Please answer the following question: Facts: - death place: rodborough , stroud , gloucestershire , england - years active: 1945 -- 1997 - known for: '' thomas the tank engine '' - caption: wilbert creations , '' '' peter sam '' '' on the awdry talyllyn railway , wales in 1988 , with one of his - death date: 21 march 1997 15 june 1911 - spouse: margaret death -rrb- awdry -lrb- m. 1938 -- 1989 ; her - children: christopher awdry hilary fortnam veronica chambers - birth date: 15 june 1911 - name: wilbert awdry - image: rev jpg w awdry and peter sam - 1988-05-14 . - birth place: ampfield , hampshire , england - occupation: anglican cleric , railway enthusiast , author Based on these bullet points, write a short biography describing the life of wilbert awdry .
A:
wilbert vere awdry obe -lrb- 15 june 1911 -- 21 march 1997 -rrb- was an english anglican cleric , railway enthusiast and children 's author .better known as the reverend w. awdry , he was the creator of thomas the tank engine , the central figure in his acclaimed '' railway series '' .