Fell Valley Railway

The Fell Valley Railway is a fictional narrow gauge railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev.W.Awdry and Christopher Awdry. Part of its route is now occupied by the Arlesdale Railway.

The railway ran from the coast at Arlesburgh along the Arlesdale valley then through the Sudrian mountains to King 'Orry's Bridge near the town of Peel Godred. At Arlesburgh it met a branch of the standard gauge North Western or Fat Controller's Railway.

Route
The line runs from Arlesburgh West (where it meets Thomas', Edward's and Duck's branch lines) to Arlesdale village, stopping at Arlesburgh Bridge Street, Ffarquhar Road, Marthwaite and Arlesdale Green along the way. It follows part of the route of the old Mid Sodor Railway (aka Duke's old line). At Arlesdale Green it leaves this route and takes a new, southerly course to Arlesdale.

Locomotive
The four original engines of the Fell Valley Railway - Luke, Jackson, Gary and Nicky - were brought to Sodor from an unspecified railway in England and Scotland.

Luke
Luke is the oldest engine on the island. He is a "George Engand"-type 0-4-0 tender/saddle tank locomotive. He was built at Boston Lodge in 1864, for the opening of the Fell Valley Railway (FVR) in 1865.

Luke is FVR engine number 1, and is painted in a brown livery. He is the first narrow gauge engine to have a tender.

Being the oldest engine on the line, Luke likes everything to be "just so". He is a wise engien who knows everything there is to know about running a railway. He has great respect for coaches, passengers and his fellow engines, and often gives advice to the younger engines when it is needed. He also acts as a narrator in several of the stories.

Prince, an older engine to the same design as  Luke, may be seen working at the Ffestiniog Railway.

Jackson
Jackson is engine number 2 on the Fell Valley Railway, and is painted in a bright red livery. He was built in 1906 by Hunslet. He arrived shortly after Luke, but was at the start the more sensible of the two engines. He was a determined engine, and by the early 1950s he was running the railway alone.