Albert (narrow gauge)

* Mark III
* Mark II
* Mark I

## Albert

**Albert** was the name given to three different engines created by Wilbert Awdry for his model railway layout of the Mid Sodor Railway. All are different locomotives from one another, but are all depicted as narrow gauge tank engines that worked on the Mid Sodor Railway.

## History

### Albert I

Albert was one of the first locomotives created by Awdry for his OO9 scale layout of the Mid Sodor Railway in 1968. The model was made using a standard Minitrains Baldwin 0-4-0, with little modifications to its design. It was painted red and given the number 3. This model of Albert ran on both the 1968 and 1969 layouts, until it was rebuilt in 1974 into its second design.

### Albert II

In 1974, Awdry updated his layout to more closely resemble how the Mid Sodor Railway was depicted in *The Railway Series*. Accordingly, Albert had to lose the American look. The model was completely rebuilt, with the saddle tank reshaped, a new cab and running board built from scratch, a smokebox and funnel from an Airfix Pug, and a steam dome from a Triang TT gauge Jinty. The model was also repainted into a deep maroon, but was renumbered from 3 to 5, as Falcon had by this time taken the former number. A spare model of Albert was also created around this time, also built using a Minitrains Baldwin.

Sometime after 1974, Albert was retired from the layout to become a spare engine, and was rebuilt once again. The saddle tank and cab remained, but an Arnold 0-6-0 chassis was added to replace the original one, and a new running board, smokebox and funnel were added. Tram skirts were also fitted around this time. All of these parts were sourced from a GEM Vari-kit type B. The model was repainted into blue, but the name and number were removed and given to the last model made of Albert.

### Albert III

The third and final model of Albert was created sometime between 1974 and 1984. This model was built using a GEM Vari-kit type B and was painted in the same maroon livery that the original model carried.

## Technical details

### Basis

The first model of Albert was a freelance design, loosely based on the 0-4-0 saddle tank locomotives built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works. The spare model of Albert that was made around the same time as the second revision was also based on this design, albeit with different cab sheets.

The second model of Albert is based on the Falcon class saddle tank locomotives that were used on the Corris Railway. One of these engines, *Sir Haydn*, is preserved on the Talyllyn Railway. Sir Handel is another member of this class. Initially Albert had an 0-4-0 wheel arrangement, but became an 0-6-0 when the chassis was replaced. Tram skirts were also fitted when the model became a spare engine.

The third and final model of Albert is a freelance design, based on no particular real locomotive.

### Livery

The first model of Albert was painted red with brass domes. His name and number were painted on the sides of his saddle tank and cab respectively.

The second model of Albert was initially painted a deep maroon with yellow lettering. He retained his name and number on his saddle tank and cab, but his number was changed from 3 to 5. The spare model was painted a similar maroon livery with black wheels, a brass dome, and a copper-capped chimney. After becoming a spare engine, the model was repainted sky blue, but its name and number were removed.

The third and final model of Albert is painted maroon with a brass dome and red wheels. His name and number are painted on the sides of his tanks and cab respectively in yellow.

## Trivia

* According to Awdry's notes, Albert was one of the three engines sold by the Mid Sodor Railway in 1936, the other two being Jim and Tim.
* Albert pulled *The Parliamentary*, a passenger train service operated by the railway.
* Albert Mark III was featured in a 1984 episode of the Anglia Television programme *Bygones*, in a brief segment focusing on Awdry and his layout.