Toby

"I might be old, but I'm hard-working too."

— Toby, Old Slow Coach

Toby

Number: 7 Class: LNER J70 0-6-0 Designer: James Holden Builder: Stratford Works Built: 1914 Configuration: 0-6-0T Arrived on Sodor: 1951 Top speed: 30 mph Age: 79

Toby is a steam tram who works on the Ffarquhar Branch Line.

Bio

Railway Series

Toby was built by James Holden at the GER's Stratford Works in Stratford, London, England in 1914 and originally lived at Great Yarmouth Docks, Norfolk with his brothers before working on an unnamed tramway. In 1951, Toby came to work at the quarry on Thomas' Branch Line after his old railway in East Anglia closed, as it was found to be illegal for Thomas to go on the quarry tramroad without sideplates or cowcatchers. Toby is old and, at first, was teased by James for his shabby paint. James stopped calling him names after he crashed into some tar wagons and Toby was given chocolate-brown paint for his hard work and a new coat for Henrietta as well. Toby also got into a bit of a controversy with a female Diesel shunter named Mavis as she was not willing to shunt the trucks where they needed to be. After an accident with some trucks, the two engines made up their quarrel and are now good friends. When Mavis was sent to the works after her accident with a lorry, Toby was sent to do her work at the quarry, leaving Percy to do Toby's work as well as his own. Toby once came off the rails at a crossing when the earth was swollen over the rails and ended up on the road. Luckily, with the fireman guiding the driver, they managed to reverse Toby back on the rails. The Fat Controller, however, heard about it, but rather than being cross, he only joked with him and told him that he should leave the roads to what they were made for.

By 2007, Toby was having trouble taking the workmen to the quarry as Henrietta didn't have enough room in her to carry them all at once. Bertie usually helped, but one day, he was ill, and Henrietta was so full that some workmen even had to ride on her balcony. As he went past a part of his line that went through a town, he stopped quickly when a car came out of a side street and nearly collided with him. To make matters worse, a policeman witnessed the workmen riding on Henrietta's balcony, and after he made a report, an inspector spoke to the quarry manager, telling him that passengers were not allowed to ride on coach balconies. Luckily, Thomas managed to help Toby when he found an old and worn out coach named Victoria, who was used as a summer house for many years when she was taken out of service. Victoria was eventually restored, and now works with Toby and Henrietta along their line.

Television Series

Toby once discovered an old castle and an old mine, and, while staying on guard, met the Old Warrior Ghost, who was really a narrow gauge engine named Bertram. After this, the two engines became good friends and now take visitors to and from the castle and mine. During one harsh winter, Toby had to rescue Farmer McColl's lambs that were trapped on a hillside. Toby was given a temporary three-chime whistle while his bell was being cleaned at the Steamworks. It helped with warning Thomas and Gordon that the tracks were blocked. He once was scared of Knapford Junction.

He once ran out of coal while delivering scrap to Crocks Scrap Yard, and after a few unsuccessful attempts at stopping passing engines to ask for some of their coal, Reg decided to lift Toby into the air so that the next engine would see him. Unfortunately, Thomas passed by and thought Reg was about to scrap Toby. After the story spread across the island, Emily took Henrietta to the scrapyard so that she and Toby could explain the truth.

In Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, Thomas nearly collided with Toby while racing Bertie. The next morning, Toby attempted to warn Thomas about his red signal, but Thomas was too late to stop and, nearly hitting Emily, and crashed Gordon's coaches. Thomas tried to blame him along with Gordon and Emily, but Sir Topham Hatt saw through his lie.

In the twentieth season, Toby met Philip for the first time and was rather taken aback by the boxcab's talkative nature and desire to have races. Philip also had mistaken Toby as a boxcab before realising Toby was a steam tram.

Persona

Toby is old but hardworking and knew enough about running a branch line to justify running Thomas' with Thomas and Daisy after Percy's accident with the trucks. He is also savvy enough to control the trucks. However, his advanced age and design means that he is weaker than the other engines.

Livery

Toby is painted brown with grey sideplates and cowcatchers. Toby has a number "7" painted on his sides in bright yellow with a red border.

Appearances

Season 1 - Percy Saves the Day (does not speak), Toby Saves the Lambs, Big Strong Murdoch (does not speak), Harold and the Flying Climbers (cameo), and Thomas and the Snow (stock footage cameo)
Season 2 - Slow Coaches, Race with the Mail (cameo), Races, Hiro and the Coaches (cameo), Stepney's Journey Out, and Flying Scotsman Departs (cameo)
Season 3 - Old Slow Coach, The New Controller, Midnight Mavis, The Ghost of the Viaduct, and Cold Crews
Season 4 - Thomas and Algy (cameo), Flora's Tram Coach, Cows and Big Engines (cameo), and The Wrong Sort of Coal
Season 5 - Sodor Snowstorm (does not speak), Henry to the Rescue, Nigel (mentioned), Silver Steam (cameo), Stanley's Branch Line, and A Vintage Coach
Season 6 - The New Diesel Fuel, Percy and the Problem with Snakes, James and the Royal Train, and Edward and the Express (cameo)
Season 7 - Young and Old and Toby and the Snowplough
Season 8 - Waddling Wilbert, Snowploughing at Christmas, The Diesel that Stole Christmas (cameo), and Goodbye Glynn