Why Thomas The Tank Engine Toys Will Never Grow Old
Since 1979, Thomas the Tank Engine has been one of the best British children's characters with a wide range of toys, books and games to accompany the television series.
And over 30 years later, Thomas and Friends show no sign of getting old.
So how did it all begin? Well in 1946 the second book in The Railway Series by Reverend Wilbert Awdry was published, titled Thomas the Tank Engine.
He became the most popular character in the series and in 1979, a British writer/producer named Britt Allcroft came across the books and arranged a deal to bring the stories to life as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.
The children's television programme became an award winning hit around the world, in turn, creating a wide range of Thomas toys with a particular focus on train sets for toddlers.
Renowned for their traditional wooden toys, Brio were 'all aboard' in bringing Thomas to life in our living rooms and have stuck with the same chunky track and locomotive designs since the early 80s.
In fact, I fondly remember having a Brio train set as a child, complete with Thomas the Tank Engine toy trains.
The whole thing was seriously built to last, being chunky, wooden and able to take the full brunt of a toddler cramming the trains' wheels into the gaps in the tracks and then cramming the track sections together like a big puzzle before pushing the trains along...
and probably a lot harder than was intended.
Unsurprisingly the range has grown since the 80s and now the Thomas the Tank Engine television series has been shortened to simply Thomas & Friends, but now includes a whole host of friends.
I remember when it was just Thomas, James (the red engine), Percy (the green engine) and Gordon (the big blue engine) and the Fat Controller.
Now you can get the engine shed that they all live in and even batter powered trains for the Brio sets.
Although it's oddly comforting to see that the trucks and carriages haven't really changed since the 80s.
Although the details and the faces seem to have improved.
So why are children fascinated by steam trains? Nobody really knows! Maybe it's the steam billowing out, the loud whistle, the chugging of the engine as the wheels go round.
But one thing's for certain and it's that modern trains just aren't as interesting...
unless they're a big dirty diesel engine that makes loads of noise while pulling lots of trucks.
Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem like kids will ever stop loving steam trains.
And over 30 years later, Thomas and Friends show no sign of getting old.
So how did it all begin? Well in 1946 the second book in The Railway Series by Reverend Wilbert Awdry was published, titled Thomas the Tank Engine.
He became the most popular character in the series and in 1979, a British writer/producer named Britt Allcroft came across the books and arranged a deal to bring the stories to life as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.
The children's television programme became an award winning hit around the world, in turn, creating a wide range of Thomas toys with a particular focus on train sets for toddlers.
Renowned for their traditional wooden toys, Brio were 'all aboard' in bringing Thomas to life in our living rooms and have stuck with the same chunky track and locomotive designs since the early 80s.
In fact, I fondly remember having a Brio train set as a child, complete with Thomas the Tank Engine toy trains.
The whole thing was seriously built to last, being chunky, wooden and able to take the full brunt of a toddler cramming the trains' wheels into the gaps in the tracks and then cramming the track sections together like a big puzzle before pushing the trains along...
and probably a lot harder than was intended.
Unsurprisingly the range has grown since the 80s and now the Thomas the Tank Engine television series has been shortened to simply Thomas & Friends, but now includes a whole host of friends.
I remember when it was just Thomas, James (the red engine), Percy (the green engine) and Gordon (the big blue engine) and the Fat Controller.
Now you can get the engine shed that they all live in and even batter powered trains for the Brio sets.
Although it's oddly comforting to see that the trucks and carriages haven't really changed since the 80s.
Although the details and the faces seem to have improved.
So why are children fascinated by steam trains? Nobody really knows! Maybe it's the steam billowing out, the loud whistle, the chugging of the engine as the wheels go round.
But one thing's for certain and it's that modern trains just aren't as interesting...
unless they're a big dirty diesel engine that makes loads of noise while pulling lots of trucks.
Whatever the reason, it doesn't seem like kids will ever stop loving steam trains.
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