The Reverend Charles Laxey, sometimes simply known as The Vicar, is the Vicar of Wellsworth. He is also the owner of Trevor the traction engine and lives in the Vicarage at Wellsworth.
Biography[]
The Railway Series[]
Charles Laxey was born in 1920 and is a cousin of the late Reverend Peter Dreswick, Vicar of Arlesburgh. In 1954, Edward first approached the Vicar to save Trevor from scrap. The Reverend agreed and, following a demonstration, purchased Trevor for cheap, letting the traction engine live in the Vicarage Orchard. At the time, he was a youngish man of 34 with sons of 8 and 6. After the purchase, he hired the services of Jem Cole whenever a driver was required.
By 1989, the now old Reverend could not afford to repair Trevor's boiler. The Reverend then loaned Trevor to a farmer who asked for his help. After the traction engine warned Edward when his trucks derailed, the Fat Controller, in gratitude, paid for Trevor to be repaired at Crovan's Gate. Shortly after this, he retired with his wife to a cottage on the outskirts of Brendam. It stands near the railway, so he is able to maintain his acquaintanceship with Edward and his crew.
His eldest son, also named Charles, had followed his father into the Holy Orders and was lucky enough to be offered the living of Wellsworth on Charles' retirement, so Trevor still lives at the Vicarage. Thanks to earlier tuition by Jem Cole, Trevor's current owner has become an able driver and mechanic in his own right. The younger son, after obtaining a First in English at Oxford, joined the publishing firm of Chatter & Windows in Suddery and has worked his way up to the post of Editorial Manager.
Thomas & Friends[]
In the third series, the Vicar held a party at the Vicarage when his parish could not pay for a seaside trip for the children. The Vicar asked Edward to carry some posters for the party on his boiler, cab and coaches. He later came to tell Edward about the party's success.
In the sixth series, Laxey also has a Sunday School class at Knapford Harbour, as shown in the episode Percy's Promise.
Attire[]
The Vicar wears the typical clothing of an Anglican priest, with a grey shirt with a clerical collar and a Saturno hat (Cappello romano).
Appearances[]
The Railway Series[]
Companion Volumes[]
- 1976 - Famous Engines
- 1996 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The Complete Collection
- 2007 - Thomas the Tank Engine: The New Collection
Thomas & Friends[]
- Series 2 - Saved from Scrap, Thomas and Trevor (mentioned), The Fat Controller's Engines (cameo) and Wrong Road (cameo) and Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (cameo)
- Series 3 - Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party
- Series 5 - A Better View for Gordon (cameo)
- Series 6 - Percy's Promise (does not speak)
- Series 7 - Harold and the Flying Horse (does not speak) and Best Dressed Engine (cameo)
- Series 17 - Train Stops Play
Music Videos[]
- Series 3 - Thomas' Anthem
- Series 4 - Don't Judge a Book By its Cover
- Series 5 - Accidents Will Happen
- Series 7 - The Red Balloon
He was going to appear in the cancelled Jack and the Sodor Construction Company episode Isobella Gets Steamed.
Magazine Stories[]
- 1988 - Saved from Scrap, Thomas and Trevor (mentioned), The Vicar's Fête and Edward and the Vicar
- 1989 - Trevor's Nest
- 1993 - The Wedding Engine!
- 1995 - Thomas and the Play!
- 1996 - Play Time!, and The Play Train! (mentioned)
- 1998 - Look Alike and The Train Game
- 2001 - False Alarm, and A Song for Caroline (does not speak)
- 2002 - James and the Bees
- 2006 - Old and Useful and Whizzing Wheels (does not speak)
- 2008 - Tripped Up! (does not speak)
- 2010 - Tripped Up! (does not speak)
The Vicar of Wellsworth also appears in the magazine stories, A Colourful Christmas, and A Friend's Party.
Annual Stories[]
- 1987 - Timber!
- 1988 - Thomas and Trevor (mentioned)
- 1991 - In the Drink
- 1992 - Percy and the Vicar's Prizes
- 1995 - First Prize
- 1997 - Skarloey Gets a Scare! (cameo)
Trivia[]
- According to the magazine story Trevor's Nest, the Vicar is a bird enthusiast.
- His surname is likely taken from the Manx village of Laxey. The name derives from the Old Norse word Laxa meaning 'Salmon River'. The village is noted for having three vintage railways.
- His appearance in the television series changed several times, he had really small eyes in Saved from Scrap, then he had much bigger eyes in Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party, and finally, in Harold and the Flying Horse, he was balding.
- The Vicar’s model from Harold and the Flying Horse was reused to portray The Mayor of Sodor in the ninth series episode, Percy and the Oil Painting.
Merchandise[]
- Departing Now (discontinued)
- Capsule Plarail (discontinued)
| Locomotives | Steam | Edward** | Donald and Douglas** | Nia** | Adam** | Neville** | Porter** |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | BoCo | Derek** | Salty** | Diesel 10** | Philip** | Melissa** | |
| Rolling Stock | Coaches | Aurora, Ariel and Anna | Francis, Beth and Tiffany | Branch Line Coaches | Express Coaches |
| Trucks | Quarry Trucks | Tankers | |
| Non-Rail Vehicles | Trevor | Fly** | Big Mickey** | Cranky** | Carly** | Reg** | |
| People | The Vicar of Wellsworth | The Mayor of Sodor** | The Dock Managers** | Headkeeper Jack | |
| Affiliates | Sodor China Clay Company | Bill and Ben | Timothy** | Marion** | Sodor Shipping Company** | |
| Locations | Wellsworth (Vicarage Orchard, Vicarage Hault, Yards, Engine Sheds, Crossing, Junction) | Crocks Scrap Yard | Suddery (Hill, Island Records Office, Castle, Suddery Castle Tunnel, Junction) | Brendam (Docks, Warehouse, Canal**) | The Fenland Track** | The Flour Mill** | Lower Suddery** | Sodor Animal Park** | Pirate's Cove** | Cabalnoo Marite Museum** | Dingley Hall** | Upper Brendam** | Maura** | |