- “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 steam tram engine.
Bio
Toby was built by James Holden at GER's Stratford Works in 1903 and originally lived at Great Yarmouth Docks, Norfolk with his brothers before working on an unnamed tramway. In 1951, Toby came to work at the quarry on Thomas' branchline after his old railway in East Anglia closed, as it was found to be illegal for Thomas to go on the quarry line without 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 paint for his hard work.
Toby has two coaches named Henrietta and Victoria and a luggage van called Elsie.
Persona
When he was first introduced, Toby was old but hardworking, and knew enough about running a branchline to justify running Thomas' with Thomas and Daisy after Percy's accident with the trucks. He is also savvy enough to control the trucks. However, his advanced age and design means that he is weaker than the other engines.
Since the eighth season, Toby has been portrayed as being nervous about the capabilities of his work and uncertain about being an old steam tram, believing that he is not a proper engine, only good enough as a museum piece and not really special at all.
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.
Livery
In the Railway Series Toby was painted brown with black cowcatchers and sideplates (which sported "LNER" in bright yellow letters) before working on his tramway, where he was repainted greyish-brown with grey sideplates and cowcatchers. After helping James he was repainted chocolate-brown with olive frames and blue sideplates.
In the television series, Toby has consistently been painted brown with grey sideplates and cowcatchers. Toby has a number "7" painted on his sides in bright yellow with a red border.
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" (does not speak)
- "The Eight Famous Engines"
- "Duck and the Diesel Engine" (cameo)
- "Branch Line Engines"
- "Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine" (does not speak)
- "Tramway Engines"
- "James and the Diesel Engines" (mentioned)
- "More About Thomas the Tank Engine"
- "Toby, Trucks and Trouble"
- "Thomas and the Twins" (does not speak)
- "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 appeared in every season of the television series. He also appeared in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Calling All Engines, The Great Discovery and, Hero of the Rails.
Merchandising
- ERTL (normal and Gold Rail) (both discontinued)
- Learning Curve Wooden
- Take-Along (normal, metallic, and in multi-packs)
- My First Thomas
- TOMY/TrackMaster (normal and flip-face)
- Hornby
- Bachmann
- My Thomas Story Library
- Bandai Tecs
- Take-n-Play
Trivia
- The Learning Curve Wooden range incorrectly depicts Toby as a 0-4-0.
- In the Japanese narration of "Thomas and Friends" Toby was voiced by Yasuhiko Kawazu from the first to eighth seasons. Tomohiro Tsuboi provided his voice from the ninth season onwards.
- In Thomas Comes Home, the illustrations of "Toby's Megatrain" shows Toby with a face at the rear cab as well as, as usual, at the front cab. This is the only time in the Railway Series that Toby has being illustrated with two faces, very much like the diesel engines.
- Colm Feore voiced Toby in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
- Martin Sherman will voice Toby in the US, from Hero of the Rails onwards.
- Matt Wilkinson will voice Toby in the UK, from Hero of the Rails onwards.
- Two Toby models are currently on display one at Drayton Manor in the U.K. and one in Canada at Nitrogen Studios.
Gallery
