Do you know the link between a little blue train named Thomas and Norfolk?
The adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine originated in The Railway Series books by Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher. ‘Thomas & Friends’ made their first appearance in May 1945. The first book, The Three Railway Engines, was published in 1945 by Edmund Ward in Leicester. Awdry wrote 26 books in The Railway Series, the last in 1972. Christopher subsequently added further books to the series.
Rev. W. Awdry was an English Anglican minister, railway enthusiast, and children’s author. Between 1953 and 1965, he was vicar of Emneth in West Norfolk.
Emneth’s parish church is dedicated to Saint Edmund and dates from the 15th Century. Grade I listed since 1951, you can easily find it within the village on Church Road. One novel feature, pictured here, is that one of the stained-glass roundels in the church that depicts Thomas the Tank Engine, in commemoration of its creator, Rev. W. V. Awdry.
A large and interesting parish church (it has amazing wood roof carvings among other details), it’s not really in full time use these days and is locked outside specific hours. Happily for us, the church warden or keyholder popped over so we could go inside and enjoy this unique testament to a little blue train and his creator.
