The Thomas the Tank Engine Man (Bookmark Documentary)

The Thomas the Tank Engine Man is a television documentary produced by Nicholas Jones of Quanta Films Ltd for the BBC Bookmark series.

Interviewees

 * The Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry
 * Christopher Awdry
 * Brian Sibley - Wilbert Awdry's Biographer
 * Eric Marriot - Editor of "The Railway Series"; 1947-72
 * John Welch - Sales Representative of The Railway Series; 1949-56
 * Rosemary Debnam - Editor of "The Railway Series"
 * Peter Edwards - Illustrator of "The Railway Series"; 1963-72
 * Britt Allcroft - Creator of "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends"
 * David Mitton - Director of "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends"
 * Michael Rosen - Children's Writer
 * Victoria Button - Picture Restorer
 * Liz Turner - Reed Children's Books
 * Ingrid Selberg - Managing Director of Reed Children's Books
 * Robert Mann - Marketing Director of Ertl Europe Ltd
 * Tadaaki Okada - Sony Creative Products Inc.
 * Mikoko Adachi - Fuji Television Network, Inc.
 * Len Rhys - Retired Steam Engine Driver
 * Various children

Trivia

 * This documentary was first broadcasted on BBC 2 on Februray 25th, 1995 to commemorate the fiftieth year of The Railway Series. The documentary was later repeated on April 15th, 1997 in honour to commemorate the passing of Wilbert Awdry.
 * The footages of Percy, James and the Fruitful Day (US version), Thomas Goes Fishing, Thomas and Gordon (Japanese version) and Henry's Forest were used throughout the documentary.
 * From behind the scenes of the television show, Thomas and the Special Letter was being filmed in progress.
 * Sections of John Gielgud's narration of the Railway Series stories were heard throughout of the documentary.
 * The late Hilary Fortnam, one of Wilbert Awdry's daughters, read the story of how her father bought Thomas and his friends to life.
 * It all began after Nicholas' first meeting with Wilbert Awdry at his home in Stroud, Gloucestershire on April 26th, 1993.
 * Nicholas Jones managed to sell the documentary idea to both BBC and Channel 4 in Summer 1994.
 * Nicholas Jones and the BBC crew spent the entire day filming Wilbert Awdry's interview, while cleverly disguising the fact that Wilbert himself was in bed all the time due to his deteriorated health. The crew also had a chance to film Wilbert's cluttered study room that contained his dismantled train set and a picture of his rowing team.