Toby

## Toby the Tram Engine

Toby is a brown steam tram engine who works on Thomas' Branch Line with his faithful coach, Henrietta. Toby is old and wise, and is always willing to share his experience and knowledge with the other engines. He is careful in everything he does, which means he very rarely has any accidents.

In the Railway Series, Toby and Henrietta are also accompanied with a coach called Victoria and a luggage van named Elsie.

## Personality

Toby is old but wise, hardworking, and knowledgeable enough about running branch lines to justify running Thomas' line with Daisy after Percy's accident with the trucks until Thomas came back. He is also savvy enough to control the trucks. However, his advanced age and design means that he is weaker than the other engines. While Toby is always ready to work hard without any fuss, he can be a bit temperamental sometimes, especially when young and inexperienced engines who are full of themselves make things difficult for him. However, work at the quarry line often soothes off his moods without any cause of grief to anyone, except of course his old faithful coach, Henrietta.

From the eighth to sixteenth seasons, however, Toby had been portrayed as being nervous about the capabilities of his work and uncertain about being an old steam tram, believing that he is not a proper engine, only good enough as a museum piece and not really special at all. But Toby enjoys listening to the birds in the birdhouse next to his shed and is friends with the pigs at Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm.

From King of the Railway onwards, Toby has been portrayed with his original wiser and more jovial personality, as well as having more subtle shades of nervousness. He has also been shown to be placid and easy-going, enjoying the peace and quiet of the countryside along Thomas' branch line.

## Technical Details

### Basis

Toby is based on a GER Class C53 0-6-0T Wisbech steam tram (reclassified as J70 by the LNER) built at Stratford Works. They were seen by the Reverend Wilbert and Christopher Awdry on a holiday at Yarmouth, hence Toby's origins. The J70 started their career on the Great Eastern Railway and were known as C53. They spent most of their career on the Wisbech and Upwell tramway pulling slow goods trains and, until 1927, passenger trains, though several were also assigned to the docks at Ipswich and Yarmouth. The first withdrawal came in 1942. Eventually, the sole survivor of this class was withdrawn from service and scrapped at Stratford Locomotive Works by 1955. They were replaced by BR Class 04s, Mavis' class.

According to The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways and Sodor: Reading Between the Lines, Toby is probably BR no. 68221. This tram was built as GER no. 127 in June 1914 as part of a batch of three at Stratford. Shortly after grouping in 1923, it became LNER no. 7127, this changing to no. 8221 under Edward Thompson's 1944 re-numbering scheme. Upon nationalisation in 1948, it became no. 68221. It was withdrawn in May 1951 from Ipswich Shed and scrapped at Stratford shortly after.

Toby’s basis
### Livery

In the Railway Series, Toby was painted brown with black cowcatchers and side plates (which had the initials LNER painted on the sides in yellow) before working on his tramway, where he was repainted grey-brown with grey side plates and cowcatchers. After helping James from an accident, he was repainted chocolate-brown with olive frames and blue side plates.

In the television series, Toby has always been brown with grey side plates and cowcatchers. His number is painted on his sides in yellow with red lining. Throughout the first to fifth seasons, Toby's wheels were painted red. They are currently painted black.

In the Railway Series, he carries two plaques on the sides of his cab stating that he works on the North Western Railway, his number, and the last time and place that he was rebuilt.

In various books released by Publications International, the top side of his side plates are painted red, going along with his bufferbeams.

## Appearances

### Thomas & Friends

* **Series 1** - Toby and the Stout Gentleman, Thomas in Trouble, Dirty Objects and Thomas' Christmas Party
* **Series 2** - Thomas, Percy and the Coal, Cows, Percy and Harold (does not speak), Duck Takes Charge (mentioned), The Runaway (does not speak), Thomas Comes to Breakfast, Daisy, Percy's Predicament, Ghost Train, Woolly Bear (does not speak) and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (does not speak)
* **Series 3** - Time for Trouble, Gordon and the Famous Visitor (cameo), Donald's Duck, Henry's Forest, Mavis, Toby's Tightrope and Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure
* **Series 4** - Granpuff, Sleeping Beauty, Bulldog, Train Stops Play (does not speak), Bulls Eyes, Thomas and the Special Letter, Paint Pots and Queens and Special Attraction
* **Series 5** - Horrid Lorry, Baa!, Toby and the Flood, Stepney Gets Lost, Toby's Discovery, Sir Topham Hatt's Holiday (does not speak) and A Surprise for Percy
* **Series 6** - A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter (cameo), The Fogman, It's Only Snow, Scaredy Engines (cameo), Percy and the Haunted Mine (cameo), Jack Frost (deleted scene cameo), Percy's Chocolate Crunch (cameo), Toby Had a Little Lamb and Thomas, Percy and the Squeak (stock footage cameo)
* **Series 7** - Emily's New Coaches (originally), Percy Gets it Right (does not speak), Edward's Brass Band (stock footage cameo), Toby's Windmill, Peace and Quiet (does not speak), Harold and the Flying Horse (cameo) and Not So Hasty Puddings (stock footage cameo)
* **Jack and the Sodor Construction Company** - Thomas and the Moles (stock footage cameo)
* **Series 8** - Percy's New Whistle (cameo), James Gets a New Coat (deleted scene), Thomas Saves the Day (does not speak), Don't Tell Thomas (does not speak), Gordon Takes Charge (does not speak), Thomas Gets it Right, As Good as Gordon (cameo), You Can Do it, Toby!, Too Hot for Thomas (does not speak) and Percy and the Magic Carpet (does not speak)
* **Series 9** - Percy and the Oil Painting (cameo), Thomas and the Rainbow, Thomas and the Toy Shop (cameo), Thomas and the Birthday Picnic (cameo), Thomas and the New Engine, Toby Feels Left Out, Thomas Tries His Best (cameo), Thomas and the Statue (cameo), Henry and the Flagpole, Emily Knows Best, Saving Edward (cameo) and Keeping Up with James (cameo)
* **Series 10** - Percy and the Funfair, The Green Controller, Toby's Afternoon Off, Toby's New Shed, Sticky Toffee Thomas and Thomas and the Colours (cameo)
* **Series 11** - Thomas and the Storyteller (cameo), Dream On, Gordon and the Engineer (cameo), Thomas and the Spaceship (cameo), Thomas and the Lighthouse, Hide and Peep (cameo), Toby's Triumph and Thomas in Trouble
* **Series 12** - Thomas and the Billboard (cameo), Henry Gets it Wrong (does not speak), Heave Ho Thomas! (cameo), Toby's Special Surprise, Saved You! and Tram Trouble
* **Series 13** - The Lion of Sodor, Tickled Pink, Play Time (cameo), Time For a Story (cameo), Toby's New Whistle, A Blooming Mess, Splish Splash Splosh (cameo) and The Biggest Present of All
* **Series 14** - Pingy Pongy Pick Up (cameo), Toby and the Whistling Woods, Henry's Health and Safety (does not speak), Diesel's Special Delivery (cameo), Being Percy, Henry's Magic Box, Thomas and the Snowman Party, O the Indignity (cameo), Jitters and Japes and Merry Misty Island
* **Series 15** - Toby and Bash, Edward the Hero (cameo), James to the Rescue, Happy Hiro (cameo), Let it Snow (cameo), Surprise, Surprise (cameo), Big Belle, Wonky Whistle (stock footage cameo), Tree Trouble (cameo) and Fiery Flynn (cameo)
* **Series 16** - Ol' Wheezy Wobbles (cameo), Express Coming Through (cameo), Percy and the Monster of Brendam, Flash Bang Wallop! (cameo), Thomas and the Rubbish Train (cameo), Thomas Toots the Crows (cameo), Bust My Buffers! (cameo), Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor (cameo), Salty's Surprise (cameo), Whiff's Wish (does not speak), Welcome Stafford (cameo) and The Christmas Tree Express
* **Series 17** - Gordon Runs Dry (cameo), The Lost Puff and The Missing Christmas Decorations (does not speak)
* **Series 18** - Old Reliable Edward (cameo), Signals Crossed, Thomas the Quarry Engine, Spencer's VIP (cameo), Marion and the Dinosaurs and Samson at Your Service (mentioned)
* **Series 19** - The Truth About Toby, Den and Dart, Two Wheels Good (cameo), Diesel's Ghostly Christmas (cameo), Thomas the Babysitter, The Other Side of the Mountain (cameo) and Goodbye Fat Controller (cameo)
* **Series 20** - Toby's New Friend, Ryan and Daisy, Letters to Santa, Love Me Tender, The Christmas Coffeepot, Three Steam Engines Gruff, Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Trucks and Tit for Tat (does not speak)
* **Series 21** - Dowager Hatt's Busy Day (cameo), P.A. Problems, Hasty Hannah, Philip's Number, The Fastest Red Engine on Sodor, The Big Freeze and Emily in the Middle
* **Series 22** - School of Duck, Rosie is Red, Seeing is Believing (stock footage cameo) and Counting on Nia (does not speak)

### Specials

* **1992** - Thomas and the U.K. Trip (introduction only)
* **2000** - Thomas and the Magic Railroad
* **2005** - Calling All Engines! (does not speak)
* **2008** - The Great Discovery
* **2009** - Hero of the Rails
* **2010** - Misty Island Rescue
* **2011** - Day of the Diesels
* **2012** - Blue Mountain Mystery
* **2013** - King of the Railway
* **2015** - Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
* **2016** - The Great Race (cameo)
* **2017** - Journey Beyond Sodor
* **2018** - Big World! Big Adventures!

## Trivia

* Toby is Christopher Awdry's favourite engine. This is because while on a trip in Yarmouth, he and his father got to ride in the cab of a J70 tram, thanks to Wilbert's good friend, the late Reverend Charlie Rand.
* Due to an illustration error in Thomas Comes Home, the illustrations of "Toby's Megatrain" show Toby with a face at the rear cab as well as the front cab. This is the only time in the Railway Series that Toby has been illustrated with two faces.
* One of Toby's models is currently on display in Japan at the Hara Model Railway Museum (previously on display at Nitrogen Studios) and is currently wearing his worried face mask. Another was previously on display at Drayton Manor but the model was stolen from the display in early 2011.
* In the fifth season episode Baa!, Toby revealed that his favourite station is Maithwaite.
* In an interview with SiF, Andrew Brenner stated that Toby was one of his favourite characters, along with James, Bill, and Ben.
* His second-third season bell sound was heard after Ryan stops the pirate ship during the wide shot of Arlesburgh Harbour in Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
* Toby went through several aesthetic changes in the television series:
	+ Season 2:
		- His bell sound changed.
		- His front lamp was lowered down.
	+ Season 4:
		- His bell sound returned back to its original sound.
		- He had an unseen whistle.
	+ Thomas & the Magic Railroad:
		- His wheels become black.
		- His bell became smaller.
		- His bell sound changed again to another different one.
	+ Season 6:
		- His bell sound was changed back to its original sound again.
	+ Hero of the Rails:
		- His side-rods and pistons disappeared.
		- His bell sound changed to a similar one that Flora uses.
		- His cabs appear to be blackened out.
		- He has decreased in size and is the same height as Henrietta.
	+ Season 14:
		- His driver was positioned at the back of Toby's cab, where the fireman shoveled coal into Toby's firebox.
	+ Blue Mountain Mystery:
		- His driver had returned back to his correct position at the front of Toby's cab.
* He was confused for being electric by Bridget Hatt in the first season episode, Toby and the Stout Gentleman and for being a diesel boxcab by Philip in the twentieth season episode, Toby's New Friend.
* Toby's screen used sleeping face mask is now owned by Twitter user ThomasTankMerch.
* Even though he has six wheels, some merchandise of him has four.
* In the arcade game "Magical Truck Adventures," two J70 tram engines were seen at the first level, each with a 7, bearing a strong resemblance to Toby.
* Toby is one of only twelve characters to appear in every season of the television series and one of only eight to speak in each one. He has not appeared in every special, though.