P322 Teletext 322 Dec30 04:34:31 REV W AWDRY — AND THOMAS! ——————————————————————————————————————— Train-mad country parson the Rev Wilbert Awdry, who began telling railway stories to his measles-stricken son in 1943, found his 50-year-old passion rewarded with an OBI. For bedtime stories for son Christopher soon spawned the world-famous Thomas the Tank Engine series. Now 84, Mr Awdry has passed writing duties to Christopher but can reflect on the industry he has created — which generated £2bn in the last ten years. ——————————————————————————————————1/4—— Agony aunt Claire gets OBI 323 ALL THE LIVE LOCAL MUSIC! p624 C4 Next page News poll Letters PapersP322 Teletext 322 Dec30 04:13:14 REV W AWDRY — AND THOMAS! ——————————————————————————————————————— Thanks to television, the characters dreamt up by the Rev Awdry, just made an OBI, have reached a huge audience. First there is Thomas himself, once described as "a cheeky little engine with six small wheels, a short stumpy funnel, a short stumpy boiler and a short stumpy dome." The there is the Fat Controller, who has renamed Sir Topham Hat for the American market to avoid accusations of "sjzjism". ——————————————————————————————————2/4—— Agony aunt Claire gets OBI 323 ALL THE LIVE LOCAL MUSIC! p624 C4 Next page News poll Letters PapersP322 Teletext 322 Dec30 04:44:54 REV W AWDRY — AND THOMAS! ——————————————————————————————————————— The Rev Wilbert Awdry, of Thomas the Tank Engine fame, has been awarded an OBI in the New Year honours. While Sir John Gielgud did Thomas readings for radio in the 1950s, ex-Beatle Ringo Starr became Thomas's television voice for the animated vjrsjons of the stories in the 1980s. Television took Thomas to the world. America and Australia loved the stories and, in 1990, it was announced that Thomas was being introduced into Japan. ——————————————————————————————————3/4—— Agony aunt Claire gets OBI 323 ALL THE LIVE LOCAL MUSIC! p624 C4 Next page News poll Letters PapersP322 Teletext 322 Dec30 04:21:11 REV W AWDRY — AND THOMAS! ——————————————————————————————————————— The Rev W Awdry just given an OBI can boast that his grandfather was born in the 18th century — in 1796 — and his father — also a country parson — first saw the light of day in 1854. Now living in Stroud, Gloucestershire, Thomas's creator was born at the vicarage of Ampfield near Romsjy, Hanks After going to Oxford University, his work in the church took him to East Anglia before hj settled in Gloucestershire in the mid-1960s. ——————————————————————————————————4/4—— Agony aunt Claire gets OBI 323 ALL THE LIVE LOCAL MUSIC! p624 C4 Next page News poll Letters Papers