Timeline

This is a timeline chronicling the events of the Railway Series, TV Series and the railways:

1806

• Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladswail built.

1853

• The Sodor and Mainland Railway is built.

1864

• Skarloey is built.

1865

• Skarloey arrives on Sodor.
• Rheneas is built and arrives on Sodor.
• Skarloey has added trailing wheels to improve stability, and has a cab installed.

1870

• The Wellsworth-Suddery Railway is opened.
• Albert is built.

1875

• Stepney is built.

1877

• Captain Baxter is built.

1879

• Duke is built.

1880

• The Mid Sodor Railway is opened.
• Victoria is built.
• Boxhill is built.
• Cromford is built.

1883

• The Tidouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway is opened.

1888

• Sir Topham Hatt I is born.
• Albert is rebuilt into a J1 2-4-2 class.

1896

• Edward is built.
• Godred is built.
• Ernest is built.
• Wilfred is built.
• Culdee is built.
• Shane Dooiney is built and arrives on Sodor.

1897

• Construction on the Culdee Fell Railway begins.
• Wilfred arrives on Sodor.

1898

• Percy is built.
• Henry is built.

1899

• Donald and Douglas are built.

1900

• The Culdee Fell Railway is opened.
• Godred dies in a fall.

1903

• Toby is built.
• Falcon is built.
• City of Truro is built.

1905

• Boxhill is rebuilt into a 2-4-0T.

1910

• Bluebell and Primrose are built.

1913

• Thomas is built.
• Boxhill is rebuilt into a 0-6-0T.

1914

• The North Western Railway is formed from the Sodor and Mainland, the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light, the Wellsworth-Suddery and the Crosby-Brendam railways.

1915

• Thomas arrives on Sodor.
• James is built.
• The Ballahoo tunnel is built.
• The workshops at Crovan's Gate are established.

1916

• Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch built.

1917

• Stanley is built.

1918

• Duncan is built.

1919

• Addams is built.

1920

• Edward arrives on Sodor.

1922

• Gordon is built and arrives on Sodor.
• Henry is pre-rebuilt into a LNER Class A3 with a six-wheeled tender and arrives on Sodor.
• A second bore is cut for the Ballahoo tunnel after Henry stops in the original.
• Lord Harry is built.

1923

• Victoria arrives on Sodor and is made into a summerhouse at an Elsbridge orchard.
• Alaric is built.
• Eric is built.
• Stuart is built.

1929

• Duck is built.

1932

• Oliver is built.

1940

• Rusty is built.

1946

• James arrives on Sodor.
• Thomas is given his branch line.
• Stanley dies in a breakdown.

1947

• The Mid Sodor Railway and the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch are closed.
• Duke is sheeted.
• Falcon and Stuart are purchased by the aluminium works at Peel Godred for an expansion project.

1948

• The North Western Railway becomes officially known as the "North Western Region of British Railways".

1949

• Gordon, James and Henry go on strike.
• Percy arrives on Sodor.

1950

• Henry is overhauled.
• Rheneas is overhauled.
• Falcon and Stuart are sheeted.
• Henry has a collision with a goods train and is sent to Crewe to be rebuilt into a LMS Stanier Class 5.
• Fred is built.

1951

• Toby arrives on Sodor.
• Thomas has a brush with the law after he is booked for travelling from the Anopha Quarry line without cowcatchers or side plates.
• Stuart and Falcon are purchased by the Skarloey Railway and renamed Peter Sam and Sir Handel respectively.

1952

• Mavis is built.

1953

• Bill and Ben are built.
• Diesel is built.

1955

• Duck arrives on Sodor.

1956

• Sir Topham Hatt I dies.
• Daisy is built.

1957

• Diesel comes to and arrives on Sodor.

1958

• Boco is built.
• Rusty arrives on Sodor.
• Duncan arrives on Sodor.

1959

• Donald and Douglas arrive on Sodor.

1960

• 199 is built.
• The Diesel is built.
• Old Stuck-Up is built.
• Stepney is rescued by Rusty and arrives on Bluebell Railway.
• Captain Baxter arrives at Bluebell Railway.

1961

• Thomas has a collision with the Ffarquhar stationmaster's house and is sent to be repaired.
• Daisy arrives on Sodor.
• 7101 is built.

1962

• Mavis arrives on Sodor.
• Rheneas returns to Skarloey Railway.

1964

• Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch re-opened.
• Culdee returns to Culdee Fell Railway.
• Lord Harry arrives on Sodor.
• Alaric arrives on Sodor.
• Eric arrives on Sodor.
• Lord Harry is renamed "Patrick".

1966

• Bill and Ben arrive on Sodor.

1967

• 199 comes to Sodor.
• 7101 arrives on Sodor.
• 7101 is renamed "Bear".

1968

• Oliver, Isabel and Toad are rescued by Douglas and arrive on Sodor.
• Merlin, Mike and Rex arrive on Sodor.
• Merlin is renamed "Bert".
• Bert is rebuilt with a new boiler, long frames, a cab, a six-wheel tender, a cab and two new wheels, making his wheel arrangement 0-8-2.

1969

• Duke is discovered by Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Reverend W. Awdry and the Reverend Teddy Boston.

1984

• Duke is fully restored.
• Sir Handel visits the Talyllyn Railway.

1987

• Mavis is involved in a collision with a lorry and Toby has to do her work while she is absent.

1990

• After Privitisation, the name "North Western Railway" becomes official.
• Thomas is invited to a railway show in York.

1995

• The Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series is celebrated.
• Pip and Emma are purchased by the North Western Railway.

1996

• Ivo Hugh is built.

1999

• Cromford is loaned to Barrow Hill Engine Sheds.

2006

• Victoria is returned to service.

2008

• Cromford returns to Bluebell Railway.