The Island of Sodor

“Where Thomas the Tank Engine & his friends have their Adventures.”

“When the Rev. W. Awdrey began writing the stories in the Railway Series, he created an imaginary island called Sodor on which he planned the Fat Controller’s Railway System. He placed this island between the Isle of Man and the North West Coast of England, with connections to the mainland. All the children who love the stories in this series can now see on this brightly colored map the places where Thomas and his friends live and work.” – Front cover.

This vibrant topographic map of the island of Sodor was issued in 1958 as a commercial accompaniment to the Railway Series, of which Thomas the Tank was its most famous character. Over forty different locations referenced in the series of books and films are numbered and identified in the legend. Roads, railways, and built-up areas are also noted.

Pictorial vignettes in the border show Thomas and his friends, including the ‘Fat Controller’ (he was the Fat Director before the railway was nationalized). The map was published in London by Edmund Ward Limited. Printed by Straker Brothers Limited.

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