Updated 3 October 2026

Lorne House has a special connection with the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine. Wilbert Awdry, who went on to create The Railway Series, lived here from 1920 to 1928. His family called the house Journey’s End.

Thomas the Tank Engine: inspiration beside Box Tunnel

The railway near Lorne House helped shape Awdry’s imagination. As a boy, he listened to steam engines working on the incline at Box and imagined their sounds as conversations between characters with distinct personalities. Those memories later helped inspire the story in which Edward assists Gordon’s train up the hill.

It is a wonderfully local connection: a childhood sound outside a Wiltshire bedroom becoming part of stories enjoyed around the world. Awdry developed the tales for his son Christopher; The Three Railway Engines, the first book in the series, appeared in May 1945.

Journey’s End and a family love of railways

Wilbert’s father, the Reverend Vere Awdry, was also interested in railways. Local historical photographs record that enthusiasm, while former resident Geoff Bence remembered being told about a model railway in the greenhouse at Lorne House.

These are memories of the house in an earlier period. The greenhouse and garden descriptions in historical accounts do not describe facilities available to guests today; the verandah is our guest outdoor space.

The blue plaque at Lorne House

In 2012, Awdry’s family visited Lorne House for the unveiling of its blue plaque. It is a lasting reminder of the house’s place in his childhood and of Box’s railway heritage.

Explore the Thomas the Tank Engine connection

Our history of Lorne House follows the families who lived here. For railway landmarks and a walk through the village, see our Box walking guide.

Further reading: Cambridge Past, Present & Future’s Awdry biography; Vere Awdry photographs; Geoff Bence’s recollections.

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