The very first Thomas Train picture was actually a push-along wooden toy that Rev.
W.
Awdry made for his son, Christopher.
It looked rather different from the character in the books and television series that most kids are familiar with today.
Through the years, it evolved into the familiar smile that kids around the world are so enamored with.
The first commercial images of Thomas the Tank Engine were illustrated by Reginald Payne.
He was hired to create the illustrations for Rev.
W.
Awdry's collection of four stories about Thomas that were compiled in a book called Thomas the Tank Engine.
Payne based his version of Thomas on a 0-6-0 E2 Class of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway.
Initially, Awdry did not like the look that was given for Thomas because it was substantially different from the descriptions in the book but was later convinced when Payne explained that Thomas' image was taken from a real prototype.
Thereafter, Awdry based all his characters on real locomotive classes in his later books.
Unfortunately, despite creating the visual image of such an iconic character, Payne did not receive any credit for his work.
It was only since the publication of Brian Sibley's "The Thomas the Tank Engine Man" that Payne started to receive major recognition for his work on giving life to Thomas' image.
In Rev.
W.
Awdry's first books, Thomas and the other engine characters had sad faces.
After some changes made while doing the series for TV, the characters adapted the cheerful expressions that your children are now familiar with.
This was how the iconic Thomas Train picture started.