Oliver is a green 0-4-2 T ex-Great Western Railway 1400 class locomotive, who 'escaped' from the Other Railway where he was due to be scrapped. The GWR 1400 class engines were fitted with a connector system allowing the driver to control the locomotive remotely from the cab of an 'autocoach', such as Isabel. The first large-scale celebration of an anniversary of the Railway Series was the Thomas the Tank Engine 45th Birthday at the National Railway Museum in 1990. James, the new engine on the Fat Controller's Railway, gets into trouble and tries to make up for his mistakes. Trevor is a traction engine who was introduced and rescued by Edward in Saved from Scrap. He is based on the William Foster & Co. Traction Engine No. 14593. Godred was the original engine on the railway, and is named after one of Sodor's historical rulers.

Audio adaptations of The Railway Series have been recorded at various times under the title The Railway Stories.

Sir Topham Hatt, better known as The Fat Controller, is the owner of the North Western Railway on Sodor. His son Charles Topham Hatt II succeeded him in 1954, and his grandson Stephen Topham Hatt III became the Fat Controller in 1984. His son Richard will be the next Fat Controller. Bertie is a little red bus introduced in Thomas and Bertie. In the story, Bertie once had a race with Thomas to Ffarquhar after he teased Thomas about being slow. He is based on the Leyland Tiger.

Sibley, Brian (1995). The Thomas the Tank Engine Man. London: Heinemann. pp.272–5. ISBN 0-434-96909-5. A steam tram named Toby comes to Sodor with his faithful coach, Henrietta, to help the Fat Controller after his old tramway closes down. Christopher subsequently added sixteen more books to the series, including the later two posthumous releases. The last book Thomas and his Friends was published in 2011 to commemorate Wilbert's century, particularity in the last story Centenary. Dalby illustrated the entire Awdry family – Wilbert, Margaret, Christopher, Veronica and Hilary – watching Percy pass through a station ("Percy runs away" in Troublesome Engines (p53)). [10] This was Christopher Awdry's only appearance in an illustration, but he often described meetings with the engines in the book forewords, usually with some degree of humour.Gordon is the big blue number 4 4-6-2 ('Pacific') ex- London and North Eastern Railway Gresley Class A1 locomotive. He works on the Main Line and originally pulled the Wild Nor' Wester from London to Sodor, until being superseded by Pip and Emma in 2011. Gordon is Flying Scotsman's only surviving brother as of 1967.

a b Awdry, Christopher (2005). Sodor, Reading Between the Lines. Sodor Enterprises. p.9. ISBN 0-9549665-1-1.Daisy is a green diesel railcar based on the British Rail Class 101 in a unique single car configuration. She was built in 1960 and arrived on Sodor specially for use on the Ffarquhar Branch Line after Thomas crashed into the Ffarquhar stationmaster's house. Daisy was highly opinionated about her functions at first, but after her humiliation from a stray bull, she made more effort to settle in. She first appeared in the book Branch Line Engines. [7] BoCo (NWR D2/D5702) [ edit ] Successive books would introduce such popular characters as Annie and Clarabel, Percy the Small Engine and Toby the Tram Engine.

Gordon tries to prove that he can be just as fast as the new high-speed diesels, and Pip and Emma visit the railway for the first time. From the 1980s onwards, the Awdrys permitted the Talyllyn Railway to repaint one of their engines in the guise of its Skarloey Railway "twin". The first engine to receive this treatment was No. 3, Sir Haydn, repainted to resemble the character Sir Handel. The second was No. 4, Edward Thomas, which became Peter Sam. In 2006 No. 6, Douglas ran in the guise of Duncan. As well as paint schemes and names taken from the books' artwork, these locomotives are fitted with fibreglass "faces". These characters' appearances have been written into The Railway Series by Christopher Awdry in the form of visits by the fictional engines to the Talyllyn Railway. Oliver, the new Great Western engine on the Little Western, gets into trouble when his overconfidence gets the better of him. While Rheneas is away at the works, the Skarloey Railway engines work together to keep their line running. Two new engines also arrive to help out. Neil is a dark green 0-4-0 box tank locomotive who appears in the book Very Old Engines. It is mentioned by Christopher Awdry in Sodor: Reading Between the Lines that Neil is still around but is not known where. [8] Bill and Ben (SCC 1 and 2) [ edit ]

Percy is the little green number 6 0-4-0 ST engine and is Thomas' best friend. [5] He was first brought to the North Western Railway to help out the work while Henry, Gordon and James went on strike and later became station pilot at Tidmouth. Following the construction of Knapford Harbour in 1955, Percy was moved permanently to the Ffarquhar Branch Line, where he works as a general goods engine. The first edition of The Three Railway Engines was illustrated by the artist William Middleton, with whom Awdry was deeply dissatisfied. The second artist to work on the series was Reginald Payne, who illustrated Thomas the Tank Engine in a far more realistic style. Despite an early disagreement as to how Thomas should look, Awdry was ultimately pleased with the pictures produced. The Fat and Thin Clergymen are two clergymen with a strong interest in the railways on the Island of Sodor. The Thin Clergyman is an author and is strongly hinted to be the Rev. W. Awdry. The Fat Clergyman, who records moving pictures, is implied to be the Rev. Wilbert Awdry's real-life friend, the Rev. Teddy Boston. William Middleton | Reginald Payne | C. Reginald Dalby | John T. Kenney | Gunvor and Peter Edwards | Clive Spong | Stephen Lings 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). Five engines appear in the books. Three diesel locomotives are mentioned in the companion books: Sigrid of Arlesdale, Blister I and Blister II.