Express Coaches

There are many types of express coaches used for fast trains on the Main Line.

Green Express Coaches

These green coaches have appeared since the first season and are primarily used for the express.

In the first and second seasons, the express coaches had the ability to talk, despite not having visible faces.

Basis

The models of the Express Coaches were based off of Southern Railway standard non-corridor stock built by Maunsell in 1925. They have broad windows on one side and narrow windows on the other. 

Livery

These coaches are dark green with cream windows. From Season 2 to Season 6, the cream part was repainted white, then cream again, with a yellow stripe running down the sides.

Merchandise

• Bachmann (discontinued)
• Hornby
• Motor Road and Rail (with Gordon; discontinued outside Asia)
• Departing Now (discontinued)
• TrackMaster
• My First Thomas
• Tomica
• Wind-up Trains
• Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
• Boss (with Edward; discontinued)
• Waku Waku (with Gordon; discontinued)
• Nakayoshi (discontinued)

Red Express Coaches

The red coaches did not appear until the second season and are generally used for other fast trains, but occasionally used for the express. These coaches are commonly pulled by Edward, Henry and James. In the third season, Duck commonly pulled them on the Little Western. Gordon pulled them in the fourth season when he met Sir Handel and in the fifth season when he went to go test the new station.

Basis

The models of the Express Coaches were based upon Southern Railway standard non-corridor stock built by Maunsell in 1925. In The Railway Series they are based on the BR MK1 coach.

Livery

Between the second and fourth seasons, the coaches were dark red with white windows. From the fifth season onwards, the windows were cream and they have a yellow stripe running down the sides.

Merchandise

• ERTL (discontinued)
• Wooden Railway (discontinued)
• Motor Road and Rail (Asia only)
• Thomas Engine Collection Series (with sound effects; discontinued)
• Departing Now
• Tomica
• Capsule Plarail
• Pocket Fantasy (discontinued)
• Tomix
• De Agostini (discontinued)
• Bachmann (discontinued)
• Hornby
• Nakayoshi (discontinued)
• Boss (with James; discontinued)
• Choro-Q (with James)
• LEGO (discontinued)

Basis

The models of the Express Coaches were based off of Southern Railway standard non-corridor stock built by Maunsell in 1925. 

Livery

Between the second and fourth seasons, the coaches were dark red with white windows. From the fifth season onwards, the windows were cream and they have a yellow stripe running down the sides.

Merchandise

The coaches are not available in their Railway Series liveries.

• ERTL (all discontinued)
• Bachmann
• Hornby
• Motor Road and Rail (discontinued outside Asia)
• TrackMaster
• My First Thomas
• Wind-up Trains

The Red Coaches are available in:

• Wooden Railway (discontinued)
• Motor Road and Rail (Asia only)
• Bandai (several versions; discontinued)
• Tomix
• De Agostini
• Bachmann
• Hornby
• Nakayoshi (discontinued)

Special Express Coaches

The special coaches were used for carrying and transporting special visitors across the Island of Sodor. Gordon once used the coaches to carry Dowager Hatt to Wellsworth. James has also used the coaches several times and once used them to take Mrs. Kyndley to the funfair at Tidmouth Bay. Later on, James used the coaches to transport the Mayor.

The coaches were later pulled by Spencer for private usage of the Duke and Duchess of Boxford. In The Railway Series, these coaches were part of the "Limited" train.

Basis

In The Railway Series, they were based on BR MK1 coaches, while in the television series, they appear to be based upon Mk1 Suburban carriages without corridors.

Appearances

Railway Series

• Enterprising Engines

Television Series

• Season 5 - A Better View for Gordon, Gordon and the Gremlin and Make Someone Happy
• Season 6 - A Bad Day for Harold the Helicopter
• Season 7 - James and the Queen of Sodor

Livery

The coaches were painted maroon with silver buffers, grey roofs and red lining, bufferbeams and couplings.

Merchandise

• ERTL (discontinued)
• Wooden Railway (discontinued)
• Motor Road and Rail (discontinued)
• TrackMaster (discontinued)
• Bachmann
• Hornby (discontinued)
• My First Thomas (discontinued)

Railway Series-only Coaches

Express coaches form the fast and important passenger trains and are normally pulled by Gordon, James or Henry. Several of these coaches form the express, known as the "Wild Nor' Wester" - usually pulled by Gordon, although Henry, James and Bear take the train when Gordon is busy - other coaches form the "Limited", which was pulled by Bear in Enterprising Engines.

The Diesel was supposed to pull the express in Bowled Out, but he broke down, so Duck and Stepney pulled it instead. In the late 1950s, Gordon would stop at Barrow-in-Furness with the express and an engine from the Other Railway would take the train on to London.

Basis

The orange coaches appear to be based on the LMS Peroid 1 Corridor Coaches, whilst the blue coaches were based on BR MK1 coaches and the brown coaches appear similar to the Midland Railway Suburban Coaches.

Livery

The coaches were primarily painted yellow-orange until around 1984, when they were repainted brown with a yellow stripe. There were also some blue and white coaches.

Merchandise

Orange Coaches

• Capsule Plarail
• Tomica

Blue / Brown Coaches

• Motor Road and Rail (blue coach with OT-03, brown coach with OT-05; Asia only)
• Capsule Plarail
• Tomica

Thomas' Special Coach

After arriving at Tidmouth with the express, Gordon shunts a coach from the train into a siding for passengers wanting to travel to destinations on Thomas' Branch Line. Thomas, Annie and Clarabel then come from Knapford Junction to collect it.

One time, Douglas accidentally forgot to shunt this coach for Thomas. Instead he shunted the coach, full of passengers, into the carriage siding causing a heap of confusion and delay for the passengers.

Basis

Thomas' Special Coach is based on a British Railways Mark 1 Coach.

Livery

In the Railway Series, Thomas' special coach is painted burgundy red with cream coloured window surrounds. In the Television Series, it would have been painted in the express coaches green and custard livery.

Appearances

The Railway Series

• The Twin Engines - The Missing Coach

Thomas & Friends

• Season 2 - The Missing Coach (cancelled)

The Royal Train

The Royal Train was the train that transported Queen Elizabeth II in Paint Pots and Queens. Henry was supposed to pull it, but after an accident with some paint cans, Gordon was given the job instead. In both The Railway Series and the television series, it was made up of blood and custard express coaches with whitewall wheels and white buffers.

Another Royal Carriage appeared in the magazine story, The Royal Carriage. This carriage is painted brown with red flags and a crown on its roof. Inside it has some comfortable chairs and a royal blue carpet. It is on display at the Sodor Museum.

Trivia

• The coach in the magazine somewhat has Henrietta's shape.

Other Coaches

Four grey coaches with an orange stripe appeared in Thomas and the Big, Big Bridge.

A white express coach with orange lining was seen in the 2006 magazine story, Splendid Sight.

Trivia

• In the magazine story, Airship, Gordon's express carriages are once referred to as "Pullman Coaches".
• Some of the express coaches' television series models are currently on display; three red ones and two green ones at Drayton Manor Theme Park and two red ones at the Hara Model Railway Museum in Japan. One green express coach model (made in the sixth season) is now in possession of Twitter user TomJedski.
• The wind-up toys are repainted from those representing Japanese National Railways coaches.
• In the CGI series the Dining Coach is the only express coach with an aisle.