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Thomas is a fictional anthropomorphic tank locomotive created by the Rev. W. V. Awdry in his Railway Series books, made into the British children's television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends and its American spinoff Shining Time Station.
In his first appearance in the television series he was described as follows:
- "Thomas is a blue tank engine who lives at a big station on the Island of Sodor. He's a cheeky little engine with 6 small wheels, a short stumpy funnel, a short stumpy boiler and a short stumpy dome" -narrator Ringo Starr from the episode "Thomas & Gordon" (aka "Thomas Gets Tricked", as it was titled for the US release). He has also been described as "a little engine with a long tongue".
Thomas the Tank Engine first appeared in 1946, when stories about him were published in The Railway Series by the Reverend W.V. Awdry. He is considered to be the most widely-known fictional locomotive in the world.
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Class 101, no. 101692 (formed of vehicles 53170 + 53253) at Arley on the Severn Valley Railway on 15th October 2004, whilst taking part in the Railcar 50 event. This unit was specially repainted in Caledonian Blue livery in 1996 by ScotRail for the launch of a new Motherwell to Cumbernauld service. In 2000, it transferred to Manchester, where it became one of the final six in service with First North Western. It was withdrawn in October 2003, and is now preserved at the Midland Railway Butterley.
