Rev. W. Awdry and Christopher Awdry

Thomas the Tank Engine is almost 60 years old! He originated in England in 1945 when The Reverend W. Awdry wrote the first book in the Railway Series. Since then a generation of children have grown to love the cheeky engine and friends on the Island of Sodor.

The Reverend Wilbert Awdry, who passed away in 1997, was a retired Anglican clergyman. His father, Vere was also a clergyman and had the same passionate interest in railways. As a little boy in his father's vicarage in Box, Wiltshire, Wilbert would be in bed at night and listen to the trains of the Great Western Railway running along the main line from Paddington to Bristol within 200 yards of the house. He would imagine all the engines talking to one another and invented characters for them all.

He first made up stories about Thomas and his friends in 1943 to keep his son Christopher amused when he was ill with the measles. Mr. Edmund Ward, a businessman who wanted some diversion for his retirement eventually published the books, but they were so successful that Mr. Ward had to come out of retirement to cope with the demand.

When, after 26 books, The Rev. W. Awdry decided he could write no more, his son Christopher for whom the stories were first created, took up the series. Christopher began writing the books when his own son Richard was three - the same age as Christopher himself when his father started the Railway Series. It is through Christopher's efforts that there are now an additional 40 stories in an increasingly popular series.

Thomas the Tank Engine is one of the top children's favorite characters of all time. The timeless charm of the Awdrys' works have sold 25million units in the US and world wide book sales are approaching 80 million units.

Britt Allcroft

Britt Allcroft is a pioneering entrepreneur of extraordinary talents and great achievement. She moves with ease amongst movie stars, power brokers and grass roots family gatherings alike. The Founder of The Britt Allcroft Company PLC, Allcroft is an award-winning producer, director and the creator of the beloved, world-wide phenomenon, "Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends." A New York Times Best Selling author, with the book of her recent film, "Thomas and the Magic Railroad," starring Alec Baldwin, Peter Fonda and of course Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends, Allcroft is a Fellow of the UK's Institute of Directors.

Allcroft recently stepped down from the Board of the PLC and "privatized" herself in order to devote more time to create new properties and to explore new areas of entertainment for the world wide new millennium market place to best serve its needs.

At her core, Allcroft is a storyteller, but she is also an astute businesswoman -- the cofounder of a multimillion dollar, international, publicly traded corporation. A smart lady, Allcroft was not formally schooled in business. She's one who very much goes on gut instinct. Says Allcroft "I work the room with something I believe in. In a language that's always been about the human spirit rather than 'city speak' or 'corporate speak'. " Coming up she's fought back against all prejudice and is a natural street trader who loves the art of the deal.

She creates art. This teller of stories finds the most interest in substance that touches the human spirit. Her themes of imagination, courage, sense of self and belonging are philosophies she holds to her own heart.

She is perhaps an unlikely heroine, this woman who has changed the world of children's television. In a time when most little girls did not grow up to be captains of industry, she was seldom encouraged to compete and grew more insecure. At that time in her life when all girls feel awkward, she turned inward.

From somewhere deep inside her, a spirit emerged that could not be brushed aside by anything as likely as common sense. After all, it wasn't too likely that at 14, anyone would take her writing seriously. The teenager from Worthing sent correspondence to the Editor of English Vogue who found her writing so compelling, she called her in to discuss a rewrite. More letters along the lines of "you really should hire me" went out to radio, then television. By age 17, she had her own radio show; then she began to work in television and events. She rose quickly through the ranks at television, theater and film across a diversity of entertainment.

Now with two small children of her own, in true entrepreneurial spirit, Allcroft scraped together the money to begin to bring "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends" to life. Never easy, often daunting, she repeatedly had to call on her inner drive to push forward. But her natural ability to tell the stories of Thomas, captured the imagination and devotion of children-- first in England and then children the world over. All the while, her empire continued to grow, fueled by her creativity. Her classic "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends", can now be seen in over 120 countries and inspired a multimillion dollar ancillary entertainment empire. She personally led the way in establishing the Thomas franchise in all the major market places starting with Japan, Australasia and the United States.

In the Britain of the early '80s, Britt persuaded ex-Beatle Ringo Starr to be Thomas' first storyteller. In the late '80s, she co-created "Shining Time Station" in the US, collecting multiple awards, including an Emmy, Parents Choice Award, Action for Children's Television and a Gemini Award. Her critically acclaimed "Mumfie" screen adventures are launching on video in the US in 2001 in a deal with Paramount.

Britt's own adventures continue. While going public with The Britt Allcroft Company to remarkable success, she also was developing ways to tell more onscreen stories. There's Dance Hall, a romantic drama, Women's Lives, a reality series; Cubley and the City Kid, for preschoolers and much more.

Allcroft remains a major shareholder of the PLC, now renamed Gullane Entertainment. Gullane will continue to benefit exclusively from Allcroft's portfolio of children's properties.

Britt stands by a quote from one of her favourite authors, the 19th Century writer Goethe. "Whatever you want to do - begin it. Action has magic, grace and power in it." This has proven to be true time and again for Britt Allcroft.