Although Wilbert had not intended that the three engines live on the same railway, he complied with the request in the story Edward, Gordon and Henry. The head of the children's books division requested a fourth story to bring the three engines together and redeem Henry, who had been bricked up in a tunnel in the previous story. Encouraged by his wife Margaret, Awdry submitted the three stories to Edmund Ward in 1943. This story introduced the popular characters Henry the Green Engine and the Fat Director. Ī third story had its origins in a limerick of which Christopher was fond, and which Awdry used to introduce The Sad Story of Henry:
Another story about Edward followed, this time featuring Gordon the Big Engine, named after a child living on the same road who Christopher considered rather bossy. Wilbert Awdry's answers to Christopher's questions about the rhyme led to the creation of a short story, "Edward's Day Out", featuring Edward the Blue Engine, an old engine who is allowed out of the shed for a day. The words, with some slight alterations, were later set to music by Lee Ricks and Slim Gaillard in 1948, and released by Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra as a single entitled " Down by the Station". The origins of this rhyme are unknown, but research by Brian Sibley suggests that it originated at some point prior to the First World War.
THE RAILWAY SERIES SERIES
The engine characters were mostly based upon real classes of locomotive, and some of the railways themselves were based upon real lines in the British Isles.Īudio adaptations of The Railway Series have been recorded at various times under the title The Railway Stories. As a lifelong railway enthusiast, Awdry was keen that his stories should be as realistic as possible. Nearly all of The Railway Series stories were based on real-life events. Characters and stories from the books formed the basis of the children's television series.
Thomas became the most popular character in the series and was the titular character of the television series Thomas & Friends from 1984 to 2021. The series features many anthropomorphic vehicles, including Thomas the Tank Engine. Sixteen more were written by his son, Christopher Awdry, between 19.
There are 42 books in the series, the first published in 1945. Happy 75th Anniversary to the Railway Series! May your stories live the past, present and future!ĮDIT: I added in James and Percy to make the pic a bit better.The Railway Series is a set of British books about a railway, called the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Island of Sodor. From humble beginnings of six engines named Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James and Percy telling their own stories which made into legend which we speak, read and sing of today. 75 long years since the first book of the most unforgettable children's books of the engines of the North Western Railway. At first, I wasn't sure if I was to be proud of it, but after putting some finishing touches, I am quite pleased with how it turned out after all.Īnd so, here we are again. At first, I was really stumped on what kind of pic I was going to make to contribute the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Railway Series, this year, but I think I finally managed to get it all done.