engine
  • Molly
  • Miss Jenny's Land Rover
  • Mr. Arkwright
  • Mr. Hugh
  • Mr. Kevin Volley
  • Mr. Perkins
  • Mr. Robert
  • Mr. Walter Richards
  • Mrs. Kyndley
  • Mrs. Percival
  • Murdoch
  • Nancy
  • Ned
  • Neil
  • Nelson
  • Neville
  • Nigel
  • Nora
  • Norman
  • North Star
  • Ol' Wheezy
  • Old Bailey
  • Old Coaches
  • Old Slow Coach
  • Old Stuck-Up
  • Oliver (Pack)
  • Olivia
  • Orange Coaches
  • Orignal MSR No. 2
  • Other Culdee Fell Railway Coaches
  • Other Railway Diesels
  • Other Skarloey Railway Rolling Stock
  • Owen
  • The Owner
  • P. S. Cumberland
  • Patrick (Pack vehicle)
  • Patrick (NWR locomotive)
  • Paxton
  • Peel Godred Engines/Andrew, Rowan, Phillip and Alexis
  • Peter
  • Peter Sam
  • Pip and Emma
  • Plant Vans
  • Pretty Polly
  • Proteus
  • Red Coaches
  • Rex
  • Rheneas
  • Rickety
  • Rocky
  • Rod
  • Rosie
  • Royal Claude
  • Rusty
  • S. C. Ruffey
  • S.S. Kathryn
  • S.S. Roxstar
  • Sally Dorothy
  • Salty
  • Scruff
  • Shane
  • Shane Dooiney
  • Shen Ven
  • Shunters
  • Sidney
  • Signalman
  • Sigrid of Arlesdale
  • Silver Jubilee
  • Sir Hadyn
  • Sir Handel
  • Sir Lowham Hatt
  • Sir Topham Hatt's Car
  • Sixteen/Sheffield
  • Sixteen's Friends/Morris, Jasper, Grunt and Bob
  • Skarloey
  • Skarloey Railway Coaches
  • Skarloey Railway Saloon Coaches
  • Slate Trucks
  • Special Coaches
  • Spencer's Special Coaches
  • Smudger
  • Sodor & Mainland Railway Numbers 1 and 3/Clive and Matthew
  • Sodor Brass Band
  • Sodor Line
  • Soft-sided Lorries
  • Spencer
  • Splatter and Dodge
  • St. Tibba
  • Stafford
  • Stanley
  • Stanley/No. 2
  • Stationmaster
  • Stephen Hatt
  • Stephenson's Rocket
  • Stepney
  • Talyllyn
  • Tankers
  • Tar Wagons
  • Taxi
  • Terence
  • The Admiral
  • The Aeroplane
  • The Ambulance
  • The Austerity Engine
  • The Bakery Van
  • The Breakdown Train
  • The Calliope
  • The Canal Boats
  • The Circus Trucks
  • The Cranes
  • The Cuban Boat
  • The Dark Green Tank Engine
  • The Derailed Engine
  • The Diesel Shunter
  • The Duke and Duchess of Boxford
  • The Elderly Brakevan
  • The Farmer's Tractors
  • The Fat Clergyman
  • The Fat Controller
  • The Fireworks Vans
  • The Fultan Ferry
  • The Ghost Engines
  • The Green Bus
  • The Hot Air Ballon
  • The Jet Engine
  • The Little Blue Engine
  • The Little Blue Tank Engine/Chris
  • The Mail Boat
  • The Mail Van
  • The Mainland Engines
  • The Mayor of Sodor
  • The Old Engine
  • The One-eyed Truck
  • The Open-Topped Carriage
  • The Other Buses
  • The Other Railway Diesels/Skinhead, Ian, Andy, Vick and Nute
  • The Passing Diesel
  • The Pump Trolley
  • The Queen of Sodor
  • The Refreshment Lady
  • The Rock Crusher
  • The Salvage Barges
  • The Skarloey Railway Breakdown Train
  • The Spiteful Breakvan
  • The Small Controller
  • The Tea Room
  • The Thin Clergyman
  • The Thin Controller
  • The Trampsteamer
  • The Truck
  • The Vicar of Wellsworth
  • Thomas' New Trucks
  • Thomas' Old Trucks
  • Thomas' Special Coach
  • Thumper
  • Tiger Moth
  • Tim
  • Toad
  • Toby's Museum Coach
  • Tom Rolt
  • Tom Tipper
  • Trevor
  • Troublesome Trucks
  • Tugboats
  • U.L.P.
  • Victoria
  • Victor
  • Vivian
  • Ward Fell
  • Wellsworth and Suddery Railway Tank Engines/Colin, Lily, and Adam
  • Wendell
  • Whiff
  • Wilbert
  • Wilfred
  • Willa
  • Winston
  • Workmen
  • The Workshop Engines

Revealed information

  • It is revealed that the minor engines have basis, numbers and names:
    • The foreign engines (Percy's friends) from The Eight Famous Engines story "Percy takes the Plunge" are a LNER Class J72 (The preserved example No. 69023 "Joem"), a LSWR G6 0-6-0 (No. 30348 "Joe"), a MR 1F 0-6-0 (the preserved member of the class No. 41708 called Johnson after his designer) and a LNER Webb Coal Tank 0-6-2, (the preserved example No. 58962 "Jim"), respectively.
    • The foreign engine that argued with Gordon and Duck is No. 46115 "Scots Guardsman", an LMS Royal Scot Class tender engines.
    • Jinty and Pug's companions from "The Fat Controller's Engines", are LNER A4 'Union of Souther Africa' No. 60009 (whose job is passenger trains and is preserved at Crewe Heritage Centre), LMS 8P 'Princess Alexandra' No. 46224 (whose job is mix traffic trains and was withdrawn and scrapped), LSWR M7 No. 30036 (whose job is pilot engine and was withdrawn and scrapped), USA Dock Tank No. 30073 (whose name is Richard and job is mix traffic work on Thomas' branchline and was withdrawn and scrapped) and LBSCR E4 No.32583 'Zoey' (whose job is passenger trains on Edward's branchline and was later acquired by the NWR, where she now works on Edward's line as a mix traffic engine with the number 33).
      • It is also revealed that Jinty and Pug have survived to the modern day: Jinty was acquired by the NWR in 1997 as Tidmouth station pilot, before being transferred to Edward's branchline on mixed traffic duty in 2009, and Pug is preserved on a heritage line.
    • The other railway diesels are a BR Class 31 (D701), a BR Class 52 "Western" (No. D1001 "Western Pathfinder"), a BR Class 40 (No. D782), a BR Class 28 (No. D5703), and a BR Class 08 (No. 08959), respectively.
    • The workshops engines' pages states the green engine might be a LMS 2P (Vincent), the red engine is a LMS Jubilee (Dale), the blue engine an LNER F5 (Bob), the engine next to Percy a GWR 2301 Class (Kenny), Percy's sister, and a J94 (Jack).
    • The Little Blue Tank Engine's page states that he is named Chris and based on a mixture of a LNER N2 & a GWR 56xx.
    • The three unnamed engines in the shed in the first illustration of "Edward's Day Out" are two LNER B12s (the blue one is Alfred/98462, and the red one is Kirk), and an LNER B16 (Cecil/87546). It is revealed Alfred accidentily destroyed himself while trying to destroy Gordon and Henry for "replacing" him, Cecil was sent back to the GER and scrapped after an accident at the bridge over the River Hoo that killed five, and Kirk was destroyed in 1944 when an out-of-control German bomber crashed into Vicarstown Sheds, also claiming the life of a visiting Fowler 4F named Harriet. These grisly fates were the reason Awdry excluded them from the books, especially Alfred, who was thought to be under Satanic possession by superstitious railwaymen.
  • It is revealed that The Diesel, 199 and Old Stuck Up's real names are Bartholomew, Harry and Quimby. It is also revealed that Bartholomew was withdrawn and scrapped in 1982, Harry was saved for preservation in 1992 and has mellowed out, and Quimby was withdrawn and scrapped in 1985.
  • It is revealed that Bulgy's Friend's name is Boris.
  • It is revealed the other diesels from three Railway Series volumes "Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine", "Enterprising Engines" and "Gordon the High-Speed Engine" have names:
    • D701: Skinhead (Class 31 nickname)
    • BR Class 52: D1001 Western Pathfinder/Ian
    • D782: Andy
    • Class 28: D5703/Vick
    • Class 08: 08959/Nute
    • 31120: Ped (Another Class 31 nickname)
    • 10751: Derby
  • It is revealed that Miss Jenny's Land Rover is named "Ronan".
  • Like the minor engines, it is revealed that the other non-rail vehicles have basis and names:
    • The One-eyed truck from "Percy's Spooky Tale" was a Foden Steam Lorry with horizontal steam engine mounted above the boiler with chain-drive to the rear wheels.
    • Algy is a AEC Regal VI bus.
    • The Green Bus from the annual story "You Never Know" is a AEC Regal "T Class" London Country Area bus, like Bertie.
    • S.S. Roxstar is an Olympic-class ocean liner, built as the S.S. Vienna in 1922. It is also confirmed that the liner is the same character from TUGS.
    • Lucinda is a John-A.-Dialogue-&-Sons-built New York Central Tugboat 13.
    • Cardona II is the Eppleton Hall
  • This book marks the first appearances of Juggernaut, Arlesdale Tramway 'Vertical Boiler' Engines, Ward Fell, Shen Ven, Fletcher, Jennings, Vivian and Lilly.
  • Betram, Freddie and Proteus once worked on Mid-Sodor Railway.
  • It is revealed that Diesel 10 turned to be D810 Cockade and his name was Vincent.
  • The "Coffee Pots"' names are revealed to be Callum, Sean, Richard and Lewis, in addition to Glynn.
  • S&M Nos. 1 and 3's names are revealed to be Clive and Matthew.
  • Neil is revealed to have been preserved.
  • Emily's true origins are explained as being built as a replica at the Crovan's Gate Works in 2003 to alleviate a perceived motive power shortage on the Ffarquhar as a result of booming passenger traffic following the completion of the Ulfstead extension.
  • The Ffarquhar branchline was extended to Ulfstead in 1998.
  • Hiro is revealed to have come to the NWR in 1945 as war reparation from Japan. He fell into disrepair and was abandoned because Kawasaki was unable to ship any parts to Sodor, and the Crovan's Gate Works had zero knowledge as to how to machine the parts.
  • Flora is revealed to be a "special occasion" locomotive who only operates during galas.
  • The existence of the Vicarstown Railway Museum, Mid-Sodor Heritage Railway, and Norramby Miniature Railway are revealed.
  • The Star Fleet and Z-Stacks from TUGS are now based at Norramby Harbour, and are now friends (though Zip and Zug still find any opportunity to reignite the old rivalry)
  • Sixteen's heritage line eventually sold him to the NWR, where he was renamed Sheffield, making good on Stephen Hatt's promise to get an Austerity locomotive
  • Many things seen in the TV series are actually exaggerated claims by HiT Entertainment:
    • Norman is not Dennis' twin, but a replica built by Crovan's Gate Works in 2010.
    • Belle does not have any firefighting equipment, and is actually a normal Standard Class 4 used on secondary passenger services on the mainline.
    • Hiro is NOT the oldest engine on Sodor, that title going to Skarloey and Rheneas.
    • All of the random factories seen on the island in the later seasons is completely fictional, as Sodor is predominantly agricultural.
    • Misty Island has very stringent safety regulations, Bash and Dash are both L&YR Class 23 0-6-0ST engines, Ferdinand is an LMS Fowler 4F, the Shake-Shake Bridge is non-existent, Ol' Wheezy does not fling logs at will, Hee-Haw is a static exhibit, and the NWR views the television series' depiction as a death trap where anything goes.
  • Many previously-unknown characters are revealed:
    • Eric, an LNER V3 who works the Kirk Ronan Branch Line
    • Ted, a BR Class 14 who serves as Tidmouth station pilot
    • Iris, another BR Class 14 who serves as shunter of the Tidmouth Container Terminal
    • Peter, an LMS 8F who works heavy goods trains on the mainline
    • Patrick, a BR Class 40 numbered D4 and used for express services
    • Lily, an LSWR O2 who was Wellsworth & Suddery Railway #2, and mentored Thomas in branchline running; she was scheduled to be scrapped in 1932 due to the Great Depression, but was instead put on a ship to the Isle of Man, which sunk in a storm; Lily was eventually found in 2009 in an expedition led by Robert Ballard, and restored by the Steamworks as NWR #16; she now works mixed-traffic duties on Thomas' branch line
    • Colin, W&S #1, a small Avonside four-wheel shunter, who was scrapped in 1932
    • Adam, W&S #3, an Adams Radial Tank who was re-acquired by the Southern Railway in 1932, and is now at the Bluebell Railway, going by the name Adams
    • Sandra, an SR Z Class tank engine who was leased by the NWR during World War II; she was a haughty engine who, while pulling a munitions train, crashed at Vicarstown, which caused the original station's destruction
    • Archibald, an LMS 2P who was also leased by the NWR during World War II; he was alot like Sandra, only his downfall came when he fell off the viaduct near Cronk while pulling a troop train
    • Evan and Edwin, a pair of BR Class 142 "Pacers" who serve as shuttles between Knapford Junction and Sodor Airport
    • Alice, an LNER Class C1 who is part of the NWR Express Fleet
    • Daphne, a BR Class 55 Deltic who is also part of the NWR Express Fleet
    • Sodor Castle, a GWR Castle Class who is yet another member of the NWR Express Fleet
    • Dick and Dilworth, a pair of BR Class 66s who are part of the NWRs freight distribution subsidiary, NW Freight
    • Samarkand, a BR Class 9F and one of Murdoch's siblings who was formerly part of NW Freight, before she was permanently transferred to mainline goods services after her lack of modern safety equipment barred her from working on the mainland
    • Squaddie, a BR Battle of Britain Class who works mainline passenger services, as well as the Kirk Ronan-Tidmouth boat train Sodor Explorer
    • Brad, an SR USA Class with an American accent who is one of Rosie's siblings; he works heavy goods services on Thomas' branchline
    • Hunter, a GWR Class 51xx Large Prairie who works on the Norramby branchline alongside Eagle

Trivia

  • It was given away at Day Out with Thomas events and with DVDs in the UK and US.
  • The prototype cover used an illustration from Thomas the Tank Engine.
  • The final cover shows Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby, Duck, Donald, Douglas, Oliver and Emily on the front, and Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby and Emily on the back.
  • Donald and Douglas are painted blue, as in the Railway Series books.
  • Bertram is correctly illustrated as a tank engine.
  • The Spiteful Brakevan is painted grey with "NW" on his sides, as in the Railway Series book and the Wooden Railway model.
  • Diesel and Norman's pages state that they have numbers 13208 and 11002, respectively.
  • Jinty and Pug's pages state that Jinty's job is mix traffic work on Thomas' line and he works on the Wellsworth Branchline as a mixed traffic locomotive while Pug's job is mix traffic work on Thomas' line and works at Brendam docks.
  • Characters previously unnamed in the RWS but named in the ERS and this book include Eagle (The Red Engine), Royal Scots (The Foreign Engine), Wendell (The Works Diesel), Monique (The Mines Engine), Gwen, Nora, Willa, Sally Dorothy, Lady Helen/Patricia, Amy and Ellie (Other Culdee Fell Railway Coaches), Shane (Willie's Tractor) and Rod (The Orange Caterpillar Crane).
  • Characters depicted as having grey faces to match the other characters include Bear, Wendell/The Works Diesel, Pip and Emma, Peel Godred Engines, 199, Old Stuck-Up, Other Railway Diesels, 31120, 10751, D5702, Talyllyn Railway Engines, Snowdon Mountain Railway Engines, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway Engines, Fred Pelhay, Rickety, U. L. P., Boris/Bulgy's Friend, Rod/The Caterpillar Crane and Ronan/Miss Jenny's Land Rover.
  • Derek's page states that he was first numbered D8616, later D13.
  • Emily is described as Thomas' girlfriend and love interest, respectively. This is the first mention of this in canon media.
  • Henry's page states he was originally based on a LNER Stanier Class B10 4-6-0, later LMS Stanier Black 5 4-6-0 with Fowler tender.
  • Gordon's page states he was originally based on a LNER Grelsey Class A0 4-6-2, later LNER Grelsey Class A3 4-6-2 with LMS components and Fowler tender.
  • On James' page, James was originally a 0-6-0, later rebuilt into a 2-6-0.
  • On Toby, Flora, 'Arry, Bert, Victor, Kevin, Den and Dart's pages, Sodor Tramway, Sodor Ironworks, Sodor Steamworks and Sodor Dieselworks are referred to as Anopha Tramway, Barrow Ironworks, Crovan's Gate Steamworks and Vicarstown Dieselworks, respectively.
  • Cranky is labelled as a electric crane.
  • 98462 and 87546 are referred to as Alfred and Cecil.
  • From this book onwards, the Tidmouth Milk tanker is changed to Toryeck Milk tanker and Sodor Fuel to Sudrian Petroleum.
  • The Island of Sodor is a mix of the Railway Series and the television series version in this book.
  • Harvey's page states that he is part of the Works Department.
  • Lady is illustrated as now having couplings on her front and back, and is retconned as being a rejected GWR design who became government property in the 1950s and was used as the testbed for teleportation (using technology found at the Roswell, New Mexico crash site). Her purpose would be to quickly shift troops and supplies to and from Eastern Europe in the event of war with the Soviet Union. Despite never being activated for this purpose, and now having the Middle East and Korean Peninsula added to her job description, she still mysteriously shows up in NWR records from 2000 onward after the release of Thomas and the Magic Railroad, sending conspiracy theorists into a frenzy.
  • Ned's page states that he is based on an Erie Type B Steam Shovel sharing features with a Thew Type O Steam Shovel (early 20th Century).
  • Blue Mountain Quarry Vehicles' descriptions state that they are based on (Ruston Bucyrus 19's (Steam Shovels), AEC Mammoth Major's, (Tankers) and Leylands (Flatbed Trucks).
  • Ada, Jane and Mabel are depicted with their names written on their back in cursive.
  • Godred's page states he was turned into a generator like Smudger, meaning Culdee's story was slightly exaggerated. It also states that Godred still serves this function, though due to increasing passenger traffic, there have been serious proposals to make him rail-worthy once again, especially since 117 years have mellowed him out nicely.
  • Fergus' page states he was damaged in the landslide at the China Clay Works and is still stored in a siding at the Crovan's Gate Works, awaiting resources for repair. This explains why he hasn't been seen in any episodes past Season 7.

Goofs

  • Henry in his old shape has steampipes.
  • Daisy is incorrectly illustrated as a Co-Bo diesel instead of a Bo-Bo diesel.
  • Rex, Bert, Mike and Jock has six-wheel tenders yet they have eight-wheel tenders in the Railway Series.
  • Smudger is incorrectly illustrated as a 0-4-2 saddletank instead of a 0-4-0 welltank.
  • Isobella's name is misspelled "Isabella".
  • Fergus has a blue smokebox.
  • Rocky is missing his wheels on his page.
  • Bertie is missing his radiator.
  • The mail coaches don't have doors.
  • Alice, Mirabel, Isabel and Dulcie are incorrectly illustrated as having twelve wheels instead of eight.
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