Toby the Tram Engine

Railway Series #7

by W. Awdry, C. Reginald Dalby (Illustrator)

Four classic stories about Toby the Tram Engine—the small wooden steam tram who runs a branch line and is a great friend of Thomas. Toby is the third most popular engine after Thomas and Percy!

Toby is rescued from his East Anglian railway by the Fat Controller, and has a run-in with James.

Genres: Childrens, Fiction, Picture Books, Adventure, Fantasy

72 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, better known as the Rev. W. Awdry, was an English clergyman, railway enthusiast and children's author, and creator of Thomas the Tank Engine, who starred in Awdry's acclaimed Railway Series.

The characters that would make Awdry famous, and the first stories featuring them, were invented in 1943 to amuse his son Christopher during a bout of measles. The first book (The Three Railway Engines) was published in 1945, and by the time Awdry stopped writing in 1972, The Railway Series numbered 26 books. Christopher subsequently added further books to the series.

Reviews

[booklady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four more delightful tales about these favorite engines and cars. In this selection, we are introduced to Toby and Henrietta, who are given a new life by Sir Topham, who rescues them from retirement, which for an engine means lack of usefulness, i.e., death. Engines want to be useful.

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much learning happened while reading this book for both the adults and children :) The Moongazer asked what a ‘tram’ is and while we kinda had an idea, it was hard to explain. So we brought out a dictionary (because we were load shedding and had no electricity or internet). Lo! It was the kids first experience with a dictionary! So we showed them how to look up the word ‘tram’, then we looked up other words and it was a little adventure before bedtime. The story of Toby the Tram Engine was a little sad because it’s set in the time in history when trams (especially steam trams) were becoming a little redundant with the increased access to cars and buses. I guess in some ways a bit of an analogy could be drawn between the story of a steam tram engine that’s being replaced by cars and buses to that of the good ol’ dictionary being replaced by internet search engines.

Anyways, ever since this read aloud, the dictionary stays in my car. On the drive to school, the Moongazer will pick it up and ask me to tell him to find a word. It’s still tricky for him but he is well in his way to becoming a regular dictionary sleuth. I will always remember Toby the Tram Engine as the book that introduced my kids to dictionaries.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE book I've read as an adult. Quite charming in its simplistic, younger reader way. There are actually three or four very short stories collected here, but the titular character is introduced in the first and appears in the others. Slightly twee but the strong illustrations make up for that and Awdry packs a surprising amount of character into inanimate objects. You can see why his books were so popular...

[Jordan Maitlen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best one in the series so far. Awdry did a great job of making the reader feel bad for Toby in the first story, so his redemption and inclusion to Sodor feels very earned and satisfying. He fits right in with everyone else!

A truly great tale from the great Rev. W. Awdry!

[Meowcats TV · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's solid. That's about all I have to say about it.

[Michael Brookes · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite of the locos and I've just been fortunate to read it on a first edition signed by the good Reverend.