The History of Thomas the Tank Engine

Thomas & Friends™ was first brought to life by The Rev. W. Awdry when he sought to entertain his young son Christopher while he was recovering from the measles. The Rev. W. Awdry had grown up listening to the puffing of nearby steam engines at Box Station (Wiltshire, England) and had imagined their conversations. Never doubting that engines had personalities, he used this inspiration to create stories to tell his son. When his son pointed out that details in the stories were inconsistent and would allow no deviation, The Rev. W. Awdry wrote the stories down on scraps of paper. His companion illustrations included pictures of the engines with little faces on them, each with a distinguished look; one smiling, one stern, one cross, one sad.

The first series The Three Railway Engines was published in 1945. Today, children embark on fun and exciting adventures with those very engine friends, as their timeless stories and life-lessons are enjoyed by families in more than 100 countries.