"Peter Sam said again and again,
his new funnel will put ours to shame.
Went into the tunnel
(And) lost his old funnel.
Now his famous new funnel's a drain!”
If this short melody wasn't clear, the next infobox in my Thomas infobox series is Mr. Special Funnel himself
Peter Sam (formally
Stuart)
This article is about the Skarloey Railway locomotive. For the former railway controller, see
Mr Peter Sam.
Peter Sam, named after one of the Skarloey Railway's previous controller, Mr Peter Sam - originally known as
Stuart, after his builder, Kerr Stuart - is a narrow gauge saddle tank engine. He formally worked on the former Mid Sodor Railway and the Peel Godred Aluminum Works and now currently works on the Skarloey Railway.
Bio
Stuart was built by Kerr Stuart & Co at their California Works in Stoke-on-Trent, England in 1920 to their standard industrial pattern. He was delivered by rail to Cronk and hauled from there to the Mid Sodor Railway's station at Peel Godred by traction engine
[1]. Following a pattern of the MSR naming its engines after their builders, he was named "Stuart". As a result of the Mid Sodor Railway's decline in the following years after his arrival, Stuart was the last locomotive bought for the railway
[2].
While living on the Mid Sodor Railway, he was cheeky and occasionally made fun of MSR #1 (now SKR #8) Duke until he and fellow MSR #3 Falcon (now SKR#3 Sir Handel) was told about what happened to their number two engines Smudger and Stanley
[3][4]. In the late 1920s, he teased Duke because of his age and had to take him and his train to Arlesdale after the tender engine failed. Stuart received his comeuppance during the journey when Duke gave a tremendous effort in helping to pull the train. Stuart was embarrassed by the whole ordeal especially when a boy asked why two engines were working together, to which his father replied that Stuart needed assistance and so Duke came to help
[5].
By 1936, he Falcon and Duke were the only three remaining engines on the railway after three other locomotives were sold off to keep the company's head above water
[6]. All three engines would continue working the railway for 11 years until the railway closed down in 1947
[7]. Stuart and Falcon were sold to the Sodor Aluminium Company at Peel Godred for an expansion project. Following the project's completion in 1951, they were oiled, greased and sheeted under tarpaulins ready for disposal and stood for a year in the Company's yard. In 1952, they were purchased for the knockdown price of £50 (£25 each) (equivalent to £791 in present-day terms)
[8] by Sir Handel Lloyd Brown for service on the Skarloey Railway, overhauled at Crovan's Gate Works and renamed Peter Sam and Sir Handel respectively
[9]. As a result of SKR #2 Rheneas being sent off for overhaul and with Skarloey doing the same shortly after their arrivals, Peter Sam and Sir Handel would be the only two engines (other than the Skarloey Railway's short lived original #5 The Weedwacker
[10], who only saw about two years of service before being withdrawn, dismantled and turned into a flatbed) to manage the Skarloey Railway for six years between 1952 and until SKR #5 Rusty's arrival in 1958
[11].
Since arriving, Peter Sam has had many adventures. When he was new to the railway, he had a mishap with NWR #3 Henry who jokingly threatened to leave without Peter Sam's passengers if he was late. He left so quickly that he left the Refreshment Lady behind, who explained that Henry was only joking and that he has to wait, as he was a guaranteed connection
[12]. One of his more notable events of his history involved his funnel, which was severely damaged after an accident at the incline of the former Skarloey Slate Quarry in 1958 with some slate trucks
[13]. His boiler was also dented, though it was eventually repaired. His funnel, however, was never repaired properly and according to him, often felt wobbly as a result
[14]. In the winter of 1961, the funnel was knocked-off by a large icicle as he passed through Rheneas Tunnel and it was temporarily replaced with a rusty drain pipe
[15]. Peter Sam was soon given a new funnel, a Giesl ejector
[16][17], which suits him much better and has improved his performance. As of 2020, Peter Sam still wears the Giesl ejector funnel proudly
[18].
When the centenary of the Skarloey Railway's numbers 1 and 2 Skarloey and Rheneas' was to feature a duke to open a new part of the line of the railway, NWR #8 (formerly GWR/BR #5741) Duck told Peter Sam that all Dukes were scrapped
[19], causing Peter Sam to fear that the centenary would be ruined. It was not until the real Duke of Sodor came to open the new Lakeside Loop Line that proved him wrong, although Peter Sam was left disappointed as it was not the Duke he and Sir Handel knew. Their Duke was later discovered and brought to their railway in 1969
[20].
In 1982, Peter Sam, not wanting to miss NWR #5 James' train, damaged his valve gear after he recklessly ploughed through some branches, which got caught in it. Although the passengers and the guard managed to cut him out, his front was left sore for several days
[21]. The result of this would later lead to the Thin Controller ordering a major cleanup of the railway of branches, leaves and debris. Peter Sam would work alongside SKR #5 Rusty, SKR #1 Skarloey and SKR #6 Duncan (but would mostly work together with Rusty) to clear debris from the line. One incident, however, in which one of his trucks couplings snapped and caused all the other trucks on his train to fall of the Old Iron Bridge and fall into the muddy waters of the swamp below it and later had to be fished out. Peter Sam and his crew were blamed for the accident and were orders to shunt trucks in the yards of the Boulder Quarry until they could be trusted again, though they would be forgiven shortly afterwards.
[22]
From 1988 to 1996, Peter Sam visited the Talyllyn Railway in Wales. During his visit, he took on bad water and when he got to the station, it sprayed white sludge out of his funnel. Unfortunately for him, he had to stay in a siding while Talyllyn took his train, as the visitors wanted to see him. He soon learned that the water used on the Talyllyn Railway had a special powder that was used to enhance its flavor and too much of it was used. Peter Sam was soon cleaned and when he got back home in 1996, he told his story to two young volunteers named Kathy and Lizzie, who found the story very funny. Shortly afterwards, Peter Sam would attend the naming ceremony of SKR #7 Ivo Hugh
[23].
As of 2020, Peter Sam is still working on the Skarloey Railway, often taking passengers to tourist points on the line and working at the Slate Quarries.
Photos
A photo of Peter Sam (then known as Stuart) and MSR #1 (now SKR#8) Duke taken sometime during the late 1920s.
Peter Sam shortly after his accident at the former Skarloey Slate Quarry in 1958. SKR #5 Rusty can be seen in the background arriving to help out with the rescue operation.
Workmen working on and cleaning Peter Sam at the main Skarloey Railway engine sheds at Crovan's Gate in shortly after his accident in 1958. SKR #3 Sir Handel can be seen to the right (viewers left) of him.
A picture of all the Skarloey Railway steam locomotives taken in 1970. From left to right and front to back: SKR #6 Duncan, SKR #1 Skarloey, SKR #3 and former MSR #3 Sir Handel, SKR#4 and former MSR #4 Peter Sam, SKR#8 and former MSR #1 Duke and SKR #2 Rheneas.
A photo of all the engines of the Skarloey Railway fleet taken in 1970. From left to right and back to front, SKR #5 Rusty, SKR#1 Skarloey, SKR#3 and former MSR #3 Sir Handel, SKR #2 Rheneas, SKR#6 Duncan, SKR#4 and former MSR #4 Peter Sam and SKR#8 and former MSR #1 Duke.
Peter Sam at the former Boulder Quarry in fall 1982. Alongside him are SKR #5 Rusty (left) and SKR #6 Duncan.
Notes
[1]: I don't think that traction engine was Trevor.
[2]: Just a guess. With the Mid Sodor Railway beginning its decline in the later part of the 1920s, I highly doubt they will be purchasing any engines after that due to the lack of money.
[3]: Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 1 Granpuff, Neither Peter Sam/Stuart or Sir Handel/Falcon know anything about Smudger until Duke tells them about him, meaning that Smudger was turned into a generator before either of them arrived on the Mid Sodor Railway.
[4]: Smudger replaces Stanley (who was only referred to simply as "#2") from
The Railway Series Book 25: Duke the Lost Engine (1970). My continuity plans on having both Stanley and Smudger exist, with Stuart and Falcon and Stuart already knowing about Stanley beforehand (given that he arrived in the late 1910s shortly before Stuart came), they just don't know what eventually happened to him later on until Duke tells them that he got turned into a pumping engine.
[5]: The Railway Series Book 25: Duke the Lost Engine Story 3: You Can't Win (1970), Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 4 You Can't Win (1995) and the black and white photo of angry Stuart and happy Duke.
[6]: According to
The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (1987), there were six locomotives working on the Mid Sodor Railway in 1936 (Duke, Stuart, Falcon, Albert, Jim and Tim). However, it mentions that Albert, Jim and Tim were sold off to prevent the railway from going bankrupt.
[7]: The Railway Series Book 25: Duke the Lost Engine Story 1: Granpuff (1970) and Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 1 Granpuff (1995), The Mid Sodor Railway is shown closing down with Falcon and Stuart being bought and Duke being put under a tarp and put into his shed.
[8]: £50 (in 1947 British money) for two narrow gauge steam locomotives seems like a pretty good deal to me!
[9]:
The Railway Series Book 10: Four Little Engines (1955) and Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 6 A Bad Day For Sir Handel (1995), Sir Handel and Peter Sam are shown arriving on the Skarloey Railway.
[10]: The Weedwacker is an original creation of mine, serving as the Skarloey Railway's original #5 for a two year period. He/it was based on the Talyllyn Railway's original #5 "
The
Lawnmower", which was built in 1952 using a Ford Model T engine and transmission from L.T.C Rolt's narrowboat and the wheels from a Talyllyn Railway slate wagon. It worked the Fridays-only winter passenger service until 1953, when it was taken out of use with a failed gearbox. It was dismantled in 1954 and converted to a flat wagon. The Weedwacker follows a similar history.
[11]: Between Rheneas and Skarloey heading off for their overhauls in 1952 (
The Railway Series Book 10: Four Little Engines (1955) ) and Rusty arriving on the railway in 1958 shortly before Skarloey came back (
The Railway Series Book 14: The Little Old Engine (1959)), Sir Handel and Peter Sam were likely the only engines to work on the line for that six year period.
[12]: The Railway Series Book 10: Four Little Engines Story 3: Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady (1955) and
Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 7 Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady (1995), Henry threatens to leave Peter Sam's passengers behind if he is late with them again. The Refreshment Lady later tells Peter Sam that Henry was only teasing him and he can't leave without his passengers since he's a "guaranteed connection".
[13]: In
The Railway Series Book 14: The Little Old Engine Story 1: Trucks! (1959) and
Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 8 Trucks/Rusty Helps Peter Sam (1995), Sir Handel pretends to be ill after Gordon talks him into it. This later leads to Peter Sam's accident that damages his funnel and boiler as mentioned above.
[14]: This explains why Peter Sam would eventually lose his funnel three years after his accident.
[15]: In
The Railway Series Book 17: Gallant Old Engine Story 1: Special Funnel (1962) and
Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 11 Special Funnel (1995), as a result of the lose funnel, it falls off Peter Sam after it hits an icicle and somehow gets completely lost. Peter Sam's fireman shortly afterwards finds a rusty drain pipe and him and his driver fasten it to him as with wires to prevent it from falling off or falling into Peter Sam's firebox.
[16]: Ibid: Peter Sam has no funnel in the Railway Series story and a temporary small funnel in the TV series after the drainpipe funnel but before receiving the Giesl ejector.
[17]: I should note that Peter Sam has always worn the Giesl ejector since Special Funnel in the Railway Series. However, in the TV series, the funnel he receives is a simple rectangular box that is simply placed over the old funnel. Both his small scale model that was used in Seasons/Series 4, 5 and 9 and the large scale model used from Seasons/Series 5-12 have the box funnel. Peter Sam wouldn't gain the proper Giesl ejector until he first appeared in CGI in the Thomas & Friends special
Blue Mountain Mystery (2012).
[18]: Peter Sam's twin locomotive and basis Edward Thomas of the Talyllyn Railway would in real life wear a Giesl ejector funnel, though only for an 11 year period from 1958 to 1969 when it was removed. Peter Sam continues to wear his even 50+ year after his brother had his removed.
[19]: The Railway Series Book 20: Very Old Engines Story 4: Ducks and Dukes (1965), Duck though that Peter Sam was referring to the Great Western Dukes class (the GWR 3252 Class), which were all withdrawn and scrapped between 1929 and 1951. Peter Sam was referring to either the actual Duke of Sodor or the engine Duke he and Sir Handel knew on the former Mid Sodor Railway, though Sir Handel's reaction is never revealed.
[20]: The Railway Series Book 25: Duke the Lost Engine Story 4: Sleeping Beauty (1970), Thomas & Friends Season/Series 4 Episode 2 Sleeping Beauty (1995), Duke is rediscovered and is brought to the Skarloey Railway to be restored. Peter Sam and Sir Handel are reunited with him at the end of the story/episode.
[21]: The Railway Series Book 29: Great Little Engines Story 2: Peter Sam and the Prickly Problem (1985), Peter Sam gets branches jammed in his valve gear due to Rusty not having enough time to pick them up after the workmen trim some bushes.
[22]: Thomas & Friends Season/Series 5 Episode 24: Duncan Gets Spooked: Peter Sam, Rusty, Duncan and Skarloey are seen at the beginning of the episode clearing the railway of leaves and broken branches with Peter Sam and Rusty working together. Shortly afterwards, a coupling on one of Peter Sam's trucks snaps and causes the entire train to roll along the line until they all fall off the Old Iron Bridge into the swamp below. Sir Topham Hatt (replaced by the Thin Controller in this situation) blames Peter Sam and his crew for the incident and he orders him to shunt trucks in the yard until he can trust him again.
[23]: The Railway Series Book 40: New Little Engine (1996), in the third story
Dirty Water, Peter Sam tells two young holidaymakers Kathy and Lizzie a story about his water incident on the Talyllyn Railway. In the fourth story
I Name This Engine..., Peter Sam attends the naming ceremony of Ivo Hugh with the other engines.
Thomas infoboxes:
North Western Railway
NWR #1 Thomas
Skarloey Railway
SKR #1 Skarloey
SKR #2 Rheneas
SKR #3/Former MSR #3 Sir Handel (formerly Falcon)
SKR #4/Former MSR #4 Peter Sam (formerly Stuart) (you are here)
Other things
Fletcher, Jennings and Co.