Timeline

# 19th Century

## 1806

* The Crovan's Gate Mining Company builds a plateway from Ward Fell to Balladwail is built.

## 1810

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

## 1829

* Stephen is built.
* The Rainhill Trials take place, and are won by Stephen. Amongst the attendees are a young John Arnold Norramby and his father, who develop a lasting love for steam locomotives.

## 1853

* The Act to build the Sodor and Mainland Railway is passed.

## 1857

* 10 January: Under the County and Borough Police Act 1856, the Sodor Island Constabulary is established following the Epiphany Quarter Sessions.

## 1864

* Talyllyn and Skarloey are built.
* Albert Regaby is born.

## 1865

* The Sodor and Mainland Railway reaches Kirk Ronan.
* Skarloey arrives on Sodor and assists the running of the Skarloey Railway.
* Rheneas is built and arrives in time for the BoT inspection and offical opening of the railway in October.
* Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice are built for the Skarloey Railway.

## 1866

* Dolgoch is built and arrives on the Talyllyn Railway.
* 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.

## 1880

* Duke is shipped to Sodor.
* The Mid Sodor Railway is opened.
* Sir Topham Hatt I is born.

## 1882

* Victoria and Helena are built for the Furness Railway.

## 1883

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

## 1885

* Cora is built for the Mid Sodor Railway.

## 1886

* Frederick Regaby dies; Albert Regaby succeeds to his Barony.

## 1889

* 1 April: The Sodor Island Council comes into being, under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1888. The traditional powers of the Governor are reduced.

## 1894

* John Arnold Norramby dies.
* Topham Hatt is apprenticed at Swindon Works.

## 1897

* Mr Peter Sam joins the Skarloey Railway as a clerk.
* 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 Sodor and Mainland Railway declares bankrupt and its locomotives are sold to the Killdane Steelworks for scrapping. The Steelworks retains Neil for use on its internal rail system.

## 1904

* 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.

## 1910

* 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

* Stepney is rebuilt.
* The Tidmouth, Wellsworth and Suddery Railway is formed from the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Railway and the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway.

## 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.
* The First World War begins.

## 1915

* The North Western Railway is built.
* Albert Regaby becomes chairman of the North Western Railway.
* 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.
* Vicarstown Bridge 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.

## 1918

* Robert Charles Norramby is born.
* First World War ends.

## 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.

## 1921

* Edward is officially sold to the North Western Railway.
* Mr. Ivo Hugh is born.
* Kevin Volley is promoted to porter.

## 1922

* Gordon is built.
* Henry arrives on Sodor.
* 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.

## 1929

* Duck is built.
* The Spiteful Brake Van is built.
* The Great Depression begins.

## 1934

* Big City Engine is built.
* 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 stop arriving at Arlesburgh, so the traffic to Peel Godred stops too.
* Bertie is built.

## 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.
* Judy is built.

## 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.
* The Great Depression ends.

## 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

* 12th May: 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 finally breaks down and is later scrapped.

## 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.

## 1948

* British Railways is formed from the London North Eastern Railway, the London Midland Scottish Railway, the Southern Railway and the Great Western Railway.
* 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.
* Edward is put in charge of the Brendam Branch Line.

## 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.
* Glynn is withdrawn from service.
* Sir Handel Lloyd Brown marries Rachael Qualtrough.
* David Hugh I retires.
* Sir Haydn and Edward Thomas are purchased by the Talyllyn Railway.

## 1952

* Trevor is sent to be scrapped.
* Trevor is purchased by the Vicar.
* 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.
* Alfred is built.
* Douglas arrives at the Talyllyn Railway.
* Mark V is built.

## 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.
* Alice, Mirabel, Isabel and Dulcie are built.

## 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.

## 1956

* Sir Topham Hatt I dies; Charles Topham Hatt inherits his father's baronetcy.
* Ada, Jane and Mabel are built for the Skarloey Railway.
* Knapford Junction is moved from south to north of the River Els.
* Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Knapford.
* Big City Engines visits Sodor.

## 1957

* City of Truro visits Sodor.
* Gordon loses his dome.
* Diesel visits Sodor.
* Rusty is built and arrives on Sodor.

## 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 officially scrapped

## 1960

* Thomas crashes into the Station Master's house.
* Daisy is built and arrives on Sodor.
* Percy crashes into a brakevan.
* Thomas' running board is straightened.
* Kevin Volley becomes stationmaster at Cronk.
* The Ministry of Defence buys the empty slate quarry and the money is used for the construction of the Lakeside loop line.
* Old Stuck-Up and the Diesel are 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

* Skarloey's 100th birthday.
* Bear is built.

## 1965

* 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.

## 1966

* The Tidmouth-Arlesburgh branch is renewed around this year.
* Mike is built.
* The Skarloey Railway becomes a Company instead of being in private ownership.
* River Mite is built.

## 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.
* The Rev. W. Awdry and The Rev. 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.

## 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.
* Steam traction officially ends on British Railways.
* The Guinea Special runs.
* Flying Scotsman tours the United States.
* The Works Diesel  is built.

## 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

* Stephen Topham Hatt marries Helen Margaret.
* The siding at Cros-ny-Cuirn is extended to make a passing loop.
* The Railway Series celebrates its 25th anniversary.

## 1972

* Richard Topham Hatt is born.
* A second platform is added at Marthwaite.
* 15th October: The twenty-sixth and final book in the Railway Series written by the Reverend W. Awdry was published.

## 1973

* Bert is rebuilt.
* Flying Scotsman returns to the United Kingdom after touring the United States.

## 1974

* Charles Nicholas Hatt is born.
* The Works Diesel arrives on Sodor.

## 1976

* Jock is built.
* Northern Rock 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

* Roger Sam becomes the new Thin Controller.

## 1982

* Duke is overhauled.
* Sir Handel visits the Talyllyn Railway.
* Old Stuck-Up visits Sodor.

## 1983

* 12th September: Christopher Awdry becomes the new writer for the Railway Series.
* Old Stuck-Up is scrapped.

## 1984

* Sir Topham Hatt III becomes the Fat Controller.
* Sir Handel returns from the Talyllyn Railway.

## 1985

* The Skarloey Funicular Railway is opened.
* Skarloey is overhauled a second time.
* The Iron Duke replica is built.

## 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.
* Flying Scotsman tours Australia.

## 1989

* Fred is put into service on the Skarloey Railway.

## 1990

* After Privatisation, the name "North Western Railway" becomes official.
* Flying Scotsman returns from Australia.
* Thomas is invited to a railway show in York.
* Frank is re-engined.
* The Railway Series celebrates its 45th anniversary.

## 1991

* Mr. Ivo Hugh retires, with David Hugh II succeeding him as the current foreman of the Skarloey Railway.
* Tom Rolt arrives on the Talyllyn Railway and is rebuilt.

## 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

## 2002

* Rheneas is overhauled.
* The Corris Railway is reopened.

## 2004

* Sir Handel's 100th birthday.
* The National Railway Museum purchases Flying Scotsman.

## 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.

## 2011

* 1 January: Richard Topham Hatt becomes Controller of the North Western Railway.
* May: Pip and Emma are purchased by the North Western Railway and begin running The Wild Nor' Wester.
* 15 June: Sodor celebrates the hundredth birthday of The Rev. W. Awdry, with the unveiling of a bust of him at Tidmouth by The Prince of Wales.
* 6 July: The forty-second and final book in the Railway Series was published.

## 2013

* 25th November: Hilary Fortnam dies, aged 67.

## 2014

* The North Western Railway celebrates its 100th anniversary.
* Toby's 100th birthday.

## 2015

* The Railway Series celebrates its 70th anniversary.
* The North Western Railway celebrates running for over 100 years.

## 2016

* Flying Scotsman returns to steam in England.

## 2017

* The Arlesdale Railway celebrates its 50th anniversary.

## 2018

* 50th anniversary of the end of steam on BR.