Train Sim features more than 80 trains from around the world, including steam locomotives with histories stretching back more than a century.
Some of those real locomotives may also look familiar to fans of Thomas & Friends.
Many famous characters from the series were inspired by real locomotives, locomotive classes, or railway designs. Train Sim includes several of these real-world trains, giving players the chance to drive locomotives connected to some of the most recognisable characters in railway fiction.
From Thomas and Percy to Spencer, Diesel and Lady, here are some of the real trains in Train Sim and the characters they inspired.
LB&SCR E2 Class and Thomas
The Train Sim locomotive: LB&SCR E2 Class
The LB&SCR E2 Class is one of the most recognisable locomotives in Train Sim for fans of Thomas & Friends.
The fictional character Thomas was based on the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E2 class of tank locomotive.
While Thomas has his own distinctive appearance and fictional personality, the real E2 Class provided the historical inspiration behind one of the world’s most famous fictional locomotives.
In Train Sim, you can drive the real locomotive class that inspired Thomas.
GWR Trojan and Percy
The Train Sim locomotive: GWR Trojan
Percy is another character with a connection to a real British locomotive.
The inspiration for Percy is associated with the GWR Trojan, a small steam tank locomotive built by the Avonside Engine Company.
Train Sim includes the GWR Trojan, allowing players to drive a real locomotive connected to the history and inspiration behind Percy.
Its compact size and distinctive appearance make it one of the more interesting small steam locomotives in the Train Sim collection.
Queensland A10 Neilson and Lady
The Train Sim locomotive: Queensland A10 Neilson
One of the newest additions to Train Sim also has a particularly interesting connection.
The Queensland A10 Neilson is associated with the inspiration behind Lady, the mysterious purple steam locomotive from Thomas & Friends.
Lady’s design is understood to have been based on the Queensland Railways A10 class, giving this Australian locomotive a surprising connection to the world of Thomas & Friends.
With the addition of the Queensland A10 Neilson, Train Sim players can now drive the real-world locomotive design associated with Lady’s character.
LMS Fowler Class 3F and Jinty
The Train Sim locomotive: LMS Fowler Class 3F
The LMS Fowler Class 3F has a connection to Jinty.
Jinty was based on the LMS Fowler Class 3F, a class of steam tank locomotive commonly associated with shunting and local railway duties.
These practical and hardworking locomotives became a familiar sight on British railways, making them a natural inspiration for a character such as Jinty.
Train Sim includes the LMS Fowler Class 3F, allowing players to experience the real locomotive class behind the character.
LNER Class A4 Mallard and Spencer
The Train Sim locomotive: LNER Class A4 4468 Mallard
Spencer is one of the most distinctive express locomotives in Thomas & Friends, and his design is based on the famous LNER Class A4.
Train Sim includes one of the most famous locomotives from that class: 4468 Mallard.
Mallard is particularly famous in railway history for holding the world speed record for a steam locomotive.
Although Spencer is a fictional locomotive rather than Mallard himself, both are based on the same distinctive A4 design.
That means Train Sim players can drive a real member of the locomotive class that inspired Spencer.
Flying Scotsman and Gordon
The Train Sim locomotive: Flying Scotsman
Flying Scotsman is one of the most famous locomotives in the world and is also represented as a character in Thomas & Friends.
Train Sim includes the real Flying Scotsman, allowing players to drive one of Britain’s most famous steam locomotives.
There is also a connection to Gordon. Gordon was inspired by the great LNER Pacific express locomotives, making him closely related in design and railway history to locomotives such as Flying Scotsman.
For this reason, Flying Scotsman is best described as both a direct connection to the character Flying Scotsman and part of the broader family of British express locomotives associated with Gordon’s inspiration.
New York Central Hudson and Connor
The Train Sim locomotive: NYC Hudson
Train Sim also includes a connection to Thomas & Friends beyond Britain.
Connor was inspired by the famous American streamlined New York Central Hudson locomotives.
The NYC Hudson in Train Sim represents this important family of American express steam locomotives.
With its powerful appearance and streamlined design, the Hudson provides a real-world connection to one of the fastest and most impressive-looking characters from the series.
Stephenson’s Rocket and Stephen
The Train Sim locomotive: Stephenson Rocket
Stephenson’s Rocket is one of the most important locomotives in railway history.
The famous locomotive was represented in Thomas & Friends through the character Stephen.
Train Sim includes Stephenson’s Rocket, allowing players to drive a recreation of one of the earliest and most historically significant steam locomotives ever built.
Compared with the enormous modern locomotives and high-speed trains available in Train Sim, Rocket offers a chance to experience a much earlier chapter in the history of railways.
British Rail Class 08 and Diesel, Arry, Bert, Paxton and Sidney
The Train Sim locomotive: British Rail Class 08
The British Rail Class 08 is one of the strongest Thomas & Friends connections in Train Sim.
Several characters were based on the distinctive British Rail diesel shunter design, including:
- Diesel
- Arry
- Bert
- Paxton
- Sidney
These characters have different personalities and appearances, but they share their origins with the same iconic British diesel shunting locomotive.
The Class 08 became the standard British diesel shunter and was a familiar sight across the railway network.
In Train Sim, you can drive the real Class 08 design that inspired several different characters.
Drive the Real Trains
One of the fascinating things about real railway history is discovering how many fictional locomotives were inspired by actual trains.
Train Sim includes steam locomotives, diesel locomotives, electric trains, subway trains and high-speed rail from around the world. Among them are several real locomotives and locomotive classes connected to famous characters from Thomas & Friends.
You can drive the LB&SCR E2 Class connected to Thomas, the GWR Trojan associated with Percy, the A4 Class represented by Mallard and connected to Spencer, the Class 08 that inspired several diesel characters, and many more.
And with new trains regularly being added to Train Sim, there may be even more interesting railway connections to discover in the future.
Explore More Trains in Train Sim
Train Sim features more than 80 trains from around the world, including historic steam locomotives, modern diesel and electric trains, subway trains and high-speed rail.
A Note About Thomas & Friends
This page explores historical and real-world locomotive connections that may be of interest to railway enthusiasts and fans of Thomas & Friends.
Train Sim is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with Thomas & Friends or its rights holders.
Thomas & Friends and the names of its characters are trademarks and intellectual property of their respective owners. All references on this page are used for informational and descriptive purposes to discuss the real locomotives and railway designs that inspired fictional characters.