For over eight decades, Christopher Awdry has lived a life shaped by steam, story and tradition. As well as firing up imaginations with the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends, this storyteller and railway historian has also helped document and preserve the magic of steam.
Together with his father, Wilbert Awdry, the Reverend who first imagined the Island of Sodor, he helped create the 42 books that form The Railway series, a cornerstone of children’s publishing that continues to delight new generations.
On Thu 25 June, this extraordinary life will be celebrated with a special event at the Eventim Apollo in London. Hosted by legendary record producer and lifelong rail enthusiast, Pete Waterman, 85 Years Of Letting Off Steam marks Awdry’s first public appearance in 17 years. It promises an evening of warmth and insight; and no shortage of steam-powered nostalgia.
Through conversation, rare insights and untold stories, audiences will be taken on a journey across Christopher’s remarkable 85 years, from his early attempts at writing (including an abandoned detective series), to his career as a government-recruited tax officer and ultimately to his pivotal role as Railway Series author from 1983 to 2011.
It was Christopher who picked up the pen just one year before the debut of the first television adaptation in 1984, a moment that propelled Thomas The Tank Engine and the stories of Sodor into global phenomenon territory. Yet beyond the worldwide success lies a quieter, deeply personal commitment to continuity, detail and the enduring spirit of his father’s creation.
The evening will also reflect on Christopher’s continued writing in later life, including his most recent work: the expanded 20th anniversary edition of Sodor: Reading Between The Lines. This definitive volume explores the origins of each Railway Series story, enriched with intimate commentary, archival material and illuminating extracts from both Wilbert Awdry’s original notes and Christopher’s own reflections.
As Awdry gets ready to celebrate his literary legacy, we asked him about creating a world built on friendship, engineering, resilience and firing up young imaginations.
Why do you think the stories of Thomas and his friends have resonated so much in the public imagination? Is it because of modern Britain’s roots in the industrial revolution?
I’m not sure about the revolution, but I believe they resonate because the attitudes of the engines are like the attitudes of the children reading them. Themselves, their friends, it stays in their minds and each engine has a different personality just like we all do. I like to think that with the underlying strong moral message in each story it is so easily relatable to us all in our lives. Right and wrong, good and bad, cruelty and kindness…
It seems the stories behind these books are just as spellbinding. Is this what the 85 Years Of Letting Off Steam shows will be revealing?
Yes, the true incidences and stories that then became the themes in the books were always based on factual happenings. Father wanted to make the stories as real as possible so used experiences either he had witnessed or heard about. Much easier writing about a fact than something made up. The 85 Years Of Letting Off Steam show will be packed full of many stories, facts, never seen before footage, and pictures that all contributed to the Railway Series in some way.
We want the audience to enjoy seeing new material, hearing new audio, meeting people behind the curtain so to speak, learning some behind the scenes trinkets. It’s a real compendium of my life – from growing up with a “famous” father to my life through the decades, taking over the authorship and my travels all over the world.
Its certainly a one-off special night not to be missed. Im very honoured to have been asked. To also have the legendary Pete Waterman OBE DL as Guest Host is very exciting. Pete himself is a huge railway enthusiast, contributor and Thomas fan and we are very lucky to have him on our special one night only performance.
Were you aware of the books’ success while you were growing up? Did it make you a bit of a celebrity at school?
Only a little bit to be honest! For about one week!! Father sent a copy to my school of Thomas the Tank Engine Again when it was first published in 1949. I remember some of the other kids saying oh “Awdry’s Father writes books, he’s famous!” After that, life was just as any other school boy had. I was never treated differently and certainly had no special privileges!
How many of the hopes and dreams you had as a child for the characters later went into the stories, when you took over the series in the 80s?
I’m not sure I had any hopes and dreams for the characters to be honest. Father used to read the stories so beautifully, and I was so engrossed, that it never really left me wanting. I accepted the stories for what they were and how they were told.
He was a very good storyteller. When I took over the series in the 80’s I may have added a couple of things to some of the characters that I wanted to explore but to be honest I didn’t digress too far really from the original.
Just how far did you go in your research for the stories? Do you think you could operate your own complex transport system, if the need arose?
In regards to the research, whenever I was told an anecdote that I thought could be turned into a story, then I started to research everything about that particular fact and often visited the place it happened and made sure it was as accurate as possible. I do believe it’s so important for children to read using their own detailed imagination, allowing their own minds to wander and have an input.
I always had tremendous fun making sure the incidences were as close to real life as possible. In regards to the complex transport system, could I operate one? No chance!!
Did the books’ landscape format, which showed off the incredible illustrations, prove to be a factor in their success?
I’m not sure if I’m honest. It probably played a part for sure as a landscape book allowed smaller hands to hold them easily and allowed for the pictures to appear on the page much more accurately, making it a wonderful combination with words and pictures.
The decision however to originally produce a landscape book was not Father’s. That was the publisher. When I’ve read the stories to tens of thousands of children all over the world over the years, the children listening can’t see the pictures. They’re just absorbing the stories as they were written, and as they are being read. So, the illustrations, in that sense, play no role. But when looking through themselves, they most certainly played an important role.
I knew at least two people who became fascinated by railways after reading your books as a child, and have gone on to careers in the industry. Is this a familiar anecdote? Have many people working in the transport sector spoken to you about the books’ impact?
Yes, this is very familiar. I got told all the time during my travels about individuals that decided on a career or volunteer jobs on the railways. From drivers to people working on the ballast and keeping the railways clear and supported. A spark was ignited in them from reading the stories and made them realise they wanted to work with trains in some capacity.
There’s something very magical about a steam engine especially. To know that the legacy Father started and I continued has influenced many in some way is so wonderful and gratifying. Generation to generation so to speak.
Do certain types of people gravitate towards certain characters? I loved Percy as a kid, and can identify with some of his traits.
Father created the characters of the engines for being similar to those of children. That’s why they resonate, I think. They all have their own personalities. For example, in the early stories with the Engine called Gordon, who was described as big and bossy… That came about from a friend of mine, who lived down the street. He had exactly those characteristics, and his name was indeed Gordon. So, Gordon the character was born!
It is sometimes as simple as that! I think each child reading the stories have their favourite character depending on who they feel they can relate to more, I suppose.
How much of an impact do you think the books had on the heritage railway movement?
Obviously, people want to preserve such an important part of our industrial heritage, but I can’t help feeling the Railway stories kept the steam age alive for many youngsters.
In regards to the impact on the Heritage railways, the books were created about 10 years before the movement started. The fact children have continued to attend days out with Thomas, and so many events over the decades, has definitely helped to preserve the heritage railways and the love for steam trains.
Anything that will help keep it alive for longer is a win. The love for them gets passed down through generations, I’m sure. In the financial sense the people attending events keep that railway going and that’s the aim.
Do you think literary works like Thomas would have such an impact today? Has the world moved on… or are some themes eternals?
I believe that a story is a story no matter the time. If it engages with a child it will stay with them and have an impact. The world is certainly very different now from 80 years ago, but a good story, no matter what age you are, is still relevant.
Times change and things move on as they should. Technology, for example, is so different now but the morals and basic themes from the Railway Series are as relevant today as back then.
The books were mainly based upon kindness and helpfulness. It is who we are that shapes us, not where we are or what is going on around us, to any great degree. Our core foundation defines us no matter what the year. Father, being a clergyman, had a very strong moral outlook. He used to say the engines were like children and the Fat Controller was the big chief so to speak, keeping the system in order, rather like a strong parental figure keeping the family in check.
Christopher Awdry brings 85 Years Of Letting Off Steam to Hammersmith’s Eventim Apollo on Thu 25 June.
His book, Sodor: Reading Between The Lines, is available now, via Full Steam ahead
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