The Ffarquhar Quarry Company (abbreviated as FQC) is a company based at Ffarquhar, which is responsible for the supply and transportation of rock on the Ffarquhar Branch Line. The company operates Ffarquhar Quarry (also known as Anopha Quarry or Centre Island Quarry), which is situated at the end of the branch line. The quarry also connects to Toby's Branch Line via a narrow gorge.
History and Operations
Ffarquhar Quarry is reached by the Quarry Tramroad. The route was initially worked by Thomas, who was sent up to help on occasion after he got his branch line. On one of these trips, Thomas was booked by a young constable for not complying with a law that he should have cowcatchers and sideplates. Toby was then brought in to run the quarry traffic.
The quarry was not seen on screen until the second series. By that point, the law had become outdated, so engines that didn't have cowcatchers and sideplates could go to the quarry with no issue. Thomas and Percy were seen travelling there in some occasions. Toby was the main shunter at the time, but Percy had to shunt trucks himself on one occasion after he and Toby switched jobs.
In the third series, a new quarry was built near the old one, and Toby's Old Tramway was connected to it from Arlesdale End. The quarry stone was used to build Tidmouth Hault, and Toby, Duck, Donald and Douglas were sent to the quarry to bring it to the new station. To cope with increasing production, the Ffarquhar Quarry Company bought a Drewry diesel named Mavis, who not only shunts the quarry sidings but also from time to time ventures down to the branch line.
Ffarquhar Quarry is the home of Mavis. From the sixth to eleventh series, Bill and Ben worked at this quarry, though they have since returned to the Sodor China Clay Company as of the seventeenth series. Since the seventeenth series, 'Arry and Bert appear to have taken their place at the quarry. Toby frequents the quarry, bringing workers to and from the site with Henrietta.
Rolling Stock
Locomotives
Staff
Appearances
Magazine Stories
Annual Stories
Books
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Trivia
- According to magazine fact files:
- The Sodor Slate Quarry is owned by the Ffarquhar Quarry Company.
- Jack and Alfie work here, though they have not been seen at the quarry in the series.
- A sign saying Centre Island Quarry used in the sixth series is currently in possession of Twitter user TomsProps.[1]
- In My Journey with Thomas the Tank Engine, the quarry is named "Granite Quarry", and replaced Marthwaite Quarry's location. The Calling All Engines! learning segments and the Sodor's Special Places segments also place the quarry in the same location.
Merchandise
- Wooden Railway (discontinued)
- Take Along (discontinued)
- Take-n-Play (discontinued)
- Adventures (spiral tracks with Diesel; discontinued)
- Motorized Railway
- Mega Bloks (discontinued)
- Hornby (discontinued)
- Bachmann (discontinued)
References
| Locomotives | Toby |
|---|---|
| Rolling Stock | Henrietta |
| Affiliates | Ffarquhar Branch Line | Ffarquhar Quarry Company |
| Stations | Tidmouth* | Bluff's Cove** | Tidmouth Bay** | Bertram's Old Mine** | Lower Arlesburgh | Arlesburgh* | Upper Arlesburgh* | Marthwaite* | Arlesdale End | Ulfstead** |
| Locomotives | Steam | The Little Blue Tank Engine* | Coffee Pots | W&SR Tank Engines* | Arlesdale Tramway Engines* | The Dark Green Tank Engine* | Lady** | Sodor Tramway Engines** |
|---|---|---|
| Diesel | Mavis | |
| Other | Ministry of Defence Engine* | Skarloey Funicular Railway Trams* | Vicarstown Tramway Engines** | |
| People | Burnett Stone** | |
| Locations | Anopha Quarry | The Magic Railroad** | Sodor Tramways** | |