The Arlesdale Railway

The Arlesdale Railway, also known as The Small Railway runs near the Little Western. Its tracks are smaller than the Standard Gauge tracks, and even smaller than Narrow Gauge track.

Appearance

The features of the Small Railway include, but are not limited to:

A line running underneath The Little Western Extension's bridge
A ballast hopper where Doc often works with Standard Gauge lines running underneath it and other lines running near it
A area with a nearby crane where cargo is transferred onto the Standard Gauge line
Several lines that run through the forest
Several stations, including a Top Station
A yards area near the Top Station
An overpass that runs over the Little Western

The ballast chute, the most prominent feature of the railway, is situated near a small Ministry of Defense outpost.

History

The Arlesdale Railway is a small, but busy railway. It was built in the city named Arlesdale. It follows the line from Arlesburgh, through the old route of the Mid-Sodor Railway to Arlesdale. The railway is owned by The Small Controller.

A Small Ministry of Defense Outpost was built there, as it was conviently located near the coast. General Zen and his entourage oversaw this operation, working closely with the railway. Not trusting steam engines, Zen requested that a diesel would eventually be dispatched to the branch line, which only further compromised the possibility of an austerity engine joining the branch.

During the Little Western Extension Project, shortly before the Lift Bridge fiasco, Oliver was sent to collect ballast from the Small Railway's ballast hopper, where he witnessed Frank and Mike arguing.

Frank and Mike were having their freight cars when Stepney made his dynamic entrance right in front of them, scattering their wool everywhere.

When a sheep wandered away from a nearby farm, Mike was dispatched to find it, only to crash into Frank's freight train. Eventually, the sheep was rediscovered when it wandered onto the wreck.

When Sidney first arrived on Sodor, Frank and Mike became frustrated with him while trying to show him the basics of the ballast chute.

The railway very nearly missed being devastated by a massive wind storm that struck Sodor. Mike and Frank managed to escape the collapsing of the Little Western Expansion's bridge, with Mavis on it.

After the "Munitions Incident" the outpost was demolished, with the Ministry leaving no trace of their presence there.

Shortly before the "Waterworks" Incident, Stanley was collecting ballast at the ballast chute and heard Mike's story of his whistle blowing off like a rocket. This would come to save him and his crew when they were trapped in the abandoned waterworks.