The Island of Sodor: The New Stories.

Peel Godred Branch Line (Kildane - Ulfstead)

Background

The Peel Godred branch is the only electric line on Sodor. The branch line was proposed by the S&MR in the 1850s, but it fell through like most of their plans. The NWR inherited the rights to build a line. They did so when Sir Topham struck a deal with the Peel Godred Power Company to build a branch line to transport their equipment for a hydroelectric station. Once this line was completed, it sealed the fate of the nearby MSR. In 1926, The Sodor Aluminium Works were opened north of Peel Godred. When the MSR closed in 1947, three of its engines were sold to it to help reform it as an ironworks. Once it was completed in 1951, Stuart and Falcon were bought by the SKR, while Jenny stayed at the works. Despite having stations, this line is mainly a goods line, which is why there are only two passenger engines. The line was also extended down to Ulfstead to give the town another rail connection.

KILDANE STATION

(See The Main Line part)

ABBEY STATION

In the book The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways, of which this headcannon is based on, Abbey is an unstaffed hault station. I never liked this, so I made Abbey a normal station. It looks similar to how it does in the TVS, but the platform is straight, not curved. Trains going up to Peel Godred don't stop here, but trains going down to Kildane do.

KIRK MACHAN STATION

Kirk Machan (pronounced Mat-Shan) is the middle station of the branch. This is the junction for the CFR. This is where most of the passenger traffic on the branch is generated. People come to the CFR to catch a train up to the summit of Culdee Fell, the tallest mountain on Sodor. Trains going up and down the line stop here.

THE PEEL GODRED TUNNEL

The Peel Godred line goes underneath the actual city at some point. Most people call it "The Burrow". You can get a very good look at the city before you go into the tunnel. Unlike the rest of the line, the Burrow is single tracked. This causes some problems if there's an obstruction, which is why it always has to be clear.

PEEL GODRED STATION

 Peel Godred is the northernmost station on Sodor. It is also the largest city on the Island. It was the original terminus for the branch when it was first built. Since the railway goes under the city, the station is just outside the city. Another platform had to be built for the extension to Ulfstead. The line to Ulfstead is on the left of the station, while the yards and Ironworks are to the right.

PEEL GODRED IRONWORKS

The Peel Godred Ironworks has an interesting history. It started as an Aluminium works. Sodor Aluminium Works was a subsidy of the British Aluminium Company and was the main source of income for the branch line. The works were built a year after the hydroelectric station was constructed. It was reformed into an ironworks 20 years later. When the reformation was done, more traffic could come in and out of the works. On top of alumina traffic, the works melt down scrap metal, mine iron ore, and smelt everything into something useful. The ironworks had an LNER J32 that used to pull the trains. It was eventually withdrawn and scrapped in the works in the 1980s. There also was a Jinty and a Pug that used to shunt trains around the yard, but they were sold to heritage railways on the mainland. The works eventually bought Harry, Bert and Allias.

THE ULFSTEAD-PEEL GODRED EXTENSION

In the 1960s, an extension from the Peel Godred branch was built to reach Ulfstead. A similar extension had been completed on the Ffarquhar branch 10 years earlier. Another tunnel was built under the city. The line ascended considerably, until it reached the town of Ulfstead. This stretch is electrified like the rest of the line.

ULFSTEAD STATION

 Ulfstead Station has many purposes. It is the terminus for the Ffarquhar branch line, a junction for Sir Robert's Railway Museum, and has some of the most challenging gradients on the NWR. Since the electric engines are much heavier than the Ffarquhar crew, the Peel Godred line ends there and doesn't connect with Ffarquhar. There is a sighting for the electric engines to run around their trains for the return journey. Since Thomas is push-pull fitted, he doesn't need this.