"Where is Sodor?"

Rlangham · Post by **Rlangham** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 11:20 am

Interesting article on the BBC website

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13872542

kudu · Post by **kudu** » Tue Jul 05, 2011 5:05 pm

I remember buying a map of Sodor, when I first learned of its location. Long since lost, I'm afraid.

Reading the link, I note Thomas' antecedent as an LBSCR E2. But only the front end has the distinctive running plate kink. There is no corresponding kink at the rear, a fact which I'm told displeased Audrey because it implied differential buffer heights.

Had I been Audrey, I might have been irritated by some other aspects of the illustrations. There are several "continuity errors" in the illustrations, such as the disappearing shed supports in the first story. But the most serious concern Henry. He was the most troubled of the locos on Sodor (at least until his spell at Crewe, after which he was reborn as what I suppose we should call a "Green Five"). Whether cause or effect I don't know, but I'm sure we should attach great significance to the fact that Henry could never decide whether he was a 4-6-0 or a 4-6-2! At least Thomas was consistently wrong.

(I'm sure I know more about the early books on Sodor than is healthy at my age.)

Kudu

LNER Fan 60008 · Post by **LNER Fan 60008** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 1:39 am

I'm sure we should attach great significance to the fact that Henry could never decide whether he was a 4-6-0 or a 4-6-2!

He was always a 4-6-0 although Awdry's initial plans called for a 4-4-2. It's just a case of sloppy artwork due to the illustrator at the time.

Thomas's initial illustrations had him looking similar to an LNER J50. This website has some useful information, if you hadn't seen it yet.

http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/

Too bad many of these stories were never adapted into the TV series, but that is another story.

Rlangham · Post by **Rlangham** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:30 am

Fascinating website, haven't visited it for a few years but thanks for the link, lots of pages new to me on there - I like the possibility of the Shildon Electrics being used!

kudu · Post by **kudu** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 10:49 am

LNER Fan 60008 wrote:
I'm sure we should attach great significance to the fact that Henry could never decide whether he was a 4-6-0 or a 4-6-2!
He was always a 4-6-0 although Awdry's initial plans called for a 4-4-2. It's just a case of sloppy artwork due to the illustrator at the time.

Yes, the sloppy artwork was the subject of my post. Interesting about the Atlantic possibility.

Thanks for the link - I'll take a look.

Kudu

strang steel · Post by **strang steel** » Wed Jul 06, 2011 12:09 pm

That is an interesting article because for most of my years I have just assumed it was based on the Isle of Wight. Where that idea came from I cant remember, just something told to me many decades ago, and most probably which I completely misunderstood.

I really am finding out new things every day.

Jammy · Post by **Jammy** » Fri Jul 08, 2011 9:31 pm

There's a map linking Sodor to somewhere on the West Coast in my collection of Thomas stories book, it should be just above Wales.

52D · Post by **52D** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 12:22 am

On a dark desert Island.............

LNER Fan 60008 · Post by **LNER Fan 60008** » Sat Jul 09, 2011 12:29 am

The "Pegnsean" website I linked to earlier has a big page about all the maps of Sodor. Here it is.

http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/mapsection.htm

The LNER Encyclopedia

"Where is Sodor?"

"Where is Sodor?"

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