Illustrated in full color. When Thomas the Tank Engine decides to bypass his usual stops and speed directly to the end of the line, havoc ensues. Passengers bounce up and down in their seats and in their beds, no one can get on or off the train, and everything in the baggage car gets mixed up!

What does it take to bring the entire Island of Sodor Railway System to a halt? Just a crack in the track. Well, a crack in the track and some hail on rail . . . and a toad in the road, and a fuss on the bus. In fact, one thing leads to another until just about everything that can go wrong does go wrong. Luckily, there’s a breakdown train with a couple of cranes that can fix a big mess (and they don’t mind the rain). From the Hardcover edition.

Illustrated in full color. When Thomas the Tank Engine decides to bypass his usual stops and speed directly to the end of the line, havoc ensues. Thomas is in such a hurry that the passengers can't get on or off, and everything gets bounced up and down in a wonderful jumble!

Since the first Thomas stories written by a father for his son over 60 years ago, Thomas the Tank Engine continues to delight children everywhere. This collection contains 14 of the best-loved titles of the Reverend W Awdry’s classic Railway Series and includes the most famous adventures of Thomas and his Really Useful Engine friends. These exciting and funny tales, over 55 of them, are enhanced by the original artwork in this stunning new gift edition.

Full-color photos . James makes fun of his friends because they need paint jobs, but when an accident ruins his appearance, James finds himself in a real jam! Also included are "Bertie's Chase," "Percy and the Signal," and "Percy Proves a Point."

The stories of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends have delighted generations of children and adults, but what do we know of the man who created them? A devoted pastor and family man, the Reverend W Awdry first started telling the stories in order to amuse his own children, with no idea that the characters would lead to a global phenomenon that now, seventy years after their first appearance, shows no signs of waning. In this fascinating and warm biography, prolific author Brian Sibley brings to life one of the most eminent children's writers of the twentieth century, tracing his story from his Edwardian childhood through his time at University and into World War 2. A convinced pacifist, Awdry was thrown out of one curacy and denied another, because of his beliefs. Never afraid to fight for what he thought was right, he argued with his publishers and his illustrators, demanding the best for his favourite creations - the trains and their friends.