- “The live action appealed to me as it felt like the best train set ever and I had and loved my model railway as a child.”
- ― Andrew Brenner on the original model series, 2012 SiF interview
Andrew Brenner (born in Key West, Florida) is the current head writer for Thomas and Friends. He started writing for the seventeenth season in November 2010, when Sharon Miller stepped down. He worked as a script editor for Blue Mountain Mystery before taking over the reins as head writer.
Career
He previously worked on the magazine stories, starting at the beginning of their publication in 1987. He was given seasons one and two on video and was asked to adapt the episodes into magazine stories. When he ran out of episodes to adapt, he wrote original stories, several of which were adapted into third season episodes without his knowledge or consent. He stopped working on the magazines soon after. He was never credited for his work in either the magazines or the television series. Among the stories that were adapted were Henry's Forest, which was inspired by a storm that caused damage and blew trees over around London.
He was also the head writer of "Tractor Tom", "Angelina Ballerina", "Fireman Sam", and "The Cramp Twins". It also stated on his online CV that he is the headwriter for Jack and the Pack. This was later removed for unknown reasons.
Episodes Written
Season 17
- Gordon Runs Dry
- Bill or Ben?
- Too Many Fire Engines
- Santa's Little Engine
- The Missing Christmas Decorations
- The Frozen Turntable
- Away From the Sea
- Gone Fishing
- The Smelly Kipper
- Thomas' Shortcut
Season 18
- Old Reliable Edward
- Disappearing Diesels
- Duck in the Water
- Thomas the Quarry Engine
- Thomas and the Emergency Cable
- Missing Gator
- Spencer's VIP
- Last Train for Christmas
- Marion and the Dinosaurs
- Millie and the Volcano
Season 19
Specials
- King of the Railway
- Tale of the Brave
- The Adventure Begins
- Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure
- The Great Race
Mr. Perkins
- Mr. Perkins' Storytime: The Flying Kipper
- Mr. Perkins' Postcard: Ulfstead Castle
- Mr. Perkins' Storytime: Trucks!
- Mr. Perkins' Postcard: Blue Mountain Quarry
- Mr. Perkin's Storytime: Thomas and Gordon
- Mr. Perkin's Postcard: Knapford Station
- Mr. Perkins' Storytime: Pop Goes The Diesel
- Mr. Perkins' Postcard: The Dieselworks
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Gordon Goes Foreign
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Henry and the Elephant
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Thomas Comes to Breakfast
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: The Story of How Toby and Henrietta Came to Sodor
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Percy the Ghost Train
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Thomas and Bertie
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Percy and Harold
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Thomas, Terence and the Snow
- Mr. Perkins Storytime: Sir Topham Hatt's Engines
Magazines
He also wrote several magazine stories, which were adapted into eleven third season episodes, one fifth season episode and one seventeenth season episode:
- Thomas Gets Bumped - adapted from A Bump on the Line and Hello, Thomas!
- Thomas, Percy and the Dragon - adapted from Percy's Night Out and Percy and the Dragon
- Diesel Does it Again - adapted from Trouble in the Harbour Yard and Bumps
- Henry's Forest - adapted from the magazine story of the same name and Clearing Up
- No Joke for James - adapted from The Express and A Passenger for James
- Thomas, Percy and the Post Train - adapted from The Post Train and After the Last Train
- Trust Thomas - adapted from Bertie's Bumpy Roads
- Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party - adapted from The Vicar's Fete and Edward and the Vicar
- One Good Turn - adapted from Head On and Pulling Together
- Heroes - adapted from In a Muddle and the magazine story of the same name.
- Percy, James and the Fruitful Day - adapted from Percy Gets Jammed
- Thomas and the Rumours - adapted from An Important Visitor and Rumours and Speculation
- Bill or Ben? - adapted from Diesel's Race