I lived on the Island of Sodor. A little island situated within the Irish Sea, between England's Lake District and the Isle of Man.
This island is home to many engines of all shapes and sizes. Express engines, mixed traffic engines such as myself, shunters, steamies, diesels, standard gauge, and narrow gauge, all of them and more. It is considered a safe haven for engines, as our controller, Sir Topham Hatt, always made sure there was a time and place for any engine working the line. Whether it be to shunt trucks, run the mainline or one of the many branchlines, or even take the odd tourist train. Each engine had a job. If they weren't able to do that job, another would fill in and they would be reassigned elsewhere on the island.
Oh, I am sorry, I didn't introduce myself.
I'm Edward. A mixed-traffic 4-4-0 tender engine built in 1891 for the Furness Railway. That's four leading wheels, four driving wheels, and zero trailing wheels. I have a blue coat of paint with three red stripes on my boiler and a yellow number 2 on my tender.
I had many friends on Sodor. In fact, I can't name a single engine on that island whom I wasn't friends with. Friends I cared for, who cared for me, and we always helped each other. The most notable ones I know are Gordon, the express engine, Thomas and Percy, two shunters, Henry, our oldest heavy goods engine, and James. Another mixed-traffic engine like myself.
There were many others, but that's not why you're here today, is it? You want to know how I found myself in Equestria. This strange, literally magical land of Equestria.
I'll tell you how.