Minor Vehicle Characters (RWS)

This page is for minor vehicle characters who have appeared in the Railway Series and the annual stories. These characters were either unseen and only mentioned, or simply appeared as background characters without any speaking roles and were nameless.

The Green Bus
The Green Bus was a passenger bus that worked in East Anglia.

Biography
The green bus was one of the many buses who took passenger traffic away from Toby's Old Tramway, causing Toby to have no more passengers. During those days, Toby and Henrietta were unhappy with the buses taking all their passengers, but they temporarily got their passengers back when the bus crashed through some roadworks and into a big hole. The bus was eventually repaired, and competition from the buses, as well as lorries, forced the tramway to close in 1951. Toby later told the story of his old tramway and the bus to Thomas and Percy.

Basis
The green bus is based on an AEC Regal "T Class" London Country Area bus. 8 of these buses are known to survive in preservation. One of them, T31, is believed to have been the first bus to be privately preserved in the UK. Bertie shares the same basis.

Livery
In the Railway Series, the bus was painted dark green. In the annual stories, the bus is painted lime green with a big white stripe on his sides.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Toby the Tram Engine - Toby and the Stout Gentlemen

Companion Volumes

 * 1986 - Annual
 * 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
 * -|Other Media=

Annuals

 * 1986 - You Never Know

JTK 62
In the sixth illustration of Steamroller, a blue car is driving down the street with the number plate JTK 62 can be seen. This references both the initials of the illustrator, John T. Kenney, and the year in which the book was published, 1962.

Basis
JTK 62 is based on a 1962 Wolseley.

Livery
JTK 62 is painted blue with a silver/chrome bumper and silver window surrounds and door handles.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Gallant Old Engine - Steam Roller

Companion Volumes

 * 1970 - Twelve Happy Engines
 * 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection

Trivia

 * A green cattle-truck appeared in a book called Tootles the Taxi illustrated by John T. Kenney with a similar number plate reading JTK 954.

Bulgy's Friend
Bulgy's Friend is a bus that is one of Bulgy's closest friends.

Personality
Bulgy's Friend was mentioned by Oliver as being rude, just like Bulgy, as he was trying to take Bulgy's passengers home so that Bulgy can steal Duck and Oliver's passengers.

Livery
According to Oliver, Bulgy's Friend is painted red just like Bulgy.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Oliver the Western Engine - Bulgy

Companion Volumes

 * 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection

Trivia

 * Although he was only mentioned in the Railway Series, he is illustrated as a faceless red double-decker in My Thomas Story Library book, Bulgy.

Oliver
Oliver is a green cargo lorry, who was once seen near the Ffarquhar Branch Line.

Biography
Oliver was briefly seen travelling accross on the Elsbridge Road Viaduct. He was on the opposite side to Bertie, who was waiting impatiently at the traffic lights during his infamous race with Thomas, Annie and Clarabel.

Basis
Oliver's specific design is unknown, although does resemble various Austin, Dodge and Leyland lorries from the 1940s and 1950s.

Livery
Oliver is painted green with an orange-brown cargo compartment.

Appearance
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Tank Engine Thomas Again - Thomas and Bertie

Companion Volumes

 * 1980 - Thomas the Tank Engine: Annual 1980
 * 1983 - Bertie the Bus and Thomas the Tank Engine
 * 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
 * -|Television Series=

Videos

 * Mr. Perkins Storytime - Thomas and Bertie

Trivia

 * It was not until 2022, Clive Spong gave the green Lorry the name Oliver in an email correspondence with 01Salty . This means that Oliver is the third character in the franchise to be be named Oliver, after the engine and excavator.

Murphy
Murphy is a mobile crane that is owned by some workmen. He was once seen working near the Ffarquhar Branch Line.

Biography
When the water level in a stream near Hackenbeck rose to a dangerous level, the wooden bridge across the stream started to break apart and eventually collapsed. The line was closed down whilst the bridge was in progress of being restored. Some workmen and their crane, Murphy, helped mend the broken bridge.

Basis
Murphy's design is officially unknown, although does strongly resemble Unit mobile cranes from the 1950s.

Livery
Murphy is painted orange with black lining and dark grey caterpillar tracks.

Appearance
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Thomas Comes Home - Washout!

Companion Volumes

 * 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection

Trivia

 * It was not until 2022, Clive Spong revealed Murphy's name, and likened him to an "Irish navvie cliché."

George's Friends
George's Friends are steamrollers and friends of George. Like George, they are anti-rail and are known for ripping up railway lines and turning them into roads.

When George worked near Thomas' Branch Line, he told Daisy that his friends have paved roads over old railway lines and he was eager to do the same on Sodor.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Thomas Comes Home - Thomas Comes Home

Companion Volumes

 * 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection

Nancy and Violet
Nancy and Violet were two cargo ships featured on the Reverend W. Awdry's layout of Tidmouth - Knapford. Nancy is a coastal steamer, while Violet is a trawler.

Biography
Nancy and Violet regularly delivered coal and machinery to Tidmouth Harbour for the North Western Railway. They also brought fish, which was loaded onto The Flying Kipper.

Appearances
Railway Series=

Companion Volumes

 * 1995 - The Thomas the Tank Engine Man

Trivia

 * Nancy and Violet were built by Wilbert Awdry's brother, George Awdry.
 * They never appeared in any of The Railway Series stories, but were in Awdry's model railway scrapbook, as part of the Awdry Study at Narrow Gauge Railway Museum in Tywyn.

The Charabanc
The Charabanc is a vehicle that belongs to the Summer Circular Tours,

Biography
As part of the Summer Circular Tours, The Charabanc picks up holidaymakers from the mountains, then cross the moors to Cronk for a return service to Crovan's Gate via the North Western Railway.

Trivia

 * The Charabanc was mentioned as part of the Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor Lecture by Wilbert Awdry.