Britt Allcroft, the visionary behind the beloved children’s series Thomas & Friends, has passed away at 81. Filmmaker Brannon Carty shared the news of her death on X (formerly Twitter).
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Allcroft gained prominence for producing beloved children’s shows, most notably Thomas the Tank Engine. In the 1980s, she secured the rights to adapt Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s “Railway Series” books, bringing the iconic stories to life on screen.
The show originally debuted in 1984 under the title Thomas & Friends, later rebranded as Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.
‘Thomas & Friends’ creator Britt Allcroft has sadly passed away at the age of 81. pic.twitter.com/VpofygIMkW
— ToonHive (@ToonHive) January 3, 2025
Allcroft’s family asked Carty, who directed the 2023 documentary An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine, to share the news of Britt’s passing.
“Over the years of knowing Britt, we developed a close connection,” the filmmaker wrote. “It was truly a privilege to have her as both a mentor and a friend, and I’m so glad that so many fans were able to meet her at the New York screening of ‘An Unlikely Fandom.’ It was an absolute honor to have her in our documentary, and she has since remained a vocal supporter of our cause,” he continued.
“I think I can speak for the entirety of the fandom when I say that all of us will deeply miss her. Without her, so many of us would never have met,” Carty noted.
A cause of death has not yet been revealed.
Britt Allcroft’s Decades-Long Journey with Thomas the Tank Engine
Per Newsweek, Allcroft was born in the seaside town of Worthing, nestled along the southern coast of England. Her journey into television began at the age of 21, where she quickly made her mark by producing shows such as the 1967 children’s quiz program Get It-Got It-Good, among other projects.
Her dedication truly gained momentum in the 1980s when she brought to life a train-themed show that captured the hearts of children worldwide. Together with her then-husband, variety show producer Angus Wright, she co-founded a production company that launched the iconic Thomas & Friends in 1984, bringing joy to generations of young audiences.
The series, narrated by The Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and comedian George Carlin, was rebranded as Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends when it made its way across the Atlantic in 1989. Segments of the show aired as part of the PBS program Shining Time Station.
The producing duo stayed married for two decades before divorcing in 1997, just a year before Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends concluded. Despite Wright retiring in the late 1990s and later passing away in 2012, their names remained credited as producers on several spinoffs. The former couple also shared two children.
Allcroft directed several projects in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including three spinoffs of the popular children’s show. The series has since expanded with numerous spinoffs, including the 2024 holiday special, Thomas & Friends ERTL Adventures: The Biggest Christmas Adventure.