List of books in The Railway Series


The Railway Series is a British series of children's books written by both Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry.

The Wilbert Awdry Era: 1945–1972

The first 26 books in the series were written by Wilbert Awdry.

''The Three Railway Engines''

  • Book no. 1
  • Published 12 May 1945
  • Illustrated by William Middleton, later by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Edward's Day Out
  • Edward and Gordon
  • The Sad Story of Henry
  • Edward, Gordon and Henry
This is the first book in the series, and introduces Edward, Henry, Gordon and the Fat Director.

''Thomas the Tank Engine''

  • Book no. 2
  • Published 14 September 1946
  • Illustrated by Reginald Payne, later modified by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Thomas and Gordon
  • Thomas's Train
  • Thomas and the Trucks
  • Thomas and the Breakdown Train
Thomas is a tank engine who works at the big station, fetching coaches for the big engines and longs for greater things beyond the station yard. Unfortunately, his efforts go wrong. However, after showing that he can be a useful engine following James' accident with some trucks, he is rewarded with his own branch line and two faithful coaches named Annie and Clarabel.

''James the Red Engine''

  • Book no. 3
  • Published 14 September 1948
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • James and the Top Hat
  • James and the Bootlace
  • Troublesome Trucks
  • James and the Express
James returns from the works in a red livery given to him to make him feel better after his accident. Unfortunately, he is rather careless with the coaches and gets into a lot of trouble with The Fat Controller after tearing a hole in one of their brake pipes. He is left in the shed because of it, but after making some troublesome trucks behave, he regains the trust of The Fat Controller and by pulling the Express when Gordon couldn't, he proves that he can be really useful.

''Tank Engine Thomas Again''

  • Book no. 4
  • Published 31 December 1949
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Thomas and the Guard
  • Thomas Goes Fishing
  • Thomas, Terence and the Snow
  • Thomas and Bertie
This book concerns the further adventures of Thomas on his branch line, with the bigger engines relegated to cameo appearances. Thomas leaves his guard behind by mistake, accidentally goes fishing because of a broken water column and some water from a bucket, gets stuck in the snow and is freed by Terence and has a race with Bertie.

''Troublesome Engines''

  • Book no. 5
  • Published January 1950
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Henry and the Elephant
  • Tenders and Turntables
  • Trouble in the Shed
  • Percy Runs Away
The big engines are missing Thomas. Since he left to run his branch line, they feel overworked, and some embarrassing incidents for all three of them lead them to go on strike. The Fat Controller addresses the problem by bringing in a new tank engine to do the shunting.

''Henry the Green Engine''

  • Book no. 6
  • Published June 1951
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Coal
  • The Flying Kipper
  • Gordon's Whistle
  • Percy and the Trousers
  • Henry's Sneeze
Henry has been having a lot of problems. He cannot steam properly, and so is often ill. The Fat Controller tries to solve the problem with expensive Welsh coal. When Henry has an accident, the Fat Controller decides to solve the problems once and for all by sending Henry to Crewe Works. Henry returns with a new shape and a much better outlook on life and enjoys a number of adventures with the other engines.

''Toby the Tram Engine''

  • Book no. 7
  • Published April 1952
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Toby and the Stout Gentleman
  • Thomas in Trouble
  • Dirty Objects
  • Mrs. Kyndley's Christmas
Thomas is having trouble with the police by traveling to Ffarquhar Quarry without cowcatchers and side-plates to cover his wheels. The Fat Controller realizes that there is a solution. While on holiday with his wife and two grandchildren, he met Toby, a tram engine, who together with his coach Henrietta, has been having problems of his own with his railway in East Anglia closing down.

''Gordon the Big Engine''

  • Book no. 8
  • Published December 1953
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Off the Rails
  • Leaves
  • Down the Mine
  • Paint Pots and Queens
Gordon has an accident by means of being lazy and careless, and so is taken off passenger duties. He helps the other engines out when they get into trouble and is eventually judged to be sensible enough to pull the Royal Train.

''Edward the Blue Engine''

  • Book no. 9
  • Published February 1954
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Cows
  • Bertie's Chase
  • Saved from Scrap
  • Old Iron
Edward is the oldest and wisest engine on Sodor. He is also kind and sensible. In the book, Edward is long overdue for an overhaul. However, he shows that he is far from useless and can teach the bigger engines a thing or two.

''Four Little Engines''

  • Book no. 10
  • Published October 1955
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Skarloey Remembers
  • Sir Handel
  • Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady
  • Old Faithful
Rheneas is away being overhauled, and the Skarloey Railway has recently acquired two new engines: Sir Handel and Peter Sam. Peter Sam is naïve but well-meaning, but Sir Handel is rude and arrogant. Skarloey shows Sir Handel how to do things when he rescues the pompous engine's train.

''Percy the Small Engine''

  • Book no. 11
  • Published September 1956
  • Illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby

    Stories

  • Percy and the Signal
  • Duck Takes Charge
  • Percy and Harold
  • Percy's Promise
Percy loves playing jokes, which sometimes gets him into trouble with the bigger engines, so the Fat Controller obtains a new engine, nicknamed "Duck", to do shunting work and sends Percy to work with Thomas and Toby on their branch line. He meets Harold the Helicopter and saves the day during a flood.
  • The first appearances of Duck and Harold.
  • A piece of fictional music occurs in the third story, in the form of a song sung by Percy's fireman. The tune was composed by Awdry and is featured at the end of the book.
  • This was the last volume to be illustrated by C. Reginald Dalby. Awdry did not like the way Dalby portrayed Percy, saying that he made the engine look like "a green caterpillar with red stripes". Outraged, Dalby resigned from the Railway Series after this book. Brian Sibley notes that, despite the friction between author and illustrator, Dalby's work in this volume can be ranked among his best.

    ''The Eight Famous Engines''

  • Book no. 12
  • Published November 1957
  • Illustrated by John T. Kenney

    Stories

  • Percy Takes the Plunge
  • Gordon Goes Foreign
  • Double Header
  • The Fat Controller's Engines
The Fat Controller's eight engines have become famous through their appearances in books and on the radio. While the engines enjoy a number of adventures and misadventures, the Fat Controller arranges for them to go to London.

''Duck and the Diesel Engine''

Duck has settled in well on Sodor, so much so that the other engines are getting a little tired of his know-it-all attitude and new-found pride on the Great Western Railway following a visit from the City of Truro. They are pleased when a smooth-talking diesel – simply known as Diesel – visits to help out. When Duck shows him up, Diesel vows revenge, and starts spreading malicious lies about Duck. Luckily, the Fat Controller has a plan to clear Duck's name.

''The Little Old Engine''

This book continues the adventures of the Skarloey Railway. Skarloey returns from being overhauled to discover that there are two new engines on the railway. Rusty is a diesel engine who is friendly and helpful, but Duncan is a steam engine who is stubborn, careless, and rude. Sir Handel is still his old self. A television crew comes to film a documentary on the railway, and Skarloey starts telling them about the Talyllyn Railway.

''The Twin Engines''

  • Book no. 15
  • Published September 1960
  • Illustrated by John T. Kenney

    Stories

  • "Hullo Twins!"
  • The Missing Coach
  • Break Van
  • The Deputation
The Fat Controller orders one engine from Scotland to help out with the goods work but is surprised when two engines arrive instead. To confuse matters further, the engines claim not to know their British Railways numbers 57646 and 57647, or which of them should have been sent. The engines are Donald and Douglas and are twins. As whichever one of them is sent back to Scotland will be scrapped, they are determined to stay. Despite some misadventures, the other engines convince the Fat Controller to keep both of them.

''Branch Line Engines''

  • Book no. 16
  • Published November 1961
  • Illustrated by John T. Kenney

    Stories

  • Thomas Comes to Breakfast
  • Daisy
  • Bulls Eyes
  • Percy's Predicament
Thomas has an accident by trashing the Stationmaster's breakfast and has to be sent to the Works. The Fat Controller orders a diesel railcar named Daisy to help out in his absence. Daisy is rather vain, neurotic, and convinced she knows it all, and decides that she is only going to do the work she wants. After a stern talking to and an accident by Percy, she is allowed to stay, with the encouragement of Toby. At the end of the book, Thomas comes back repaired.