Netta Ulaby
Appearances
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-03-2025 7PM EST
The show, first known as Thomas and Friends, premiered in England in 1984. It was about a cheeky little moon-faced train engine with big, expressive eyes. Britt Allcroft did not invent the character. She based it on a British book series for kids from the 1940s. But Allcroft made Thomas a worldwide phenomenon.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 01-03-2025 7PM EST
The original narrator was Ringo Starr. The show spun off into movies, toys, and more toys. The brand was bought by Mattel in 2012. Alcroft developed a number of children's shows for British television. Her death was announced on behalf of her family by a friend, Brandon Carty, who'd spent years making a documentary about Thomas the Tank Engine's diehard fans. Netta Ulibi, NPR News.