u/No-Locksmith-2141

And here I am back with an appreciation post, but this time about a specific area of the island, the Ffarquhar tramroad: a charming and important, yet criminally underused and forgotten part of Ffarquhar—and possibly Sodor as a whole.  

If I remember correctly, Awdry created the Tramway partly to justify Toby’s existence on Sodor after being inspired by his own experience with J70 tram engines. I love that he enjoyed the experience so much that he built an entire story around it.

Thomas gets stopped by a snippy policeman for running along the road without cowcatchers and sideplates. Topham decides to fit them, but Thomas objects because he doesn’t want to look like a tram. That gives Topham the idea to bring Toby to Sodor, and the rest is history. Eventually, we get Mavis too.

The Railway Series gave us glimpses of the Tramway, but we never really got a proper look at it or Ffarquhar Village. I do love that we got the steep dippy lane where Mavis famously got stuck on, but still, it would have been better if we got a full glimpse at the whole Tramroad. The TV series did even less, with Season 3 being the main showcase before it practically disappeared. To the show’s credit, it at least remembered the Tramway through narration:

>“There is a line to a quarry at the end of Thomas's branch. It goes for some distance along the road.” 

>“Toby's Line crosses the main road behind the station and for a short way follows a farm lane.” 

It’s a shame because imagine being a villager opening your door and seeing Toby rolling right past your house! That would be so awesome. I really hope the Tramway and Ffarquhar Village get some love again someday.

And yes, Dovetail, I’m looking at you.

So, I think it's no secret that I'm a Railway Series purist like nobody's business. For this post, I wanted to imagine what Wonders of Sodor could have been like if it had fully embraced that aesthetic. I'm secretly disappointed the game didn't go in this direction, as it heavily relies on references and designs from the TV series and CGI era. I would have loved a game that felt more authentically rooted in the Railway Series.

Of course, the game does incorporate some TV series elements, such as the livery of the Express coaches and the CGI version of Vicarstown. Honestly, CGI Vicarstown was a fantastic rendition!

However, Wonders of Sodor sometimes feels caught between two different directions. You have the Railway Series-inspired storytelling and references, yet its map is heavily based on the TV series. It can make the game's identity feel muddled.

As a Railway Series purist, I still enjoy many elements from the TV series. Still, I believe Wonders of Sodor could have leaned more into the Railway Series aesthetic. Perhaps my hopes are too high, but could such a change happen someday? Maybe, maybe not. Let me be delusional! The game needs a significant overhaul anyway, so who knows what Dovetail might eventually deliver?

So, I think it’s pretty clear by now that I’m a Railway Series purist like nobody's business. For this post, I decided to imagine what Wonders of Sodor could look like if it fully embraced the Railway Series aesthetic. Honestly, I’m secretly disappointed that the game didn’t go in this direction, because it leans so heavily on references and designs from the TV series and CGI era. I would’ve loved to see a game that felt much more authentically rooted in the Railway Series.

Now, of course, there are TV series aspects of the game, like the Express coaches' livery and the CGI version of Vicarstown. Honestly, when it came to Vicarstown, CGI really locked tf IN!!!

But when it comes to Wonders of Sodor sometimes feel like the game is caught between 2 different directions. You have the Railway Series-inspired storytelling and references, but a map heavily based on the TV series. It can make the game feel confused about which identity it actually wants to embrace.

As a Railway Series purist, I still enjoy many TV series elements. But I believe Wonders of Sodor could have leaned more into the Railway Series aesthetic. Maybe I'm letting my hopes get too high, but could it happen someday? Maybe, maybe not. Let me be delusional! The game needs a huge overhaul anyways, so who knows what Dovetail might eventually deliver?

I'll start. For me, I really wish Dovetail had fully embraced the Railway Series' vision, establishing Tidmouth as the grand terminus and Knapford as the junction. Why? Because not only am I a huge Railway Series enthusiast, I find both locations, as depicted in the books, to be incredibly beautiful.

The illustrations of Tidmouth and Knapford Junction exude a wonderful blend of seaside and industrial aesthetics. Tidmouth is grand and magnificent, while Knapford Junction is a charming, curving intersection that also serves as a small terminus or housing area, especially with its sheds. The stunning ocean view visible from both stations consistently captivates me.

I would love to see this brought to life in the game. While unlikely, I remain optimistic that anything is possible. However, even if considered, I believe two obstacles would prevent it. First, Mattel would almost certainly reject the idea. Gaining approval from Mattel is notoriously difficult, akin to bathing a cat. Second, even with Mattel's improbable approval, development would span months, if not years.

So, a while ago, I posted about how we were robbed of the Tidmouth Terminal station in the show. My claim is amplified by the discovery that the original concept art for Season 1 shows Tidmouth was initially going to be the terminal station before it was scrapped.

And honestly, I can say that the concept art is beautiful. The station features a single, expansive glass-paneled roof, mirroring its depiction in the books, unlike the multiple roofs seen in the TV series' Knapford or Tidmouth. It's also not a through station, another departure from the TV series. But perhaps the most captivating aspect is the ocean view, a detail reminiscent of the books where illustrations often show the station with the ocean visible to the left. This truly enhances Sodor's seaside atmosphere.

This franchise did amazing work. It's upsetting that we could have gotten this station terminus, but it was scrapped for Knapford. While Knapford is well-known, it doesn't feel like a terminal station to me. Now that I've read the books, the station looks really "meh." I understand why the idea was left on the cutting room floor: they used the wrong map that incorrectly depicted Knapford as the terminus, and money was tight. So, while I understand the circumstances, we were robbed of something like this. The show's atmosphere could have been better, and Knapford could have been utilized as the Junction, as it was in the books.

Yep, I am back from the dead. School came around and yes, I've just been a little MIA, but I'm back, so yay. 

Now that the Dovetail Direct is out, it’s definitely generated a lot of conversation. Personally, I’m stuck in the middle. I’m glad we finally got word on Wonders of Sodor content, especially Henry and Toby, but after five months of silence, only two characters and no new routes feels pretty underwhelming.

I think this wouldn’t have bothered me as much if they had teased the characters a month or two after launch. The fact that we waited five months makes it feel like we left empty-handed, especially after how heavily Dovetail hyped the game beforehand.

It doesn't help that we have to wait even longer for the release, but that's besides the point.

That said, it could’ve been worse. I actually enjoyed my first Dovetail Direct, and they did mention more updates are coming. The year isn’t over yet, so as an optimist, I’m still holding out hope that they have more in store for Wonders of Sodor.

But enough about me, what do you guys think?

Following my suggestion that the Express coaches should be wider in Wonders of Sodor, I also think they should have a completely different interior. I always wondered why the CGI series gave the Express coaches basic bench seating when they’re supposed to be the most prestigious train on Sodor. They should have more elegant compartments, corridors, and first-class accommodations, which would also be more accurate to British steam-era coaches.

Honestly, CGI seemed to have something against proper bogie coaches. They were always skinny, had bench seating, and lacked the compartments and corridors you’d expect. I could go on about how CGI butchered longer coaches, but we’d be here all day. That’s a post for another day and another server.

They also had a dining car in the show, which I actually think is a pretty cool detail. Considering the Express can realistically be quite a long journey, having a buffet or dining car makes sense. It’s not something I desperately need in Wonders of Sodor, but it would be a nice addition. I only remembered it after looking back at the wiki and seeing that the Express had coaches with food buffets.

Following my suggestion that the express coaches should be wider in Wonders of Sodor, I also think they should have an entirely different interior. One thing that always puzzled me about the CGI series was why the express coaches had basic bench seating. The Express is supposed to be the most prestigious train on the island, so naturally, I would expect the coaches to have more elegant interiors, with proper compartments, corridors, and more comfortable accommodations.

Realistically, British passenger coaches during the steam era commonly used compartment-and-corridor layouts, particularly for first-class travel. Having that kind of interior would make the Express feel much more luxurious and prestigious, while also making the coaches feel more authentic to the era.

Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if the CGI series just had something against long bogie coaches in general. Almost every coach was given the same basic design: they're relatively narrow, have bench seating, and lack the compartments and corridors you'd expect from proper mainline coaches. I could go on and on about how CGI butchered a lot of the longer bogie coaches, but we'd be here all day. That's probably a post for another day—and another server.

When I was younger, I was always fascinated by the interiors of the coaches. We rarely saw them, so whenever the show gave us a glimpse inside—especially the Express coaches—it was always a treat.

I won’t even get into the CGI-era interiors, but the Model Series at least made an effort. Despite the lack of gangway connectors, the coaches looked realistic and had proper compartments. In later episodes, you could even see the corridor and compartment doors through the windows, which is exactly what you’d expect from a real Express coach.

That’s what bothers me about the CGI-era coaches: they seem to have simple bench seating instead of compartments. 

I’m glad the production team took the time to model those interiors, even back in Season 1 when resources were limited. Those little details really helped make Sodor feel like a real railway.

2nd post, I know, but I just couldn't resist, you guys!

I absolutely love how Dovetail made the CGI coaches wider and more realistic, making them feel much more like proper Express coaches. However, I still think they could be a little wider, as they look slightly too thin behind Gordon. They look great behind James and Emily, but behind larger engines like Gordon, the proportions feel a little off.

I understand the coaches don’t have a visible corridor, but since the TV and CGI series rarely showed much of the interiors, that doesn’t really bother me. My main suggestion is simply to increase the width slightly. I genuinely like the CGI coach design, so I wouldn’t want that changed—just the proportions.

I know Dovetail is receiving plenty of feedback, but with the upcoming Direct and more patches on the way, I thought this small suggestion was worth mentioning.

Yep, 2nd post of the day.

Let me start by saying, that I absolutely love how Dovetail made the CGI coaches wider and more realistic, making them feel much more like proper coaches for the Express. However, I still think they could be a little wider, as they look slightly too thin behind Gordon. They look great behind James and Emily, but behind larger engines like Gordon, the proportions seem a little off.

I also feel that their current width slightly hampers the overall Express experience. I understand that the coaches don’t have a visible corridor, but the TV and CGI series rarely showed much of their interiors anyway, so I don’t really fault you for that. My main suggestion is simply to increase their width a little.

I’ve discussed this with others, and we all appreciate that the coaches are already wider than their CGI counterparts. However, we feel that making them slightly wider would make them more appealing and better proportioned, especially behind Gordon and other larger engines.

I genuinely like the CGI coach design, so I wouldn’t want to see the design changed. I’d simply love to see the width increased a little. I know Dovetail is receiving a lot of feedback, but with the upcoming Direct and more patches on the way, I thought it was worth putting this small suggestion out there.

I don’t think I need to say much here—Ffarquhar still feels pretty empty. I’m glad Dovetail made it larger than what we saw in the show, but there’s plenty of room to make it feel more alive.

I’d love to see more sidings and proper engine sheds for Thomas, Percy, and Toby, along with Daisy’s coach shed. That would better reflect the Railway Series and early seasons, where engines were housed at their respective branch lines.

The second major improvement would be adding the tramway from Ffarquhar to the quarry. Toby was brought in specifically because Thomas could no longer run along the tramway after being stopped by the police. Adding it would make the branch line more authentic and give Toby and Mavis a much stronger purpose.

I don’t think I need to say much to introduce this, because it’s pretty clear that a lot of us are underwhelmed with how empty Ffarquhar looks. I’m glad Dovetail made it larger than what we saw in the show, but there’s still a lot of potential to make it feel more alive.

I’d love to see the yard expanded with more sidings and proper engine sheds. One thing I love about the Railway Series and early seasons is that engines were housed at their respective branch lines rather than all being concentrated in one place. Thomas, Percy, and Toby had their own berths, while Daisy had a coach shed. Adding those sheds would make Ffarquhar feel much more authentic and give the branch line a stronger Railway Series-inspired identity. I understand the limitations Dovetail had with the original sets, but there’s no reason we can’t eventually make these locations feel more complete and lived-in.

And now for the second half of the branch improvements: the Quarry line. I’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but I really think the Ffarquhar Branch Line should include the tramway running from Ffarquhar Station to the quarry. I’m not necessarily blaming Dovetail for this—if anything, I’d put more of the blame on how the CGI era simplified the branch line. People sometimes forget that Toby was brought in for a very specific reason: the line to the quarry ran along a tramway, and after Thomas was stopped by the police, he was no longer allowed to run on it. That’s why Toby and Mavis, being tram engines, was brought in to take over.

Having the tramway represented would not only make Ffarquhar feel more authentic to the Railway Series, but also give Toby a much stronger purpose and presence on the branch line.

1. Blue and Cream 4-wheeled Coaches: For Railway Series savvy fans like me, most of us are familiar with these coaches being Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima and Beatrice, the snobby and dramatic coaches that were technically characterized in the show, but not exactly. Even without their characterization, I really love the design of these coaches. The blue color scheme in the books is much more appealing, and I especially like the half-cream, half-blue detailing on the front and back.
2. Open Carriages: A lot of Railway Series characters were forgotten over time, but I think Ada, Jane, and Mabel are some of the biggest examples. They may not be revolutionary, but they were a missed opportunity and could have added more variety to Sodor’s rolling stock. Their open carriage design would have been perfect for summer passenger trips and even filming the Skarloey Railway. Plus, their classic faces have such a charming 1950s/60s style that makes them feel like they came straight out of a vintage magazine.
3. Blue and Cream Bogie Coaches: I was surprised to learn the Skarloey Railway had bogie coaches in the Railway Series. It feels like a missed opportunity that the show never used them, because they would have added more variety to the railway’s rolling stock. And I am a bit of a sucker for bogie coaches. I could imagine them being introduced to handle more passengers — or maybe simply to stop Sir Handel from complaining about not having them!
4. Red 4-wheeled Coaches with Yellow Stripes: I honestly don’t have too much to say about these coaches. They’re just really cute and charming, and that’s exactly what I love about the Skarloey Railway. I will say that I loved their faces in Season 4 — there was something so funny and charming about their expressions that made them stand out.
5. Semi-Open Green and Cream Coaches: Besides the bogie coaches, these were another pair of coaches that I absolutely loved and really wanted to highlight. These coaches I will consider are the more excursion types of coaches that you would pretty much take on vacation alongside the open carriages. Speaking of the open carriages, I heard that the open carriages were converted to carriages with a roof, and these green and cream coaches resemble what they would have looked like after the rebuild. I love how these coaches look, especially in the newer series when they look a lot more polished and brand new. They just match all the characters.

I don’t think Victor Tanzig meant any harm by it, and I doubt he was thinking about the word in the way people usually interpret it today. But considering his channel is mainly focused on Thomas stories, it just feels a little out of place. It’s definitely something that caught people off guard.

So not only am I on a Wonders of Sodor kick, I’m also on a Skarloey Railway kick. So what better way to combine both than by sharing another idea?

I already posted my ideal map for the railway, but this time I wanted to focus on the rolling stock I’d love to see added to the game.

You’ll notice I added the blue coaches twice, but honestly, all the coaches from the show are just so charming. I could easily see myself watching the narrow gauge engines pull long trains of them and never getting bored. I could’ve added a lot more, but I’m still pretty happy with how this turned out.

I’d be so excited if more narrow gauge engines came to the game. Imagine seeing Ivo Hugh brought to life in CGI, painted purple, and actually given a personality. That would be awesome. But for now, this is the lineup I’m sticking with.

See Dovetail. This is a roster of 6 engines that I can ACTUALLY get behind!