Thomas The Tank Engine

Thomas The Tank Engine and his friends are the creation of Wilbert Vere Awdry. Thomas the Tank Engine entered the hearts of many children ever since the Railway Series of books first came out back in 1945, which isn't astonishing considering Thomas the Tank Engine books have sold about eighty million copies all around the globe. All great things have interesting beginnings so it seems fitting that Thomas came to life in the early 1940's as a wooden toy which Reverend Awdry made for his son, Christopher. Thomas joined Edward, Gordon, and Henry, already in young Christopher's toybox.

The stories about Thomas are based on actual happenings told by workers in the train yards to Wilbert when he was a young boy accompanying his father to the train yards. As young Wilbert lay in bed at night he could hear the engines working the rails near his home. He could visualize the engines having personalities, just like people. The rail company kept a tank engine near his home, and this was the inspiration for Thomas in the stories. The stories are exact in railroad manoeuvres and tradition and can teach about railroad operation as well as entertain the reader.

Thomas the Tank Engine is one of the most extensively known children's fictional characters in the world. For over 65 years Thomas and his friends have been amusing and teaching children through wonderful stories of discovery. Thomas establishes powerful connections between children and trains. This link helps children to discover and understand what the Thomas stories teach; pro-social behaviour, existence, justice, building friends, losing friends and all of the views and sentiments that go along with all those things.

Thomas the Tank Engine play sets aid to develop physical, maths, social, cognitive and spatial skills. When building play sets, children frequently build their own track configurations. They start to realize about needing more or less track and what kind of track, curved or straight, to make their configuration work. Hand and eye coordination and fine motor skills are required to assemble track, accessories and operate play set systems parts and engines. Thomas play sets also assist children to develop intrapersonal skills.

The Hornby Company in the UK has an extensive range of Thomas and Friends complete electric train sets available through mataro.co.uk, with prices starting from around £49.

Thomas the tank engine stories will live in our hearts for ever, packed with adventures not only just for children, but for adults too, who at times are even more eager about a new Thomas the Tank Engine book than the kids themselves.