Thomas & Friends (originally known as Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends or simply Thomas the Tank Engine; later called Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!) is a British children's television series. Based on "The Railway Series" of books by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher, English writer and producer Britt Allcroft arranged a deal to bring the stories to life as the TV series. In the United Kingdom, it had its first broadcast on the ITV network in October 1984. In the United States, it had its first broadcast on "Shining Time Station" in 1989. The main series aired from October 9, 1984 to January 20, 2021.