The Enid Blyton Society

I used to absolutely love Thomas the Tank Engine. And to be honest, I still love it. I always used to go to the local Day out with Thomas and a massive heavy box of toys about Thomas!


(Also, if you think me liking it is wierd ask my 14 year old sister.)

When my son was about six, we went to a "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" event at Tenterden in Kent. Very enjoyable - there was someone dressed up as the Fat Controller, several of the trains from the books were there (we had a ride in one of them which "broke down" and had to be "rescued" by another), and there were also model railway displays, a Punch and Judy show, stalls and refreshments.

My son had all the books and loved them, as well as a couple of videos and some of the little wooden trains. Two of his favourite stories were the one where Henry is bricked up in a tunnel and the one in which Diesel tells lies about Duck. He also liked the Troublesome Trucks which feature in various tales.

For my Godsons birthday one year (I think he was 2), we were invited down for his 'Thomas party'. Basically the local steam railway stuck a Thomas face on the front of one of their locos, and we were puffed up and down the line once or twice, but it was a nice day out.

We've also seen a similar Thomas at the steam railway on the Isle of Wight. I think it's great that the books have remained popular over several generations.

Actually, the more I think about it, the more Thomas merchandise I'm aware of in the house. As well as the original style books, annuals, DVDs and tapes, my son has 2 sets of boxed board books, a hoopla game, a writing set, and a small Tomy remote control Thomas. Plus a wooden Thomas for his Brio set (well, cheap Tesco version). He also has a 'James' and a set of snap cards.

There have probably been colouring books, bubble and similar items which have long since been used up. Gosh, I didn't realise just how much we'd like Thomas in our house.

Back in the 1970s and early 1980s, I remember some of the Thomas the Tank Engine books being read on the radio. I can't remember who read them, but he did a wonderful job with all the train noises! So that was my first exposure to Thomas the Tank Engine. Does anyone else remember these stories being read on the radio in the '70s?

Then in about the late '80s (or maybe it was more early to mid-'90s?), there was the TV series with Ringo Starr narrating and all those great train models!

I have been fortunate enough to find a complete volume of all the Rev. W. Awdry's books, in one big hardback with dustjacket (published by Egmont, I think). It may still be in print, and if so, then you can get the whole collection at once. A similar collection of Christopher Awdry's Railway Series books was also published in one big hardback volume, and I have that too. The only book missing from the latter volume was his very latest, Thomas and His Friends, which was published only two years ago and which I got in an individual little hardback.

There are 26 Railway Series books written by Wilbert Awdry, and another 16 (Vols. 27-42) written by Christopher. This is not counting "Easy-to-Read" books and suchlike. For collecting purposes, try to go for those main 42.

A really great site about the Railway Series can be found here: http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. It includes a very detailed list of all the different books here: http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/amazonfinal.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Wikipedia has a slightly easier-to-follow list of the main volumes.

One thing that struck me with Awdry senior's Railway books in particular was the level of technical detail in them. This is rather downplayed in the TV series, but read the original books and you can learn quite a lot about the finer workings of old steam engines! But there are good moral lessons and things in them as well. A terrific series, for sure, and you can't go past the original books (especially the first 26) for some authentic railway flavour.

Thanks for the links, Rowan. Yes, I learnt quite a bit about steam engines and railways from reading the books to my son!

RDMorrell wrote:Back in the 1970s and early 1980s, I remember some of the Thomas the Tank Engine books being read on the radio. I can't remember who read them, but he did a wonderful job with all the train noises! So that was my first exposure to Thomas the Tank Engine. Does anyone else remember these stories being read on the radio in the '70s?

Then in about the late '80s (or maybe it was more early to mid-'90s?), there was the TV series with Ringo Starr narrating and all those great train models!

I have been fortunate enough to find a complete volume of all the Rev. W. Awdry's books, in one big hardback with dustjacket (published by Egmont, I think). It may still be in print, and if so, then you can get the whole collection at once. A similar collection of Christopher Awdry's Railway Series books was also published in one big hardback volume, and I have that too. The only book missing from the latter volume was his very latest, Thomas and His Friends, which was published only two years ago and which I got in an individual little hardback.

A well-established actor called William Rushton did several audio books of the series between the 70s/80s, perhaps this is the man you're thinking of?

Anita Bensoussane wrote:When my son was about six, we went to a "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" event at Tenterden in Kent. Very enjoyable - there was someone dressed up as the Fat Controller, several of the trains from the books were there (we had a ride in one of them which "broke down" and had to be "rescued" by another), and there were also model railway displays, a Punch and Judy show, stalls and refreshments.

My son had all the books and loved them, as well as a couple of videos and some of the little wooden trains. Two of his favourite stories were the one where Henry is bricked up in a tunnel and the one in which Diesel tells lies about Duck. He also liked the Troublesome Trucks which feature in various tales.

7upromana01 wrote:I used to absolutely love Thomas the Tank Engine. And to be honest, I still love it. I always used to go to the local Day out with Thomas and a massive heavy box of toys about Thomas!


(Also, if you think me liking it is wierd ask my 14 year old sister.)

Lovely memories, reminds me of when I was six as well and Thomas was my whole life! Books, TV series, wooden train sets and days-out to proper railways with Thomas faces on, great times.

Stephen wrote:I remember those small books prior to the television series. I'm not too familiar with the individual stories, but I certainly loved those detailed, glossy pictures inside. Does anyone remember that fantastic frontispiece in the books showing several trains and the surrounding countryside all in a green tint?

When the television series did come out, I was slightly surprised that Thomas the Tank Engine had assumed the title role, when he was merely one of several locomotives. I wasn't that fond of it (I was 11 in 1984 so if anything was probably a bit old for it), but looking back it was very cleverly done. Ringo Starr seemed just so ubiquitously right for it. And the theme tune has to be one of the catchiest ever! [/i]

I love those illustrations as well, beautifully done and so intricate. And yes, Ringo was a perfect fit for the series, shame he only lasted for the first two but they are my favorite of the TV show.

For some reason I've only just come across this thread and didn't see it at the time it was started. I've never read any of the original books, but do have an interest in them, and in Rev Awdry, because the stories originated in Birmingham in the 1940's. Not only in Birmingham, but actually in Kings Norton, where I live.



Not many people know that the stories were first told to Rev Awdry's son Christopher when he was ill in bed - while Awdry was the curate at St Nicholas Church, Kings Norton (between 1940 and 1946). By the time he left the parish, the first two Thomas books had been published.

It's a shame that hardly anyone associates Kings Norton with this famous character and writer. Thomas is a global 'brand' as they delight in calling it these days - but there's nothing in Kings Norton to celebrate this fact, except a rather badly painted mural at Kings Norton station.



Rev Awdry had a strong interest in trains, and would often take his son to the near-by station to watch them, which eventually led to him making up stories about them to amuse his son when he had measles. He also made wooden models of the characters, carved out of a broom handle and painted, for his son to play with.

As I said before, I'm not exactly fluent in The Railway Series, but I've always been aware of it, and loved looking at the glossy pictures as a child. Well I found this colourful history of the illustrators over the years and their working relationships with Rev. Awdry.

It makes quite fascinating reading!

http://www.sodor-island.net/rsartists.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks, Stephen. Interesting to see the names Gunvor Edwards and Edgar Hodges among the illustrators. Both illustrated some Enid Blyton books.

Gunvor Edwards:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/sear ... rch=gunvor" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Edgar Hodges:

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/sear ... rch=hodges" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edgar Hodges also provided the pictures for the MacDonald Purnell Noddy reprints (these can only be seen by clicking on the individual titles and looking under "reprints"):

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/book ... to+Toyland" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just noticed the photos I posted seem to have vanished. Here's one of them - the thomas The Tank mural at Kings Norton station.

Just realised that the website to which Stephen linked (sodor-island.net) contains a lovely, detailed article about Edgar Hodges:

http://www.sodor-island.net/edgarhodges.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;