There are 42 books in The Railway Series main canon.

Core answer

  • The classic Railway Series consists of 42 numbered storybooks, starting with The Three Railway Engines (1945) and ending with Thomas and his Friends (2011).
  • Wilbert Awdry wrote the first 26 volumes, and his son Christopher Awdry wrote an additional 16, bringing the total to 42.

Extra context

  • These 42 books together contain 169 individual stories set on the fictional Island of Sodor with characters like Thomas and his friends.
  • Some databases and book sites may list “total works” slightly differently because of omnibus editions or related titles, but the officially numbered Railway Series runs to 42 books.

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