Uploaded May 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
78 ago Years on this very day, a man known as the ‘Reverend Wilbert Awdry’ published the first book of the extremely popular book series known as ‘The Railway Series’. The first book in the series was called ‘The Three Railway Engines’. The Reverend hadn’t intended for these books to ever published, as they were only written to help cheer up his son Christopher Awdry, when he was ill in bed with the measles. It was only when The Reverend’s wife, Margret Awdry told him that there were no good children’s books available anywhere, and she pushed him to publish the books, and so he did. He never even expected that the books would be become the ‘runaway success’ that they have now become. After the first book was published, a second book was written, this book introduced the world to a certain little blue tank engine, and this book was called ‘Thomas the Tank Engine'. With the success of the 42 Railway Series books, a TV series was then planned, and that series was of course ‘Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends' Thomas has been with me ever since I got into the series, and I can see that my love for that number 1 Really Useful Engine will never reach ‘the end of the line’ so to round off I just have one thing to say, “You’re a Really Useful Engine, Thomas!”
Thomas is always my Number One! So to celebrate, here is my very special tribute to Thomas and Friends, Based on events in the first book 'The Three Railway Engine
78 ago Years on this very day, a man known as the ‘Reverend Wilbert Awdry’ published the first book of the extremely popular book series known as ‘The Railway Series’. The first book in the series was called ‘The Three Railway Engines’. The Reverend hadn’t intended for these books to ever published, as they were only written to help cheer up his son Christopher Awdry, when he was ill in bed with the measles. It was only when The Reverend’s wife, Margret Awdry told him that there were no good children’s books available anywhere, and she pushed him to publish the books, and so he did. He never even expected that the books would be become the ‘runaway success’ that they have now become. After the first book was published, a second book was written, this book introduced the world to a certain little blue tank engine, and this book was called ‘Thomas the Tank Engine'. With the success of the 42 Railway Series books, a TV series was then planned, and that series was of course ‘Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends' Thomas has been with me ever since I got into the series, and I can see that my love for that number 1 Really Useful Engine will never reach ‘the end of the line’ so to round off I just have one thing to say, “You’re a Really Useful Engine, Thomas!”
Thomas is always my Number One! So to celebrate, here is my very special tribute to Thomas and Friends, Based on events in the first book 'The Three Railway Engine
