Wilbert Awdry

Wilbert Vere Awdry OBE (15 June 1911 - 21 March 1997) was an English Anglican clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author. He was best known for creating both Thomas the Tank Engine and other characters in his book series, The Railway Series, as well as writing the first twenty-six books in the series from 1945 to 1972. His series and several of his original stories were later adapted for the television series Thomas & Friends by Britt Allcroft.

Biography

Wilbert Vere Awdry was born in Romsey, Hampshire on 15 June 1911. The son of Lucy and Vere Awdry, he was educated at Dauntseys School, West Lavington, Wiltshire; St. Peter's Hall, Oxford (Bachelor of Arts, 1932) and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. From 1933 to 1936, he taught at St George’s School in Jerusalem. In that same year, he was ordained into the Anglican priesthood. In 1938 he married Margaret Wale, a fellow teacher from his days in Jerusalem. Thrown out of one curacy and denied another due to his pacifist beliefs, he was finally able to serve in 1940 at St. Nicholas' Church, Kings Norton, Birmingham, where he lived until 1946. He subsequently moved to Cambridgeshire, serving as Rector of Elsworth with Knapwell, 1946-1953 and Vicar of Emneth, 1953-1965. He retired from full-time ministry in 1965 and moved to Stroud, Gloucestershire.

The characters that would make Awdry famous and the first stories featuring them were invented in 1942 to amuse his son Christopher during a bout of measles at the age of two and a half. The Reverend Awdry did not plan to do anything with the stories; his wife, however, thought otherwise. After the war’s end, these stories were published as The Three Railway Engines. After the publication of the book, Christopher wanted a model of Gordon; but this could not be done. Instead, Awdry made a model of a tank engine from odds and ends, painted it blue and gave it to Christopher as a Christmas present. Christopher christened the model engine Thomas. Then Christopher requested stories about Thomas and these stories would be published as Awdry's second and most famous book, Thomas the Tank Engine.

After Thomas the Tank Engine, Awdry was finished with writing any more books. However, due to popular demand, Awdry pressed onward. By the time Awdry stopped writing in 1972, The Railway Series numbered 26 books. His son Christopher subsequently added sixteen more books to the series, including the later two posthumous releases.

Awdry wrote other books besides those of The Railway Series, both fiction and non-fiction, such as the story Belinda the Beetle, which was about a red car and the parenting guide book, Our Child Begins to Pray. He also worked with P. J. Long to write a nonfiction book regarding the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway and served as the editor of the Industrial Archaeology of Gloucestershire.

Awdry's enthusiasm for railways did not stop at his publications. He was involved in railway preservation and built model railways which he took to exhibitions around the country. The Reverend was president of the Dean Forest Railway and in 1987, the railway's Austerity engine, G. B. Keeling, was renamed in Awdry's honour.

In 1957, Wilbert narrated the first two stories from The Three Railway Engines for a vinyl record release. He was a guest on the Flying Scotsman's 40th Anniversary run and gave a short interview for its BBC documentary in 1968. He was later interviewed along with Ringo Starr on TV-AM on the day of the television series' debut. Two years later he was profiled in a BBC Radio 4 program by Brian Sibley, who would eventually go on to write his biography.

In 1988, his second Ffarquhar model railway layout was shown to the public for the final time and was featured on an ITN News news item. He was again featured on TV-AM for Thomas' 40th Anniversary in 1985. During all this, he faced many battles - health problems, depression and the death of his wife, his brother and close friend Teddy Boston. Five years later, he gave no protest whilst being interviewed by Nicholas Jones for The Thomas the Tank Engine Man documentary, first aired on 25 February 1995 and repeated on 15 April 1997 shortly after his death.

Wilbert Awdry was awarded an Order of the British Empire in the 1996 New Year's Honours List, but by that time his health had deteriorated and he was unable to travel to London, instead receiving it at his home. He passed away peacefully in Stroud, Gloucestershire on 21 March 1997 at the age of 85. Before his death, he served as Allcroft's technical consultant. His daughter Veronica Chambers currently lives in his house.

Legacy

In 2011, his 100th birthday was celebrated in the foreword of Thomas and His Friends, the forty-second and final book in The Railway Series. It reads:

"Dear Friends,

The Awdry family is delighted to be able to mark the centenary of the Thin Clergyman's birth with the publication of this book. The Fat Controller wanted to celebrate the occasion too, and quickly made his own plans. What were they? Turn the pages to find out...

The Author."

The Talyllyn Railway has made several contributions to celebrating Awdry's legacy. His contributions to the railway itself are memorialised by a rowan tree planted near Brynglas block post. The Narrow Gauge Railway Museum at Tywyn Wharf also features a recreation of Awdry's study - including several artefacts relating to both his life and The Railway Series, as well as his preserved Ffarquhar Branch layout. Between 2021 and 2025, the Talyllyn Railway held the Awdry Extravaganza, an annual event celebrating Awdry's connection with the Talyllyn Railway.

"The Thin Clergyman"

Wilbert Awdry has appeared as himself in The Railway Series under the nickname "The Thin Clergyman". He first made a cameo appearance in Troublesome Engines, but did not have his first speaking role until the Small Railway Engines story, Tit for Tat. He also appeared in Duke the Lost Engine as one of the men looking for Duke, alongside the Fat Clergyman (Teddy Boston) and the Small Controller. In the final volume of the series, Thomas and his Friends, the North Western Railway celebrated his 100th birthday.

The Thin Clergyman has also appeared in Thomas & Friends, first appearing in Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure as a special cameo for the 70th Anniversary. Since then, he has made numerous appearances in the specials and episodes and made his first speaking role in the twentieth series episode, "Tit for Tat", reprising his role from the original story. He is voiced by Rob Rackstraw.

Eras

Books Written

The Railway Series

• The Three Railway Engines (1945)
• Thomas the Tank Engine (1946)
• James the Red Engine (1948)
• Tank Engine Thomas Again (1949)
• Troublesome Engines (1950)
• Henry the Green Engine (1951)
• Toby the Tram Engine (1952)
• Gordon the Big Engine (1953)
• Edward the Blue Engine (1954)
• Four Little Engines (1955)
• Percy the Small Engine (1956)
• The Eight Famous Engines (1957)
• Duck and the Diesel Engine (1958)
• The Little Old Engine (1959)
• The Twin Engines (1960)
• Branch Line Engines (1961)
• Gallant Old Engine (1962)
• Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine (1963)
• Mountain Engines (1964)
• Very Old Engines (1965)
• Main Line Engines (1966)
• Small Railway Engines (1967)
• Enterprising Engines (1968)
• Oliver the Western Engine (1969)
• Duke the Lost Engine (1970)
• Tramway Engines (1972)

Companion Volumes

• Railway Map of the Island of Sodor (1958)
• Twelve Happy Engines (1970)
• The Railway Series: Surprise Packet (1972)
• Thomas' Christmas Party (1984; adapted from the episode of the same name)
• Thomas Comes to Breakfast (1985)
• Thomas and Gordon Off the Rails (1990)
• The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways (1987; co-written with George Awdry)

Famous Engines

• Famous Engines Activity Book (I) (1976)
• Famous Engines Colouring Book (I) (1976)
• Famous Engines Colouring and Activity Book (I) (1976)
• Famous Engines Activity Book (II) (1976)
• Famous Engines Colouring Book (II) (1977)
• Famous Engines Colouring and Activity Book (II) (1977)
• Famous Engines Press-Out Book (1977)

Annuals

• Annual 1979
• Annual 1980

Pop-Up Books

• The Flying Kipper and Henry the Green Engine (1983)
• Bertie the Bus and Thomas the Tank Engine (1983)
• Thomas the Tank Engine and the Tractor (1984)
• Henry the Green Engine and the Elephant (1984)
• Henry the Green Engine Gets Out (1984)
• James the Red Engine and the Troublesome Trucks (1984)
• Thomas the Tank Engine Goes Fishing (1986)
• Percy the Small Engine Takes the Plunge (1986)
• Percy the Small Engine and the Scarf (1995)

Mini-Books

• Thomas Goes to Town (1986)
• Percy to the Rescue (1986)
• Thomas's ABC (1987)
• Thomas's Counting Book (1987)
• Thomas's Book of Colours (1989)
• Up and Down with Percy (1989)

Board Books

• Henry Pulls the Express (1989)
• James and the Rescue Train (1989)
• Percy the Seaside Train (1989)

Lectures

In addition to writing the books, the Rev. W. Awdry also wrote a series of unpublished lectures which went into further detail on the history and lore of various aspects of the Island of Sodor within the universe of The Railway Series. Many of these lectures featured information which is not recorded in any of the books. Known lectures include:

• Narrow Gauge Rails in Sodor (1972)
• Railways of Sodor (1976)
• Pages from Sodor History (TBC)

Trivia

• Wilbert's name is a combination of his father's two brothers: William and Herbert Awdry.
• Wilbert was affectionately known as "Granpuff" by his grandchildren because the smoke from his pipe looked similar to a steam engine. The nickname would carry over to The Railway Series in Duke the Lost Engine, becoming the affectionate nickname for Duke.
• His least favourite book he wrote was James the Red Engine because it was written just to meet a deadline instead of being based on experience.
• According to a podcast from the BBC's "Desert Island Discs", Wilbert's favourite song was "Baal, We Cry to Thee" by Felix Mendelssohn.
• A.W. Dry and Company and Wilbert were named after Wilbert Awdry.
• Dean Forest Railway volunteers celebrated Wilbert receiving his Order of the British Empire by inscribing "O.B.E." on their Austerity engine in chalk letters.
• Thomas Goes Fishing and Thomas Comes to Breakfast are two of his favourite stories.
• In numerous interviews, Wilbert explained his approach to writing the Thomas stories was not thinking of his audience as the children, but the parents who would have to read the stories over and over again to their children.
• Wilbert did not have a favourite character. He felt like they were all family, and in a family, there are no favourites.
  • Nicholas Jones speculates that Awdry may have preferred Percy to Thomas, citing the illustration of Percy passing the Awdry family in Percy Runs Away as the reason.^[1]
  • Veronica Chambers has also described Oliver as one of her late father's favourite characters.^[2]
• Wilbert disliked the third series episode Henry's Forest, reasons cited being that Henry and his crew are breaking Rule 55 - a railway rule station the signalman must be notified when trains are at a stand in order to avoid an accident - and the close proximity of the trees to the railway line, which could present a fire hazard should a spark from an engine's funnel be caught by a tree.
• In a 1994 Daily Mirror interview, Wilbert Awdry stated his favourite film was Campbell's Kingdom starring Dirk Bogarde, his favourite cartoon was Tom & Jerry and his favourite TV show was Last of the Summer Wine.^[3]
• There is a street named Awdry Drive on the site of the former Wisbech East railway station. This is a reference to his connection with the Wisbech area and the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway, which had used the station.
• Awdry was surprised that the characters that he created continued to be successful despite being based on an age that is gone, and compared it to Billy Bunter and Just William, as according to him:

• In an interview with Boca Raton News (6 July 1990), Awdry was asked about his thoughts on Shining Time Station, responding with the following:

• In February 1996, Awdry gave his blessing for a film adaptation which would eventually become Thomas and the Magic Railroad, though stated:

References

External Links

• Awdry Family website (2004-2006, 2007-2009)
• Desert Island Discs
• The Thomas the Tank Engine Man - BBC Radio 4 (ft. Rev. W. Awdry, Christopher Awdry & Britt Allcroft)
• The Awdry Connection on the Talyllyn Railway website