Rare Rev W Awdry Handwritten Notes Lead Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Auction

A collection of notes, documents, and ephemera used for the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends television series is under the hammer at Julien's Auctions online Thomas and Friends: The Britt Allcroft Collection.

Producer and screenwriter Britt Allcroft (1943 – 2024) brought the world of the Rev W. Awdry's books to the television screen. The sale features a collection of props central to its production as well as related literary artefacts. Of particular interest is a collection of typewritten notes with annotations written by Awdry for Allcroft in anticipation of the production of the 1984 televison series in which Awdry details some of the characters on the fictional Island of Sodor, as well as the history and geography of the island. 

"Ever since we published our large and improved map of Sodor in 1971," he writes, "I have had letters asking how it came to be discovered. Questions are asked too about the various railways, and the names of the places they serve, Many people also want to know about the Fat, Thin, and Small Controllers, together with other characters who come into their stories, and with them the people who have given their names to places on the map." In a typewritten note to Allcroft with blue ink annotations, Awdry adds" "Most of these documents are unique. So please let me have them back when finished with./ W. Awdry."

Other highlights include:

• the Production Style Guide Book, a comprehensive manual detailing everything from color codes to logo usage used for merchandising
• a collection of production-made concept artwork copies for maps and locations on the Island of Sodor, paired with a concept mock-up title card of the original logo for the television series
• 26 series five script copies belonging to Britt Allcroft

In addition, there are also items related to the television series Magic Adventures of Mumfie also produced by Allcroft, including a dozen of the original children's book by Katharine Tozer on which they were based, including a first edition of Mumfie's Magic Box (London, John Murrary Publishers Ltd., 1938), a first edition of Mumfie Marches On (London, John Murrary Publishers Ltd., 1942), and a first edition of Mumfie's Uncle Samuel (London, John Murrary Publishers Ltd., 1939).

Bidding ends September 9.