- “Toby's only a little engine. If an important engine like me didn't know which way to turn . . . ”
- ― James, "James and the Diesel Engines"
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Toby is a tram engine.
Bio
Toby was built at GER's Stratford Works in 1903 and originally lived at Great Yarmouth docks in Norfolk. In 1951, Toby came to work at the quarry on Thomas' branch line in "Toby the Tram Engine" after his old railway in East Anglia closed, as it was apparently illegal for Thomas to go on the quarry line without having sideplates or cowcatchers. Toby is old and, at first, was teased by James for his shabby paint. James stopped calling him names after he crashed into some tar wagons, and Toby was given chocolate brown and blue paint for his hard work.
He has a coach called Henrietta and a luggage van called Elsie.
It is revealed in "Toby, Trucks and Trouble" that, prior to working on his tramway, he worked at the harbour at Yarmouth with at least three of his brothers, at which time he had brown paint and black sideplates with "LNER" in yellow on them.
Appearances
Toby first appeared in the first season episode "Toby and the Stout Gentleman", and has been established as part of the "Steam Team". In recent episodes he has been portrayed as being nervous and uncertain.
Basis
Toby was inspired by a GER Wisbech steam tram J70 0-6-0T seen by the Reverend W. and Christopher Awdry on a holiday at Yarmouth, hence Toby's origins.
Appearances
Toby's Railway Series appearances are listed below, in chronological order:
- "Toby the Tram Engine"
- "Gordon the Big Engine"
- "Edward the Blue Engine"
- "Percy the Small Engine" (non-speaking role)
- "The Eight Famous Engines"
- "Duck and the Diesel Engine" (cameo)
- "Branch Line Engines"
- "Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine" (non-speaking role)
- "Tramway Engines"
- "James and the Diesel Engines" (mentioned)
- "More About Thomas the Tank Engine"
- "Toby, Trucks and Trouble"
- "Thomas and the Twins" (non-speaking role)
- "Thomas and the Great Railway Show"
- "Thomas Comes Home"
- "Wilbert the Forest Engine"
- "Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines"
- "Thomas and Victoria"
Toby has also appeared in every season of the television series.
Livery
In the Railway Series, Toby was painted brown with black cowcatchers and side plates and yellow writing before working on his tramway, where he was painted brown with gray sideplates and cowcatchers. After helping James he was repainted chocolate with olive frames, blue sideplates and gray cowcatchers. In the television series, he has consistenly been painted brown with gray sideplates and cowcatchers.
Toby is painted chocolate brown with olive (later beige) frames, blue sideplates and cowcatchers.