Thomas & Friends

October 9, 1984 – present

Thomas & Friends (originally known as Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends or simply Thomas the Tank Engine; later called Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!) is a British-American children's television series. In the United Kingdom, it had its first broadcast on the ITV network in Great Britain in 1984. In the United States, it had its first broadcast on Shining Time Station in 1989. It is based on The Railway Series of books by The Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry.

These books follow the adventures of a group of anthropomorphised locomotives and road vehicles who live on the fictional Island of Sodor. The books were based on stories Wilbert told to entertain his son, Christopher, during his recovery from measles. Many of the stories from the first four series are based on events from Awdry's personal experience. Thomas is a tank engine who lives on the Island of Sodor, along with his railway friends. He often pulls his own coaches Annie and Clarabel. Sees the Narrow Gauge Engines. or sometimes deals with Troublesome Trucks, He has his Own Branch Line which is owned by The Fat Controller (also known as Sir Topham Hatt). His arch-nemesis is Devious Diesel. Thomas is apt to get into trouble by trying too hard to be, in his words, a "really useful engine," attempting to do things that are best left to bigger engines. Other members of Sir Topham Hatt's Railway include junior engine Percy, Thomas' best friend, who is always willing to help, and big engine Gordon -- the fastest and most powerful member of the team -- who uses his superior strength to help the smaller engines get out of trouble.