Skarloey
Encyclopedia
Skarloey is a fictional locomotive
from The Railway Series
by Rev. W. Awdry
. He is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor
. Skarloey lives and works on the Skarloey Railway
as Engine No.1.
rescued him following an accident, he learnt the error of his ways.
Since then he has become a hard worker - at one point he worked so hard that he became quite ill, leaving Rheneas with the responsibility of running the line on his own until Sir Handel
and Peter Sam
arrived. When he was repaired, he went straight back to work. He mainly pulls coaches, and he is the engine usually put in charge of special trains, and is affectionately nicknamed "the Little Old Engine". He was also once the subject of a television program
me, along with Rheneas and the other engines of the Skarloey Railway.
of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
. The season placed a great focus on him and the other Narrow Gauge characters, with a number of tales from the original books televised.
As the series progressed, Skarloey's character waxed and waned, especially under the influence of HIT Entertainment
. The Narrow Gauge engines took a full absence in 2004, but returned the following year alongside Rheneas, Sir Handel, Peter Sam, Rusty
, Duncan
and new arrivals, Mighty Mac (introduced 2005) and Fearless Freddie (introduced 2006). However, his character was altered to a more teenage personality. In recent episodes, he has tried to impress the other engines by bravely but foolishly going up the Incline with the coal trucks, and he was also carried across the Island on Thomas' flatbed in the Season 10 finale.
Skarloey's small gauge model (originally used in Season 4) was the second to return in the new era of Thomas and Friends (The first was Rusty in Calling All Engines). It is also used for the ghost engine that fell off an old iron bridge into a ravine in the Season 5 episode Duncan Gets Spooked.
In the Japanese version of Seasons 4-7, Skarloey is voiced by Tomohisa Aso
. His new voice actor in Season 9 is Hideyuki Umezu
.
He is set to be voiced by Keith Wickham
(UK/USA) in the CGI version of the series from Spring 2012 onward.
which works at the Talyllyn Railway
in Tywyn
, Wales
. Like the fictional character, Talyllyn was built in 1864, and has worked on its original railway since 1865.
Locomotive
A locomotive is a railway vehicle that provides the motive power for a train. The word originates from the Latin loco – "from a place", ablative of locus, "place" + Medieval Latin motivus, "causing motion", and is a shortened form of the term locomotive engine, first used in the early 19th...
from The Railway Series
The Railway Series
The Railway Series is a set of story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. W. Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14...
by Rev. W. Awdry
W.V. Awdry
Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE , was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, better known as the Reverend W. Awdry and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.-Life:Awdry was born at Ampfield vicarage near Romsey, Hampshire in 1911...
. He is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor
Sodor (fictional island)
Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea used as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry, and later used in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television series.-Inspiration and creation:...
. Skarloey lives and works on the Skarloey Railway
Skarloey Railway
On the fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry, the Skarloey Railway is a narrow gauge railway which runs from the main line at Crovan's Gate to the passenger terminus at Skarloey. Beyond Skarloey the line continues to a slate quarry.In the stories, the railway is run by...
as Engine No.1.
Railway Series history
Skarloey came to the Island in 1865. At first he was badly behaved and refused to pull trucks. He also had a habit of "bucking", which was cured by adding an extra pair of wheels. At the same time, he received a cab, which made him more conceited. But after his brother RheneasRheneas
Rheneas is a fictional locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry and the children's TV series Thomas and Friends. He is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor...
rescued him following an accident, he learnt the error of his ways.
Since then he has become a hard worker - at one point he worked so hard that he became quite ill, leaving Rheneas with the responsibility of running the line on his own until Sir Handel
Sir Handel
Sir Handel is a fictional steam locomotive from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and its spin-off TV series, Thomas and Friends. Sir Handel lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor as Engine No.3...
and Peter Sam
Peter Sam
Peter Sam is a fictional steam locomotive The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the spin-off TV series Thomas and Friends. Peter Sam lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor as engine No. 4....
arrived. When he was repaired, he went straight back to work. He mainly pulls coaches, and he is the engine usually put in charge of special trains, and is affectionately nicknamed "the Little Old Engine". He was also once the subject of a television program
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
me, along with Rheneas and the other engines of the Skarloey Railway.
Skarloey in the TV series
Skarloey was introduced in the fourth seasonThomas and Friends - Season 4
Thomas and Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W. Awdry....
of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
. The season placed a great focus on him and the other Narrow Gauge characters, with a number of tales from the original books televised.
As the series progressed, Skarloey's character waxed and waned, especially under the influence of HIT Entertainment
HIT Entertainment
Hit Entertainment is a British-American entertainment distribution company established in 1989, and originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Television...
. The Narrow Gauge engines took a full absence in 2004, but returned the following year alongside Rheneas, Sir Handel, Peter Sam, Rusty
Rusty the diesel
Rusty the Diesel is a fictional Ruston & Hornsby diesel engine on the Skarloey Railway in The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry, and the spin-off TV series Thomas and Friends. He is responsible for hauling maintenance trains for gangers to repair the track. He also occasionally...
, Duncan
Duncan (Thomas the Tank Engine)
Duncan is a fictional narrow gauge steam locomotive from The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry, and the spin-off TV series Thomas and Friends. Duncan lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor. Duncan is a stubborn engine that likes to complain that he is...
and new arrivals, Mighty Mac (introduced 2005) and Fearless Freddie (introduced 2006). However, his character was altered to a more teenage personality. In recent episodes, he has tried to impress the other engines by bravely but foolishly going up the Incline with the coal trucks, and he was also carried across the Island on Thomas' flatbed in the Season 10 finale.
Skarloey's small gauge model (originally used in Season 4) was the second to return in the new era of Thomas and Friends (The first was Rusty in Calling All Engines). It is also used for the ghost engine that fell off an old iron bridge into a ravine in the Season 5 episode Duncan Gets Spooked.
In the Japanese version of Seasons 4-7, Skarloey is voiced by Tomohisa Aso
Tomohisa Aso
is a male Japanese voice actor from Kanagawa Prefecture affiliated with Aoni Production. His real name is . He is best known for his role of Peppy Hare in the Star Fox series.- Anime :* BECK: Mongolian Chop Squad...
. His new voice actor in Season 9 is Hideyuki Umezu
Hideyuki Umezu
is a Japanese voice actor and member of 81 Produce.-Anime:* Bakugan Battle Brawlers * Blood+ * Bonobono * Death Note * Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood...
.
He is set to be voiced by Keith Wickham
Keith Wickham
Keith Wickham is a British actor, comedian and voice actor.He is well known for voicing Changed Daily in The Secret Show, Mr. Small, and Mr. Tall in The Mr. Men Show , Corneil in Corneil & Bernie , Mr...
(UK/USA) in the CGI version of the series from Spring 2012 onward.
Merchandise
Skarloey has been released in a number of model ranges, including:- The Ertl Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends line
- The Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway
- The Take-Along Thomas & Friends line (released in 2006)
- The Tomica/Track Master Motorised range (released in 2006)
- The Tomy wind-up range (released in 2006)
Prototype
Skarloey is based on the locomotive TalyllynTalyllyn (locomotive)
Talyllyn is a narrow gauge steam locomotive. It was built by Fletcher, Jennings & Co. in 1864 and is one of the oldest locomotives still in active service...
which works at the Talyllyn Railway
Talyllyn Railway
The Talyllyn Railway is a narrow-gauge preserved railway in Wales running for from Tywyn on the Mid-Wales coast to Nant Gwernol near the village of Abergynolwyn. The line was opened in 1866 to carry slate from the quarries at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, and was the first narrow gauge railway in Britain...
in Tywyn
Tywyn
Tywyn is a town and seaside resort on the Cardigan Bay coast of southern Gwynedd , in north Wales. The name derives from the Welsh tywyn and the town is sometimes referred to as Tywyn Meirionnydd...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Like the fictional character, Talyllyn was built in 1864, and has worked on its original railway since 1865.