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Wilbert Vere Awdry
Born	June 15, 1911 Romsey, Hampshire, England
Died	March 21, 1997 (aged 85) Rodborough, Near Stroud, England

Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, (June 15, 1911 – March 21, 1997), better known as the Reverend W. Awdry, was a clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author.

He is best known as the author of The Railway Series of books in which the character Thomas the Tank Engine originated.

Contents 1 Biography 2 Publications 3 Biography 4 External links

Awdry was born in Romsey, Hampshire in 1911. The son of a clergyman, he was educated at Dauntseys School, West Lavington, Wiltshire; St Peter's Hall, Oxford (BA, 1932), and Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He was ordained into the Anglican priesthood in 1936. In 1938 he married Margaret Wale, and two years later took a curacy in King's Norton, Birmingham where he lived until 1946. He subsequently moved to Cambridgeshire, serving as Rector of Elsworth with Knapwell, 1946-53, and Vicar of Emneth, 1953-65, before retiring to Stroud.

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. After he wrote 'Three Railway Engines' Christopher wanted a model of Gordon, however that was beyond the scarce wartime resources available. Instead Awdry made a model of a tank engine from odds and ends and painted it blue. Christopher christened the model engine Thomas. Then Christopher requested stories about Thomas and these duly followed and were published in the famous book Thomas the Tank Engine published in 1946.

The first book (The Three Railway Engines) was published in 1945, and by the time Awdry stopped writing in 1972, The Railway Series numbered 26 books. Christopher subsequently added a further 14 books to the series.

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. He retired from full-time ministry in 1965, and moved to Stroud, Gloucestershire.

Wilbert Awdry was awarded an OBE in the 1996 New Year’s Honours List, but by that time his health had deteriorated and he was unable to travel to London. He died peacefully in Stroud, Gloucestershire on March 21, 1997, at the age of 85.

A Class 91 locomotive, 91 124, bears his name.

Fiction

• The Railway Series
• W V Awdry & G E V Awdry, The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways, Kaye and Ward, 1986.

Non-fiction

• P J Long & W V Awdry, The Birmingham and Gloucester Railway, Alan Sutton Publishing, 1987.

A biography entitled The Thomas the Tank Engine Man was written by Brian Sibley and published in 1995.

• Rev. W. V. Awdry – Biography at the Official Awdry Family Website

The world of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends view • talk • edit
Book series: The Railway Series TV Series: Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Series particulars
List of Railway Series Books TV Series Seasons: 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 Movie and spin-off releases: Thomas and the Magic Railroad • Calling All Engines • On Site with Thomas
Characters
Thomas • Edward • Henry • Gordon • James • Percy • Toby • Duck • Donald and Douglas • Emily The Fat Controller • Bertie • Terence • Trevor • Harold The Railway Series: Major characters • Minor characters • Unfeatured characters TV Series: Major characters • Minor Characters • Rolling Stock • Non-rail vehicles • People & animals Movies: Movie-only characters
Locations
Island of Sodor Railways: North Western • Skarloey • Arlesdale • Culdee Fell • Mid Sodor • Sodor & Mainland • "Other" Other locations - The Railway Series • TV Series
Significant people and organisations
Rev. W.V. Awdry (series creator) • Christopher Awdry Britt Allcroft • Gullane Entertainment • HIT Entertainment
Other relevant pages
WikiProject Thomas The Railway Stories (audiobooks) • Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends merchandise • Video releases Shining Time Station • TUGS