HOME | DD

Description
Sodor’s other premier express engine, Victoria the GWR 6000 Class.

Victoria was built at Swindon in 1930 as the sole member of her class to bear the name of a female monarch, “Queen Victoria,” and worked as an express engine, often traveling from London’s Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads and back again. Once, she even pulled the “Bristolian” on a cold winter night.

During the Second World War, Victoria volunteered to participate in operation “Chariot,” taking long trains full of evacuees into the western countryside. But the King Class wouldn’t come out of the ordeal unscathed. During one of her evacuation runs, the unmistakable sound of air raid sirens began to blare, and Victoria, realizing the danger, tore down the line, determined to deliver her passengers to safety. A Stuka noticed her mad dash and gave chase. As the Stuka drew near, a tunnel came into view, and Victoria threw every ounce of steam into her cylinders, drawing closer and closer to the tunnel and safety. Victoria plunged into the tunnel just as the Stuka released its payload, narrowly missing her train, but hitting the mouth of the tunnel, causing it to collapse. A bomber flying overhead dropped another payload near the other end of the tunnel, yielding the same result, trapping Victoria and her passengers until they were rescued the following afternoon. When she finally arrived at the nearest station, all her passengers sang her praises, thanking her and her crew profusely for saving their lives.

Victoria’s heroism would come back to reward her years later. One day in March of 1949, her shed was visited by Sir Topham Hatt, who wished to purchase her. As it turned out, her shedmaster had been one of the passengers on her train that fateful night during the Blitz, and had put in a glowing word for Victoria. She accepted the offer, and was sold to Sir Topham Hatt, who rode in her cab on her journey to Sodor.

Arriving at Crovan’s Gate Steamworks, Victoria was painted blue, and quickly set to work alongside Gordon as premier express engines of the North Western Railway.

The definition of a strong-willed and independent woman, Victoria has plenty of experience with traveling long distances at high speeds and stands no nonsense. She’s quick to break up an argument and willing to take on any task given to her, although she can be a little afraid to ask for help every now and then. Like Gordon, she deeply feels her position as express engine and takes her duty very seriously, but she doesn’t let it get to her smokebox, and is just as happy to do goods work as well. Nevertheless, she is a member of the family, and a well-respected member of the Fat Controllers railway.

Description
Sodor’s other premier express engine, Victoria the GWR 6000 Class.

Victoria was built at Swindon in 1930 as the sole member of her class to bear the name of a female monarch, “Queen Victoria,” and worked as an express engine, often traveling from London’s Paddington to Bristol Temple Meads and back again. Once, she even pulled the “Bristolian” on a cold winter night.

During the Second World War, Victoria volunteered to participate in operation “Chariot,” taking long trains full of evacuees into the western countryside. But the King Class wouldn’t come out of the ordeal unscathed. During one of her evacuation runs, the unmistakable sound of air raid sirens began to blare, and Victoria, realizing the danger, tore down the line, determined to deliver her passengers to safety. A Stuka noticed her mad dash and gave chase. As the Stuka drew near, a tunnel came into view, and Victoria threw every ounce of steam into her cylinders, drawing closer and closer to the tunnel and safety. Victoria plunged into the tunnel just as the Stuka released its payload, narrowly missing her train, but hitting the mouth of the tunnel, causing it to collapse. A bomber flying overhead dropped another payload near the other end of the tunnel, yielding the same result, trapping Victoria and her passengers until they were rescued the following afternoon. When she finally arrived at the nearest station, all her passengers sang her praises, thanking her and her crew profusely for saving their lives.

Victoria’s heroism would come back to reward her years later. One day in March of 1949, her shed was visited by Sir Topham Hatt, who wished to purchase her. As it turned out, her shedmaster had been one of the passengers on her train that fateful night during the Blitz, and had put in a glowing word for Victoria. She accepted the offer, and was sold to Sir Topham Hatt, who rode in her cab on her journey to Sodor.

Arriving at Crovan’s Gate Steamworks, Victoria was painted blue, and quickly set to work alongside Gordon as premier express engines of the North Western Railway.

The definition of a strong-willed and independent woman, Victoria has plenty of experience with traveling long distances at high speeds and stands no nonsense. She’s quick to break up an argument and willing to take on any task given to her, although she can be a little afraid to ask for help every now and then. Like Gordon, she deeply feels her position as express engine and takes her duty very seriously, but she doesn’t let it get to her smokebox, and is just as happy to do goods work as well. Nevertheless, she is a member of the family, and a well-respected member of the Fat Controllers railway.