Thomas the Tank Engine

Thomas is a fictional anthropomorphic tank locomotive created by the Rev. W. V. Awdry in his The Railway Series books, made into the British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and its somewhat less popular American spinoff Shining Time Station. In his first appearance in the telvision series he was described as follows: more...

• "Thomas is a blue tank engine who lives at a big station on the Island of Sodor. He's a cheeky little engine with 6 small wheels, a short stumpy funnel, a short stumpy boiler and a short stumpy dome" -narrator Ringo Starr from the episode "Thomas & Gordon" (aka "Thomas Gets Tricked"). He has also been described as "a cheeky little engine" and "a little engine with a long tongue."

Thomas the Tank Engine first appeared in 1946, when stories about him were published in The Railway Series by Reverend W.V. Awdry. He is the best-known fictional locomotive in the world.

When he first appeared, in the book 'Thomas the Tank Engine', he was a station pilot, used to shunt coaches and trucks for the bigger engines. He longed for more important jobs, but his inexperience prevented this. Eventually he was responsible for rescuing James after an accident, and the Fat Controller (who was then known as the Fat Director) decided that he was a Really Useful Engine, and ready for his own branch line. He has remained in charge of this line ever since.

His closest friends are Annie and Clarabel, his coaches. However, he is also very good friends with Percy the Small Engine, despite a lot of arguments.

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