here are some things from my head canon:
Back in the early days of the NWR, Topham purchased a black Marklin to help Thomas shunt at Knapford. He didn't have a name at first, but the engines nicknamed him Mark which eventually stock. He still works at Knapford yards as a shunter today.
The Harwick branch aka Arthur's branch line is actually an extension to the Little Western branch line.
Okay time for a big head canon.
HC: shortly after his visit to Sodor, Wilbert return home to the Dean Forest Railway. However Apparently, while Wilbert was away, the railway had been hit by a massive storm. And a ton of damage was done, stations, rails, rolling stock, sheds and so on were in a wrecked. While the railway was able to repair everything. It was a massive cost for the heritage, nearly causing it to go bankrupt. Which it sadly never recovered from. With the railway's fate almost around the corner. The owners told their engines to keep calm and that they would find homes for all of them. Since Wilbert had been to Sodor before, the owners sold Wilbert av to the NWR. He now works as a shunter for Wellsworth and takes both passenger and freight trains on the Brendam Branch line.
