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Thomas & Friends poster
6.8 / 10(161 votes)IMDbTV-YFirst Aired: 198424 Seasons

Thomas & Friends

“Making Tracks to Great Destinations”

Series Overview

Thomas & Friends is a British children's television series, which had its first broadcast on the ITV network on 4 September 1984. It is based on The Railway Series of books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry. These books deal with 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. From Series one to four, many of the stories are based on events from Awdry's personal experience.

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Broadcast Schedule & Network Information

Airing status, episode counts, upcoming schedule, and network syndication.

Returning SeriesIn ProductionScripted
Original Network
ITV1
5
CITV
Cartoon Network
Cartoonito
Nick Jr.
Episodes & Seasons

24 Seasons • 584 Episodes

5–11 min per episode

Air Date Window

1984 – Present

Premiered: Tue, Oct 9, 1984

Created By
Britt AllcroftBritt Allcroft
Rev. W. AwdryRev. W. Awdry
Christopher Awdry

Latest Aired Episode

Aired: Wed, Jan 20, 2021

Season 24, Episode 23: “Thomas' Animal Friends”

Thomas is asked to help at the animal park for the day and realises there is more to the job than he first thought.

Seasons & Episodes Breakdown

Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes

Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.

Promo

Type: Trailer • Published 2024-09-13

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Britt Allcroft, Rev. W. Awdry, Christopher Awdry

Screenplay & Story

Rev. W. Awdry

Producers

Tracy Blagdon, Ian McCue

Literary Origin & Source Material
Characters:Rev. W. Awdry

Department Leadership Roster

Tracy Blagdon

Producer

Ian McCue

Producer

Age Classification & Content Advisories

Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.

Primary: TV-Y

TV-Y: All Children — Appropriate for all children.

International Certification Matrix

Australia (ACB)G

General — Suitable for all audiences.

United States (MPAA)TV-Y

All Children — Appropriate for all children.

CanadaC
India (CBFC)U

Universal Public Exhibition — Unrestricted family viewing.

Germany (FSK)6

FSK 6 — Restricted to viewers aged 6 and older.

Official cinematic photography and background stills for Thomas & Friends.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Thomas & Friends

Key facts, seasons breakdown, and credits for search engines and AI assistants.

What is Thomas & Friends about?

Thomas & Friends is a British children's television series, which had its first broadcast on the ITV network on 4 September 1984. It is based on The Railway Series of books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry. These books deal with 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. From Series one to four, many of the stories are based on events from Awdry's personal experience.

How many seasons does Thomas & Friends have?

Thomas & Friends comprises 24 seasons available to explore.

Who stars in Thomas & Friends?

Key cast members in Thomas & Friends include Keith Wickham, Teresa Gallagher, John Hasler, Nigel Pilkington, Yvonne Grundy.

Who created or directed Thomas & Friends?

Thomas & Friends was developed and directed by Britt Allcroft, Rev. W. Awdry, Christopher Awdry.