Toby the Tram Engine with Moving Eyes

Meet Toby

Toby is a brown six-wheeled (0-6-0) steam tram engine with the number 7 painted on his sides. Toby first appeared in the 7th book in Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s The Railway Series, entitled ‘Toby the Tram Engine’ in 1952, and book No.32  ‘Toby, Trucks and Trouble’ is dedicated to him. Toby is partnered with his own coach, Henrietta.

All of the locomotives in The Railway Series are based on real historical engines; Toby is based on a J70 tram engine from the Great Eastern Railway (GER Class C53). His cowcatchers and wheel-guards allow him to run on roadside tramways, which other engines are not allowed to do for safety reasons.