Thomas's Christmas Party (book)

Thomas's Christmas Party is a book first published in 1984. It was written by the Rev. W. Awdry and illustrated by Clive Spong.

Plot
After getting better in Bournemouth, Mrs. Kyndley returns to the Island of Sodor, much to the delight of Thomas and Toby. They decide to have a special Christmas party for Mr. and Mrs. Kyndley as a reward for warning Thomas about the landslide, but they know that Ffarquhar Sheds is much too small. However, they decide that Tidmouth Sheds will be the ideal location and the Fat Controller agrees, though he decides that the special Christmas party will be on Boxing Day instead of Christmas Day. On Christmas morning, the Fat Controller tells Thomas and Toby that the bad weather has made Mr. and Mrs. Kyndley stuck at their home. So, on Boxing Day, wearing snowploughs with a van in between them, Thomas and Toby set off to the rescue. After a very long time to clear away the snow with the assistance from Terence, Thomas and Toby take Mr. and Mrs. Kyndley to Tidmouth aboard Henrietta. The Christmas party is a great success and Mr. and Mrs. Kyndley stay with the Fat Controller and Lady Hatt in Wellsworth until the snow melts.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Terence
 * Sir Topham Hatt I
 * Charlie Sand
 * Sidney Hever
 * Mrs. Kyndley
 * James
 * Annie
 * Henrietta
 * Lady Hatt
 * Mr. Kyndley
 * Farmer Finney
 * Clarabel

Locations

 * Mrs. Kyndley's Cottage
 * Hackenbeck Tunnel
 * Ffarquhar
 * Ffarquhar Sheds
 * Tidmouth
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Elsbridge
 * Wellsworth

Trivia

 * This book was written by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton's request, who wrote the episode of the same name that this book is based on. It was Wilbert's first book since his retirement in 1972, and his very last Railway Series story he wrote before his passing in 1997 a decade later.
 * This book is set during Christmas 1952 a year after the events in Toby the Tram Engine as Ffarquhar Shed only has two spaces for Thomas and Toby.
 * The roundhouse shed at Tidmouth is present in this book and is referred to as "the new engine shed" in the text, indicating the roundhouse existed since 1952. The Rev. W. Awdry mentions (in The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways) that the sheds seen in this book are the most accurate.
 * This book was written in August-September 1984 and was shown to the presenters of TV-AM on 9th October 1984 (the same day the television series started airing) during Wilbert Awdry’s first meeting.

Goofs

 * This book is set between the events of the final two stories of Gordon the Big Engine, but Thomas is seen still running his branch line despite him and Gordon being in disgrace.
 * However, it is possible that the party was being planned before Down the Mine.
 * In the last illustration, James is depicted as a 4-4-0 and is missing two of his splashers.
 * Terence is depicted with a cab roof.

In Other Languages
La Fiesta de Navidad de Thomas (libro) מסיבת חג המולד של תומס (ספר) Рождественская вечеринка Томаса (книга)