fall inside a hole

Tomy Train

Sets

Trains

Rail

Accessories

Thomas series

Catalogues

Tomy Train Thomas the Tank Engine series (1992-1997)

First written May 3, 2024
Reformatted Spring 2026

With the success of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends on television and Tomy becoming interested in producing Thomas the Tank Engine toys in the early 1990s a range of Thomas characters and sets compatible with the Tomy Train standard was established. Trains used uniquely colored or arranged wheels but the configuration of the driving wheels and gearbox internals was the same.

The first set in the Thomas range launched in Europe in late 1992 in blue TOMY TRAIN packaging as was the style in Europe at the time. Some parts of the European range were exported, likely in varying and somewhat limited numbers, to Australia.

The first set did not reach the United States until 1994 with some accessories being repackaged in Thomas-themed packaging and being marketed as the "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends Battery Operated Rail System" rather than anything to do with Tomy Train itself. Regular American-market Tomy Train sets continued to be manufactured into 1995.

1994 and 1995 brought new characters and the only new Tomy Train products in the United States those years. In Europe the Tomy Train range was revamped in 1996 as Tomy Trains and a new larger set was introduced. America saw its last new set in 1996 with backstock of the range remaining available into 1997 alongside Plarail-based Thomas the Tank Engine Battery Operated Rail System, the predecessor to Tomica World. Tomy Trains continued to be produced for Europe with some production moving to Singapore before Europe also transitioned to Tomica World in 1998.

Tomy Train Thomas Trains

Year	Name	Description
1992	1333 Thomas the Tank Engine Accessory Set	Thomas and his two coaches Annie and Clarabel with driver and Sir Topham Hatt figures
1994	1343 Percy and the Troublesome Trucks Accessory Set	Percy with two brown troublesome trucks and driver
1994	1344 Edward the Blue Engine	Edward with tender and driver
1994	1345 James the Red Engine	James with tender and driver
1995	1347 Gordon the Big Express Engine	Gordon with tender and driver
1995	1348 Henry the Green Engine	Henry with tender and driver

Tomy Train Thomas Sets

The initial Thomas the Tank Engine Tomy Train set was released in October 1992 in the U.K. and made its way to America by 1994. The range survived into 1997 in both regions before Tomy Train was replaced with Tomica World.

Year	Name	Description
October 1992 Europe 1994 US	1126 Thomas the Tank Engine Set	Decently sized oval set with a suspension bridge and engine shed siding as well as Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel released in Europe and the U.S.
1993 Europe 1994 US	1134 Thomas the Tank Engine Starter Set	Small oval set with Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel released in Europe and the U.S.
1996 UK	1146 Thomas and Percy's Big Adventure	Large U.K. Tomy Trains set with Thomas, Percy, trucks and coaches, a large layout with bridge, station, sidings, and three sheds
1996 US	1353 Basic Set	Small American circle set with Thomas and just Clarabel

Tomy Train Thomas Accessories

In the U.S., some older Tomy Trains accessories were repackaged in new Thomas-packaging seemingly to try to clear stock.

Year	Name	Description
1995	1349 Bridge & Track	Rerelease of 1335 Bridge and Track with new Thomas packaging
1995	1350 Elsbridge Station	Station with Sir Topham Hatt and driver figures and Elsbridge sign
1995	1351 Track Pack	Track pack with six straights, six curves, and two turnouts
1995	1352 Railway Crossing	Rerelease of 1330 Crossing Pack with crossing, tunnel, and tree in Thomas packaging