#sodor uk

[the-quackeroos]

wanted to draw Duck and Emily together. so, here's Emily catching up to Duck who just finished his workout.

[i-am-trans-gwender]

The Cask of Amontillado

[bruhstation]

steam team's seniors during their baby years

A friend group so weird and toxic to people they dislike it could rival It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’s. They're not immune to the "I came to Sodor to avoid my problems and wanted a fresh start" trope many Sudrians also follow

Edward Pettigrew

Age: 31 as of 1984

A kind, friendly NWR railwayman who didn’t mind a lot of things and was popular amongst younger folks for his looks and demeanor. He likes showing newbies the ropes of the NWR and Sodor as a whole because he just loves infodumping. Despite being made fun of by some railwaymen for his “weirdness”, Edward worked hard and was known as the jack-of-all-trades by his peers, usually treating younger and newer railwaymen to drinks after work to get them accustomed to Sodor (he did this to Henry, then Gordon, then James). Originally from the village of Pezë in Tirana, Albania, 1940s. Due to his beginnings in a small rural village and the Albanian government’s censorship of outside influences and heavy restriction of traveling outside the country, Edward’s hunger for knowledge about the world grew more and more. His family had connections to the Lëvizja Nacional-Çlirimtare and Edward’s particularly bright and good at talking, so he became a diplomat to travel outside Albania – a step into his plans of learning more about the world. After landing himself in the United Kingdom and studying everything he wanted, he believes it’s still not enough. He found out about an island infamous for its supernatural occurrences and cases of people missing just off the coast of the UK – Sodor. Being the curious man he is, he discarded everything that’s needed for the LNÇ to locate him and landed on Sodor, gorging himself with every mystery the island has to offer. Impulsive? Yes. But for the first time, Edward felt true freedom. However, Edward got too curious and nosy and became a casualty in an accident fueled by supernatural hysteria related to Lady of the Legend and was transported around 40 years into the future, landing in 1983 with his memories all over the place. Despite losing his sense of self and having no idea what he is, his thirst for knowledge still lives on inside his head. His cheerfulness, amicability, and kindness are extensions he formed to make up for the hole inside his heart. Edward does love his friends, but he believes that if he can withhold information from them and make them all live in blissful ignorance, they can be truly happy – this all stems from his fear of exceeding his limits and being discarded (which he later copes by being a typical wise friendly old man in 1999). He often sees visages of Lady in his dreams.

Gordon J. Gresley

Age: 26 as of 1984

Joined after Henry. Looked like he was fresh out of a funeral. A young hotshot who was more polite, quiet, and reserved compared to his 1999 counterpart. Gordon started out as an apprentice fireman for the Wild Nor’Wester’s previous driver. He treated his arrival on Sodor as a desperate last resort to escape his issues and grief and pitifully believed he was “lumped with the social pariahs in the boonies”, but he’s gotten better and believed that this is where he can truly outshine everyone, much to the annoyance and chagrin of his seniors. Gordon acts like he knows what he’s doing in order to build up his image as someone who’s dependable and strong and revels in small basks of limelight. However, he was constantly uncomfortable with how Edward treated accidents as normal due to their survivors being in tip-top shape the next day and how Henry is so distrustful of and odd about everything and everyone and sweats 24/7, but he’s been masking and convincing himself that he’s not like the rest of them. He’s normal. He’s normal! Let’s all hold hands. Don’t be fooled by his sad face. Young Gordon can be arrogant and think he knows everything for being a youngin.

Henry Stanier

Age: 27 as of 1984

Joined after Edward, so he’s quite close to him. Gordon’s “senior” by 6 months. He’s always, ALWAYS scared endlessly about anything “out of the ordinary” and beats himself up over it, much to his own disgust. Henry had a deep rooted hatred and jealousy towards his peers for pitying him after a coworker revealed to other railwaymen that he’s narcoleptic without his permission. He’s been masking his disabilities despite it being detrimental for his well-being, but as long as people treated him “normally”, Henry would endure (dreadfully). He did this especially with Gordon, the newest addition to the Northwestern Railway at the time, because he didn’t want anyone else to treat him differently when they find out about his health issues. As an extention, Henry developed a vitriol towards Gordon too – he’s particularly jealous about how he’s so “ungrateful” of everything’s given to him like his fair looks, clothes, and position as the to-be face of the Wild Nor’Wester. They did become friends though despite the process not being easy. It’s okay. They became besties that were mean to old nosy folks. Initially wanted to pursue arts, but due to circumstances from his past related to his health and paranoia fueled by his past failures and “jinxes”, he came to Sodor as a half-hearted last resort to get a job. He wasn’t hopeful of having anyone respect him for who he is, but things do get better, much to his surprise.

James A. Hughes

Age: 25 as of 1989

Joined the NWR 5 years after Edward did. At that point, Gordon already discarded his GNR Green look and went for the blue attire (minus the big coat). Flaunts his beauty almost at any given time, especially when someone mildly complimented him. He’s more of a nerd (word used loosely because he acts like a know-it-all when he actually has no idea what he’s doing) compared to his canon, 1999 counterpart. James came to Sodor for a fresh start and believed he deserves more than what he’s given. He thinks he’s so tough and hard as nails – in fact it became his source of hubris because he gets into accidents and was scolded by his seniors for being so vain and stubborn. He doesn’t want to get dirty, he doesn’t want to shovel coal, he doesn’t want to get wet from the washdown suds – he only wants the good out of the work and doesn’t want to accept the “bad” sides as well, so James was branded as the “problem kid” of the NWR by older folks. James, who can’t handle harsh criticism and labels well, grow even more distant with them. He primarily hangs out with the RWS trio because they seem to understand his situation and the feeling of being “outcasted” (despite Gordon’s annoyance at his boastfulness). 

[esperfruit]

The speedy duo

Connor Schenectady

Age: 26

Height: 182 cm

Caitlin Baldwin:

Age: 26

Height: 174 cm

A pair of half siblings that grew up together in the USA ever since they were born despite having different mothers. Connor's mother, a very rich woman, learned about Caitlin when Connor was only two months old and her own mother dropped her off at their home. Taking mercy on the baby girl, she took Caitlin in as her own daughter and divorced her husband for cheating on her.

Only being two months apart, made them feel like twins. They have a very close bond and are loyal to each other to no end. After they finished collage, their mother let her connections play and let them start working for the Earl of Sodor in the UK.

Both are very energetic and eager to do their work. They love to participate in all kinds of competition for fun and can come of as pushy when inviting others. Connor gets easily cautious when confronted with high risks of getting hurt and Caitlin is very impatient, tending to forget everying around her to get to action as fast as possible.

[steam-beasts]

Gonna put this out there. You know Lily and Patch from TATMR?

They also exist in this au, and are adults now, but when they go to Sodor, they revert to the age they were when they first went to Sodor because the portal that transports them there (aka the buffers), kinda has a mind of its own, or to be more specific, the magic inside it. Little parts of Lady’s railroad, such as the tunnel, has magic that even she herself has no control over, and that magic can basically identify an object, engines or creature that goes through it. Say that object or engine was in bad shape, opposite to how it looked before. The tunnel basically reverts the person or thing travelling through it to the way it looked when they first entered. If Lily and Patch were going through the tunnel back to the mountain, the whole thing kinda goes in reverse and they get reverted to the last known form they were when they entered the tunnel.

So…if the tunnel reverts you to the way you looked when you first went through it (going to Sodor), then what about Lady? Well, Lady’s a goddess, the tunnel magic can do nothing to her form even if its changed up a bit, so no, she won’t revert back into her pre-infected state. Even in her normal form, the monstrous featured on her face are something she just can’t get fully rid of, even if she tried. Whatever magic was in that infection, it’s more powerful than hers. For Thomas, he may not be a god, but the magical elements in the infection he’s got have stopped him from being reverted back. Nothing happens. For any engine, just humans (and conductors).

Lily-

Age in Shining Time; 35 years old

Age on Sodor; 11 years old (still mentally 35)

Patch

Age in Shining Time; 36 years old

Age on Sodor; 12 years old (still mentally 36)

Burnett

(Okay, Burnett is a different story. You see, if a human ever became the driver of a steam engine goddess, the engine’s magic can slow down the human’s aging process or drastically change it to that of a well cared for machine, basically eternity. This old man’s very likely gonna be the same age forever, or will live as long as Lady, and she’s immortal)

Age in Shining Time; 57 years old (would be 81 this year)

Age; Alas, still 57 years old

Lily and Patch can’t afford the time to just go to Sodor by plane. The portal’s the quickest and cheapest route. It’s not that they don’t want to spend money or can’t. They just can’t handle the amount of hours they’d have to endure to travel to a small island in the UK to visit talking trains.

[ye-olde-sodor]

Dream Canon Mallard Headcanons!

Mallard is an LNER Class A4 built in 1938, making him one of the youngest members of the Gresley Family. (Aged 62 in this au)

He holds the world record for the Fastest Steam Locomotive in the world. On July 3rd, 1938, he reached 126 mph at just a few months old!

Mallard can be arrogant and mean, but he’s generally well mannered and generous with humans and engines alike…unless an engine dares to defy the hierarchy, then it’s an entirely different case. He's also quite the Optimist, which plays into how he views serious situations.

No one tell him that Henry "Stanier" was built with stolen Gresley blueprints, he'll have a stroke. A merge of the two families would create a nation wide scandal!

He’s in charge of his own Engine Correctional Facility on the Mainland, and has 17 other facilities just like it across the UK!

This idea of correctional facilities came to him sometime after he learned of the scrapping of most of his siblings (save for Spencer and a few others). He was grief stricken, and clung to the first thing that brought him any feelings that weren’t grief and dread.

He noticed that him and a select few of his siblings were preserved because they either performed better than the rest, broke a record, had some major historic significance, or were purchased by foreign railways. It’s the first example that became Mallard’s obsession.

He wanted to give all engines another chance at life. He wanted to see if he could mold an engine to be better than their other siblings, and have them preserved. When the trial of this idea succeeded with Ryan (who was unaware of the trial and assumed he was preserved due to his ties with the other Gresleys), Mallard found his new purpose in life, his spiritual awakening one might say. He’s been operating his correctional facilities ever since.

While he has the best intentions in mind, he’s oblivious to the harm his methods of teaching may cause. He can also be full of himself when he’s convicted he’s right.

His main goal is to expand his facilities to Sodor, the bane of British Rail and to the Engine Hierarchy. He wishes to purchase it and reshape it in his own image. Mallard won’t modernize it, but he wants to bring order and essentially remove what makes Sodor stand out from other heritage lines…it’s numerous accidents and ties to the Reverend Awdry.

He's extremely close to Ryan, who he views as a son. Spencer is a close second, however. While he cares for Scott and Gordon as well, he can't let Scott's "death" get in the way of progress. He'll mourn in secret, not in public. It's the professional way to do it.

As one can probably tell, Mallard sees opportunity in everything, even in death and depression. He's an optimist by nature, and always tries to see the good in everything. Case in point, now that Mallard has part of Scott's inheritance and Gordon doesn't want to work anymore, Mallard has the perfect opportunity to go through with his Sodor Renovation plan!

When Mallard learned that Gordon was struggling to cope with the loss, he offered to take him to the Mainland to get him closer to professionals who can help him.

Spencer became roped into Mallard's scheme, but Spencer isn't too keen on the idea just like everyone else.

Thomas quickly became Mallard's "moral enemy" due to his Anti-hierarchy views. Once Mallard has control over the island's engines, Thomas will be the first one admitted to Mallard's Correctional facility. He's hoping that Ryan can whip him into shape, as he plans to have Ryan run the Sodor facility in the future.

Quotes:

Mallard: "Gordon, my dear brother-"

Gordon: "We're cousins."

Mallard: "Gordon, my dear cousin-" ____________________________________________

Mallard: "So Spencer, how's the island?"

Spencer: "Depressed, demoralized...on the brink of collapse now that Gordon got replaced by those three diesels!"

Mallard: "Oh is it now?~"

Spencer: "Please don't talk like that again-"

Mallard: "Do tell me more about Sodor's, eh...run of bad luck."

____________________________________________

Mallard: “Well look on the bright side…once you feel ready, we can return to Sodor and I get to introduce you to all the new changes I’ve made! :)”

Gordon, half listening: I suppose you’re right-wait WHAT ALL DID YOU CHANGE???”

Mallard: “Secret :3”

____________________________________________

Mallard: "So we're going to put the new Correction Facility over...Oh I don't know where to place it! Spencer, you know the island well, where would be the most optimal location for it?"

Spencer: "I wouldn't say I know it well...but if you're serious about this facility of yours, I'd place it somewhere along the Express route. There's some land near Vicarstown that's unoccupied. It'll be right next to a large yard and station for engines to train. Plus it'll be in close proximity to the Dieselworks."

Mallard: "There's a Dieselworks?! On Sodor?"

Spencer: "Calling it a Works is a bit of a stretch but yes, there is one. It's in complete disrepair though. It's any wonder those diesels despise Topham and our fellow steam engines"

Mallard: "Hmm. Good to know..."

____________________________________________

Mallard: "Y'know, I've been digging into your class lately in order to-"

Thomas: "The Hell?! What are you doing that for, you creep!"

Mallard: "...To better accommodate my courses and lessons to your class, since I've been told you're quite the water hog."

Thomas: "Oh you miserable-"

Mallard: "I'M TRYING TO HELP YOU, YOU TWIT."

____________________________________________

Edward: "We'll lose everything! Sodor's culture, it's heritage, and it's railways. You'll destroy everything that Sodor stands for if you go through with your plan!"

Mallard: "Ah, so my plan will work! What wonderful news! Now we can get started on making a new Sodor!"

Edward: ಠ_ಠ

Mallard: "One with our beloved hierarchy, no confusion or delay, and more attention to the poor and neglected diesels!"

Diesel 10: "Hell yeah! Finally, a Steamer who gets it!"

Edward: "He's using you to push his own agenda you twit! He'll forget about you once he-"

Mallard: "Step right up then, my fellow machine! Show me around the Diesel Works so I can make arrangements to give it a complete overhaul!"

Diesel 10: "Gladly Mr. eh...Mallard was it?"

Edward, under his breath: "Oh you can fuck right off..."

[the-quackeroos]

I finally beaten the clock with this page, and Duck and Donald check into an inn. ^^

[weirdowithaquill]

Traintober 2023: Day 1 - Free Day

Preservation on Sodor:

Sodor must be one of the most interesting places to look at when it comes to railway preservation, if not also road, sea and air preservation. For starters, the island’s railways are all still primarily run by vintage steam traction – but there’s also Harold, who is in his 60s or 70s at this point, Bertie the bus (who is nearing 100), Trevor and Terrence and George – not to mention the fact that the island seems to continue to have antique ships within its waters, including steam ships and fishing trawlers.

But of course, I want to focus on the railways – and in particular how Sodor must be the British hub for heritage railways, museums and other attractions. For starters, Sodor has by far the largest heritage railway system in the world for its size, with over 80 miles of mainline, several branchlines, a narrow-gauge railway, a mountain railway and a miniature gauge railway. It also has a massive fleet of engines – 80 by the Reverend’s count on the NWR alone – making it possibly the single largest working heritage railway in the UK, if not Europe. This would instantly attract many preservationists wishing to run their locomotives, meaning that mainline excursions and visitors would be a frequent sight on the island. This in turn would bring in tourists, who would make money for the NWR and the railway the engines belong to, as well as helping the Fat Controller if one of his enignes is unable to work. It would also give us as railfans the chance to see unique motive power on a variety of trains - like a Coronation Class pulling a slow goods, or a Hughes Crab on a China Clay train - things we don't get to see anymore. 

Furthermore, Sodor is home to Crovan’s Gate Works, the largest steamworks of its kind in Britain. For its influence, I am going to turn to 60163 Tornado. When Tornado was built, her boiler had to be manufactured in Germany because there was just no one in the UK able to produce a boiler of the type, while the superheater header needed to be attempted by three foundries before it was assembled correctly. Crovan’s Gate Works, which is able to maintain a full fleet of engines including Gordon – who is also an A1 with many similarities – would have been able to do both in a far timelier manner. The same would go for all locomotive repair programs in the UK. Crovan’s Gate would either host locomotives or manufacture parts for them, becoming a hub for preservation across the country. Engines like Stepney or Green Arrow would be able to be overhauled at the Works, rather than be taken out of service. This would effect how many steam engines are in working order in Britain, if not Europe, as the refurbishment time would be significantly shortened - something that is compounded if said locomotive shares any components with a Sodor engine - like Talyllyn, Dolgoch, Flying Scotsman or any of the Black 5s, Panniers or Autotanks in preservation. 

This brings me on to the last point: International Tourism. Sodor must be one of the most visited locations in Britain in this universe. For starters, there’s all the fans of the book and TV series (which are both canon and referenced in the books). This means that Sodor would have tens of thousands of families coming to the island from around the world annually to see the ‘Eight Famous Engines’ or the ‘Steam Team’, bringing in a massive amount of revenue for hotels, local businesses and the railways themselves. But there would also be the railfans who come with the aforementioned railtours, as well as international railfans who want to see steam in action in a mainline setting – something nearly impossible anywhere on the planet. Sodor has at least one airport (and probably two, considering in real life there is an airport on Walney Island near the real-life Vickerstown), six ports connected to the NWR, and a rail and road link to the UK. The island has the infrastructure to handle the flocks of tourists, and this would in turn benefit much of the rest of Northern England. This would majorly benefit the preservation world by bringing in funding for Sodor, which is in turn able to fund things like track upgrades, or overhauls for engines beyond their own railway. It also gives other railways a good place to promote themselves, as Sodor has a guaranteed market for tourists who may travel to these other railways. 

You cannot understate how much these books have done for Sodor, and for railway preservation as a whole.

So, Sodor is at the very least a centre for preservation in the UK, with railtours, overhauls and masses of international tourists – but it’s also where a lot of engines were likely rescued from. We see it in Oliver and Douglas, but engines know of Sodor and its safety. I can imagine an alternate universe in which engines keep turning up throughout the 1960s, being brought to safety on Sodor and then sold to heritage railways, being overhauled at Crovan’s Gate before moving to their new homes. Sodor would act as an intermediate in this era, being able to do the paperwork to preserve engines due to its position in the national network while also being aligned with the cause of the heritage railways. Sodor is a safe haven for steam, and this would have a significant impact on its position as a preservation hub for the UK.

Back to the Master Post

[trainalt22]

NEW AND IMPROVED ✨️CHARACTER PROFILES✨️ GET THE LORE WHILE ITS HOT PEOPLE

Name: Jamie Alrick

Age: 23

Occupation: NWR#1 Fireman

Likes: The cold, chocolate, photography and RPG games

Dislikes: being hot, narcissists, tight clothes and being late

Bio: Born on Sodor to Richard and Alice Alrick in March of 2000. Unfortunately, Rick's wife Alice was infertile so a surrogate was needed. Even more unfortunate is that the surrogate (that was randomly chosen) was the rich CEO of a British-American business empire, Janice Weddle. When her only son died in 2007, she took the Alricks to court over custody for Jamie. She won in 2008 due to less than ethical means, taking Jamie from the loving family he had grown up in and placing him into a cold and calculated corporation where his every move was judged. He was put under severe stress. All he wanted was to go home, but he was alone in a different country, so he could only revel in the small comforts, like the gifts his family on Sodor would send him for Christmas and his birthday, which were irreplaceable.

He ran away from home in 2016, living on the streets for 2 years before he scrounged up enough money for a plane ticket to England, where he showed up at the Alrick household back on Sodor. He was welcomed with open arms, but the trauma from his childhood made it hard for him to acclimate to a more relaxed environment.

He moved to the mainland in 2019 for studies and work, enjoying being on his own greatly, until he received a call from his mother in early 2023 urgently sending for him to return to Sodor due to his father's untimely passing.

Name: Amilea Lilian Collins

Age:21

Occupation: NWR #12 fireman

Likes: sweets, the fall season, steam locomotives, knifes

Dislikes: Bigotry, the summer, Spicy food, being bossed around

Personality: she's sly sarcastic but never rude she tries her best to be as open minded and friendly as possible

Bio: Born in September of 2003 to her family her mother, Lidia Collins, her father, Maxwell Collins, and her brother, Ashton Collins. Most of her early childhood, Amilea naturally gravitated to her female classmates, which Maxwell found especially concerning because Amilea was AMAB.

During her later years, she discovered herself and transitioned with the support of her mother and brother.

However, her father kicked her out, devastating her. Luckily, her brother took her in while he worked at the NRM. It was then that she developed her love for locomotives of all types.

In her spare time, she worked on heritage railways all over the UK. It helped that her brother was recently promoted to lead mechologist for the NRM, and she used him as a reference to get on the footplate of some of the most famous preserved engines in the UK.

She applied to the NWR as soon as she hit 21 for an engine crew position. She got an interview, so she traveled to the small island of Sodor by rail, where she met someone who she thought could use a hand.

She was never extroverted, but if she got the job, it could be worth it if she tried to present herself as she always wanted to. So, she went up to him, offering her help.

When they went their separate ways, he seemed in higher spirits, and Ami felt glad that she could help someone in need.

Unfortunately, her interview had to be postponed to a few days later due to an emergency. But when she finally did get her interview, she was hired.

She found a studio apartment near Arlesburgh. It wasn't cheap, but it was leagues cheaper than an apartment in Tidmouth. Her brother helped her move everything in, wishing her the best in starting this new chapter of her life.

Name: Riley Mcdoon

Age: 26

Occupation: NWR#6 fireman

Likes: older woman, programming, hanging out with his drinking buddies and musicals

Dislikes: keith, rain, and snow

Personality: burtaly honest but rude hell tell you when your outta line or have to shape up but when your on his good side he's funny and charming

Bio: Born in Wales in August of 1997 to Michael and Ashley McDoon, he inherited his Irish accent from.

During his early childhood to late teens, he was a troublemaker and was on a first-name basis with almost every officer in Cardiff. However, by the time he went to college, he mellowed out while volunteering on the Talyllyn Railway.

He inherited a house in Ffarquhar from his great aunt and moved there. Originally hired as a signalman on the North Western, after he completed his training, he became a fireman and has been doing it ever since.

Name: Phi Montley

Age: 23

Occupation: NWR#7 Fireman

Likes: being left alone, the sounds of steam engines, Toby, walks in the forest

Dislikes:loud noises, people, crowed spaces, tomatoes

Personality: quite and rarely speaks but if you piss them off you will wish you Hadn't

Bio: Born in January of 2000, Phi had a good early life. They and their mother, Melissa Montley, lived in Ffarquhar until 2008, when a car accident claimed her life.

Unfortunately, the accident had a lasting effect on Phi. They didn't speak for almost a year afterward, and when they finally did, it was only to warn her grandfather, Wilfred (who was now their guardian), about a plank of wood that was going to hit him in the head.

Phi still lived in Ffarquhar for most of their life after their mother's accident. They tried moving away a few times, but it never worked out.

Wilfred was just happy to have someone around after the death of his wife and child. Years later, he did everything he possibly could to look after Phi.

Phi came out as non-binary shortly before working with their grandfather on the North Western Railway. They had their name changed right before applying.

They deal with anger issues often, almost resulting in violence. But with both Toby and Wilfred, they managed to stay grounded and not lose their cool often.

Their hot-headedness earned them the nickname "the phoenix of Ffarquhar" for their temper and good looks.

Name: Wilfred Montley

Age:63

Occupation: NWR#7 Driver

Likes: tea, hiking, kayaking, cooking

Dislikes: being lied too, bland food, being used, Loud music

Personality: as kind and loyal as they come Wilfred and his engine are the best to come too if you need advice he's always willing to lend a hand

Bio: Born in June of 1960, Wilfred was abandoned on the steps of St. Tibba's Nunnery in Welsworth, where he was raised. When he was 16, he got a job as a cleaner for the NWR on the Suddery Branchline.

By the time he turned 18, he was a fireman, moving from place to place and never being stuck to one engine for long before being transferred to Ffarquhar in 1980 as a fireman for Toby.

That same year, he fell in love with a local shopkeeper's daughter named Roselyn, whose father owned the tramway. By 1982, they got married and bought a home in Ffarquhar. In 1983, his daughter Melissa was born. Unfortunately, Roselyn died in childbirth.

Raising a daughter on his own was hard work. By 1985, he became Toby's driver. Some semblance of normalcy returned to their lives as Melissa grew. Wilfred would often sneak Melissa onto the footplate on her days off from school.

By 1999, Melissa found love of her own in a high-school love story in the making. Unfortunately, carelessness led to Melissa getting pregnant that same year, but her father helped and supported her, even when her "partner" ran off.

All was well; the little one was born with no serious problems, and his daughter survived the ordeal. Unfortunately, in 2008, Melissa passed away in a car accident in Tidmouth. The accident permanently affected Wilfred, with the only thing keeping him going during the next few years being his grandchild.

However, Phi took the accident hard. They screamed for their mother to return home so much that they started coughing up blood, damaging their vocal cords.

After that, they didn't speak for a year, only finally speaking when Wilfred was doing some housework and a plank of wood he had propped against a wall started falling toward him (which still hit him because he was in shock of hearing his grandchild's voice for the first time in a year).

After that, they started talking more, little by little. Eventually, the years passed them both by, and "Phi," as they started to call themselves, was 18. They tried moving away, but no one understood Phi like their grandfather, so in Ffarquhar they stayed.

When Phi turned 20, they applied to work for the NWR on the Ffarquhar Branchline and passed both the interview and training with flying colors.

When Phi approached Wilfred about wanting Phi to be their legal name, he took them the same day to get it changed. In that same conversation, they came out as non-binary. Wilfred didn't care; he loved his grandchild all the same.

They have worked together since, helping Toby and Henrietta work the Ffarquhar tramway.

Name: Adalyn Aberdeen

Age:53

Occupation: NWR D#3 Driver

Likes: warm weather, fancy clothes, wine, railway Galas

Dislikes: rain, snow, children, slobs

Personality: posh but not insufferable she acts more like the mother figure of the Ffarquhar crews and she loves to gossip over wine with Wilfred after a day's work

Bio: Born in 1970 in Manchester, her father was a railwayman through and through. She would often spend her early childhood watching the locomotives of the London Midland Region thunder by her childhood home.

When she was 16, her father would bring her along to help start up the locomotives. She took a liking to the engines, and slowly but surely, they took a liking to her, blossoming her love for diesel engines.

She would help out cleaning the sheds or cabs of the brand new diesels. After she graduated high school, she wanted a job working with her father, but she was denied. Even after many attempts, still nothing. She tried for any position they had open, and every one was denied (which she suspected was because of her gender).

Fed up, she tried one last time, but she made a mistake on the address of the letter, and it was sent to Sodor, where she was hired as an engine driver immediately.

Sodor was in a shortage for anyone with experience working with diesel locomotives, or anyone who wanted to. The interest was in the older steam engines, so when they got a resume from the Midlands, they hired her on the spot.

When she realized her mistake, it was too late, but she figured she would be turned away regardless.

Much to her surprise, a letter showed up a week later asking if she could do an in-person interview on the island of Sodor.

Her surprise only grew when she got to the small island and got the job. With what little savings she had, she rented an apartment in Knapford and started work. She was the first female diesel driver in the island's history.

It didn't take long for her and her engine, Daisy, to warm up to one another, and she works the same service to this day. Some would say doing the same job for so long would get boring, but Adalyn and Daisy know that on Sodor, there's never a dull moment.

Name: Keith Williams

Age:20

Occupation: NWR #6 Diver

Likes:wealth, praise,being in charge, men

Dislikes: being told he's wrong, not being in control, alcohol,

Personality: rude stuck up and arrogant it'd hard to imagine how he got a job on the NWR

Bio: Born in 2003, he was adopted by two very wealthy people who always wanted an heir to their business empire. He was raised with a golden spoon in his mouth; as a child, he was never told no. He naturally developed a love for locomotives from watching Thomas and Friends.

As he grew older, so did his passion, until he went to see The Flying Scotsman when he was 13. Ever since that moment, he wanted to be an engine driver. His parents didn't understand why he wanted to do such dirty and filthy work, but as he was their only child, they humored him.

When he turned 20, they pulled some strings with the branchline manager for the Ffarquhar Branchline to have him hired as an engine driver, even though he flunked out of his engine driving test on Sodor.

He was still experienced, and it wasn't his fault that the rugged, scruffy fireman he was paired with was kinda cute but rude to him. He would have aced that training if it wasn't for him.

He got the job regardless, and they assigned him to Percy. He was upset that he wasn't assigned to a more important engine, but he took it, hoping to one day move up the ranks.

[skarloeyspa]

dunky and rust! took me forever but details below

Rusty:

*clutches fists at overalls costing $1.29 in the 50s

ANYWAY uhm Rusty came to the SR in 1957 so I took some inspiration from both 50s and 60s clothing but mostly 50s

But yeah like all the other freethinkers🤖 in this community i subscribe to Rusty being nonbiney (altho they're mostly masc presenting)

I want to say that Rusty's jumpsuit is based off women's workwear but like. women's workwear in the 50's was based off men's workwear so what difference does it make😭

Ripped their boots straight from the bottom right of the catalog here so hehe

Their nameplate is specifically very simple and non-glossy to designate them as a maintenance worker as opposed to for passenger service

I don't. um. intend for Rusty to be that much taller than overhaul 2 loey. they're probably around the same height at best and Rusty is def a bit shorter than overhaul 3 loey

also they're wearing a flat cap. i don't like drawing them but it made the most sense so,

i don't know if they had binders in the 50s? If they didn't then um. I'm sure there was some kind of equivalent shapewear-

Duncan:

this guy was such a damn pain to design for oml

i really need to find a way to save my ref pics when i make my pencil sketches so i can add them to these posts when im done djfdjbfk

i gave duncan beeeaaauuuttifull lushious long blonde locks💅because he's got a long ass funnel HAHAHAH

he's tall. but he's also lanky. he's like a very tall twink sorta. like i get that he's strong cuz he worked at a factory but bro cannot retain muscle like. he's sticks.

oh and also blue eyes because of douglas. yyyyeah

anyway you might be wondering. capy what the hell is that ugly ass band of pattern across his chest

well that was my BIG BRAIN moment.

starting around like the 19th century people would take the fabric used to make sacks for shipping dried goods like animal feed and flour, and turn that fabric into clothing

this originated in more rural communities but became more widespread during world war I and especially world war II with rationing and whatnot. basically when companies noticed people wearing their sacks they began printing patterns onto their sacks for this explicit purpose (cuz you know. marketing)

before arriving to Sodor, duncan worked in a factory. you know who else produces dried goods?? factories!!!

around the time he arrived to sodor was also when American rock and roll was really influencing British youth, particularly with the rise of teddy boys and then the rockers (which is from my understanding, greasers but British). So around the time Duncan was heading to Sodor there was already an air of rebellion among the UK's youth

I took particular inspiration from Rockabilly based on its noted influence on British popular culture, which from what I've seen, adopts some more flashy elements to their clothing in contrast to the traditional suit and dress. I was this close to making duncan wear a bowling shirt

the kerchief is also because of this hehe

so in a moment of genius/delusion, i thought. what if while working at the factory, duncan saw the trends of people using their feed sacks as clothing fabric, and stole a bag or two for himself so he could sew on a strip of the fabric onto his work shirts because he's, ya know, mr. rock n roll

yes i did all that just for a stripe of fabric on his chest i am VERY happy with this choice

btw here's the exact pattern i used (i just ripped it off the internet)

ok that's it thank you for reading through my rambling once again!! lowkey i want to post lil western next but also. i talked abt making rws/formal uniforms for the SR crew so. we'll see what happens next lol

[kumatajdg]

To my delight, I was commissioned to create this custom vintage UK style railway poster - with a Railway Series theme - to be displayed on a client's model railway layout! Even better, there's a backstory to this one. The "Island Pullman" is Sir Topham Hatt's answer to Belmond, a luxury service that starts from Liverpool and travels across Sodor, along the main and Arlesburgh lines. At Harwick travellers enjoy a coastal cruise and overnight stay in a local hotel before returning the next day.

Henry has the duty of pulling this special train, and you can see him doing so here www.instagram.com/harwickharbo…!

This was great fun to work on and it's such a delight to see my work displayed like this.

If you'd like me to make you something similar, feel free to send a message!

[putuponpercy]

UK Thomas' frantic "WHY!?" when Spencer announces he's staying on Sodor for a while will never not be funny to me

[the-time-lord-oracle]

Something to look out for while watching Percy takes the Plunge is that during the scene where Percy is being rescued, Diesel makes a sneaky cameo. Look closely in this shot, and you can see him in the background. He's scuttling by as Percy is being fished out of the sea. He even gives a faint blast of his horn as he passes. Since Percy takes the Plunge comes immediately before Pop goes the Diesel in the original UK broadcast order for series 2, I wonder if Diesel's cameo was a deliberate Easter egg by David Mitton, showing that Diesel has just arrived on Sodor and is on his way to Tidmouth Sheds ready for the next episode.

[askyoungiron]

Hi Gordon…ummm I’ve been wanting to ask you this type of question for sometime now…

Do you pacifically have a.. a golden soul or gold dust that flying Scotsman does with his golden sold and gold dust? Or is it something entirely different for you… something like an entity? maybe…

It’s okay if you don’t answer, though I understand that gold dust… well all of it, is a very sensitive and personal subject to talk about…

GORDON: Every sentient engine has gold dust. One's in the UK anyway, it might be different for other engines in other countries. I don't know about my own soul as it's not spoken or known among crews. Maybe I could ask Scotsman about it but to be honest it doesn't really matter all that much to us here on Sodor. The Island is magical enough as it is.

[steam-beasts]

The Conductor's Popper

The Conductor's Popper is a disciplinary railway tool used from the early 1830s to the early 1940s before being banned in 1941 as it was considered abusive and too harsh towards sentient machinery.

This whip was made in Tywyn, Wales, by railway engineer, Max Macintyre in 1838 as a way to deal with unruly and undisciplined sentient railway vehicles. The whip itself was quite different from standard whips, as instead of a cracking noise, it made popping sounds when used, hence the "Popper" bit in the name. The tool was mostly at use in Wales and was legal to use on engines at the time, though, it found most use when dealing with narrow guage engines.

The whip when in use has enough force to create a 'whip mark' shaped dent in steam engines. Light enough to not fully cut through iron, but was ensured to be strong enough to leave a, as crews heard their engines describe it, "a horrible stinging pain". It started drawing out more concern as time went on, with people debating whether or not it was too cruel or a good disciplinary tool.

A certain railway that once used this type of discipline was the Talyllyn, who used the tool on No 1 and No 2 back in 1865 to 1938. Unlike the rest of the UK, Poppers weren't used on Sodor. As quoted from the NWR Director, Richard Topham Hatt;

"I'm never getting a single one of those cheapskate contraptions to use on my engines. I aim to treat my engines fairly and with respect, not like slaves. If an engine steps out of line, I reprimand them verbally, not physically, I'll even keep them in the shed as punishment if it depends. If I see a single man with a Popper, he'll be sacked the moment I find out!"

This was the same for the Talyllyn's counterpart, the Skarloey Railway.

On the Talyllyn, the engines did not have faces, and in that case were considered blind. Talyllyn and Dolgoch's translators helped them describe what their experiences were like with Poppers. It is up to you to decide if they are truly disciplinary or abusive:

Talyllyn; "When me and Dolly were still young and fresh, the manager and the workers were skittish and unsettled by us. They were used to seeing engines with faces. But unfortunately, me and my sister, along with our friends were cursed by Lady and Proteus alike..."

Dolgoch; "...when an engine, steam or diesel, is built, a face usually appears on their smokebox doors or radiators. For some reason, our faces never appeared, rendering us nearly completely blind and unable to speak through words. We were discriminated by workers, and treated like soulless beings, while our twins were given so much adoration and attention. It made me and Tally a bit jealous, if I must be honest..."

Talyllyn; "...While Sir Hayden Brown was owner of our railway, Mr Max handled operations and observed us. He had one of those nasty whips on him. He'd constantly whip us, or make us hear that popping noise as a warning. Though, he was more short tempered, and while nobody was around, would intimidate or hit me with the Popper. I've got 89 welding marks altogether, some on my boiler and buffers, and a couple on my funnel. Most of them were afflicted on me when I was still a 'bucking bronco'...thankfully, the overhauls and liveries made them fade a bit... most of those marks would just...reappear, even if I got a new, fresh part put on me...I've gotten used to it, it's fine...."

Dolgoch; "...I've got 56 welding marks, a few on my boiler, a few on my buffers and a few near my cab windows. Much like Tally's, they've faded but they're somehow still there. Sometimes, I wish our lives starting out was more like Skarloey and Rheneas's. At least they didn't get whipped if they were being too slow with slate or misbehaving...though, I wouldn't wish our experiences upon them...even despite our sentiments. Thankfully, the Poppers were made illegal by the time Sir Hayden and Edward Thomas arrived...I would dread the thought of young engines having to face discipline like that"

What do you think? Was it right to ban this tool?

(Decided to do a little bit of lore on the ttte version of the Talyllyn railway considering its basically the irl SKR and on a banned weapon used)