Bishop Robert visited the Talyllyn Railway in Gwynedd last week to formally open a special exhibition at the narrow gauge railway museum to mark the centenary of the birth of Rev W Awdry OBE, author of the much-loved “Railway Series” Thomas the Tank Engine. The Thomas the Tank Engine series features a railway that is based on the fictional Island of Sodor, so it is very apt that Bishop Robert, as Bishop of Sodor & Man opened the exhibition. The Talyllyn Railway in Wales, hosting the celebration, has similarly close links with Awdry’s books as it inspired the Skarloey Railway on his fictional Island of Sodor and Bishop Robert was presented with a set of books from the “Railway Series” that feature the Skarloey Railway. After the ceremony the invited, guests which included the Rev W Awdry’s three children and his grandchildren, took ride on the narrow gauge train which was pulled by two engines written into the Thomas the Tank engines stories as Sir Handel and Peter Sam. As the principal guest Bishop Robert was provided with a footplate pass for the whole journey where he joined long term Isle of Man resident Gethin Taylor who was the rostered fireman for the train. ENDS