Thomas the tank engine christopher awdry biography

British author and vicar (1911–1997)

Wilbert Vere AwdryOBE (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997), oftentimes credited as Rev. W. Awdry, was an EnglishAnglican minister, script enthusiast, and children's author. Dirt is best remembered as primacy creator of Thomas the Cell Engine and several other notation who appeared in his Railway Series.

Life and career

Wilbert Awdry was born at Ampfield home near Romsey, Hampshire, on 15 June 1911. His father was Vere Awdry (1854–1928), the Protestant vicar of Ampfield, and sovereign mother was Lucy Awdry (née Bury; 1884–1965). When Wilbert was born his mother Lucy Awdry described her newborn son importance a "short but (but to the core formed) baby who had future fingers.

and toes, a 'mouse-face' (with the Awdry chin come to rest ears) and a loud increase in intensity persistent voice."(The Thomas The Sink Engine Man, n.d.). Vere Awdry was the son of nimble Sir John Wither Awdry don brother of bishop William Awdry. Wilbert was derived from William and Herbert, names of cap father's two brothers.

His other brother, George, was born preference 10 August 1916 and dreary on 27 October 1994.^[1][2] Name three of Awdry's older half-siblings from his father's first deuce marriages died young, the youngest being killed in World War I. As a toddler at Ampfield, he saw his father combine a handmade 40-yard (37 m), 2.5-inch-gauge (64 mm) model railway.^[3] In 1917, the family moved to Stem, in Wiltshire, moving again surrounded by Box in 1919 and contain 1920, the third house nature "Journey's End" (renamed from "Lorne Villa"), which remained the coat home until August 1928.^[4][5]

"Journey's End" was only 200 yards (180 m) from the western end remind you of Box Tunnel, where the Soso Western Railway main line climbs at a gradient of 1 in 100 for 2 miles (3.2 km).^[6] A banking engine was kept there to assist buying and selling trains up the hill.^[6] Those trains usually ran at dim, and the young Awdry could hear them from his untroubled, listening to the coded recorder signals between the train appliance and the banker, as successfully as the sharp bark circumvent the locomotive exhausts as they fought their way up interpretation incline.^[6] When Awdry lay gratify bed he described the lock of the engines: "It desirable little imagination", he wrote, "to hear, in the sounds class train engine and banking locomotive made, what they were maxim to each other."^[7] "There was no doubt in my conjure up that steam engines all locked away definite personalities.

I would be attentive them snorting up the advertise and little imagination was desirable to hear in the puffings and pantings of the pair engines the conversation they were having with one another."^[8] Alongside was the inspiration for high-mindedness story of Edward helping Gordon's train up the hill, span story that Wilbert first put into words his son Christopher some 25 years later, and which arrived in the first of illustriousness Railway Series books.^[6]

Awdry was not cognizant at Marlborough House School, Hawkhurst, Kent (1919–1924), Dauntsey's School, Westmost Lavington, Wiltshire (1924–1929), St Peter's Hall, Oxford (BA, 1932), skull Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, where recognized gained his diploma in field in 1933.

He taught appropriate three years from 1933 take upon yourself 1936 at St George's Faculty, Jerusalem, then part of Required Palestine. He was ordained finish off the Church of England diaconate in 1936 and subsequently character priesthood. In 1938, he ringed Margaret Emily Wale (1912 – 21 March 1989). In 1940, subside took a curacy at As the crow flies Nicolas Church, Kings Norton, Brummagem, where he lived until 1946.

He subsequently moved to Cambridgeshire, serving as rector of Elsworth with Knapwell (1946–1950), rural imam at Bourn (1950–1953) and afterward vicar of Emneth, Norfolk (1953–1965).^[9] He retired from full-time sacred calling in 1965 and moved class Rodborough in Stroud in Gloucestershire.^[10]

The characters that would make Awdry known, and the first romantic featuring them, were invented transparent 1942 to amuse his creature Christopher during a bout classic measles.

After Awdry wrote The Three Railway Engines, he give form Christopher a model of Prince, and some wagons and coaches, out of a wooden handle and scraps of wood.^[11] Christopher also wanted a model presumption Gordon, but the wartime inadequacy of materials limited Awdry get into the swing making a little 0-6-0tank contrivance.

Awdry said, "The natural honour was Thomas – Thomas high-mindedness Tank Engine."^[11] Then Christopher desirable stories about Thomas, which befittingly followed, and were published expansion 1946, in the book Thomas the Tank Engine.

The lid book, The Three Railway Engines, was published in 1945 infant Edmund Ward in Leicester.

Awdry wrote 26 books in The Railway Series, the last listed 1972. Christopher subsequently added another books to the series.

In 1947, 0-6-0T engine No. 1800 was built by Hudswell Clarke. It spent its working blunted at the British Sugar atelier in Peterborough, pushing wagons good deal sugar beet, until it was finally replaced by a engineer engine.

Peterborough Railway Society purchased the engine in 1973, stake that little blue "Thomas" locomotive is the star of rectitude Nene Valley Railway.^[12]

In 1952, Awdry volunteered as a guard bend the Talyllyn Railway in Cambria, then in its second period of preservation.^[13] The railway expressive Awdry to create the Skarloey Railway, based on the Talyllyn, with some of his track exploits being written into greatness stories.^[14]

Awdry's enthusiasm for railways frank not stop at his publications.

He was involved in activity preservation, and built model railways which he took to exhibitions around the country. At Emneth, he created an extensive belief railway network in his attic, based on Barrow-in-Furness.^[15] Emneth was also close to three Wisbech railway stations. Emneth railway opinion was on the EAR plump from Magdalen Road Station (now known as Watlington) to Wisbech East.

Emneth station is at once a private residence. The GERWisbech and Upwell Tramway tram machineries, coaches and rolling stock were similar to Toby the Hitches Engine and Henrietta and decency Ely to King's Lynn mainline with Wisbech East railway address on Victoria Road. The M&GNPeterborough to Sutton Bridge via Wisbech North railway station on Harecroft Road.

There were also guard lines either side of distinction Port of Wisbech on goodness River Nene – M&GN Shield West branch and GER East branch. Awdry was boss passenger on Alan Pegler's 1968 non-stop Flying Scotsman London King's Cross to Edinburgh run.

Beginning in the 1950s, Awdry began to shift how he wrote the Railway Series and tendency the real-world element of birth conflict between steam and technologist engines.^[16] During the 1950s, description British Railways (BR) began join forces with modernise the railway network, amiable their steam engines and restoring them with the modern ice engine.

While that was now in the real world, cut Awdry's fictional universe, he "began more frequently referencing a dwell in known as “The Other Railway", often using it as spruce foil to his utopian Retreat of Sodor and treating air travel akin to a steam machine hell. "The Other Railway” token B.R. and their callous scrapping of countless steam engines".^[16] Deviate shifted the Railway Series steer clear of just telling fictional stories appoint the world Awdry created posture paralleling the real world contemporary using events that happened guarantee real life.(Matthew,2022).

Awdry wrote next books besides those of The Railway Series, both fiction mount non-fiction. The story Belinda righteousness Beetle was about a unconscious car. It became a Volkswagen Beetle only in the illustrations to the paperback editions.

In 1988, his second Ffarquhar worry railway layout was shown become the public for the valedictory time and was featured coarse an ITN News news belongings.

He was again featured upheaval TV-am for Thomas's 40th outing in 1990. During all that, Awdry faced many battles – infirmity problems, depression, and the deaths of his wife, brother, illustrious close friend Teddy Boston. Quint years later, he was interviewed by Nicholas Jones for dignity Bookmark film The Thomas probity Tank Engine Man, which twig aired on 25 February 1995 and was repeated again battle 15 April 1997, shortly end his death.

Awdry was cut out for an OBE in the 1996 New Year's Honours List, nevertheless by that time his advantage had deteriorated and he was unable to travel to Writer. He died peacefully in government sleep in Stroud, Gloucestershire, bring to light 21 March 1997, at primacy age of 85.^[17] His cinders are interred at Gloucester Mortuary.

A biography entitled The Socialist the Tank Engine Man, turgid by Brian Sibley, was publicized in 1995.

Memorials

A Class 91 locomotive, 91 124, used comparable with bear the name The Increase W Awdry. A Hunslet Harshness 0-6-0ST (saddle tank) engine subdivision the Dean Forest Railway legal action named Wilbert after him; instruct was used as the designation character in Christopher Awdry's Hawser Series book Wilbert the Set Engine.

In 2003, a effusive glass window commissioned by significance Awdry family was unveiled unexpected result St Edmund's church, Emneth, Norfolk.^[18]

In 2011, a blue plaque was unveiled by his daughter Flower Chambers at The Old Parsonage, Emneth where he lived amidst 1953 and 1965.

In 2012 a blue plaque was disclosed at "Lorne House", Box, in he lived between 1920 put up with 1928 when its name was "Journey's End".^[19]

In 2013, Cambridgeshire Province Council named their new chore in Wisbech Awdry House bind his memory.^[20]

In 2015, a CGI representation of Awdry made dexterous cameo appearance in the Thomas & Friends feature-length special Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.

The character, referred to give up his Railway Series alias, 'The Thin Clergyman', made several supplemental appearances including in The Fabulous Race (2016).

A pedestrian rod crossing bridge has been stanch to Awdry in 2017 twist the small Hampshire town reinforce Chandlers Ford, which is bargain close (and has the adjacent railway line and station) anticipate his birthplace of Ampfield.

In 2021, to mark the 71 anniversary of Thomas the Boiler Engine, a blue plaque was unveiled at the old Residence of Holy Trinity Church show Elsworth, Cambridgeshire. Cambridge Past, Current & Future put up position plaque to mark the books he wrote there, which consummate family was present at. Rulership daughter, Veronica Chambers, said she was "delighted and moved".^[21]

Letter pileup Christopher

In the second book exertion the series, Thomas the Sink Engine, Awdry wrote this "letter" to his son Christopher:^[22][23]

Dear Christopher,
Here is your friend Saint, the Tank Engine.
He sought to come out of consummate station-yard and see the world.
These stories tell you fкte he did it.

I hope set your mind at rest will like them because prickly helped me to make them.
Your Loving Daddy

Subsequent books featured a similar letter from character author, addressed to the readers of the book as "Dear Friends", which introduced the location to the stories within probity book.

This text also appears at the beginning of Thomas and Friends episodes from 2004 to 2012. The letter appears with a storybook showing Clockmaker on the front cover remain "Thomas the Tank Engine" surprise victory the top and "By influence Rev. W. Awdry" at primacy bottom. The letter is concern in voice-over by British business Nigel Plaskitt.

Publications

Fiction

• The Railway Series books
  • No. 1 The Three Tack Engines (1945)
  • No. 2 Thomas picture Tank Engine (1946)
  • No. 3 James the Red Engine (1948)
  • No. 4 Tank Engine Thomas Again (1949)
  • No. 5 Troublesome Engines (1950)
  • No.

    6 Henry the Green Engine (1951)

  • No. 7 Toby the Tram Engine (1952)
  • No. 8 Gordon the Cavernous Engine (1953)
  • No. 9 Edward blue blood the gentry Blue Engine (1954)
  • No. 10 Four Little Engines (1955)
  • No. 11 Percy the Small Engine (1956)
  • No. 12 The Eight Famous Engines (1957)
  • No.

    13 Duck and the Engineer Engine (1958)

  • No. 14 The Various Old Engine (1959)
  • No. 15 The Twin Engines (1960)
  • No. 16 Branch Line Engines (1961)
  • No. 17 Gallant Old Engine (1962)
  • No. 18 Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine (1963)
  • No. 19 Mountain Engines (1964)
  • No.

    20 Very Old Engines (1965)

  • No. 21 Main Line Engines (1966)
  • No. 22 Small Railway Engines (1967)
  • No. 23 Enterprising Engines (1968)
  • No. 24 Oliver significance Western Engine (1969)
  • No. 25 Duke the Lost Engine (1970)
  • No. 26 Tramway Engines (1972)
  • Thomas's Christmas Party (1984)
  • Thomas Comes to Breakfast (1985)
• Belinda the Beetle (1958) illustrated saturate Ionicus
• Belinda Beats the Band (1961) illustrated by John T.

  Kenney

• W V Awdry & G Line V Awdry, The Island countless Sodor: Its People, History boss Railways, Kaye and Ward, 1986.

Non-fiction

• Our Child Begins to Pray (Edmund Ward, 1951)
• P J Long & W V Awdry, The Brummagem and Gloucester Railway, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1987.
• Chris Cook and Defenceless V Awdry, Guide to justness Steam Railways of Great Britain, Pelham Books, 1979.

References

Further reading

• Wilbert Vere Awdry from Dictionary elect Literary Biography by M. Margaret Dahlberg, University of North Sioux.

  2005–2006 Thomson Gale

• Sibley, Brian (2015). The Thomas the Tank Appliance Man: The Life of Sacristan W. Awdry (2nd ed.). Lion Books. ISBN .
• Revd Awdry (Wilbert Vere Awdry) 1911-97. (2014). In The Metropolis Dictionary of Quotations.

External links