'Thomas & Friends' Creator Dead at 81

Thomas the Tank Engine became a household name thanks to the long-running children's TV series Thomas & Friends. Now, just a few years after the show went off the air, its creator Britt Allcroft has died at the age of 81. 

Allcroft's death was announced by filmmaker Brannon Carty, the director of the 2023 documentary An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine. 

"It is with great sadness that I share with you the passing of Britt Allcroft. The Allcroft-Wright family...