Knapford Harbour is a small port located in Knapford. It is served by the Harbour Line of Thomas' Branch Line.
In the sprite series, in keeping with the decision to make Knapford the Main Line terminus instead of Tidmouth, an additional harbour that takes the role of Tidmouth Harbour is situated at Knapford. This port is served by both the Main Line and Thomas' Branch Line. It was on the south harbour's goods halt that Thomas was informed by Percy about Stepney's forthcoming visit to the North Western Railway.
History[]
The Railway Series[]
Knapford Harbour began as a wharf around 1885, connected to another wharf at Elsbridge by the lightly built, horse worked Knapford and Elsbridge Railway. It initially served as a base for A. W. Dry's drainage operations in the area, but eventually proved a disappointment. It needed constant dredging and by 1905 the cost had become prohibitive. They abandoned it and extended the line along A. W. Dry’s road to Tidmouth to use the port there. From then until 1956, the harbour remained little used.
By the mid-1950s, there was severe congestion at Tidmouth, so Sir Charles Topham Hatt launched his Knapford Harbour Improvement Scheme, using plans created by his father, to redevelop the harbour and relieve the congestion at Tidmouth. Percy was transferred from Tidmouth to assist in its construction and ultimately stayed on the branch line. All the while, Trevor was loaned from the Vicar of Wellsworth. The work caused a considerable realignment of the entire branch line and was finished in 1957. Knapford has been useful as a supplementary harbour, but its exposed position did not enable it to provide the best answer to Sir Topham Hatt’s problem. That was why in 1966 he went north to see what could be done at Arlesburgh.
The southern quay is accessible from the goods branch stemming off from Thomas' Branch Line in Dryaw. According to the Thomas' Branch Line Surprise Packet Map, the northern quay has a spur from The Main Line, going over a bridge in front of the main line one and into the northern quay; however, the two quays are connected by a small bridge crossing the river which is not present on the book illustrations, but it is present on Sodor maps. There is a small railway station located by the docks, separate from the main line station.
Rolling Stock[]
Locomotives[]
Non-Rail Vehicles[]
Harbour Line[]
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
- Percy the Small Engine - Duck Takes Charge (mentioned), Percy and Harold and Percy's Promise
- The Eight Famous Engines - Percy Takes the Plunge
- Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine - Train Stops Play (mentioned)
- Tramway Engines - Ghost Train (mentioned) and Woolly Bear
- More About Thomas the Tank Engine - Drip Tank (mentioned)
- Toby, Trucks and Trouble - Toby's Seaside Holiday (mentioned) and Bulstrode
- Thomas Comes Home - Snow Problem (mentioned) and Toby's Megatrain
- Wilbert the Forest Engine - Foaming at the Funnel (mentioned)
Companion Volumes[]
- 1986 - Percy the Small Engine Takes the Plunge
- 1987 - Thomas and the Evil Diesel (mentioned)
Thomas & Friends[]
- Series 2 - Thomas and Trevor, Duck Takes Charge (mentioned), Percy and Harold, Percy Takes the Plunge, Ghost Train (mentioned) and Woolly Bear
- Series 3 - Thomas, Percy and the Post Train (mentioned), All at Sea and Toby's Tightrope
- Series 4 - Toby's Seaside Holiday (mentioned) and Special Attraction
- Series 5 - Thomas and the Old Oak Tree, Baa!, Thomas, Percy and Hariet (mentioned) and Happy Ever After
- Series 6 - Lady Returns, Elizabeth the Vintage Lorry, The World's Strongest Engine, Thomas, Percy and the Squeak and Percy's Promise, It's Only Snow (deleted scene)
- Series 7 - Snow Problem (mentioned), Toby's Megatrain, The Spotless Record, Not So Hasty Puddings, Runaway Mavis (mentioned), Diesel Does it Again and Thomas and the Devious Diesel
- Series 8 - Percy's Big Mistake, Thomas and the Circus and Thomas Gets it Right, Fish
- Series 9 - Percy and the Oil Painting, Thomas and the Rainbow, Thomas' Milkshake Muddle, Toby Feels Left Out, Thomas Tries His Best, Thomas and the Statue, Thomas and the Golden Eagle and Flour Power
- Series 10 - Toby's Afternoon Off and Thomas' Frosty Friend
Music Videos[]
- Series 4 - Thomas' Anthem
- Series 5 - Accidents Will Happen, Night Train, It's Great to be an Engine, Sir Topham Hatt, Harold the Helicopter and Percy's Seaside Trip
- Series 6 - Little Engines and Down by the Docks
- Series 7 - Five New Engines in the Shed, Troublesome Trucks and The Whistle Song
- Series 8 - A World Around You and Determination
Magazine Stories[]
- 1989 - Trouble in the Harbour Yard, Bumps and The Old Station (mentioned)
- 2000 - Turntable Bridge!
Annual Stories[]
- 1987 - Thomas and Trevor
- 1994 - Better Safe than Sorry
- 1996 - All Pull Together
Books[]
- 2004 - Percy and Bulstrode
| Locomotives | Puffa | Chuffa | Mikey |
|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Branch Line Coaches | Quarry Trucks | Brake Vans |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Ten Cents | Big Mac | Zebedee | Top Hat | Warrior | Hercules | Sunshine | Grampus | Ariel | Fly | Big Olivia |
| People | Captain Star III** |
| Locations | Knapford Harbour (Bridges, Beach, Beach Station, Engine and Tugboat Sheds, Goods Station) | Star Fleet's Dock |