Sodor (fictional island)
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Sodor is a fictional island in the Irish Sea.
Although there is a Church of England diocese called Sodor and Man, there is no island named Sodor. This name was therefore chosen by the Rev. W. Awdry (an Anglican clergyman) as the imaginary island setting for his Railway Series books, which were turned into the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Sodor is supposed to be in the Irish Sea, between the Isle of Man and Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.
Sodor is usually shown as much larger than Man. It is often shown as roughly diamond-shaped, 62 miles wide east to west and 51 miles long north to south. Its northwest coast is separated from the Isle of Man by a sea strait called the Sudrian Sea, four miles wide. Its northeast edge overrides and replaces the real Walney Island.
The place names on Sodor are mostly a mixture of Manx and Norse. The island's language is Sudric, though like Manx, this is falling out of use. It has various small industrial sites, including a prosperous stone quarry served by the island's railway. Its highest mountain is Culdee Fell, which was modelled on Snowdon: the ridge of Devil's Back copies the Clogwyn ridge on Snowdon. The summit is reached by the Culdee Fell Railway, which is based on the Snowdon Mountain Railway in Wales.
The ancient capital of Sodor was Suddery but Tidmouth is now the largest town. Other towns and villages on the island include Vicarstown (a suburb of Barrow-in-Furness), Knapford, Elsbridge, Dryaw, Peel Godred (site of a large aluminium works), Arlesburgh, Kirkronan, Brendam, Ffarquhar, Ulfstead (where the Duke of Sodor has his home, Ulfstead Castle), Crovan's Gate, Wellsworth, Ballahoo, Cronk and Norramby.
The Island is most famous for its railways. Six of these have appeared in the Railway Series books:
- The North Western Railway
- The Skarloey Railway
- The Culdee Fell Railway
- The Arlesdale Railway
- The Sodor & Mainland Railway
- The Mid Sodor Railway
Inspiration and Creation
Sodor came about because of a need for consistency in the Railway Series. Rev. W. Awdry required a setting for his books that would be within the British Isles, but would be sufficiently isolated from the rest of British Railways to allow him to do as he wished with the location. Inspiration came on a visit to the Diocese of Sodor and Man. Awdry noted that there was an Isle of Man, but there was no similar Island of Sodor. A large island would meet the criteria he required.He and his brother George worked out the history, geography, industry and language of Sodor between them. Inspiration came from various sources. Dryaw was an anagram of Awdry. Elsbridge was named after Wilbert's parish of Elsworth. Some place names were Sudric equivalents of those in the real world (for instance, Skarloey was the Sudric version of the Welsh Talyllyn.) By the time they had finished, they knew more about Sodor than would ever be used in the actual Railway Series stories.
Their abridged notes were published in 1987 in a book entitled The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways.
On Television
The Island of Sodor in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television series differs significantly from that in the books. Wilbert and George Awdry's notes have largely been ignored. This version of Sodor appears considerably larger, and has far more industry. It does not appear to be connected to the Mainland.On Film
In the movie, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Sodor was a magical land that could only be accessed via a Magic Railroad or by using mysterious "gold dust".
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