Annie and Clarabel (RWS)

Annie and Clarabel are a pair of orange-brown push-pull coaches who work on the North Western Railway. The pair usually work on the Ffarquhar Branch Line with Thomas, who loves them dearly.

Biography
While Annie and Clarabel's exact origins are unknown, it is possible that they were lengthened and converted from six-wheelers to bogie coaches after they arrived on Sodor, and in this case it is likely that they began life with oil-lamps to light their compartments. Sir Topham Hatt saw to it that this system would be changed to electricity, but even though they're old, Annie and Clarabel are still capable of a good day's work.

Annie and Clarabel have probably been on Sodor as long as Thomas, but they did not meet each other until they were given to Thomas along with his branch like in 1925. It is very likely that they were bought second-hand from one of the railways on the Mainland many years ago.

They operate as a push-pull set. They have had several adventures, such as losing their guard, becoming runaways and travelled with Percy through bad weather. Clarabel once derailed on a set of trap points when Thomas slipped on some oily rails and had to be helped by Diesel.

Personalities
Annie and Clarabel are respectful to all of the engines, but most of all Gordon and Thomas. The only exception to this is Daisy, who they respect least of all for insulting them and Henrietta. They show a kind and caring side to everyone on the railway. Despite their kindness and sweetness, they can be stern when needed; for instance, when they scolded Thomas for teasing Gordon after his accident.

Annie and Clarabel are very faithful to Thomas and the three have a close bond. The three will often sing songs to each other when Thomas starts from a station. Annie and Clarabel also know that whenever Thomas is cross, he is not cross with them; he is cross with the engines on the Main Line making him late.

Basis
Annie and Clarabel are a pair of bogie coaches; as currently illustrated, they appear similar to LMS Suburban Coaches. In the 1987 annual, Christopher Awdry implies the pair were likely built in the early twentieth century on the Mainland and that they were possibly six-wheeled designs. Sometime after being brought to Sodor, their bodies were lengthened, placed on bogie frames and upgraded with electric lighting.

Livery
Annie and Clarabel have orange-brown bodies with black wheels, valences and bufferbeams and light grey roofs.

During Clive Spong's tenure as illustrator, Annie and Clarabel's roofs were changed to black and they were given a yellow stripe along each side of their bodies.

Wilbert Awdry's models of Annie and Clarabel feature the letters "NW" painted on their sides in yellow. Additionally, Annie has a yellow number "1" painted on some of her doors, indicating first-class compartments.

In the annual story Percy to the Rescue, the pair are illustrated with their names painted on their sides in cursive white lettering similar to how they appear in the television series.

Appearances
Railway Series= {{Scroll box|

The Railway Series

 * Thomas the Tank Engine - Thomas and the Breakdown Train
 * James the Red Engine - James and the Top-Hat
 * Tank Engine Thomas Again - Thomas and the Guard, Thomas Goes Fishing, Thomas, Terence and the Snow and Thomas and Bertie
 * Troublesome Engines - Tenders and Turntables, Trouble in the Shed and Percy Runs Away
 * Henry the Green Engine - Coal
 * Toby the Tram Engine - Dirty Objects and Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas
 * Gordon the Big Engine - Down the Mine
 * Percy the Small Engine - Percy's Promise
 * The Eight Famous Engines - The Fat Controller's Engines
 * The Twin Engines - The Missing Coach
 * Branch Line Engines - Thomas Comes to Breakfast, Daisy and Percy's Predicament
 * Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Stepney's Special
 * Main Line Engines - Wrong Road
 * Tramway Engines - Ghost Train, Woolly Bear and Mavis
 * Really Useful Engines - Stop Thief!
 * More About Thomas the Tank Engine - Thomas, Percy and the Coal, The Runaway, Better Late Than Never and Drip Tank
 * Thomas and the Twins - Scrambled Eggs
 * Thomas and the Great Railway Show - Museum-Piece
 * Thomas Comes Home - Snow Problem, Washout! , Toby's Megatrain and Thomas Comes Home
 * Wilbert the Forest Engine - Foaming at the Funnel
 * Thomas and the Fat Controller's Engines - Rabbits
 * Thomas and Victoria - Overloaded and Toby's Vintage Train
 * Thomas and his Friends - Thomas and the Swan and Centenary

Companion Volumes
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 * 1972 - The Railway Series: Surprise Packet
 * 1976 - Famous Engines and Railway Map of the Island of Sodor
 * 1983 - Bertie the Bus and Thomas the Tank Engine
 * 1984 - Thomas the Tank Engine and the Tractor, Thomas's Christmas Party and Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
 * 1986 - Thomas the Tank Engine Goes Fishing and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree
 * 1987 - The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways and Thomas and the Evil Diesel
 * 1990 - Thomas and Gordon Off the Rails
 * 1992 - Thomas and the Hurricane
 * 1995 - The Thomas the Tank Engine Man and Thomas the Tank Engine Catches a Thief
 * 2005 - Sodor: Reading Between the Lines
 * 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection
 * -|Other Media=

Annuals

 * 1985 - Percy to the Rescue, Thomas and the Important Visitor and Unhappy Landing
 * 1987 - Signal Failure and Lost in the Snow
 * 1988 - Thomas and Trevor and Terence Turns Pot Hunter
 * 1989 - The Trouble with Sheep
 * 1990 - Thomas and the Cricketers
 * 1991 - Thomas and the Sunday School Outing
 * 1992 - Percy and the Vicar's Prizes and Thomas and the Swans
 * 1993 - Thomas and the Snow Block
 * 1994 - Thomas and the Tickles
 * 1995 - The Picnic Express, Oliver's Sparkler and Thank You, Thomas and Toby
 * 1996 - The Wrong Shirt and Pantomime Pranks

Books

 * 1986 - Thomas Goes to Town
 * 1989 - Thomas's Book of Colours

Trivia

 * Annie and Clarabel are the first of a few things:
 * The first official female characters created by the Rev. W. Awdry and, as such, the first female characters of the entire series.
 * The first named rolling stock to appear in the series.
 * Annie is never seen with a face in The Railway Series outside of her press-out model.
 * In the second illustration of the story Mavis from Tramway Engines, one of the two is seen next to Daisy. It is possible this is meant to be Annie, however whether the coach is actually her or Clarabel is unknown.
 * Between The Twin Engines and Branch Line Engines, Clarabel's original twin doors for her guard's compartment are replaced by duckets.
 * The intro to the 2009 Thomas & Friends special Hero of the Rails Annie and Clarabel with bogie wheels as seen in The Railway Series.
 * In some Clive Spong illustrations, Annie and Clarabel lack their usual front windows.
 * Unlike in the television series and All Engines Go - where Clarabel is generally at the back with Annie in front - Clarabel is occasionally situated in front of Annie in The Railway Series.

Quotes
"Oh come along, we're rather late! Oh come along, we're rather late!" "We're coming along! We're coming along!"

- Thomas, Annie and Clarabel singing, Thomas and the Guard

"He's dreadfully rude, I feel quite ashamed. I feel quite ashamed, he's dreadfully rude. You mustn't be rude, you make us ashamed!"

- Annie and Clarabel telling Thomas off for teasing Gordon, Down the Mine