She discovered the character in a series of 1940s children’s books and thought Ringo Starr would make a great Mr. Conductor on television.

Thomas the Tank Engine creator Britt Allcroft dies at 81 as family pays tribute - Allcroft spent years raising the money to create the first few episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine

Britt Allcroft, the creator of the “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends” series, has died at age 81, filmmaker Brannon Carty announced on X. Allcroft was most known for producing popular children’s shows featuring Thomas the Tank Engine after obtaining the rights to adapt Reverand Wilbert Awdry’s “Railway Series” books in the 1980s.