There are many fictional locations in Thomas and Friends, the television series based on The Railway Series of children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and his son Christopher. They are all located on the Island of Sodor.
The Island of Sodor in the "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" television series differs significantly from that in The Railway Series books. The comprehensive history and geography of the island and its railways, developed by the Rev. Awdry and his brother George to ensure consistent portrayal in the stories, has largely been ignored.
The television version of Sodor appears considerably larger, with far more industry. A mainland is occasionally referred to, but never seen on televised maps. Furthermore, the portrayal of the island has varied between series, as new sets were created and new writers inserted their own ideas. The TV series frequently derives names of locations from the books, but their functions and appearances are often very different.
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