List of Thomas the Tank Engine pictureback books
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a children's television series based on The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry which was first broadcast in 1984. This article lists Thomas books in the Pictureback series.Introduces Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt.
Introduces Proteus
Wilbert Awdry
The characters that would make Awdry famous and the first stories featuring them were invented in 1943 to amuse his son Christopher during a bout of measles. After Awdry wrote "The Three Railway Engines", he built Christopher a model of Edward, and some wagons and coaches, out of a broomstick and scraps of wood. Christopher also wanted a model of Gordon; however, as that was too difficult Awdry made a model of a little 0-6-0 tank engine. Awdry said, "The natural name was Thomas – Thomas the Tank Engine." Then Christopher requested stories about Thomas and these duly followed and were published in the famous book "Thomas the Tank Engine", released in 1946.