Blue Plaque to be unveiled in honour of creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, Reverend Wilbert Awdry, celebrating 80 years of Thomas & Friends

Today (Friday 17th October) Historic England unveils a national blue
plaque to children’s book author and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, Reverend
Wilbert Awdry, at his former home in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Marking 80 years since the publication of the first book “The Three
Railway Engines”, the blue plaque will be unveiled by Historic England Chief
Executive Duncan Wilson and daughter of Reverend Awdry, Veronica Chambers (with
grandchildren Claire Chambers, Mark Chambers and Richard Awdry also in
attendance, alongside further members of the Awdry family). The inscription on the plaque reads: “The Reverend Wilbert Awdry / 1911–1997 / Children’s Author / who created / Thomas the Tank Engine / lived here”

Duncan Wilson, Historic England Chief Executive, said: “Loved around the
world, it’s an honour to remember Reverend Awdry and the happiness he brought
to so many childhoods. The early books, which would become The Railway Series,
laid the foundation for a global phenomenon, based on the magic of the steam
train which has appealed to all ages down the generations.”

Heritage Minister Baroness Twycross said: “Children across the country have grown
up dreaming of a train ride with Thomas, Gordon, Percy and friends.“Our railways are a vital part of our national heritage, and Reverend Awdry’s books are an excellent example of how they can
spark creativity and imagination. I’m thrilled that Reverend Awdry is being
commemorated with a Blue Plaque at the perfect time during the Railway 200
celebrations.”

Veronica Chambers, Reverend Awdry’s daughter said: “On behalf of the Awdry family, I am
delighted that my father has been honoured with a national blue plaque from
Historic England. Alongside his role as a parish priest, he was a lifelong,
dedicated railway enthusiast and by creating Thomas the Tank Engine and
friends, he invented a magical, fictional world that has enchanted generations
of children and adults across the world. It’s wonderful that the national blue
plaque has been installed at 30 Rodborough Avenue, his home for so many years
after he retired as a parish priest.”

Ian McCue, Creative Producer, Thomas & Friends, Mattel, said: “The Reverend Awdry’s stories have delighted generations of children and families around the world, and it is
wonderful to see his legacy honoured here in Stroud. For 80 years, the Thomas
& Friends brand has carried forward his spirit of adventure, friendship,
and discovery. Today’s unveiling not only celebrates his remarkable creativity
but also reminds us of the timeless joy and imagination that Thomas &
Friends continue to inspire.”

Emma Roberts, Programme Manager, Railway 200, said:
“This is a fantastic contribution to the 200th anniversary of the modern
railway and wonderful recognition of an author who inspired children all over
the world to fall in love with trains.”

MP for Stroud Dr Simon Opher said: “This recognition is long overdue. The Rev W Awdry was a gifted storyteller who worked hard to hone and refine his art. Part of his genius was his use of the
world of Sodor, a world that was both recognisable but fantastical. Originally
written for his son, his dedication to his craft left us with a collection of
finely written, multi-layered, inter-generational stories that still speak to
us today. “I was recently reminded of the ability of the stories to reach new
audiences when I watched the film ‘Bullet Train’ (with Brad Pitt), recently:
one character’s whole moral universe is based on Thomas the Tank Engine
characters played out for comic effect. “There is a wonderful line attributed to the Rev Awdry: ‘Sometimes, the best adventures are the ones we can only dream about’. On Sodor, in his
wonderful small format books, and in our hearts, he left us with some of the
best adventures. I am delighted that Historic England is commemorating Awdry with
a blue plaque today.”

Cllr. Nigel Prenter, Stroud District Council, said: “The Rev. Awdry’s wonderful Railway Series has captured the hearts of children across the world for decades. One of my Californian grandchildren has all twenty-six books in the series and sleeps with one under his pillow every
night. Just this week my wife, Joanne, showed three Japanese visitors the
Thomas the Tank Engine stained-glass window in St Magdalene’s Church in
Rodborough, which they had come specifically to see. The Rev. Awdrey’s time in
Rodborough is a source of great pride and has helped to put Rodborough on the
map.  This blue plaque honours and
commemorates it for the future.”

Tim Dunn, broadcaster and railway historian, said: “The legacy of Wilbert Awdry is happiness: on a truly global scale. The stories which began in an English home have played out across the world, giving joy to millions of children and adults, life to genuine railway history, and
impetus to the railway preservation movement. Today, countless thousands of
fans are bonded by friendship forged through a love of his stories and
model-making; and dozens of heritage railways run because volunteers and
visitors have been motivated by the clever, kind tales set upon Sodor. Turns
out that Wilbert Awdry was a really useful engine, too.”

Reverend Wilbert Awdry The Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry, born 15 June 1911, was an English
clergyman, railway enthusiast, and children’s author. Best known as the creator
of Thomas the Tank Engine, Awdry was a pioneering children’s author, whose
imagination inspired generations of young readers. Through the stories of
Thomas and his friends, Awdry combined a love of railways with simple but
meaningful lessons about kindness and friendship.
Born in the small village of Ampfield in Hampshire, where his father was Vicar,
Awdry developed a fascination with railways from a young age. As a toddler in
Ampfield, he had watched his father build a handmade model railway which
sparked an interest that grew as his family moved to Box, Wiltshire. Here,
their family home was just 200 yards from Box Tunnel. At night, Awdry could
hear freight trains and whistle signals, which his imagination translated into
conversations. This would set in motion an idea that would later become Thomas
the Tank Engine. As a young man he decided to follow his father’s footsteps and enter the
Church. Ordained in 1936, he served in several parishes before moving in 1940
to King’s Norton, Birmingham. In later life, Awdry retired from the Church and settled in Stroud,
Gloucestershire, where he devoted himself to his railway interests, building
and exhibiting model lines, editing railway histories, and chronicling Thomas
and his home on the fictional Island of Sodor. He died in Rodborough on 21
March 1997, aged 85, the year after he received an OBE in the New Year’s
Honours List.

The Railway Series and Thomas the Tank Engine It was during his time in King’s Norton that Awdry began writing the stories for which he became famous. In 1943, to entertain his toddler son Christopher while he was sick with measles, Awdry
told three tales about an imaginary railway and its engines, Edward, Gordon,
and Henry. Just two years later, in May 1945, The Three Railway Engines
was published. Thomas himself appeared in the second book, Thomas the Tank
Engine, in December 1946, quickly becoming the most popular of the engines.

Working with illustrator Reginald Payne and later C. Reginald Dalby, Awdry brought to life the Island of Sodor, complete with its own geography, history and railway network. By 1970, over three
million copies had been sold. Awdry’s son Christopher would later continue the
series in his father’s style, helping it to reach over 10 million sales by the
1990s. Reverend Awdry wrote 26 books in The Railway Series in total, and his
son Christopher added a further sixteen.

Thomas & Friends television series and beyond

The Thomas & Friends television series first aired in the UK on 9 October 1984. Voiced by Ringo Starr, the televised adaptation of the well-loved stories brought the engines of Sodor to
life for a wider audience, and for the first time ever, earlier this year,
Mattel released the original, never-before-seen 1983 pilot episode of the
classic model series on YouTube. Since then, Thomas & Friends has
continued to tell timeless stories about friendship, adventure and teamwork,
allowing fans to be able to experience Thomas with new toys, content, consumer
products, and both digital and live experiences around the world.

Today’s unveiling follows Historic England’s
recent announcement of seven new
listings of historic railway sites, including the earliest identified purpose-built railway pub in the world, the Cleveland Bay in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, alongside Weybourne Station
and Sheringham Station in Norfolk. This is part of Railway 200 – the ongoing
year-long nationwide partnership-led campaign to celebrate 200 years of the
modern railway and inspire a new generation of young pioneering talent to
choose a career in rail. It invites community, rail interest and other groups
to get involved.

Launched
in 2023 by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and administrated by
Historic England, the National Blue Plaque Scheme aims to celebrate people
throughout history who have made a significant impact on buildings across
England outside London (which has its own, long-running scheme). Each May, the
scheme opens for public nominations. This year’s nomination period ran from 16
May – 17 July 2025.

The Reverend Awdry plaque is the first national
blue plaque to be unveiled that has been nominated by a member of the public,
who submitted the nomination in 2024.

For more information and eligibility criteria,
see here. 

Heritage Schools resource

Historic England’s Heritage Schools team has
produced an education resource about The Reverend Awdry, which will be
available on Historic
England’s website from Friday 17 October for teachers to
download. The resource supports Key Stage 1 teachers and students to explore Awdry’s
life and work both locally and nationally, using a range of historical sources.
By using local stories and topics, the resource aims to make history feel more
real, relevant, and engaging for students. Link (live from 17 October): https://historicengland.org.uk/education/schools-resources/teaching-activities/local-significant-people-rev-wilbert-awdry/