Britt Allcroft, best known for her television adaptation of Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s Railway Series characters, which introduced a new audience to characters such as Thomas the Tank Engine, has passed away at age 81.
Born Hilary Allcroft in West Sussex, England, Allcroft was a successful television producer prior to her involvement with the Thomas the Tank Engine series. While involved with the production of a documentary on British railroading, she met Rev. W Awdry, creator of The Railway Series. She expressed an admiration for the characters created by the Reverend, and they reached an agreement to bring the characters of his series to television. This agreement resulted in Thomas the Tank Engine series and subsequent projects.
The news of her death came on January 3rd in a social media post from documentary filmmaker Brannon Carty, which stated in part: “It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Britt Allcroft.”
It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Britt Allcroft.
The Allcroft-Wright family has asked me to bring this news to the Thomas fandom. A full obituary will be released in the London Times later today. The family is currently in mourning and asks that… pic.twitter.com/LSFq8VL7jK
— carty™ (@cartycinema) January 3, 2025
Allcroft passed away in Los Angeles, California on December 25th, 2024.
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