The entire Lore of my AU for anyone who cares (yes, a lot of this was pulled from the IOS book.

The true story of the North Western Railway begins several years before its official formation. Before 1914, a young Topham Hatt I and his newlywed wife, Jane, visited the North Staffordshire Railway. While boarding a train, Topham noticed a shy G Class tender engine named Edward. Although quiet and lacking confidence, Edward's kind nature and willingness to work hard immediately caught Topham's attention. Turning to Jane with a smile, he remarked that, should he ever have a railway of his own, he hoped Edward would one day work there.

In 1914, the North Western Railway was formed through the Government-sponsored amalgamation of the Sodor and Mainland Railway, the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway, and the Tidmouth, Knapford and Elsbridge Railway. The new railway was created as a strategic route for the defence of Britain's west coast during the First World War. Albert Regaby, Lord Harwick, became Chairman, while Topham Hatt was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer.

Construction began immediately. The Ballahoo Tunnel was driven through the ridge to connect the railway to Vicarstown, while a rolling lift bridge across the Walney Channel linked Sodor to the mainland. Crovan's Gate became the railway's principal repair works, and many former single-track lines were doubled to handle increased traffic.

At the outbreak of the war, the NWR possessed very few locomotives of its own. Most of its trains were worked by engines loaned from mainland companies, including Edward, who arrived on loan from the North Staffordshire Railway.

In 1917, the NWR made its first permanent locomotive purchase. A small LB&SCR tank engine named Thomas, believed by his former owners to have been lost during the war, was purchased for a remarkably low price after being written off. Thomas immediately proved himself as a reliable and hardworking engine.

Later that same year, Topham Hatt fulfilled his long-held ambition by purchasing Edward from the North Staffordshire Railway. Although Edward had been a capable locomotive, his shy personality had caused him to be overlooked on his former railway. Two months after his arrival, Edward underwent an extensive rebuild at Crovan's Gate Works, receiving a larger boiler, an enlarged firebox, and a new cab to accommodate the modifications. He retained much of his G Class appearance but later received the distinctive whistle for which he became famous.

Also in 1917, seeking a dedicated express locomotive, Topham Hatt believed he had secured the purchase of an older Great Northern Railway C1 Atlantic. Instead, he became the victim of a swindle. The engine delivered was Henry, a locomotive built in 1916 that merely resembled a C1 but was fitted with an undersized boiler and firebox. Henry was accepted on trial and entered service despite his flaws.

For the next several years, the railway expanded without purchasing any further locomotives. Edward handled many important trains despite being designed primarily for mixed-traffic work, while Thomas shouldered much of the railway's everyday duties. Henry attempted to lead the express services but struggled with his design defects.

Following Henry's famous tunnel incident, Topham Hatt concluded that the railway required a true express locomotive. Gordon was purchased and immediately assumed responsibility for the North Western Railway's premier express services, allowing Edward to return to the mixed-traffic work for which he was best suited.

Also in 1925, a Great Western Railway 2251 Class locomotive named James arrived on Sodor with a goods train. During the journey, James was involved in an accident and ran into a nearby field. Thomas assisted in the rescue and recovery operation, displaying exceptional courage and initiative. Impressed both by Thomas's conduct and James's potential, Topham Hatt purchased James from the Great Western Railway. James was extensively rebuilt at Crovan's Gate Works, emerging with several North Western Railway modifications while still retaining much of his Great Western heritage.

As a reward for his actions during the rescue, Thomas was placed in charge of the Ffarquhar Branch Line, replacing the elderly Coffee Pot locomotives that had worked the line since the railway's earliest years. In 1936, Gordon, Henry, and James had all gone on strike. All of whom claimed "Tender engines don't shunt." So, The Fat Controller had each shut up in a shed. Topham had eventually found his way to workshop, filled with engines that seemed to be based on others. But one had caught his eye. #69234 named "Percy". Topham had purchased him, and Percy became the station pilot at Tidmouth until 1955. In between purchases of engines, WWII broke out, and every engine had gotten new liveries, wartime black. But by 1945, all were repainted back to the original liveries. In 1951, Topham had decided to take a holiday with his wife and grandkids to the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway. There, He met #68221 named "Toby." His line would be closing soon, and just after Topham left, it did. Meanwhile, Thomas had gotten in trouble with the new constable on his line that led up to the Quarry, due to a lack of sideplates. Topham had two choices. Give Thomas sideplates, or get a tram engine. To anyone else, the answer is obvious. But Topham had other plans. Thus, Toby was purchased. Its 1955 now. And as traffic across the railway continued to increase, the Great Western Railway agreed to loan one of its pannier tanks to the North Western Railway. Officially numbered 5741 but affectionately known as Duck, the engine quickly became renowned for his apparent "Waddle" as he went along. The loan soon became permanent after the Fat Controller negotiated his purchase. In 1959, due to an increase in traffic, The Fat Controller had purchased an engine from Scotland to help with goods work. #57646. But, he would be shocked when two arrived. Thier names? Donald and Douglas. And after a whole lot of shenanigans with coaches, vans, and signal boxes, Donald and Douglas would be purchased and repainted into NWR blue with red stripes. Both had also received nameplates. Donald's was on his smokebox, while Douglas’s was on his Boiler. It shoukd also be stated Donald was 57646, so Douglas stowed away, fearing scrap. 1962, Due to an absurd amount of traffic at Ffarquhar Quarry, The Fat Controller trailed a class 07 shunter (#2991). He did not preform well there, but upon relocation to the docks, he preformed wonderfully. So, 2991 was purchased. And due to sea love, was renamed Salty. But, in 1967, after taking a midnight train to Barrow, Douglas (who is now NWR #10 while Donald is #9) finds a GWR 1400 pannier tank engine, and a grey brake van. The engines name was Oliver, while the vans name was Toad. So, Douglas saved them, and were purchased.