The Railway Series is a series of British books about a railway known as the North Western Railway, located on the fictional Island of Sodor. There are 42 books in the series, the first published in May 1945 by the Rev. Wilbert Awdry. Awdry wrote 26 books; the final one being written in October 1972. His son, Christopher, wrote 16 more between September 1983 and July 2011. The series features many anthropomorphic vehicles, including Thomas the Tank Engine.
