Circus Train (T&F)

The Circus Train is colourful rolling stock which is used by the circus when it comes to Sodor. The train has special livestock trucks used to transport horses and trucks, flatbeds and vans which are used to transport circus goods and equipment. Coaches and brake vans are used to carry the circus performers.

Series 4
When the circus first visited Sodor, special "Topham Circus" trucks were delivered to the Island by ship. The Fat Controller arranged for the engines to shunt the special trucks; this cheered up Gordon, James and Henry who were originally feeling unpleased. The engines soon forgot to be tired and cross, until, much to the dismay of Gordon and Henry, James was chosen to pull the Circus Train away.

List of "Topham Circus" rolling stock used in the television series:

Series 8
Sir Topham Hatt once gave Thomas the job of taking the Circus Train and Annie and Clarabel carried the performers. Thomas was told to share the load due to its weight. However, Thomas wanted all the glory, so he tried to pull the circus train all by himself. Soon, his side-rods broke from the strain of pulling the heavy train and he was forced to stop. James and Percy came to the rescue of Thomas and the Circus Train.

Some of the circus trucks were later reused for the Funfair Train whenever the funfair comes to Sodor.

List of rolling stock used in the television series:

Books
There are also coaches for circus performers to travel in. Two of these coaches were seen in the book Henry and the Elephant. The coaches are painted yellow with red lining and with "Circus" written on their sides in blue.

List of rolling stock that appear in the books:

Basis
In the television series, the trucks are based on 7-plank open wagons. The vans were based on LNER 12 ton vans, Saxa salt wagons, GWR cattle trucks and SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV (with added bogies). The flatbeds are TVR Macaw G flatbeds. The brake vans are based on a BR Standard 20 Ton brake van and a GWR Toad brake van. There were also 1-plank trucks with the top part of a ventilated van on top of them which could be removed.

Livery
In the fourth series of the television series, the rolling stock were painted white with red lining. They had yellow banners with red lettering on their sides reading "TOPHAM CIRCUS". The open wagons had green tarpaulins, while the flat truck carried a red and white one. Some vans had brown fronts and backs.

Variations of salt vans seen in the television series:

Two alternate salt vans exist, one with a brown front/back and one with a cream front/back.

In the books, the circus trucks are painted yellow.

Appearances
Television Series=

Thomas & Friends

 * Series 4 - Henry and the Elephant
 * Series 8 - Thomas and the Circus

Trivia

 * The circus flatbeds were painted white in the fourth series, but were later painted gold and red since the eighth series.
 * The trucks of the Circus Train from the fourth series have been reused in several episodes;
 * A circus flatbed was used for the flatbed of the fairground equipment train in the fifth series episode, Make Someone Happy.
 * A circus van was used for the Utility Van in the sixth series episode, Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry, but with the "Topham Circus" lettering removed.
 * A fourth series circus van appeared in the CGI series as a cream van with red stripes. In addition, it was released as a refrigerator van from TrackMaster, Bachmann and Hornby.
 * The eighth series circus train models have been reused in several episodes;
 * Toad's model, without a face, was used for the brake van of the Circus Train in the eighth series episode, Thomas and the Circus.
 * The circus train was used as the Funfair Train in The Great Discovery pulled by Molly, but with the "Circus" logos removed.
 * Some of the trucks of the Circus Train from the eighth series were on display at Drayton Manor for a brief time in 2009, but then they were in storage. As of 2020, they have been put back on display.

Merchandise

 * Wooden Railway
 * Take Along
 * Take-n-Play
 * Hornby
 * Thomas Engine Collection Series
 * Nakayoshi
 * Capsule Plarail
 * TrackMaster