North Western Railway

The North Western Railway is the main railway company featured in The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the TV series Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends. Although the company's name has never been specifically stated in either the books or on television it was mentioned as such in tie-in books such as "Island of Sodor, Its History, People and Railways" by the Rev. Awdry and also on some maps that were drawn to accompany the Railway Series.

The railway is situated on the fictional Island of Sodor and is usually referred to as the Fat Controller's Railway after the nickname of its chief executive or chairman Sir Topham Hatt.

The railway's motto is "Nil Unquam Simile", which is Latin for "There's nothing quite like it"!

For a list of engines that work on the NWR, see Railway Engines.

The Main Line
This runs from Barrow to Tidmouth. It is run by the Fat Controller's biggest engines. The most important train is the Express (called the Wild Nor' Wester), usually pulled by Gordon, Alice, Sodor Castle, Hiro, Patrick. and Daphne, all of whom pull the express as far as Barrow-in-Furness; Phillipa (Pip & Emma) run triweekly overnight express services to London St. Pancras. Henry, James, Peter, Bear, and Rebecca handle mixed-traffic, and Diesel and Stanley handle the shunting work at Tidmouth. Donald & Douglas, Neville, Sheffield, and Nia are utility engines, working various trains along the mainline, and are also light enough to work on the branchlines. Others like Murdoch and the NW Freight locomotives can be seen pulling long heavy goods trains. It connects with the Skarloey Railway at Crovan's Gate, where the Crovan's Gate Works are located.

During Sectorisation in the 1980s, all stopping and limited-stop trains operated under the Provincial (later Regional) Railways branding, with limited-stop trains upgraded to Alphaline trains in the 1990s. The Wild nor' Wester was an InterCity Executive train, and coaches continued showing InterCity branding until 2001, when the Mark 2/3 coaches that had been used were replaced by the classic, 1922-era coaches. Regional branding left the local trains in 2013 (the last holdout), and Alphaline branding was removed in 2004.

Passenger services along the line are Express (only stops at Crovan's Gate and Barrow-in-Furness), Limited Stop (only stops at junctions) and Suburban (stops at all stations).

Traffic includes passengers, general goods, gold ore, anhydrite, cheese, butter, agriculture, plasterboard, limestone, granite, cattle, logs, lumber, coal, fish, and intermodal traffic.

Along the line, in addition to the passenger stations, there are also the limestone works between Knapford and Crosby, and the anhydrite mines near Kellsthorpe Road.

Normal weekday traffic patterns include four express roundtrips, sixteen Limited Stop roundtrips, 28 Suburban roundtrips, and anywhere from five to twenty goods trains. Weekend traffic patterns include two express roundtrips, no Limited Stop trains, 14 Suburban roundtrips, and up to four goods trains.

Notable locations on this line include the main engine sheds at Tidmouth, Gordon's Hill and the Ballahoo tunnel in which Henry was bricked up. The Ballahoo Ridge Cut-Off was closed in 1966 for use as a storage tunnel to test the feasibility of a strategic steam fleet for use in the event of a nuclear attack from the Soviet Union (in which case, EMP would knock out diesel and electric locomotives). After the sole locomotive in the tunnel, now NWR #15 Peter, was extracted and restored, the tunnel and its line were reopened as a through line for use by express passenger trains and through goods trains, so that express trains wouldn't have to slow for Norramby on the adjacent line.

Thomas' Branch Line
This runs from Knapford to Ffarquhar. It was originally part of the Tidmouth, Knapford &amp; Elsbridge Railway. When the Fat Controller took over, the original locomotives were replaced and the line was extended to serve the quarry at Ffarqhuar and the town of Ulfstead in 1915. Thomas the Tank Engine was put in charge upon his arrival (contrary to what was said in the books and television series), with his coaches Annie and Clarabel (who were later joined by Becky, a third coach, and Drew, an ex-LBSCR luggage van, in 2009) and for many years ran the line single-handedly. Toby the Tram Engine was later brought to help on the quarry line after Thomas was ticketed by an overzealous police officer who was enforcing outdated Ministry of Transportation regulations, and after the rebuilding of Knapford Harbour Percy the Small Engine took charge of general goods traffic. A diesel railcar named Daisy assists with passenger services. The Ffarquhar Quarry Company owns a diesel shunter called Mavis, who sometimes comes down the branch line. Most passenger services run between Knapford and Ffarquhar but some commence and finish at Tidmouth. In 2003, a Stirling Single named Emily was built at Crovan's Gate Works and added to the Ffarquhar Branchline to further assist growing passenger traffic. Another locomotive named Brad was brought in in 1997 to help with increasing freight traffic, the expansion of Knapford Harbor and the Ulfstead extension. One of Brad's sisters, Rosie, was added in 2006 to serve double-duty as a station pilot at Tidmouth and work auxillery passenger services on the the Ffarquhar Branch, primarily passenger trains between Toryeck and Knapford Harbor to make the connection with NWR-owned ferries (ex-SeaLink). After Ted took over station-pilot duties in 2009, Rosie was shifted to full-time mixed-traffic services. Later in 2009 saw the addition of Lily, an ex-W&S tank engine recovered from a ship wreck off the coast of Kirk Ronan.

During Sectorisation in the 1980s, Annie and Clarabel were briefly replaced with a pair of BR Mark 1 coaches painted in Provincial Railways colors, but this only lasted three months when the TV series started; the NWR put Annie and Clarabel back into service against the wishes of BR. As a result, the Ffarquhar Branch was the first to be "de-branded" upon Regional Railways' dissolution on March 31, 1997.

The main branchline passenger service, run by Thomas, was officially named the Ffarquhar Central in 2009 when a third coach named Becky and luggage van named Drew were added; as a result, the train became jokingly known as Thomas' ABC, The Alphabet Train, and the Sesame Street Express.

Traffic includes passengers, gold ore, general goods, milk, agriculture, and uranium. The line formerly carried stone and lead before the deposits were depleted. In the past, there may have also been slate operations according to a few employee's log entries from 1882, but there is no conclusive evidence aside from several remnants of old roadbeds, a few stretches of which still have ballast; the narrowness of the roadbed suggests this railway may have been narrow gauge, and a previously-unknown branchline of the Mid-Sodor Railway.

Normal weekday traffic patterns include eight roundtrips, four off-peak roundtrips, four quarryman's trains, a daily pickup goods, and up to twenty-five loaded gold ore trains, depending on a given day's ore output (trains for empties are run as extras). Weekend traffic patterns include six roundtrips, no off-peak trains, two quarryman's trains, and up to eight loaded gold ore trains, though more may be run depending on a day's ore output.

As well as the quarry at Anopha and the harbour at Knapford, notable locations on or near this line include the dairy at Toryeck, the bridge where Thomas went fishing near Elsbridge, Mrs Kyndley's house near Hackenbeck, Croarie Sidings (the exchange sidings for the Anopha Tramway), and the old lead mine (which has been reopened as a uranium mine) just off the goods line near the harbor.

Edward's Branch Line
This goes from Wellsworth to the harbour at Brendam. It also links the china clay pits at Brendam with the main line. Edward the Blue Engine is in charge here, assisted by BoCo the diesel and Jinty. Donald and Douglas help out. Sodor China Clay owns three small tank engines, Bill and Ben and Timothy, as well as a Marion steam shovel quite fittingly named Marion, who work at the clay pits and the docks; Timothy is unique in that he is one of only two oil-burning steam locomotives on the island, the other being Victor. At peak times passenger services also run along the main line to and from Tidmouth.

Traffic includes passengers, carfloat traffic from Misty Island, China Clay, agriculture, scrap metal, and other goods.

Normal weekday traffic patterns include twelve roundtrips, four commuter trains (two up in the morning, two back in the evening; trains only run with passengers in one direction, with the return trip run empty), and up to twenty-four goods trains. Weekend traffic patterns include eight roundtrips, no commuter trains, and up to ten goods trains.

Upon Sectorisation in the 1980s, all passenger trains on the route were operated under Provincial/Regional Railways branding. The Mark 1 stock wearing Regional Railways livery were not withdrawn for repainting to Maroon coloring until 2010, while a pair of DMUs wearing Regional branding were converted into coaching stock in 2000.

Some locations on this line featured in the stories include the Vicarage (where Trevor the Traction Engine lives) and the scrap yard.

Misty Island
Misty Island is an island off the coast of Brendam, accessible by the NWR via carfloats. The main industry on Misty Island is timber, with an expansive logging operation. Misty Island also plays host to three company towns and a museum about logging railroads around the world, plus a tourist service. The Misty Island operation has three locomotives: a pair of L&YR Class 23s named Bash and Dash, and an LMS Fowler 4F named Ferdinand. All cars used on excursion trains are converted bogie flats.

In recent years, Misty Island has gained notoriety for its depiction in the television series. Whereas the real Misty Island has various stringent safety regulations, the Misty Island in the TV series has been described by NWR officials as a deathtrap with zero safety standards, no personnel, a wobbly trestle that should have collapsed years ago, and a crane that flings logs at will. It has also been criticized for using a fictional wood type (Jobi wood), when Misty Island actually has Redwood (not unlike in California). Not only that, but Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand are depicted in a very unflattering light: Bash and Dash are Gypsie-gear locomotives, while Ferdinand is a Class C Climax, and all three are depicted as offensive American redneck stereotypes who see themselves as above the law, do whatever they want, whenever they want, and see the island as a big playground. The railway as a whole decried these depictions of the island and its motive power, and accused HiT Entertainment of misrepresenting Misty Island and its residents for merchandising profits. Railway employees on Misty Island, their families, and the real Bash, Dash, and Ferdinand were so offended by the depiction, that when Andrew Brenner came onboard as head writer, he removed almost all references to Misty Island, aside from Ferdinand making a small cameo in the eighteenth season, and the Misty Island Tunnel (which does not exist in real-life and has also been scoffed at by NWR officials for being allowed to have steam locomotives inside without ample ventilation) was reportedly boarded up, but this rumor was debunked.

The Little Western
This is the newest branch line on the NWR, having been reopened to regular services again in 1967, and is also known as Duck's branch line. It runs along the coast from Tidmouth to Arlesburgh West, where it connects with the Arlesdale Railway. It is used for transporting ballast, and is also very popular with tourists. Duck and Oliver are in charge, and the whole line is decorated in the style of the Great Western Railway. When the line was first opened in 1916. it connected with the Mid Sodor Railway and intended to go further up the Sudrian western coast to Harwick but this extension was never built. This changed after gold ore was found in Harwick, and an extension to Harwick opened in September 2015. When the Mid Sodor closed in 1947 the Arlesburgh branch became used only very rarely. In 2014, slip coach service was inaugurated, the first use of slip coaches in the UK since 1936.

Passenger services on the Little Western were not subject to Sectorisation in the 1980s, unlike the other branchlines on the railway, though a Regional Railways DMU was used on the line during off-peak times until 2006.

Passenger trains run hourly, with a twice-daily through service to Barrow-in-Furness run by Donald and Douglas using ex-GWR Clerestory coaches. A twice-daily commuter train, the Gold Digger Limited, is run for workers at the Harwick gold mines and is run by Ryan out of Tidmouth. Up to ten ballast and twenty gold ore trains run daily.

Traffic includes passengers, ballast, and gold ore. There are plans for a transload facility in the future.

Peel Godred Branch
This branch runs from Kildane to the aluminium works at Peel Godred connecting with the Culdee Fell Railway at Kirk Machan. Although the line has never featured prominently in the Railway Series books or the TV series, according to the Rev. Awdry, the line uses electric locomotives powered from the power station at Peel Godred. Christopher Awdry says in the book Sodor: Reading Between the Lines that goods traffic is hauled by Class 87 electric locomotives. Passenger trains consist of Class 308 EMUs, with occassional appearances by locomotive-hauled trains (mainly diesels due to the dangers of having steam locomotives under live catenary, though steam-powered trains travel to the Misty Valley Branch via the Peel Godred Branch).

The construction of this branch was largely responsible for the closure of the Mid Sodor Railway, and for years, MSR No. 6, Jim, held a grudge against the NWR.

The Peel Godred branch was seen in one illustration in the book Mountain Engines but without any indication that it was an electric railway. However in Henry and the Express an electrified line is visible.

Passenger trains ran under Regional Railways branding from 1984 until Privatisation in 1996, though both multiple units continued wearing Regional branding until 2003.

Passenger trains run every 15 minutes due to the quick turnaround of the EMUs, and their starting and stopping power. Goods trains are run as needed.

Traffic includes passengers, grains, goods, coal, steel, and gold ore.

Kirk Ronan Branch
Part of the original Sodor & Mainland Railway, the Kirk Ronan Branch serves Rolf's Castle and Kirk Ronan. Popular with tourists, the line was closed under the Beeching Axe in 1964 and reopened in 1981 due to the tourism boom to the island in the 70s and the reopening of the Kirk Ronan Shipyards. The line is run by a single LNER V3 named Eric.

Traffic includes passengers, goods, fish, cement, and steel for the shipyards.

Under Sectorisation, it was part of Regional Railways from 1984 until 1996, though branding remained on the coaches until 2004.

Norramby Branch
Nicknamed "The Surf Line", the Norramby Branch was another casualty of the Beeching Axe in 1964, only to reopen in 1996 due to a tourism boom. The line was served by a joint suburban service with the LMS and later BR until its abandonment, and after its reopening, First Great Western revived this service until the deal expired in 2000, allowing the NWR to take full control. Operated by Eagle and Hunter, the branch is still very popular with tourists, and is now busier than ever thanks to the opening of the Norramby Mining Company's gold ore mine, part of the Sudrian Lode.

As a result of reopening in 1996, the branchline was never subject to Sectorisation.

Lesser-Known Lines
The map at the top of the page is the most up-to-date map of the North Western Railway, and features many lines undocumented by the Awdry family. These lines serve towns and goods clients that would otherwise have to rely on the roads.

Loop Line
The Loop Line was constructed by the North Western Railway in 1916 to serve the town of Callendale and several industries, including a coal dealership, as well as to provide an easier connection to the mainline for the Ffarquhar Branchline. A continuously-running commuter service called the Round Robin has been operated since the line's opening, serving Tidmouth, Knapford, Crosby, Elsbridge, Callendale, and Tidmouth Town Square. It was this loop line that Gordon was accidentily switched onto in James and the Express.

Ulfstead Branch
Another line constructed by the NWR, the Ulfstead Branch was built between 1916 and 1918. Unrelated to the Ffarquhar Branch, the Ulfstead Branch was built primarily as an agricultural branch serving the High Farm, but later became home to the summer house of the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Boulder Quarry (which was opened and then closed in 1997 after an incident with the eponymous boulder, only to reopen in 2017 when elementary school students on a field trip stumbled across a large source of anhydrite), and the estate of Sir Robert Norramby, Earl of Sodor. Hiro was also found along this line by hikers in 2009. It now plays host to a passenger train called the Picnic, which departs from Knapford and serves the Whistling Woods and the Norramby Estate, which includes a museum housed in Ulfstead Castle and train rides on a narrow-gauge line connected to the Skarloey Railway.

Coastal Track
The Coastal Track is a short line connecting the Brendam Branch to the Main Line Loop. Its claim to fame is its appearance in the fifth season episode Something in the Air, which was based on a real incident that occurred in 1992 (though the aftermath was quite different; in the episode, The Fat Controller unfairly blamed Henry for the accident, while in the real event, Sir Stephen Hatt properly blamed the incident on a failure in communication). Other than this, the Coastal Track has had an uneventful life, mainly used for trains travelling from Brendam to the mainland, so they don't have to turn around at Wellsworth.

Main Line Loop
A diversionary line built between 1916 and 1920, the Main Line Loop serves the towns of Killaban and Cabalnoo. The major goods client on the line is Sodor Flour Mills, currently run by its eccentric owner "Dusty" Dave. The line splits off from the mainline at Maron, and rejoins it on the outskirts of Rolf's Castle between Kellaby and Kellsthorpe Road, at the Whispering Woods. In addition to the towns and Sodor Flour Mills, the line also plays host to Sodor Airport, the Sodor Search & Rescue Center, Jem Cole Yard (run by his grandson, the original Jem Cole having passed away in 1999), a Repair Yard specializing in goods stock repair, Sodor Grain Windmill (another major goods client), and the Maritime Museum. 10 of the 28 daily Suburban roundtrips serve the Main Line Loop, as do 5 of of the 14 weekend Suburban roundtrips. The line also hosts the Airport Shuttle, which is run by Evan and Edwin between the Sodor Airport and Knapford.

Kirk Ronan Branch Extension
Built in 1932 to create jobs during the Great Depression, on an alignment surveyed by the Sodor & Mainland Railway in 1879, this line is best-known for prominently appearing in the infamous Thomas and the Magic Railroad. As a result, the line is seasonal, used for tourist trains in the summer. It splits off from the Main Line Loop at the Maritime Museum, and joins the Kirk Ronan Branch near the cement works. Otherwise, it sees little traffic, only remaining in service because of the tourist trade and the presence of the Sodor Bakery, which Eric serves twice a week on Monday and Thursday. Other landmarks include the Sodor Wishing Well, Pirate Cove. D10 Mountain (named for being carved by Diesel 10 during his intrusion on the railway in 2000), and the Big Dipper Viaduct (where Diesel 10 was finally caught after a rather harsh winter had weakened it). The line had been threatened with closure under the Beeching Axe, but it remained open after an appeal by the Sodor Tourist Board.

Killdane Branch
Built in 1916 by the NWR, the Killdane Branch is among the shorter branchlines on the railway, but at the same time, also sees heavy traffic. A pure industrial branch, the line is staffed by Stanley and Charlie. All industries on the branch were built under the auspices of the Sodor Construction Scheme between 1916 and 1934, and include the Sodor Ironworks (where 'Arry and Bert formerly worked before being forcibly retired and converted into generators for multiple crimes up to and including the attempted murder of Stepney), the Brickworks, several Warehouses, and the Fuel Depot. The Arlesdale Ballast, Granite, and Gravel Company (the ABGG Company for short) opened here in 1967 shortly after the Arlesdale Railway began operation.

Shane Dooiney Mine Branch
Running along the north slope of Shane Dooiney, this line was opened in 1989 following the opening of the Blue Mountain Quarry five years prior. The line not only serves the BMQ, but also the Sodor Slate Quarry, which was opened by the Ffarquhar Quarry Company in 2008. The line lacks a permanent resident, with Sidney and Norman being the most frequent users of the line.

Misty Valley Branch
Opened in 1987, the Misty Island Branch facilitates the moving of tourists and supplies to and from Callan Castle. Misty Valley gets its name from the heavy fog that descends on the valley during the winter; engines are warned to slow down by fog detonators attached to the tracks (amusingly, an attempt to modernize the warning with a foghorn in 2002 failed when the horn caused a landslide and destroyed it, also derailing Zoey in the process when she collided with the landslide).

Ballahoo Cut-Off
The Ballahoo Cut-Off, built in 1918, is a secondary line between Crovan's Gate and Ballahoo Ridge. Along this line is Ballahoo, the junction to the Norramby Branch, with a spur line to the Wharf connecting to the Skarloey Railway. The line is used by suburban and limited stop trains, as well as stopping goods trains. As a result, while it is marked as a branchline on the map at the top, it is considered part of the mainline.

Great Waterton Spur
Constructed by the Sodor & Mainland in 1881 after the opening of the waterworks and the establishment of the company town of Great Waterton, the line was abandoned after Morgans Mine was flooded in 1932 due to poor upkeep, and groundwater from the flood contaminated the waterworks and saw Great Waterton also abandoned. In 2008, it was rediscovered by hikers and restored, now part of the NWR network once more. It is served by a train from Barrow-In-Furness, as well as a daily goods train originating at Vicarstown.

Bluebell Branch
Infamously depicted in the TV series as Stepney's Branch Line, the Bluebell Branch was built by the S&M in 1886 as the start of an ambitious project to build a line to Cregwir and Ballaswein after the closure of the Cronk & Harwick Railway; the project was later abandoned when it was determined that Northern Sodor's climate would make building and maintaining a rail line a veritable hell, which was a factor in the failure of the C&H. The line gets its name from Bluebell Valley. Aside from being a popular summertime tourist line, the branch also has several important connects with the Skarloey Railway, and serves the Hillside Mill. After passing through the Twin Tunnels (named for having tunnels for both the NWR and SKR), the branchline splits off. One line leads to the Rolling River Bridge, which is as far as the S&M managed to get during construction; the bridge remained standing, never used, until hikers discovered it had collapsed in 2008. The other line connects to the SKR once more at Greenhills Junction before connecting to the Great Waterton Spur.

Sodor Tramway
Built in 1902 by the town of Ulfstead, the Sodor Tramway's early history is shrouded in mystery. All that is known is that it was run by a GER Class G15 until the NWR was formed in 1914. After this, the C15 was sold and the line was connected to the NWR at Bluff's Cove on the Arlesburgh Branch. Meanwhile, the line from Ulfstead Village to Chibbyr Ulf is now considered an extension of the Ffarquhar Branch, connected to Ffarquhar in 1916. When Toby was acquired in 1951, he was given charge of the line, in addition to serving on the Ffarquhar Branch; in this respect, the entire tramway can be considered part of the Ffarquhar Branch.

History
According to "research" by the Rev. Awdry the railway company was formed in 1914 from a government-sponsored merger of the two standard gauge rail companies that existed on Sodor. These were:


 * The Sodor & Mainland Railway (S&M)
 * The Tidmouth, Wellsworth & Suddery Railway (TW&S). This Railway had been formed in 1912 from a merger of the Tidmouth, Knapford & Elsbridge Railway (TK&E) and the Wellsworth & Suddery Railway.

The three railways were extended and brought into one system as a means of coastal defence against German forces during World War I, with alternate routes and branch lines built to better serve the islands interior. The railway was connected to the British mainland by a Shertzer Lift Rolling Bridge designed by Topham Hatt and built in 1917. The bridge runs from Vicarstown to Barrow-in-Furness.

When the 1923 Grouping occurred, the NWR was exempt from the grouping, as it was classified as a joint railway run by the S&M and TK&E, though a later Parliamentary hearing found that the NWR did not fitting any single criteria. The LMS would attempt to acquire the railway, though in 1925, an agreement was put into place ensuring the railway's independence.

The company first had its headquarters at Vicarstown but were moved along with the main engine sheds to Tidmouth in 1926. The original glass-roofed terminal in Vicarstown was destroyed in an accident involving a visiting Southern Railway engine named Sandra crashing into the station while hauling a train of explosives during World War II.

The main repair works for the railway are at Crovan's Gate close to the interchange station with the independently owned Skarloey Railway. Connections to Sodor's other railway companies are at Kirk Machan for the Culdee Fell Railway and Arlesburgh West for the Arlesdale or 'Small' Railway.

The North Western Railway has had running rights into Barrow Central since the agreement with the London, Midland and Scottish Railway in 1925. Until the construction of the Jubilee Road Bridge in 1977, the NWR had rights of car-ferry and worked an intensive and profitable service. British Rail had running powers over the Bridge to operate the joint NWR/BR suburban service from Barrow to Norramby.

On through or express trains engines from the NWR are detached at Barrow and "Other Railway" engines take over, due to NWR locomotives generally not meeting British railway regulations, as Sudrian railway regulations are very different, which is why obsolete classes of locomotives and carriages are so common. This practice has mostly been abandoned after the advent of diesel multiple units (DMUs), and now, all NWR mainline passenger trains turn around at Barrow. Only the Sudrian Flyer, a Tidmouth-London St. Pancras overnight train run by Pip and Emma, continues on from Barrow. Since 1925 the NWR has also had its own loco shed, turntable and servicing facility here. There is also a joint goods yard for exchange traffic.

When the railways in the United Kingdom were nationalised Sodor was affected too with the North Western Railway becoming the North Western Region of British Railways however the railway was allowed to keep a large degree of independence from the rest of the network. When the Beeching Report was released in 1962, the report saw the dreaded Beeching Axe fall on two branchlines: the Norramby Branch (which had not had much traffic since Norramby Harbor was bombed and abandoned during World War II), and the Kirk Ronan Branch (due to the shutdown of the shipyards); both closures were later reversed due to a boom in tourism to the island, with the Kirk Ronan Branch reopening in 1981, and the Norramby Branch in 1996. The Arlesburgh Branch was also slated for closure, but the 1967 opening of the Arlesdale Railway gave the line a reprieve. All other branch lines on the island (the Ffarquhar, Brendam, Ulfstead, Peel Godred, and Killdane branches) were recommended for further development for various reasons (Ffarquhar due to the stone quarry and poor roads, Brendam due to the major port and china clay pits, Ulfstead for the tourist trade, Peel Godred due to the steel mill, hydroelectric plant, and electrification, and Killdane due to profitabilty) Indeed, the North Western Region was the most profitable on the BR network, primarily due to Sodor's marshy land making road construction and maintenance difficult. The other railways on the island were not affected by the nationalisation.

The railway was affected by Sectorisation in the 1980s. All local and limited-stop trains came under the Provincial (later Regional) Railways brand, the Wild nor' Wester became an InterCity Executive train (though the practice of locomotive swaps at Barrow was quickly becoming time-consuming and expensive; BR carried out a trial program in 1988 to have passengers transfer to another train, but a passenger survey revealed that this was way too inconvenient, and baggage transfers were also time-consuming; BR attempted to rectify the problem by having a baggage coach at the rear of the train that would be switched on using a shunter, but this caused delays with goods trains; BR admitted defeat and continued the locomotive-swapping practice), the mail trains now carried the Rail Express Systems branding, and goods trains were divided between Trainload Freight and Speedlink. Works Department duties were delegated back to the NWR. After Privatisation, a complex legal process saw branding remain on many trains across all lines. The last carriage set carrying Regional branding was not withdrawn until 2013, when a set of Mark 1 carriages was withdrawn from the mainline for repainting into maroon coloring. Some Regional Railways and InterCity signage is still visible at several stations, including Suddery, Cronk, Abbey, Kellsthorpe, Norramby, and Kirk Ronan. Pre-recorded station announcements at Knapford, Maron, Brendam, Kirk Machan, Rolf's Castle, Ballahoo, and Toryreck continued to mention Regional trains, before they were replaced in early 2016 by new announcements.

Since privatisation the railway has again become the North Western Railway Company and unlike most post-privatisation train companies is responsible for the running of the freight and passenger operations and for the maintenance of the track and infrastructure of the railway. It is also the only railway in the UK that still has traditional goods trains, locomotive-hauled passenger trains, and of course steam traction. The NWR is considered a traditional railway, rather than a train operating company, as all tracks are owned by the railway, rather than Network Rail (National Rail, though, still handles ticketing, though with a very different look than on the mainland featuring illustrations from The Railway Series). Many enthusiasts call the NWR a "railway frozen in time", due to its infrastructure mostly being 1950s vintage, with several pieces of infrastructure dating back to at least the 1880s.

Many infrastructure improvements have taken place over the years, including: In 2005, in order to more efficiently compete with road transport, especially the S1 motorway, the NWR established NW Freight, a freight distribution service very similar to Freightliner and the EWS. The service operates on the mainland with a Class 37, three Class 60s, two Class 66s, and a Standard 9F (the 9F was later transferred to normal mainline services on Sodor during the Great Recession).
 * Replacement of all jointed rail with continuous-welded rail
 * Centralized Train Control on the entire system and Block Signals on the Peel Godred Branch
 * Installation of Wi-Fi on all passenger cars starting in 2009
 * Replacing Tidmouth Sheds with a roundhouse built in 1985; the old sheds are still maintained as a wagon repair shop
 * Construction of new distribution and transload facilities at Tidmouth, Elsbridge, Arlesburgh, and Barrow-in-Furness
 * Expansion of the Ffarquhar Branch to Ulfstead

While at the forefront of railway pop culture for years, the NWR made international headlines when massive deposits of gold ore were discovered around the island in 2013, including: The gold strike was called by many the "Sudrian Lode", while many in the United States called it the "Second Comstock Lode", due to how the mining resembled the Comstock Lode of Nevada in the 1870s, with the NWR filling the role of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. The discovery of gold in Harwick spurred an extension that had been part of the origianl plans for the NWR. Geologists and metallurgists estimate there is much, much more gold than at the current mining sites, and hypothesize that the NWR may expand even more just to serve the sites. After the strike, Parliament put a ban on open-pit mining. The gold mined from Sodor is credited with bringing an end to the Great Recession, starting a new global economic boom and severely cutting down on the poverty rate and homeless population. To this day, new deposits are still being found, each one seemingly richer than the last.
 * Underneath all of the depleted stone deposits at Anopha Quarry
 * Toryeck Mines
 * North of Arlesburgh
 * Just west of the Peel Godred Steel Works
 * South of Norramby
 * In and around Harwick

In 1996, a massive deposit of oil initially estimated at 50 million barrels but found to be much bigger in 2004 was discovered off the coast of Brendam. A new company known as SodOil was founded shortly after the discovery of the oil, and a refinery was built along the Sodor China Clay Co.'s private line. A new train called the Oil Can was inaugurated in 1997 to haul the oil on a dedicated unit train.

In 2005, Sodor's first airport opened on the Main Line Loop. The NWR (especially the engines) were highly concerned that people would start travelling by air instead of the rails. It got to the point that construction efforts for the airport were obstructed by NWR personnel, helped along by an intense Modernisation-related fight between the steam and diesel locomotives. The airport was eventually completed, with a clause banning domestic flights. Trans-Atlantic and International flights were still allowed, bringing with them a boom in the tourist trade. The airport is served by the NWR, operating passenger shuttles (using a pair of ex-BR Class 142 DMUs named Evan and Edwin) and trains with goods and fuel refined at the SodOil refinery.

On some promotional items to tie-in with the Railway Series books dating from the 1970s the NWR is called Sodor Rail and uses a logo similar to the famous British Rail one now used by the organisation National Rail. This, of course, is viewed as a major embellishment by the NWR, as most merchandise usually is, even though a merger of all Sudrian railways under the name was considered in order to gain complete independence from BR and avoid an increasingly-hostile Conservative government.

Named Trains
The NWR is unique in that many of its trains still carry a variety of colorful monikers, in contrast to other TOCs, who are content to identify trains either by number, color, or simply the line they're running on.

Passenger Trains

 * Wild Nor' Wester - One of the most recognizable trains on the NWR, it is often known as either "Gordon's Express", or simply "The Express". It is pulled by engines from the NWR Express Fleet (Gordon, Sodor Castle, Alice, Hiro, Patrick, and Daphne), and only stops at Crovan's Gate between Knapford and Barrow. From its inception in 1922, it travelled on to London St. Pancras behind a locomotive from the LMS, and later BR and First TransPennine, until this practice ended in 2011 with the acqusition of Pip and Emma. The name was retained for a new express train travelling as far as Barrow-in-Furness. Under Sectorisation, the train was an InterCity train, operated by the Midland division.
 * Ffarquhar Central - Perhaps the most famous train on the railway, and indeed, one of the most famous in the world, the Ffarquhar Central was unnamed from its inception in 1916 until 2009. This train is run by Thomas, with his coaches Annie, Becky, and Clarabel, and a luggage van named Drew, leading to the train receiving nicknames such as Thomas' ABC, The Alphabet Train, and The Sesame Street Express. When Thomas isn't available, Percy, Rosie, or Emily will take the train. Under Sectorisation, it was operated by Regional Railways.
 * Picnic - A seasonal tourist train run during the summer months. It starts at Knapford and travels along the mainline to Maron, before turning onto the Ulfstead Branch and continuing on to the Norramby Estate, stopping at the Whispering Woods along the way. It is usually powered by one of the utility engines. It was not subject to Sectorisation.
 * Sudrian Explorer - A boat train introduced in 1981 after the reopening of the Kirk Ronan Branch, this train serves ferries coming from Ireland and the Isle of Man. It has been predominantly run by Squaddie since 2008, and before that, by whichever utility engine was available.
 * Sudrian Flyer - Introduced in 2011 with the purchase of Pip and Emma, this train is a triweekly service from Knapford to London St. Pancras. It was created in response to First TransPennine Express refusing to continue maintaining a dedicated fleet of Class 37 locomotives leased from Direct Rail Services. Since Pip and Emma are power cars on an InterCity 125 set, they do not need to be taken off the train. It runs non-stop between Knapford and Barrow, and then makes several stops en route to St. Pancras.
 * Round Robin - Introduced in 1916 with the completion of the Loop Line, the Round Robin is a continuously-running service that originates at Tidmouth, with stops at Knapford, Crosby, Elsbridge, and Callendale, terminating at Tidmouth Town Square (as the main Tidmouth station is nearby). It is run by whichever utility engine is available, though in the 1970s and 80s, was run by a BR Class 101 set.
 * Airport Shuttle - Introduced in 2005 with the opening of Sodor Airport outside Maron, the shuttle is run by Evan and Edwin, though if one of them is unavailable, a utility engine will run the service with one of the reserve carriage sets. It runs from the airport to Knapford.
 * Sudrian Sleeper - An overnight version of the Sudrian Flyer, this sleeper train is run by either Daphne or Patrick (whoever is available).

Retired/Former Locomotives
Not all of the locomotives who have been in service on the NWR have stuck around. In the early days, until 1922, seven locomotives were leased from the Midland Railway. Several other locomotives have either been destroyed (whether by accident, enemy action, or their own hubris) or sent back to the mainland in disgrace.

Mainline

 * Henry
 * James
 * Bear
 * Pip & Emma
 * Murdoch
 * Molly
 * Belle
 * Iris
 * Peter
 * Samarkand

NWR Express Fleet
A subset of the Mainline fleet, these locomotives are assigned to express duties, mainly the Wild Nor' Wester. Note that they are not exclusively used for express workings, and can be found on suburban workings or even goods trains.
 * Gordon
 * Hiro
 * Sodor Castle
 * Squaddie
 * Rebecca
 * Alice
 * Daphne
 * Patrick

Ffarquhar Branch Line

 * Thomas
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Mavis
 * Daisy
 * Emily
 * Paxton
 * Brad
 * Lily

Brendam Branch Line

 * Edward
 * BoCo
 * Bill & Ben
 * Zoey
 * Jinty
 * Salty
 * Porter

The Little Western

 * Montague/Duck
 * Oliver
 * Ryan
 * Philip

Peel Godred Branch Line

 * Andy
 * Jeffery
 * Sean
 * Steve
 * Jarvis
 * Paul

Kirk Ronan Branch Line

 * Eric

Norramby Branch Line

 * Eagle
 * Hunter
 * Josh

Killdane Branch Line

 * Stanley
 * Charlie

Utility Engines
The utility engines are not assigned to any line, instead being go-anywhere, do-anything engines.
 * Donald & Douglas
 * Derek
 * Arthur
 * Kate/Lady
 * Neville
 * Rosie
 * Norman
 * Sheffield
 * Nia
 * Vincent (formerly Diesel 10)
 * Whiff
 * Dennis

Utility Shunter
These are similar to the utility engines, except that they perform shunting duties around the railway.
 * Diesel
 * Sidney
 * Scruff

Permanent Way Department

 * Harvey
 * Victor
 * Den
 * Dart

Misty Island Logging Operation

 * Bash
 * Dash
 * Ferdinand

NW Freight

 * Dick
 * Dilworth
 * Procor
 * Spartan
 * Wakefield
 * Growler

Out-Of-Service
These are engines owned by the NWR who are not in service, either due to overhaul, accidents or felonies.
 * Fergus - Accident at China Clay Pits in 2003; currently awaiting resources for repair
 * 'Arry & Bert - Attempted murder of Stepney; converted into generators
 * Billy - Axle failure; on loan to Vicarstown Railway Museum
 * Barry - Overhaul
 * Winston - Overhaul
 * Robert - Overhaul
 * Blandford - Overhaul

Carriage Stock
When the NWR was first formed in 1914, the coaching stock comprised of stock from the Tidmouth, Wellsworth & Suddery Railway and Sodor & Mainland Railway. The S&M owned a fleet of bogie coaches, while the TW&S owned six-wheel carriages from the W&S, plus a fleet of four-wheel carriages built by the London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway. By 1922, new bogie stock had replaced the S&M carriages, three of which were set aside for preservation. Two of the S&M bogie stock, though, remain in revenue service, these being Annie & Clarabel. Another batch of coaches with a more modernized design was built in 1977-78, and are used exclusively on Sodor due to being incompatible with BR coaching stock. The TW&S four-wheel stock remained in service until 1986, when the final three were withdrawn from service and set aside for use on the Vintage Train during galas. A bogie coach built to S&M specifications was built in 2009 for the Ffarquhar Branchline and named "Becky" after the daughter of Percy's fireman. The 1922 and 1977 bogie stock remain in service alongside ex-British Railways Mark 1/2/3 coaches.

Interesting to note is that the Mark 1 stock was modified to meet safety standards. This included a stronger frame to be able to withstand crashes, and a central door-locking mechanism so a steward doesn't have to be stationed in each car. This means that Mark 1 stock can operate without being bracketed by Mark 2 stock. The Mark 2 and 3 stock are all equipped with sliding doors, while all other carriages have slam doors. All Mark 1 stock on the NWR is painted Maroon, while Mark 2 and 3 stock are painted Rail Blue; the 1922 stock is painted brown, while the 1977 stock is painted orange. The NWR also owns three sets of non-corridor Mark 1 carriages used on commuter services.

In addition, the railway owns an ex-Wisbech & Upwell 4-wheel carriage (Henrietta), an ex-Furness Railway 4-wheel carriage (Victoria), a luggage van of unknown origin (Elsie), a pair of ex-LNER 6-wheel carriages (Martha and Jennifer), an ex-LBSC 8t luggage van (Drew), four ex-GWR Autocoaches (Isabel, Dulcie, Alice, and Mirabel), and three ex-GWR Slip Coaches (affectionately known by Duck and railfans as "Slippies").

In the early years, the NWR also owned or leased GWR Clerestory Coaches, LBSCR Bogie Coaches, GNR Gresley Coaches, and SR Maunsell Coaches. Two sets of Clerestories in GWR colors, and one set of Maunsells painted green and cream, remain in reserve for use on relief trains.

Goods Stock
The railway owns very little in the way of goods stock. Most goods wagons (the Troublesome Trucks) are owned by the Sodor Goods Commission, and are strictly used only on Sodor due to the smaller two-axle wagons being eliminated by British Rail in the 1980s. Larger, more modern goods stock, mainly owned by DB Schenker and Freightliner (with occassional appearances by stock from SNCF, RENFE, and DB by way of the Channel Tunnel), is interchanged with the national network. All publicly-owned wagons are brought to transfer facilities at TIdmouth to be transferred over to the larger equipment. The only equipment not brought to Tidmouth are container trains, as these run from Brendam to the mainland on express freights.

This situation changed in 2013 when British Rail was re-established by Continental Rail, bringing with it the reintroduction of small wagons. As a result, the transfer facilities at Tidmouth are now used only for container trains going through the Channel Tunnel, while the goods wagons owned by the SGC were either sold to the new BR, private owners, or heritage sites.

What goods stock is owned by the NWR includes brakevans (of LB&SCR, SR, and BR vintage, with a single GWR 20t "Toad" brakevan, appropriately named Toad, and an ex-Wellsworth & Suddery brakevan found in 1996 by Sheffield named Brian), mail vans (formerly vans built at Crovan's Gate Works, but later replaced by ex-BR GUV vans in 1994; two of the original mail vans are at the Vicarstown Railway Museum, while the remainder were sold to the SGC as normal CCT vans and remain in service), and over 80 goods wagons used on demonstration trains for galas.

Works Department
The Works Department owns many pieces of rolling stock, including a pair of cranes named Jerome and Judy and accompanying flatbeds, three work coaches from the TW&S, a steam crane named Rocky, several ballast hoppers, and utility vans repurposed from BR 12t Fitted Vans.

Sir Topham Hatt I
Great-grandfather of Sir Richard Topham Hatt, grandfather of Sir Stephen Topham Hatt and father of Sir Charles Topham Hatt who was born in 1880 and died in 1956 at the age of 76. His position from NWR was from 1923 to 1954.

Sir Charles Topham Hatt II
Grandfather of Sir Richard Topham Hatt, father of Sir Stephen Topham Hatt and son of Sir Topham Hatt I who was born in 1914 and died in 1997 at the age of 83. His position from NWR was from 1954 to 1983 or 1984.

Sir Stephen Topham Hatt III
Father of Sir Richard Topham Hatt, son of Sir Charles Topham Hatt and grandson of Sir Topham Hatt I who was born in 1941 age 77. His position from NWR was from 1983 or 1984 to 2013.

Sir Richard Topham Hatt IV
Son of Sir Stephen Topham Hatt, grandson of Sir Charles Topham Hatt and grandson of Sir Topham Hatt I who was born in 1972 age 46. His position from NWR was from 2013 to present.