Britt Allcroft, the creator behind the “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends” series, has passed away at 81, according to an announcement by filmmaker Brannon Carty on X.

Allcroft gained fame for creating well-loved children’s shows starring Thomas the Tank Engine after securing the rights to transform Reverend Wilbert Awdry’s Railway Series books in the 1980s. The show debuted as “Thomas & Friends” in 1984 and was later rebranded as “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.”

Carty wrote: “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. The family is currently in mourning and asks that their privacy be respected at this time. She brought so much joy and happiness to people everywhere during her time on Earth.” He continued: “Over the years of knowing Britt, we developed a close connection. 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.”

“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 added.

A statement from Allcroft’s family described her as an “adoring mother and wife and visionary producer”.

Allcroft was born in the small coastal town of Worthing in southern England. She began her television career at 21, producing shows like the 1967 children’s quiz show “Get It-Got It-Good” and others. However, her work truly gained traction in the 1980s when she developed the cherished train-themed show that delighted young audiences worldwide.

Allcroft and her then-husband, variety show producer Angus Wright, partnered to establish a production company that introduced “Thomas & Friends” in 1984. The show received a BAFTA nomination in 1985 for Best Animated Film. The series, featuring narration by Beatles drummer Ringo Starr and comedian George Carlin, was retitled “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends” and made its way to the U.S. in 1989, airing segments on the PBS series Shining Time Station.

The couple was married for 20 years before divorcing in 1997, a year prior to the end of “Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends.”

Numerous spinoffs followed, with both of their names credited as producers, even though Wright retired in the late 1990s and passed away in 2012. They had two children together.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Allcroft ventured into directing spinoffs but only completed four projects, three of which were based on the beloved children’s series. The franchise has since seen many spinoffs, including the latest holiday special, “Thomas & Friends ERTL Adventures: The Biggest Christmas Adventure,” which premiered in December 2024.