Britt Allcroft, best known as the creator of long-running, internationally adored children’s TV series Thomas & Friends, has passed away at the age of 81.
The English writer, producer, and director’s death was announced on Jan. 3 by filmmaker and avowed Thomas fan Brandon Carty, who previously worked with Allcroft on his 2023 documentary, An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine.
“It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Britt Allcroft,” Carty posted on X. “The Allcroft-Wright family has asked me to bring this news to the Thomas fandom. The family is currently in mourning and asks that their privacy be respected at this time. Britt was an adoring mother and wife. A visionary producer. She brought so much joy and happiness to people everywhere during her time on Earth.”
Allcroft created Thomas & Friends (or Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, as was its original title) in 1984, as based on the best-selling children’s novels The Railway Series, first published in 1945. Allcroft fought tirelessly for four years to secure to the rights to the books from author the Reverend Wilbert Awdry (who himself died in 1997). He was extremely protective of his work, but Allcroft finally managed to convince him that she could transform his books into a popular TV series. She knew what she was talking about — Thomas has barely been off-screen over the past 40 years, airing 584 episodes across 24 seasons.
“I think I can speak for the entirety of the fandom when I say that all of us will deeply miss her,” Carty’s statement continued. “Without her, so many of us would never have met. While I am devastated by her passing, we can all find comfort in the certainty that her legacy will endure forever through Thomas and his fans around the world. Rest in peace.”
Allcroft got her start in TV production at the age of 21, but it wasn’t until she made a documentary about British steam trains in 1979 that her career really left the station. During the process, Allcroft discovered The Railyway Series books for the first time and instantly knew that they were something special. “It really didn’t take me long to become intrigued by the characters, the relationships between them and the nostalgia they invoked,” she later recalled.
Co-founding The Britt Allcroft Company with her former husband Angus Wright in order to produce the series, Allcroft remained the key creative on the franchise until 2000. She wrote and directed the character’s first feature film, that year’s Thomas and the Magic Railroad, and even voiced the role of Lady. Unfortunately, the movie was a commercial flop, leading Allcroft to resign from her position as her company’s deputy chairwoman.
Still, despite some bumps along the track, Allcroft’s impact on the children’s entertainment industry across the globe can’t be overstated. Thanks to her, Thomas remains one of the most recognizable pop culture figures for pre-schoolers in the world. Her cause of death is currently unclear. She is survived by her two children and our thoughts are with them at this time.
Published: Jan 3, 2025 12:44 pm