This page is for Animal characters appearing within the Railway Series, and Television Series, that have significant relevance to the plot.
Animals in the Railway Series
Animals in which first appeared in the Railway Series, or where Railway Series exclusive characters.
The Goat
In 1922 the Fat Controller leaned out of his carriage window to cheer for Edward and Henry whom where pulling the express, but the winds from the high speeds blew his black top-hat into a field nearby where a hungry goat soon gobbled it up. Many years later several other goats appeared in the episode 'Buckled Tracks and Bumpy Trucks' One of the goat's nods as if understanding what Flynn is saying, and later on The Fat Controller gives him his unwanted hat, only to find out that the goat doesn't want it either.
River Fish
When Thomas took on water from River Els, some fish got into Thomas' tank and were thus boiled in his tank, they were later fished out and eaten for lunch by Thomas' crew, the Fat Controller, and the inspector.
Circus Animals
When the circus arrived on the island in 'Henry and the Elephant' they brought several circus animals with them, which included several elephants, grizzly bears, a white stallion, and a camel.
Circus Elephant
When the circus train had left, an elephant owned by them had escaped from the train, and was later discovered by Henry and some workmen who were investigating a block in the tunnel. The workmen then him the elephant four large buckets of water and a cake to eat, but Henry startled the elephant when he let of steam, and was thus squirted with water from the elephant's trunk. Another circus elephant appeared in The Great Race during the song 'Im Full of Suprises'.
Bulgy's Hens
sometime after Bulgy was punished by being converted into a hen house, these hens took up residence in him. When Bulgy was eventually restored and put back into service, the hens had nowhere to go, so they sneaked back into Bulgy and roosted in his luggage racks. When Bulgy swerved suddenly the next morning, the hens got scared and caused chaos with the passengers. Whether or not the hens ever recieveved a permanent hen house afterwards is unknown.
Trivia
- One of the Hen's models is on display at Drayton Manor.
The Spider
The Spider is a unseen character in the Golden Jubilee story, once it spun a web in the basement of the Knapford Junction signal box before moving on to greener pastures. However, her web caused a problem on the day of the Golden Jubilee, as it shorted the electrics in the signal box just minutes before Pip and Emma came into the Junction with the guests.
Eels
Daisy once brought several crates of eels up to Ffarquhar for a restaurant. Unfortunately, a boy accidentally knocked one of the crates onto the platform, causing the eels to fall onto the line and give Daisy such a fright that she blew a fuse.
The Swan
An injured swan was found on a bridge on Thomas' Branch Line. It was thought that it collided with a parapet on the bridge. The inspector covered the swan with his coat in Thomas' cab and at the next station, he took the swan to the vet in his car. The swan had a broken wing and after it was reset, it resided in the vet's garden until it was strong enough to fly. Then Thomas took it back to the river where it was set free.
Chloe
Kathryn Holland, the daughter of Railway Series illustrator C. Reginald Dalby owned a small dog named Chloe, who made an appearance with her on the platform in the story Tender's and Turntables.
The Stone Throwing Boy's Dog
In the story Henry's Sneeze, The Stone Throwing are seen on the bridge with a dog, as they throw stones at Henry's train. It can be presumed the dog belongs to one of them.
Sam's Horse
In The Railway Series Sam the Farmer owns a brown stallion, Sam was riding the horse as it towed a cart full of lime, unfortunately the cart of lime got stuck on the railway line an Percy eventually smashed into it.
Animals in the television series
Animals that were introduced in the television series.
The Toad
In the third season episode Trust Thomas, this toad watched Thomas as he crashed and sinked a jetty at Callan Pond, The Toad later hitched a ride on Thomas' footplate.
Gremlin
In the fifth season episode, Gordon and the Gremlin, Gordon had problems with his fire, the fire-lighter suggested the cause is gremlins, Later Gordon was asked to collect a special passenger. At Wellsworth, the passenger's Dalmatian ran away and after being confronting a bull, he dashed straight into Thomas' cab. At Brendam, Thomas enquired about the visitor and the Fat Controller revealed she is his mother, who then aptly renames her dog "Gremlin" after the events of that day. A similair dog is seen in the episode Lady Hatt's Birthday Party, appearing alongside two women as the Fat Controller drove by in his car, however it is unknown if this is Gremlin or not.
Trivia
- His original name is unknown.
The Bull
This bull was once grazing in a field close to Wellsworth when Gordon blew his whistle so loudly that it frightened Gremlin, who ran into the field where the bull scared him even more. Elizabeth was once transporting the bull when Duncan scared it with his whistle, Thomas also had to transport the bull when he got stuck in a landslide, luckily Percy came along to rescue them. The bull was also grazing in another field that Max and Monty fell into when they were racing Buster, the bull scared them so much that they recklessly drove away. Another bull later appeared in the nineteenth season episode, The Beast of Sodor, when the Fat Controller got himself covered in snow, he wiped his eyes and opened them to see the bull standing right in front of him; he ran away with the bull charging at him, luckily he managed to escape, and the bull gave up.
Appearances
Television Series
- Season 5 - Gordon and the Gremlin
- Season 6 - Faulty Whistles
- Jack and the Sodor Construction Company - The Tortoise and the Hare
- Season 7 - Percy Gets it Right
- Season 10 - Wharf and Peace
- Season 19 - The Beast of Sodor
- Season 20 - Ryan and Daisy, The Way She Does It and The Missing Breakdown Train
Music Videos
- The Whistle Song
Trivia
- His model is currently on display at Drayton Manor
- Despite always having a ring around his nose, he appeared without one in CGI, however it's possible that this was a different bull.
Hungry Ram
Percy once encountered this ram on the line. It was lured away by his driver with some cabbage. When Maithwaite station was later vandalised and several boys were trapped in the waiting room with the ram the ram was suspected to be the culript, but the terrified boys confessed it was their fault and promised to help clean up. The Fat Controller gave the ram a pumpkin as a reward, but his top-hat was blown away by Harold, and similair to the goat, the hat was eaten by the ram.
The Wise Old Owl
The Wise Old Owl, as it's named implies, is a owl that enjoys hooting at night. It usually frightens nearby engine until they figure out where the sound originated from. It only appeared in song Boo! Boo! Choo-Choo and the deleted scene from the episode Scaredy Engines.
Trivia
- The Wise Old Owl is the first animal character in the franchise to use CGI elements, to move it's eyes, and is the third character in the franchise overall to use CGI elements, the others being Thomas and Lady in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
- The Wise Old Owl's character originates from the english nursery rhyme of the same name, which can be traced back as far as 1875, to this day the character's creator is unknown.
Sir Topham Hatt's Cat
The Fat Controller owns a tuxedo cat, which can be seen in several episodes, it was later mentioned to be Lady Hatt's cat in the episode, Saved You! Later on another cat was bought by the Fat Controller as a Valentine's Day present to Lady Hatt in the twenty-second season episode Rosie is Red.
Appearances
Television Series
- Season 7 - Bad Day at Castle Loch and Snow Engine
- Season 12 - Saved You! (mentioned)
- Season 22 - Rosie is Red
Miss Jenny's Dog
Miss Jenny owns a black dog that can usually be seen accompaning her when she is with the Sodor Construction Company. He first appeared in the sixth season.
Appearances
Television Series
- Season 6 - Jack Jumps In and A Friend in Need
- Jack and the Sodor Construction Company - A Visit from Thomas, Jack Owns Up, On Site with Thomas, Kelly's Windy Day, A Happy Day for Percy, A Tale for Thomas, Thomas and the Moles, Percy Helps Out, The Tortoise and the Hare and Thomas' Trusty Friends
Specials:
- The Great Discovery
Trivia
- His model is on display at Drayton Manor.
Mole Family
"He's good, very good" - The Moles referring to Buster.
a family of Moles appears in the Jack and the Pack episode, Thomas and the Moles, as Buster was sent to flatten the hills they had created at the Dryaw FC field. Unlike all the other animal characters in the franchise, except for Beaky, they have the ability to talk, however it is possible these were just there thoughts. They all wear red and white scarfs and the smallest Mole wears glasses.
Trivia
- Michael Brandon used a voice similair to his Rheneas voice for the Moles.
- One of the miniature moles (production made) was sold to The Coffey Man Preservation from The Prop Gallery.
Cat and Kittens
Alfie once saved a cat and her three kittens, who were trapped in a collapsing building in The Pack episode Alfie has Kittens.
Seals
These seals live at Black Loch and were thought to be monsters by James until Emily found them after she was blocked by a rock slide.
Their first appearance was in the eighth season episode, Emily's New Route and they were seen again in CGI Series in the twelfth season episode, Toby's Special Surprise.
Golden Eagles
Two Golden Eagles were spotted on the Island. They are very rare birds and birdwatchers came from miles around for a chance to see them. They were first spotted at Bluff's Cove and then on Gordon's Hill, but Thomas did not see them. That evening, as Thomas and Percy were puffing home, they spotted two golden eagles perched on a cliff-top. The two engines thought the eagles were wonderful - but not as wonderful as helping each other.
They appeared in the ninth season episode, Thomas and the Golden Eagle.
Alice's Dog
Alice, the girl who lives at High Farm, owns a Border Collie dog. This animal uses the same model as Katie.
Thomas
Thomas is a piglet that was born in and appears in the thirteenth season episodes, Thomas and the pigs. He is named in honor of the tank engine with the same name. Thomas is all grown up now, and likely still lives on Farm Trotter's Farm.
The Sodor Warbler
The Sodor Warbler is a rare, brightly coloured yellow bird. Bird watchers come from far and wide to see it. It now resides on a nesting pole at Bluff's Cove.
It is seen in the thirteenth season episode, Henry's Good Deeds, the fourteenth season episode, Thomas and Scruff and the fifteenth season episodes, Happy Hiroand Stuck on You. The Sodor Warbler is also seen in the 2014 magazine story, Henry's Forest, in which the forest where they live is given a protected status.
Animal Park Giraffe
The giraffe was transported from the docks to its new home at the Sodor Animal Park. Thomas was too impatient to wait for the giraffe's keeper and as a result, the giraffe would not do as it was told.
It is seen in the fourteenth season episode, Thomas' Tall Friend and again a few times in the seventeenth season episode, Steamie Stafford and the eighteenth season episodes, Spencer's VIP and Emily Saves the World.
The Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl resides in the Whistling Woods and is a friend of Thomas. Toby used to be scared of the noise it made until he found out who was making the noise. Toby now thinks the bird is beautiful. The owl later appeared in the special, Tale of the Brave. It appeared in the fourteenth season episode, Toby and the Whistling Woods. It also appeared in the seventeenth season episodes, The Phantom Express and The Smelly Kipper.
The Crab
An orange crab appeared in the seventeenth season episode, Kevin's Cranky Friend and the nineteenth season episodes, Toad and the Whale and Salty All At Sea. Two identical crabs also appeared in the twenty-first season episode, New Crane on the Dock.
Luke's Deer
Luke's Deer was first found at the Blue Mountain Quarry by Rheneas. The baby deer was very frightened of the quarry and seemed to trust Luke. The other engines tried to tell Luke that the quarry is no place for a deer, but Luke did not listen to them. During a trip to Ulfstead Castle in Luke's cab, the deer spotted its mother and ran to her. Luke was very sad to say goodbye to his deer friend, but knew that he can regularly visit it at the castle and was pleased that the deer is now reunited with its mother. How the deer came to the Blue Mountain Quarry is unknown. Both the deer and its mother now reside in the park at Ulfstead Castle.
Luke's deer appeared in the seventeenth season episode, Luke's New Friend. A deer, possibly the same one, was also seen in the grounds of Ulfstead Castle in the seventeenth season episode, The Switch. A deer also appears in the special, The Adventure Begins.
Animal Park Elephant
The Elephant resides at the Sodor Animal Park. She once escaped and was found by Charlie, but after all of his joking, no-one would believe him. Eventually, Charlie reported the elephant to Harold who took him seriously. The elephant was found and returned to its enclosure.
The Elephant appeared in the seventeenth season episode, Not Now, Charlie!, the eighteenth season episode, Emily Saves the World and the nineteenth season episode, The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead. Timothy spoke about it in the special, Tale of the Brave.
The Woodpecker
The Woodpecker is a very rare bird who was being looked for by a bird watcher. The bird can usually be found around Thomas' Branch Line. The bird watcher finally spotted the rare bird at Maithwaite where it was boring a hole into a tree near the station. The Woodpecker appeared in the eighteenth season episode, Thomas and the Emergency Cable.
The Whale
The Whale was beached at Bluff's Cove. When Toad noticed it, he tried to tell Oliver about it, but Oliver did not take him seriously. Oliver eventually believed Toad when he spotted the whale on the beach and the Sodor Search and Rescue Centre were informed about the situation. Butch tried to tow it back into the water, but the tide was too far out; if Butch attempted to pull the whale all the way to the water, it would die. The whale was then covered up to prevent it from being hurt by the hot sun, while Belle and Flynn sprayed it with water. Toad then thought of the idea to take the whale to Brendam Docks on a flatbed. Cranky lifted it into the water and the whale was now able to go out to sea again. The whale appeared in the nineteenth season episode, Toad and the Whale.
King Godred's Horse
King Godred's Horse is a horse owned by King Godred, who lived hundreds of years ago. He/She only appeared in King of the Railway.
Santa's Reindeer
Father Christmas owns nine reindeer that appeared in the episode Last Train for Christmas they are based on Santa's mythological reindeer known as Dasher, Prancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph.
Trivia
- The original eight reindeer first appeared in the 1823 poem entitled "Twas the Night before Christmas.
- Only six appear in the Engine Adventures book "Last Train for Christmas".
Captain Calles' Parrot
The pirate Captain Calles' owned a parrot who lived during the 15th century, this parrot consists of green, turqoise, and red feathers, and only appeared in King of the Railway.
Patch's Horse
Patch owns a white stallion who only appear in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. He appears when Patch and Lily go horseback riding on him. Patch's Horse is played by a horse named Capote owned by Tony Smart. Capote has appeared in various film's since his birth in 1992, such as BraveHeart, Robin Hood, Snow White and the Huntsman as well as various others. In the Original script of the film, twenty years later it is stated that twenty years after the films events, Patch would have owned a full herd of Horses, one of these horses remains in a scene uncut from the film, as a recycled scene.
Mutt
Mutt is Billy Twofeathers Goldendoodle dog who only appeared in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. He later followed Lily to the train station, and guided her onto the wrong train. He was played by several dogs during the course of the film, Dita and Bentley. Dita and Bentley have both been taught tricks so as they can perform well in films. Sadly they have both since past away.
Jeff
Jeff is a cancelled character who would have appeared in Thomas and the Magic Railroad, had the script not been changed. He would have appeared in the future segments of the film. He is Mutt's great grandson, so it can be presumed that he is also a Goldendoodle.
Makkiki's Dog
Makkikki's Dog is a large shaggy dog who is owned by Makkiki and lives with her in Japan, he only appeared in the 1991 Japanese Thomas and Ponkickies crossover special title Thomas and the U.K. Trip.
Animals in Magazine Stories
Ned
Ned is a horse.
Sam
Sam is a horse who frequently pulls the boat named the "River Rose" along the canal. One day Sam lost a horseshoe and was thus left unable to pull the boat full of passengers, so it was arranged for the boat to be towed by Edward for the day.
Animals in Books
Barnaby
Thomas' Drivers Donkey's
Others
Trivia
See Also
Sources