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Tilney All Saints village sign. Picture: Ian Burt
- Credit: Archant
We go west to explore the thrilling history, legends and wildlife of some of our most remote and remarkable villages
1 Well bust my buffers, the Thomas the Tank Engine stories were written by a Norfolk reverend. Wilbert Awdry wrote 11 of the world-famous books while Vicar of Emneth, near Wisbech, between 1953 and 1965. He originally wrote them for his children and up in the attics of Emneth Vicarage he also created a complicated model railway layout. The nearby Wisbech and Upwell tramway was the inspiration for Toby the Tram Engine and his coach, Henrietta. At the time Emneth had its own railway station, and the Rev was part of the unsuccessful campaign to save the line from the Beeching cuts. Wilbert died in 1997 and is remembered in a stained glass window at St Edmund’s church, Emneth.