North Western Railway (fictional)
| Industry | Railway company |
|---|---|
| Predecessor |
Sodor & Mainland Railway Wellsworth & Suddery Railway Tidmouth, Knapford & Elsbridge Light Railway |
| Successor | British Railways (small amount of the south connecting to England) |
| Founded | 1914 |
| Headquarters | Tidmouth (originally Vicarstown) |
The North Western Railway is the main railway company featured in The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry. Although the company's name has never been specifically stated in the books, it was mentioned as such in tie-in books such as The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways by 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".
In the television series Thomas & Friends, which is based on characters from the Railway Series books, the NWR is the main standard gauge railway on Sodor but the railway is known as the "Sodor Railway", "The Fat Controller's Railway", or "The Big Railway" in episodes focusing on the Skarloey Railway. The Adventure Begins marks the very first time the name North Western Railway is used in the television series.
The Main Line 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), which is usually pulled by Gordon the Big Engine. Other services are run by Henry the Green Engine, James the Red Engine, and a diesel engine named Bear. Donald and Douglas also perform many duties on this line, and other locomotives work here. Following their purchase by the Fat Controller, Pip and Emma run a faster passenger service from Sodor to England. It connects with the Skarloey Railway at Crovan's Gate, where the Fat Controller's Works are located.
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Wikipedia