History Literature / TheRailwaySeries

* NeverTrustATrope: Gordon tells the others in "Domeless Engines" to "never trust domeless engines; they're not respectable." Guess what happens to Gordon.

* HaveAGayOldTime: In "Thomas and the Breakdown Train", the Breakdown Train contains "two queer things his Driver called cranes."

''The Railway Series'', which began in the [[TheForties 1940s]], is a series of books written by the Rev W Awdry. The books formed the basis for the ''ThomasTheTankEngine'' TV series. The Rev Awdry wrote 26 books, pretty much one a year. Later, additions were written by the Reverend's son, Christopher.

* KickTheSonOfBitch: The troublesome trucks often play tricks on an engine who were being mean or arrogant to others (i.e., James in "Dirty Objects" and Diesel in "Pop Goes The Diesel".

The Railway Series which began in the [[TheForties 1940s]] was a series of books written by the Rev W Awdry. The books formed the basis for the ''ThomasTheTankEngine'' TV series. The Rev Awdry wrote 26 books, pretty much one a year. Later, additions were written by the Reverend's son, Christopher.

* SmallNameBigEgo: Thomas. He eventually tamed down a little under Christopher Awdry's pen.

* SmallNameBigEgo: Thomas.

* SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute: Clive Spong's illustrations look like those of his predecessors... and even some of his own!

* ArtEvolution: Mostly due to differing illustrators.

* TakeThat: In one story, Thomas refers to Percy as a "green caterpillar with red stripes". This was the exact wording that the Reverend used when he reacted poorly to earlier illustrations of Percy.

* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Many examples, most famously almost right away in "Thomas and Gordon:"

* CoolTrain

* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Almost right away in "Thomas and Gordon:"

* TwinSwitch: Bill and Ben in ''The Diseasel'', Donald and Douglas in ''The Missing Coach''.
* ViolentGlaswegian: Donald and Douglas provide an child-friendly version of this one.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Book 13 ''Duck and the Diesel Engine'' began to introduce the concept of Diesels and their takeover of steam, symbolizing that all was not well on Sodor. Further books such as ''The Twin Engines'' and ''Stepney the Bluebell Engine'' continued this story by introducing scrapping. ''Enterprising Engines'' considered the darkest of all the stories, brought to light the end of Steam elsewhere but on Sodor. Following books, however, got back to the happy adventures.

* AchillesInHisTent: ''The Sad Story of Henry''. Gordon James and Henry try to invoke it in ''Troublesome Engines'' but it backfires on them.

* ADayInTheLimelight: All of the main engines got a book to themselves at some point.

* DefectorFromDecadence: The nice diesels are often this, but the most notable example is Bear (née D7101) in ''Enterprising Engines''.

* FranchiseZombie: The Reverend wanted to end the series with Book 12 ''The Eight Famous Engines'' but the publishers wanted the series to continue. He stopped officially after Book 26 for fear of this.
* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Gordon, also Duncan after his CharacterDevelopment. Christopher Awdry wrote one stand-alone story where he brings Diesel back as one of these.
* LazyArtist: C. Reginald Dalby. He could have easily gone down to the station near his house to see real engines to base his illustrations on, he could have looked at photographs, but he didn't. He couldn't be bothered to be keep engines' proportions consistent (Resulting in Percy eventually looking like, as Awdry put it, "A green caterpillar with red stripes") or even keep track of how many wheels he drew Henry with. This was the reason for Henry's rebuild - Awdry had to have him rebuilt as a specific real class of locomotive so that he could send Dalby reference photos.

* MaliciousSlander: Diesel uses this to try and get rid of Duck. Gordon, Henry, and James are fooled, but not the Fat Controller, and Diesel ends up exposed and sent packing when he tries to slander Henry.

* ViolentGlaswegian: Donald and Douglas provide an E-rated version of this one.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Book 13 ''Duck and the Diesel Engine'' began to introduce the concept of Diesels and their takeover of steam, symbolizing that all was not well on Sodor. Further books such as ''The Twin Engines'' and ''Stepney the Bluebell Engine'' continued this story by introducing scrapping. ''Enterprising Engines'' considered the darkest of all the stories, brought to light the end of Steam elsewhere but on Sodor. Following books however, got back to the happy adventures.

* DepartmentOfRedundancyDepartment: Almost right away in "Thomas and Gordon":

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* TedBaxter: Thomas.

* LongRunner: Book 1 was published in 1945, Book 42 is on the way.