The Quarry Tramroad (RWS)

The Quarry Tramroad is a roadside tramway that connects the Ffarquhar Quarry with Thomas' Branch Line at Ffarquhar.

History
The Quarry Tramroad runs a serpentine five and a half mile course from Ffarquhar to its quarry - even though a direct route between the two is only one and a half miles. The line was opened in 1924 and was primarily operated by the Coffee Pots, although they did not have sufficient braking power and heavy stone trains would sometimes run out of control on the steep gradient. Thomas was sent up on occasion until an encounter with a young policeman in 1951 put a stop to it; Thomas did not comply with Ministry of Transport tramway regulations. In the end, the Fat Controller decided to bring Toby and Henrietta to his railway in order to solve the problem.

Passing through the stone yard to which raw stone is brought to be cut and cured, the line leaves by an ungated crossing over the Ulfstead Road, and into a lane. Heading eastward past the runaway siding, it climbs at 1 in 60, and swinging westward, levels off alongside the Arlesburgh road. Here, at the top of the steepest gradient is the "Stop Board", which Percy once ignored disastrously. After another mile, the Ffarquhar River Bridge comes next. This bridge is shared by both rail and road, and was washed away by a flash flood on one occasion, leaving Toby poised precariously. The line then comes to the crossing where Thomas had the encounter with a policeman. The line climbs again but on an easier gradient, once more changes direction, and reaches the quarry from the west.

The traffic on the line consists of stone, with goods trains to carry it run as required, with four passenger trains a day to carry workmen to and from the quarry. Farms and cottages are located at intervals along the line, where Toby stops at request. In 1962, the quarry company bought Mavis to help with shunting in the quarry sidings. She was eventually allowed to run up the tramway to bring goods trains to Ffarquhar.

Appearances
Railway Series=

The Railway Series

 * Toby the Tram Engine - Thomas in Trouble
 * Branch Line Engines - Percy's Predicament
 * Tramway Engines - Mavis and Toby's Tightrope
 * Toby, Trucks and Trouble - Mavis and the Lorry and Toby Takes the Road
 * Thomas and Victoria - Overloaded and Toby's Vintage Train

Companion Volumes

 * 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways

Trivia

 * Even though an engine legally requires cowcatchers and side plates to run on the line, Percy has often gone down to the quarry without any, and as the old constable Thomas befriended did not stop him beforehand, the tramway regulations were presumably "revoked". When the new policeman who wrote Thomas' ticket was transferred, this and many other outdated laws went with him.