The Other Railway
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In the children's books The Railway Series, by the Rev W Awdry The Other Railway refers to British Railways (later British Rail), the UK nationalised rail organisation that existed from 1948 until 1997.
Several of the characters in the books have visited the Other Railway or used it to travel from place to place. Many of the Fat Controller's engines came from the Other Railway originally. There have been several visitors from the Other Railway.
Although the fictional North Western Railway or Fat Controller's Railway was part of the nationalised railway network it kept most of its operating independence from British Railways on the mainland. This is why it escaped the infamous Beeching Report in the 1960s.
The NWR and the Other Railway meet at Barrow-in-Furness and the fictional Island of Sodor is connected to the mainland by a rolling lift bridge between Barrow and Vicarstown.
BR ran an hourly suburban train service from Barrow to Ballahoo and Norramby on Sodor.
There have been at times direct services from Tidmouth to London Euston or London St Pancras with Other Railway engines taking over at Barrow.
The Big City Engine, Gordon and Duck was involved in an argument over the confusion between the mainline stations in London. Gordon the Big Engine boasted about going to London, and believed that London was restricted to Kings Cross (served by the London and North Eastern Railway). Duck the Great Western Engine thought that London was Paddington, as he had once worked there as a Station Pilot (Great Western Railway). The Big City Engine thought that London was Euston (London Midland and Scottish Railway). Unbeknownst to them, they were all correct, but they did not realize, due to being on their own isolated lines before coming to Sodor, that there were a number of stations in London, and that these were merely three of them. Gordon was disappointed to discover when he visited London that the station he visited was St. Pancras.
[edit] Other Railway Engines
There have been several visitors from the Other Railway, some welcome, others not so welcome. Among the more notable are:
The Big City Engine — An argumentative engine who stayed overnight at the sheds, and who annoyed Gordon and Duck by claiming that London's station was called Euston. The name "Big City Engine" is never used in the Railway Series, and was devised for merchandising purposes.
Jinty and Pug — Two engines Percy knew who came to help when the Fat Controller's engines went to London. There were a number of other engines with them, but they were not named.
Diesel — A devious and cunning diesel shunter. He charmed the big engines at first, but he spread lies and was sent away in disgrace. However, he later returned and managed to redeem himself by saving Thomas the Tank Engine following an accident.
Diesel — This larger diesel, sometimes known as "D261" (by fans) or "The Diesel" (the television series) to avoid confusion, arrived to help with Gordon's Express. He told the steam engines that the Fat Controller should scrap them because they were out of date. However, after accidentally sucking an Inspector's bowler hat into his air intake, it was the steam engines who had the last laugh.
199 and 7101 — A pair of diesels. 199 was arrogant and convinced that all steam engines should be scrapped. He quickly gained the nickname "Spamcan". 7101 was more polite, despite being bad tempered. Both diesels broke down, and Henry the Green Engine came to their rescue. 199 was sent away in disgrace, but 7101 was given a second chance and the name "Bear" (because of his growling). He is now an express engine on the Fat Controller's Railway.
Old Stuck Up — A big diesel who thought himself superior to everyone else, and so earned his nickname. So convinced of his own cleverness was he that he didn't think to look where he was going, slid on some oil and crashed through the shed wall. As Henry observed, "Old Stuck-Up came unstuck!"
The Works Diesel — A kind diesel who performs various odd jobs around the Fat Controller's Railway. He rescued James the Red Engine after a breakdown and brought a Christmas tree from the Other Railway. He was also seen at Barrow-in-Furness. It is not clear whether he lives on Sodor or merely visits from time to time. "The Works Diesel" is not an official name, just a fan title to distinguish him from other diesels.
Pip and Emma — An Intercity 125 High Speed Train who came to help when Gordon was away. Although they suffered from faulty cooling systems, they were friendly and hard-working enough to earn themselves a second invitation to Sodor, and they acted as a Royal Train for the Fat Controller's Jubilee celebrations. In 2005, the Fat Controller was considering buying them from the Other Railway, but it is not yet known whether he has done so.
There have been numerous other engines from the Other Railway who have put in an appearance, usually in illustrations.
[edit] On Television
In the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, "the Other Railway" is a term used for the railway lines serving Sodor Ironworks and the Ffarquhar China Clay Quarry. It was here that Rusty the diesel rescued Stepney from being broken down for scrap, as did Douglas with Oliver the Great Western Engine. It is described as "a far-off part of the Island where only the diesels work". These days, 'Arry the Iron Works Diesel and Bert the Iron Works Diesel work around there.
