Thomas The Tank Engine

If you have a little boy in your home, then you probably need no introduction to Thomas the Tank Engine. Thomas the Tank engine is a much-beloved fictional steam train character that was created for the Railway Series books by Reverend Wilbert Awdry, along with his son Christopher. Britt Allcroft, a British TV producer and writer, helped bring this character and his friends to life for audiences around the world. She stumbled upon the original Railway Series books in 1979 and was so captivated by them that she decided to create the series "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends", which was later called just "Thomas and Friends". The series quickly became a favourite with children and parents alike and spawned a wide variety of merchandise that was equally as popular and profitable. Thomas the Tank engine and the Railway series became so popular that it inspired the plethora of Thomas the Tank toys that are widely available. All of the designs for the locomotive characters in the series and merchandise were based on replicas of real locomotives, with Thomas portraying the role of a tank engine that was an E2 Class prototype designed in 1913 by Lawson Billinton. If you are unfamiliar with the TV show and are trying to locate Thomas the Tank toys, they are fairly easy to recognise. The body of Thomas the Tank is painted blue and has red trim, but perhaps the most recognisable mark on his body is the number 1. The many escapades of Thomas the Tank and his fellow steam engines will keep children entertained for generations.