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The Diocese of Sodor and Man
The Island of Sodor.
- Author: AWDRY, Rev., Wilbert; and WARD, Edmund
- Publication place: London,
- Publisher: Edmund Ward Limited,
- Publication date: 1958.
- Physical description: Lithograph folding map, light creasing along fold lines and some faint soiling in the margins and where affixed to the covers.
- Dimensions: 290 by 550mm. (11.5 by 21.75 inches).
- Inventory reference: 22026
Notes
The Books
During a visit to the Isle of Man in 1950, the Reverand Wilbert Awdrey noted that while there was a Diocese of Sodor and Man, and there was an Isle of Man, there was no corresponding Isle of Sodor. So, he decided to create one as the setting for his series of Railway books.
Together with his younger brother, George, Awdry constructed Sodor's complex universe, with a dedicated history, geography, industry and even its own anguage ("Sudric"), with far more details than would ever be used in 'The Railway Series'. Inspiration came from various sources. Dryaw was an anagram of Awdry. Elsbridge was named after Wilbert's parish of Elsworth in Cambridgeshire. Other place-names were Sudric equivalents or near-equivalents of those in the real world, for instance, Skarloey was a rough Sudric equivalent of the Welsh Talyllyn (logh and llyn mean "lake" in Manx and Welsh respectively).
The Map
Sodor, is situated between the Isle of Man and the North West Coast of England, with connections to the mainland, by a strait called the Sudrian Sea (Faarkey-y-Sudragh), four miles (6km) wide. It is usually shown as much larger than the Isle of Man, being roughly diamond-shaped, 62 miles (100 km) wide east to west and 51 miles (82 km) long north to south.
This vibrant topographic map of the island was issued in 1958, as a commercial accompaniment to the 'Railway Series', of which Thomas the Tank was its most famous character. Over forty different locations referenced in the series of books and films are numbered and identified in the legend. Roads, railways, and built-up areas are also noted.
Pictorial vignettes in the border show Thomas and his friends, including the 'Fat Controller' (he was the Fat Director before the railway was nationalized).
During a visit to the Isle of Man in 1950, the Reverand Wilbert Awdrey noted that while there was a Diocese of Sodor and Man, and there was an Isle of Man, there was no corresponding Isle of Sodor. So, he decided to create one as the setting for his series of Railway books.
Together with his younger brother, George, Awdry constructed Sodor's complex universe, with a dedicated history, geography, industry and even its own anguage ("Sudric"), with far more details than would ever be used in 'The Railway Series'. Inspiration came from various sources. Dryaw was an anagram of Awdry. Elsbridge was named after Wilbert's parish of Elsworth in Cambridgeshire. Other place-names were Sudric equivalents or near-equivalents of those in the real world, for instance, Skarloey was a rough Sudric equivalent of the Welsh Talyllyn (logh and llyn mean "lake" in Manx and Welsh respectively).
The Map
Sodor, is situated between the Isle of Man and the North West Coast of England, with connections to the mainland, by a strait called the Sudrian Sea (Faarkey-y-Sudragh), four miles (6km) wide. It is usually shown as much larger than the Isle of Man, being roughly diamond-shaped, 62 miles (100 km) wide east to west and 51 miles (82 km) long north to south.
This vibrant topographic map of the island was issued in 1958, as a commercial accompaniment to the 'Railway Series', of which Thomas the Tank was its most famous character. Over forty different locations referenced in the series of books and films are numbered and identified in the legend. Roads, railways, and built-up areas are also noted.
Pictorial vignettes in the border show Thomas and his friends, including the 'Fat Controller' (he was the Fat Director before the railway was nationalized).
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Find Us
New York
PO Box 329, Larchmont, NY, USA
Opening hours, London Gallery
Monday to Friday: 10:00 – 18:00
Saturday: by appointment
Closed: all bank holidays and 1-31 August
Opening hours, New York
By appointment only