Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE was an English Anglican cleric, railway enthusiast, and children's author. Better known as the Reverend W. Awdry, he was the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, the central figure in his Railway Series.
Gordon the Big Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic 4-6-2 tender locomotive in The Railway Series books by Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and is one of the central characters in the television series Thomas and Friends, which is based on the books. He is painted blue and carries the number 4. Gordon views himself as the most important engine because he is the biggest, fastest, and he pulls the Express.
The Railway Series is a set of British story books about a railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first being published in 1945. Twenty-six were written by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry, up to 1972. A further 16 were written by his son, Christopher Awdry; 14 between 1983 and 1996, and two more in 2007 and 2011.
Toby the Tram Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic tram engine in The Railway Series by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher; he also appears in the spin-off television series Thomas & Friends. Toby, a tram engine with cowcatchers and sideplates, carries the North Western Railway running number seven and works on the same Ffarquhar Branch Line as Thomas the Tank Engine.
Skarloey is a fictional narrow gauge tank locomotive from the Railway Series by the Reverend W. Awdry. He is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor. Skarloey lives and works on the Skarloey Railway as Engine No.1.
Rheneas is a fictional narrow gauge tank locomotive from the Railway Series by the Reverend W. Awdry and its television adaptation Thomas & Friends. He is one of the oldest engines on the Island of Sodor. Rheneas lives and works on the Skarloey Railway as engine No.2, and is known as the "Gallant Old Engine" because he saved the railway from closure. He is Skarloey's brother.
The Skarloey Railway is a fictional narrow gauge railway on the Island of Sodor. It appeared in 8 books of The Railway Series, by Rev. W. Awdry and Christopher Awdry, and in 99 episodes of the Television adaptation of The Railway Series, Thomas & Friends.
Peter Sam is a fictional narrow gauge steam locomotive character in The Railway Series children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and the spin-off TV series Thomas and Friends. Peter Sam lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor as engine No. 4.
Sodor is a fictional island featured as the setting for The Railway Series books by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry, begun in 1945, and for the popular television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends since 1984. It is depicted as being located in the Irish Sea, just off the English mainland near Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.
Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W. Awdry.
Thomas & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Wilbert Awdry and Rev. W. Awdry.
The North Western Railway is the main railway company featured in The Railway Series, a series of fictional books by the Rev. W. Awdry and Christopher Awdry, and in the television series Thomas and Friends, by Britt Allcroft. Although the company's name has never been specifically stated in the books, it was mentioned as such in tie-in books such as The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways by Awdry, and also on some maps that were drawn to accompany the Railway Series.
The Mid Sodor Railway was a fictional narrow gauge railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry and Christopher Awdry. The railway was closed in 1947, but three of its engines survive on the Skarloey Railway. Part of its route is now occupied by the Arlesdale Railway.
Clive Spong is an English illustrator of The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry. He illustrated the books written by Christopher Awdry published since 1983.
Sir Haydn is a narrow gauge steam locomotive, built by Hughes's Locomotive & Tramway Engine Works of the Falcon Works, Loughborough in 1878. It operated on the Corris Railway in Wales, until closure in 1948, and since 1951 has operated on the nearby Talyllyn Railway. It has carried the operating number 3 under four successive owners.
Douglas is a narrow gauge steam locomotive. It was built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. Ltd. in 1918. It was originally used by the Air Service Constructional Corps (RAF) then was bought in 1949 by Abelson & Co. (Engineers) Ltd. who then sold it to the Talyllyn Railway in 1953.
