The Tomy Big Loader (ビッグローダー) is classic automaton-type toy in the vein of shuttle trains in which a powered chassis car traverses a series of tracks switching between different vehicle bodies and interacting with scoops, hoppers, lifts, and other components usually with the goal of cycling several small balls around between the different vehicles and accessories. A reversing gearbox and guide rail in the track as well as cleverly cogged mechanisms later allowed for elevators and other complicated interactions.
The American Big Loader patent was first applied for December 1977, with the Japanese patent having been applied for in December 1976. The invention is credited to Makoto Saito, who also designed Crash Van Chase and the Mysterious Transfer Station.
Since the original in 1977, there have been a great number of different verities of the Tomy Big Loader. Noted below are the types which I own. Click the name or picture of a set to see it in more detail.
The original Big Loader set was released in 1977 in the United States and became very successful, captivating onlookers (and in particular dads) when it was unveiled. Various import versions were well-awaited and sold out. The track layout was also used for a few different varieties of Big Loader including some licensed sets.
Year | Name | Description | Picture |
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1977 | 5001 Big Loader | Original United States release. Canada, the U.K., and Japan would also see Big Loaders in similar styled boxes |
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1980 | Working Vehicle Big Loader はたらくじどうしゃビッグローダー |
1980s Japanese release Big Loader with new colors and cool vehicles |
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1988 | Working Vehicle Big Loader はたらくじどうしゃビッグローダー |
Seemingly the first Thailand-produced Big Loaders, reissue of the 1980 Japanese market set |
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1991 | 5001 Big Loader | 1991 "Tomy Classic" American release of the updated colorful 1990s Big Loader |
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In 1993 a standalone add-on to Big Loader was produced that could be connected to Big Loader or otherwise independently cycle rocks around a multi-level layout with an elevator and rock lift all driven by the power chassis. When combined together, the two loaders form Big Big Big Loader, which the two were also sometimes sold together as.
Year | Name | Description | Picture |
---|---|---|---|
1993 | Big
Loader Building Construction Set はたらくじどうしゃビッグローダービル工事セット |
Original Japanese release |
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1994 | 5003 Big Big Loader | Initial United States release in the 1990s Preschool Tomy packaging used in America at the time |
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2004 | 6996 Big Big Big Loader | Walmart packaging version of the combined Big Big Big Loader |
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In 1997 the first Big Loader was rethemed to fit Tomy's Thomas the Tank Engine license with Thomas, Percy, and Terence taking the place of the original construction vehicles. The Big Big Loader was also rethemed to fit the Thomas Big Loader and later on a Post Office Loader with a new layout was released.
Year | Name | Description | Picture |
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1997 | 6563 Thomas Big Loader | Original United States release. Canada, the U.K., and Japan would also see Big Loaders in similar styled boxes |
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1997 | 6563 Grande Chargeuse Thomas Big Loader | Initial Canadian bilingual release of the Thomas Big Loader |
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1997 | 6563 Thomas and Friends Big Loader | Initial European box style of the Thomas Big Loader |
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1998 | Thomas the Tank Engine Big Loader きかんしゃトーマスのビッグローダー |
First Japanese release of the Thomas Big Loader |
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1999 |
Thomas the Tank Engine Connect Big
Loader きかんしゃトーマスのつながるビッグローダー |
First release of the Thomas Big Big Loader featuring Thomas, one of the Lorries, and Cranky the Crane |
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2000 | 4519 Thomas Big Big Loader | United States release of the Thomas Big Big Loader |
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2002 | 6563 Thomas Big Loader | American rerelease of the Thomas Big Loader for the 2000s |
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2002 | 6563 Thomas & Friends Big Loader | European 2000s rerelease of the standard Thomas Big Loader |
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2006 | 4567 Thomas' Mail Delivery Big Loader | New mail delivery Big Loader layout with chassis-powered Harold the Helicopter |
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2006 | 63018 Thomas Big Loader | HiT Toy Company American release of the recolored Thomas Big Loader released by Tomy in Europe |
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2008 |
Thomas the Tank Engine
Big Loader Harbor Cranky きかんしゃトーマスのビッグローダー港のクランキー |
Recolored Japanese Thomas Big Big Loader with updated packaging and stickers |
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2009 | 71005 Thomas & Cranky Coal Loader | European release of the Thomas Big Big Loader based on the 2008 Japanese version |
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2018 | Thomas and Friends Big Loader Sodor Island Delivery Set | International rerelease of the Thomas Big Loader based on the 2008 Japanese color scheme |
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In addition to the Big and Big Big Loaders as well as the Thomas Mail Loader Tomy has released a few other Big Loader or Big Loader-style toys that use the track or chassis system. Some more recent examples that were not released outside of Japan included a Disney Cars 2 themed set and two different Tomica loaders.
Year | Name | Description | Picture |
---|---|---|---|
1984 | Working Robot Busy Robot Factory | Japanese set based on the Big Loader concept (and chassis) released by Toybox, who had ties to Tomy |
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Busy Puppy | Interesting European set with turntable and three-way switch and a little motorized dog that can "fetch" different objects like a newspaper or bone |
If I have them, scans of the instructions for each type of Big Loader are shown in their respective section. A ZIP folder with all of my Big Loader related manuals can be downloaded here. Usually, a manual for one layout of Big Loader can be used to set up another of the same layout.
The Big Loader power car is rather ingenious but with time is prone to failure. The most common issues are an electrical problem, usually when batteries have been left inside the chassis and they have corroded, or a physical issue with one or more of the gears in the geartrain or the traction tires being worn out. See the Big Loader chassis repair page for more photographs and details.
In addition to the standard set layouts, I have ruminated on the Big Loader track and chassis system and explained some of the theory behind "programming" Big Loader and designing a course. This section coming soon.