Timeline (Utility engines's universe)

19th Century

1806 ◾ Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is built.

1810 ◾ Plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is closed and torn up.

1822 ◾ John Arnold Norramby is born.

1829 ◾ Stephenson's Rocket is built.

1853 ◾ The Sodor and Mainland Railway is built.

1854 ◾ Henry John Norramby is born. ◾ Vere Awdry (Reverend W. Awdry's father) is born.

1856 ◾ Neil, Clive and Matthew are built and arrive on Sodor.

1864 ◾ Talyllyn and Skarloey are built. ◾ Albert Regaby is born.

1865 ◾ Skarloey arrives on Sodor for the opening of the Skarloey Railway. ◾ Rheneas is built and arrives on Sodor. ◾ Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice are built for the Skarloey Railway.

1866 ◾ Dolgoch is built. ◾ Skarloey has trailing wheels added to improve stability and has a cab installed.

1870 ◾ The Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is opened. ◾ The people of Peel Godred plan for a railway to be built.

1872 ◾ Albert is built ◾ The Mid Sodor Railway Company is formed.

1875 ◾ Stepney is built. ◾ Sir Handel Brown I is born.

1877 ◾ Captain Baxter is built.

1879 ◾ Duke is built.

1880 ◾ Duke is shipped to Sodor. ◾ The Mid Sodor Railway is opened. ◾ Sir Topham Hatt I is born. ◾ Boxhill is built. ◾ Cromford is built.

1881 ◾ Robert Sam, father of Mr. Peter Sam is born.

1882 ◾ Victoria and Helena are built for the Furness Railway.

1883 ◾ Charles Henry Norramby is born. ◾ The Elsbridge & Knapford Railway is formed.

1884 ◾ Henrietta is built.

1885 ◾ Adams is built. ◾ Cora is built for the Mid Sodor Railway.

1886 ◾ Frederick Regaby dies; Albert Regaby succeeds to his Barony.

1891 ◾ Albert is rebuilt.

1894 ◾ John Arnold Norramby dies. ◾ Bert is built. ◾ Topham Hatt is apprenticed at Swindon Works.

1896 ◾ Edward is built. ◾ Annie and Clarabel are built.

1897 ◾ Construction on the Culdee Fell Railway begins.

1900 ◾ Godred, Ernest, Wilfred, Culdee and Shane Dooiney are built and arrive on Sodor. ◾ The Culdee Fell Railway is opened. ◾ Godred is scrapped after a fall.

20th Century

1901 ◾ The Culdee Fell Railway is re-opened after receiving further maintenance following the events of Godred's accident. ◾ Sir Topham Hatt comes to Sodor. ◾ The last of the Sodor and Mainland engines are scrapped.

1903 ◾ City of Truro is built. ◾ Kevin Volley is born.

1904 ◾ City of Truro becomes one of the first engines to reach 100mph. ◾ Falcon is built, arrives on Sodor and replaces an older MSR locomotive who is then scrapped.

1905 ◾ The Elsbridge & Knapford Railway is extended to Tidmouth along a coastal road. ◾ The Coffee Pots are built at A.W.Dry & Co's works by Mr. Topham Hatt.

1906 ◾ The Refreshment Lady is born. ◾ Tidmouth becomes the first town in Sodor to be lit by electricity.

1908 ◾ The line from Knapford to Tidmouth along the coast was destroyed by a strong autumn gale. ◾ Using a treasury loan, A.W.Dry & Co put unemployed miners to work cutting a tunnel through a ridge to Tidmouth. ◾ The Elsbridge & Knapford Railway reformed to become to Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway.

1909 ◾ Donald and Douglas are built.

1910 ◾ Bluebell and Primrose are built. ◾ The Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Light Railway is opened. ◾ Sir Topham Hatt marries Jane Brown.

1911 ◾ 15th June: The Reverend W. Awdry is born. ◾ Barbara Jane, daughter of Sir Topham Hatt, is born.

1912 ◾ James is built. ◾ Stepney is rebuilt. ◾ The Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is formed from the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Railway and the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway. ◾ Margaret Emily Wale Awdry is born.

1913 ◾ Boxhill is restored.

1914 ◾ The North Western Railway is formed from the Sodor and Mainland Railway and the Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway. ◾ Sir Charles Topham Hatt is born. ◾ Toby is built. ◾ World War I begins.

1915 ◾ The North Western Railway is built. ◾ Albert Regaby becomes chairman of the North Western Railway. ◾ Thomas is built and arrives on Sodor. ◾ Edward arrives on Sodor. ◾ The Ballahoo tunnel is built. ◾ The workshops at Crovan's Gate are established. ◾ The North Western Railways' Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters at Vicarstown are built. ◾ The bridge over the Walney Channel is built. ◾ Mr. Peter Sam is born. ◾ Henry John Norramby dies. ◾ Kevin Volley joins the North Western Railway as a lad/porter at Knapford.

1916 ◾ The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is built. ◾ 10th August: George Edward Vere Awdry is born.

1917 ◾ Stanley is built.

1918 ◾ Robert Charles is born. ◾ World War I ends.

1919 ◾ Henry is built.

1920 ◾ Stuart is built, for work on the Mid Sodor Railway. ◾ Building begins on Gordon at Doncaster. ◾ The Vicar of Wellsworth, Charles Laxey is born. ◾ Sir Handel Brown marries Dorothy Lloyd. ◾ Thomas is officially sold to the North Western Railway. ◾ 16th April: Alan Pegler is born. ◾ Ferdinand is built.

1921 ◾ Edward is officially sold to the North Western Railway. ◾ Mr. Ivo Hugh is born. ◾ Kevin Volley is promoted to porter. ◾ Bash and Dash are built.

1922 ◾ Gordon is built. ◾ Henry arrives on Sodor. ◾ 98462 and 87546 arrive on Sodor and are shortly sent packing. ◾ A second bore is cut for the Ballahoo tunnel after Henry stops in the original.

1923 ◾ Flying Scotsman is built. ◾ The Peel Godred Power Company and the North Western Railway planned to build a new branch line. ◾ Gordon arrives on Sodor. ◾ Sir Topham Hatt becomes General Manager of the North Western Railway. ◾ Rex is built.

1924 ◾ 20th August: The Reverend Teddy Boston is born. ◾ Sir Handel Lloyd Brown II is born.

1925 ◾ The NWR/LMS agreement. ◾ The North Western Railway starts running to Barrow-in-Furness. ◾ The Motive Power Depot and Administrative Headquarters are moved to Tidmouth. ◾ The Crovan's Gate Works are expanded. ◾ The Toryreck mines begin to decline. ◾ Thomas' Branch Line is extended to Ffarquhar. ◾ James is given a red coat of paint.

1926 ◾ The Sodor Aluminium Company is formed. ◾ 21st April: Queen Elizabeth II is born. ◾ Caroline is built.

1927 ◾ Vicarstown Sheds is closed. ◾ Kevin Volley becomes booking clerk of Elsbridge. ◾ The road bridge crossing River Els at Elsbridge is widened to accommodate more traffic. ◾ Trevor is built.

1928 ◾ Stanley is turned into a pumping engine. ◾ Duncan is built. ◾ Vere Awdry dies.

1929 ◾ Duck is built. ◾ The Spiteful Brake Van is built. ◾ The Great Depression begins.

1932 ◾ Blister I and Blister II are built.

1934 ◾ Oliver is built. ◾ Terence is built. ◾ Albert Regaby steps down from his position as NWR chairman.

1935 ◾ Henry is sent to be rebuilt at Crewe into an LMS Stanier Class 5 following his crash with the Flying Kipper. ◾ The Isle of Man steamers stopped arriving at Arlesburgh, so the traffic to Peel Godred had stopped too.

1936 ◾ Green Arrow is built. ◾ Mr. Fergus Duncan is born. ◾ Sir Topham Hatt is promoted from General Manager to Managing Director. ◾ The mountain section of the Mid Sodor Railway is closed. ◾ The Mid Sodor bogie saloon stock along with 3 of 6 engines are sold. ◾ Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Ffarquhar.

1937 ◾ Rheneas is overhauled. ◾ Sir Charles Topham Hatt goes for railway service overseas.

1938 ◾ Barbara Jane marries Henry Regaby, Viscount Harwick. ◾ Mallard is built. ◾ Mallard sets the world speed record for a steam engine of 126mph. ◾ Duchess of Hamilton is built.

1939 ◾ Gordon is rebuilt at Crewe. ◾ World War II begins. ◾ Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns from railway service overseas to enlist with the Royal Engineers.

1940 ◾ 2nd July: Christopher Awdry is born. ◾ Sir Charles Topham Hatt marries Amanda, daughter of Mr. Jabez Croarie of Ffarquhar. ◾ Richard Robert Norramby is born. ◾ Toad is built.

1941 ◾ Sir Stephen Topham Hatt is born. ◾ Charles Henry dies. ◾ Veronica Chambers is born.

1942 ◾ Rosie is built. ◾ Neville is built.

1943 ◾ Bridget Amanda Hatt is born. ◾ Rheneas takes over the majority of the workload on the Skarloey Railway. ◾ Robert Charles is killed in action while in North Africa.

1945 ◾ The first book of The Railway Series is published. ◾ Sir Charles Topham Hatt is demobilised from the Royal Engineers and spends a further period overseas. ◾ The Mid Sodor Railway mines are closed one by one. ◾ World War II ends.

1946 ◾ The Cas-ny-Hawin mine is flooded. ◾ Stanley is finally broken down and scrapped. ◾ Hilary Fortnam is born.

1947 ◾ The Mid Sodor Railway and the Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch are closed. ◾ Duke is sheeted and abandoned in a shed. ◾ Falcon and Stuart are purchased by the aluminium works at Peel Godred for an expansion project. ◾ Albert Regaby dies; Henry Regaby succeeds to his Viscountcy. ◾ Arthur is built.

1948 ◾ The North Western Railway becomes officially known as the "North Western Region of British Railways". ◾ Mr. Roger Sam is born. ◾ Sir Topham Hatt is created a Baronet on his appointment as Chairman of the Regional Executive, after Nationalisation. ◾ The claybeds near Brendam are discovered. ◾ Bill and Ben are built and arrive on Sodor.

1949 ◾ Harold is built. ◾ The Slate Quarry begins to decline.

1950 ◾ Sir Handel Brown dies; Handel Lloyd Brown succeeds to his Baronetcy. ◾ David Hugh II is born.

1951 ◾ Falcon and Stuart are sheeted. ◾ Toby's tramway closes down. ◾ Toby and Henrietta arrive on Sodor. ◾ Sir Handel Lloyd Brown marries Rachael Qualtrough. ◾ David Hugh I retires.

1952 ◾ Trevor is sent to be scrapped. ◾ Trevor is purchased by the Vicar. ◾ Edward is overhauled. ◾ Rheneas is overhauled for a second time. ◾ Stuart and Falcon are purchased by the Skarloey Railway and renamed "Peter Sam" and "Sir Handel" respectively. ◾ Skarloey is overhauled. ◾ Cora is purchased for the Skarloey Railway. ◾ Sir Charles Topham Hatt returns to Sodor, to become Chief Mechanical Engineer at Crovan's Gate and general assistant to his father. ◾ Diesel is built.

1953 ◾ Queen Elizabeth II visits Sodor. ◾ Nancy is born. ◾ Wilbert is built. ◾ The Ministry of Defence approached Sir Handel II to buy the nearly worked out slate quarry.

1954 ◾ Sir Topham Hatt II becomes the Fat Controller. ◾ Rebecca Dorothy Brown is born. ◾ Ballast from the North Western Railway begins to be obtained for the Skarloey Railway.

1955 ◾ Duck arrives on Sodor. ◾ Percy is sent to Thomas' Branch Line. ◾ Mark V is built. ◾ Gertrude and Millicent are bought by the Skarloey Railway. ◾ Ada is built for the Skarloey Railway. ◾ The Railway Series celebrates its 10th anniversary.

1956 ◾ Sir Topham Hatt I dies; Charles Topham Hatt inherits his father's baronetcy. ◾ Jane is built for the Skarloey Railway. ◾ Knapford Junction is moved from south to north of the River Els. ◾ Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Knapford.

1957 ◾ City of Truro visits Sodor. ◾ Diesel visits Sodor. ◾ Mabel is built for the Skarloey Railway. ◾ Ada, Jane and Mabel arrive on Sodor. ◾ Rusty is built and arrives on Sodor. Mr. Ivo Hugh becomes his driver.

1958 ◾ Peter Sam has an accident with some slate trucks at the quarry. ◾ Duncan arrives on Sodor. ◾ Skarloey returns from being mended. ◾ BBC producers make a documentary about the Skarloey Railway. ◾ BoCo is built.

1959 ◾ Donald and Douglas arrive on Sodor. ◾ The Spiteful Brake Van is crushed by Douglas and scrapped. ◾ The Thin Controller finds a Mid Sodor Railway bogie coach at Harwick and 8 coaches are rescued. ◾ Oliver is rebuilt. ◾ Murdoch is built.

1960 ◾ Daisy is built and arrives on Sodor. ◾ Thomas' running board is straightened. ◾ Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Cronk. ◾ The Ministry of Defence finally bought the empty slate quarry and the money was used for the construction of the Lakeside loop line. ◾ Old Stuck-Up is built. ◾ The Diesel is built.

1961 ◾ The Peel Godred EMUs arrive on Sodor. ◾ Peter Sam is given a new Giesl Ejector. ◾ Sir Handel is given a pair of special wheels with broad tyres. ◾ Rheneas returns to the Skarloey Railway.

1962 ◾ Mavis is built and arrives on Sodor. ◾ Lord Harry, Alaric and Eric arrive on Sodor. ◾ Stepney visits Sodor. ◾ The Diesel visits Sodor.

1963 ◾ Culdee returns to the Culdee Fell Railway. ◾ Lord Harry is renamed "Patrick". ◾ Flying Scotsman is saved by Alan Pegler. ◾ The loop line extension around the lake began to be built. ◾ D199 is built.

1964 ◾ The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is rebuilt. ◾ Skarloey's 100th birthday. ◾ Bear is built. ◾ Derek is built.

1965 ◾ Rheneas' 100th birthday. ◾ Shane Dooiney returns to the Culdee Fell Railway. ◾ The one-hundredth anniversary of the Skarloey Railway is celebrated. ◾ The loop line extension at Lakeside is opened. ◾ BoCo arrives on Sodor. ◾ The Railway Series celebrates its 20th anniversary.

1966 ◾ Mike is built. ◾ The Skarloey Railway became a Company instead of being in private ownership. ◾ Arthur arrives on Sodor. ◾ The Norramby branch is re-opened, to be serviced by Arthur. ◾ Rosie arrives on Sodor. ◾ The Crovan's Gate Timber Mill is opened. ◾ Bash, Dash and Ferdinand arrive on Sodor.

1967 ◾ Blister I and Blister II arrive on Sodor for the construction of the Arlesdale Railway. ◾ Bert, Mike and Rex arrive on Sodor to service the Arlesdale Railway. ◾ Reverend W. Awdry and Reverend Teddy Boston visit Sodor. ◾ Flying Scotsman visits Sodor. ◾ D199 arrives on Sodor along with 7101 and is sent back after he fails on the level crossing. ◾ The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is re-opened, to be serviced by Duck. ◾ Oliver, Isabel and Toad are rescued by Douglas and arrive on Sodor. ◾ 7101 is renamed "Bear" and renumbered D3. ◾ Dulcie, Alice and Mirabel are saved from scrap for service with Oliver and Duck. ◾ Frank arrives on Sodor. ◾ Murdoch arrives on Sodor.

1968 ◾ S. C. Ruffey is pulled apart by Oliver and scrapped. ◾ Kevin Volley retires and lives out his life at Ffarquhar. ◾ Bulgy arrives on Sodor. ◾ Bulgy is turned into a henhouse. ◾ The year that steam traction officially ended on British Railways.

1969 ◾ Sigrid of Arlesdale is built and arrives on Sodor. ◾ Duke is discovered by Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Reverend W. Awdry and the Reverend Teddy Boston.

1970 ◾ Sir Stephen Topham Hatt marries Helen Margaret. ◾ The siding at Cros-ny-Cuirn is extended to make a passing loop.

1971 ◾ Derek arrives on Sodor.

1972 ◾ Richard Topham Hatt is born. ◾ A second platform is added at Marthwaite.

1973 ◾ Bert is rebuilt.

1974 ◾ Charles Nicholas Hatt is born.

1975 ◾ The Railway Series celebrates its 30th anniversary.

1976 ◾ Jock is built.

1977 ◾ Emily Helen Hatt is born. ◾ A Motorail Terminal is opened at Killdane.

1979 ◾ A replica of Stephenson's Rocket is built.

1980 ◾ Thomas is overhauled. ◾ Roger Sam becomes the new Thin Controller.

1981 ◾ Old Stuck-Up is scrapped.

1982 ◾ Duke is fully restored. ◾ Sir Handel visits the Talyllyn Railway.

1983 ◾ Christopher Awdry becomes the new writer for the Railway Series.

1984 ◾ Sir Topham Hatt III becomes the Fat Controller. ◾ Sir Handel returns from the Talyllyn Railway. ◾ 9th October: The first episode of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas and Gordon, aired on ITV.

1985 ◾ The Skarloey Funicular Railway is opened. ◾ Skarloey is overhauled a second time. ◾ The Railway Series celebrates its 40th anniversary.

1986 ◾ Sir Handel is rebuilt. ◾ 1st April: The Reverend Teddy Boston dies. ◾ The Refreshment Lady dies.

1987 ◾ Mavis is involved in a collision with a lorry. ◾ Bulstrode is turned into a children's playground on a beach.

1988 ◾ Peter Sam visits the Talyllyn Railway.

1989 ◾ Fred is put into service on the Skarloey Railway. ◾ 21st March: Margaret Emily Wale Awdry died, aged 77. ◾ 29 January: The first episode of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, Thomas Gets Tricked aired on US TV.

1990 ◾ After Privatisation, the name "North Western Railway" becomes official. ◾ Thomas is invited to a railway show in York. ◾ Frank is re-engined.

1991 ◾ Mr. Ivo Hugh retires, with David Hugh II succeeding him as the current foreman of the Skarloey Railway.

1992 ◾ Henry is overhauled.

1993 ◾ Wilbert visits Sodor.

1994 ◾ 27th October: George Edward Vere Awdry died, aged 78. ◾ British Railways is privatised until 1997.

1995 ◾ The Golden Jubilee of the Railway Series is celebrated.

1996 ◾ Edward's 100th birthday ◾ Peter Sam returns to the Skarloey Railway to help with the extra work. ◾ Ivo Hugh is built.

1997 ◾ 21st March: The Reverend W. Awdry dies, aged 85. ◾ Sir Topham Hatt II dies; Stephen Topham Hatt inherits his father's Baronetcy.

21st century

2000 ◾ Percy, Ernest, Culdee and Shane Dooiney's 100th birthday

2002 ◾ Rheneas is overhauled a third time.

2004 ◾ Sir Handel's 100th Birthday

2005 ◾ The Railway Series celebrates its 60th anniversary.

2006 ◾ The manager of Anopha Quarry is visited by the police after Henrietta is booked for allowing workmen to ride on her balconies.

2007 ◾ Victoria is restored and returned to service. ◾ Fergus Duncan retires from being controller of the Arlesdale Railway.

2010 ◾ Stepney, Bluebell and Captain Baxter's overhauls are completed and the Bluebell Railway celebrates its 50th anniversary. ◾ The Railway Series celebrates its 65th anniversary. ◾ Wilbert is scheduled to be back in service after a major overhaul.

2011 ◾ Pip and Emma are purchased by the North Western Railway. ◾ The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 100th birthday.

2012 ◾ James' 100th birthday ◾ Wilbert is returned to service. ◾ 18th March: Alan Pegler dies, aged 91.

2013 ◾ 25th November: Hilary Fortnam dies, aged 67.

2014 ◾ The North Western Railway celebrates its 100th anniversary. ◾ Toby's 100th birthday. ◾ Stepney is withdrawn from service, following the failure of his main steam pipe.

2015 ◾ The Railway Series celebrates its 70th anniversary. ◾ The Skarloey Railway celebrates its 150th anniversary. ◾ The Bluebell Railway celebrates its 55th anniversary. ◾ The North Western Railway celebrates running for over 100 years. ◾ Thomas' 100th birthday.

2016 ◾ Flying Scotsman returns to steam in England. ◾ The North Western Railway celebrates the Reverend W. Awdry's 105th birthday.

2017 ◾ The Arlesdale Railway celebrates its 50th anniversery.