Ballahoo

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Ballahoo is a fictional location in The Railway Series books by Rev. W. Awdry and in the related Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends television series.

Ballahoo is most notable for its tunnels on the main line of the North Western Railway of which there are two. The first was constructed in 1915 and, due to poor construction, partially collapsed. This left the tunnel in two sections.

The second tunnel was cut in 1922, when Henry the Green Engine stopped in the first tunnel and refused to come out. As it was impossible to move him, the Fat Director decided instead to cut a new bore. When Henry was finally removed, both tunnels remained in service. As a result of these events, the tunnels are nicknamed "Henry's Tunnel".

The only book in which the tunnels have played a significant role was The Three Railway Engines, the first book in The Railway Series, published in 1945. Although in the book the illustrations of the tunnel show that it has two bores throughout the two stories in which the tunnel is featured.

Ballahoo itself is a dormitory town for Barrow-in-Furness. It has a station served by a joint NWR/National Rail service from Barrow, and is on the Norramby branch.

Preceding station	Fictional railways			Following station
Vicarstown		North Western Railway Barrow-Crovan's Gate via Ballahoo		Crovan's Gate
		North Western Railway Barrow-Norramby		Norramby
Vicarstown		Northern Rail Ballahoo & Norramby line		Norramby