Thin Controller

On the fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev. W. Awdry, the Skarloey Railway is a narrow gauge railway which runs from the main line at Crovan's Gate to the passenger terminus at Skarloey. Beyond Skarloey the line continues to a slate quarry.

In the stories, the railway is run by the Thin Controller. Its chief engineer is Mr Ivo Hugh.

The line was inspired and based on the Talyllyn Railway in Wales, where Rev. W. Awdry worked as a volunteer guard in the 1950s. The railway was originally owned by Sir Haydn Jones MP who became Sir Handel Brown in the books.

The railway was central to the books Four Little Engines, The Little Old Engine, Gallant Old Engine, Very Old Engines, Great Little Engines and New Little Engine. It played a significant supporting role in Mountain Engines and Duke the Lost Engine.

The Rev. W Awdry based all his stories on real incidents on the real railways. In order to ensure consistency and accuracy, Awdry developed a 'history' for the Island of Sodor and its railways, which was published to accompany the series. The history was set in context, and dates were determined to be consistent with the real world.

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