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 show more 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! show less

I love Rev Awdry's books. These later ones written by his son Christopher are not quite so good, but I bought this one because of my association with the Dean Forest Railway in 1995. I have had the pleasure of cleaning and learning to fire the real Wilbert the Forest Engine.

I couldn't believe that Summit was really a place called Summit. I had an argument with a colleague and I was very wrong. 'The last brick was keyed in on 11 December; there was a celebratory collation at the Summit Inn, while the workmen, reported the Manchester Guardian of 14 December, were 'regaled inside the tunnel. At the time of its completion it was the longest tunnel in the world...' Apologies, Charlie.

This book is great for beginning readers. It is also a great tool for teaching children how to tell time.