Today Egmont publishes the first new Thomas the Tank Engine Railway Series title in four years to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of the creator Rev. W. Awdry’s birth.

The historic Railway Series originally began as short stories told by the Rev. W. Awdry to his young son, Christopher. Carrying on the family tradition, Christopher wrote books 27–41 in the Classic Railway series and has now written book number 42. Entitled Thomas and his Friends, the 42nd volume contains four new engine stories to commemorate the centenary of the Rev. W. Awdry’s birth. Thomas and his Friends culminates in a celebration: the engines gather to honour the Thin Clergyman, otherwise known as the Reverend Awdry. Each story is beautifully illustrated by heritage artist Clive Spong, who has worked in close conjunction with Christopher Awdry to perfect the details of the engines.

David Riley, Managing Director of Egmont Publishing Group commented: “Sixty-six years after Thomas’ first appearance in print, the cheeky little engine still has widespread appeal with readers of all ages. Likewise, the Rev. Awdry’s original stories retain their timeless appeal, and Egmont is proud to be part of the centenary celebrations.”

Katie Price, Senior Director Global Publishing HIT Entertainment said: “When the Rev. W. Awdry first put pen to paper he had no idea that the charming characters he created would become such a global sensation. Hit is delighted that Egmont is continuing to add to the Railway Series by publishing Christopher Awdry’s celebratory new book. It is a wonderful way to mark the Rev. W. Awdry’s centenary.”

The Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry was born in Romsey, Hampshire, in June 1911. His own father, also a clergyman, nurtured his son’s love of engines by taking him for walks alongside the train tracks near Baddesley Bridge and impressing him with his passionate interest in engines. The family relocated to Box, Wiltshire, and their third home in the area – named Journey’s End – was ideally situated near Box Tunnel, on the Great Western mainline. The young Wilbert was able to hear the engines struggling up an incline nearby. He assigned personalities to the engines, and could almost imagine their conversations.

Awdry passed his passion for engines on to Christopher through the stories he told his son. These stories, about Edward, Gordon and Henry, were later committed to print at the encouragement of the Reverend’s wife, Margaret. They became the first title in the classic Railway Series, The Three Railway Engines, published in 1945.

Notably, the best-known engine, Thomas, did not even appear in the first stories in the Railway Series! Thomas, a cheeky engine who lived at a Big Station, eventually became a part of the Fat Director’s Railway in the second title, the eponymous Thomas the Tank Engine, first published in 1946. In the wake of rail nationalisation, the Fat Director became the Fat Controller and has remained so ever since.

Between 1943 and 1972, the Rev. W. Awdry wrote twenty-six titles in the Railway Series featuring Edward, Henry, Gordon, Thomas and many more besides. (Note: He wrote Three railway engines in 43 it was first published in 45)

This year, Egmont will also publish a stylish Thomas the Tank Engine box set to celebrate the centenary of the Rev. W. Awdry’s birth. The publisher has collected the Rev. Awdry’s twenty-six original titles in this classic library set; each book contains a lively assortment of engine stories, with colour illustrations throughout by artists C. Reginald Dalby, John Kenney, and husband and wife Peter and Gunvor Edwards.