Christopher Awdry

It's unfortunate that the people at Edgemont Publishing, HIT Entertainment, and Mattel Television continue to either ignore the popularity of the railway series, or continue in it's bastardization by heartlessly and needlessly rebooting it. The charm and heart that was at the center of the series is almost completely gone, and Rev. Awdry would be angry at what has happened to his creation. One of the main examples being this book no longer being in print (I managed to get a copy off of Ebay). Christopher Awdry, in the book, makes no bones about calling out the companies who have ruined his father's literary creations, and it has only gotten worse since it was published in 2005.

Before I go any further, a little about the book itself: it's a short, yet informative book that gives brief background information about the series and the inspirations behind Christopher and his father's characters. If you ever wanted to learn more about the series itself, this is a good book to pick up (assuming you can find a copy).

It's been 86 years since the first volume of The Railway Series was published, and the original stories are still beloved by people all over the world. Edgemont Publishing and HIT Entertainment should remember this, and focus on bringing back the original nature of the series, and by republishing all the books (including this one, the reference book by Rev. Awdry, and the Thomas The Tank Engine Man biography). There's a whole generation of kids waiting to enjoy these stories in their original forms, if the corporations would just open their eyes. As Christopher himself said in the book, "Thomas, we feel, has a crown and it is worth fighting for." Amen, Mr. Awdry!… (more)