fall inside a hole

Tomix Thomas the Tank Engine series

First written September 25, 2024

With the success of Thomas the Tank Engine on Japanese television and Tomy's Plarail Thomas series and other Thomas toys selling well, in the late 1990s Tomy began producing N gauge Thomas the Tank Engine ready to run trains, sets, and accessories as part of their Tomix range. Four engines - Thomas, Percy, James, and Henry - were produced, with Gordon planned but never produced. Allegedly, the 2002 mechanism update of Thomas around when FineTrack was introduced was the first N gauge model train with a flywheel, predating the more-in-scale DD51 with flywheel also released by Tomix in early 2004. This series was produced into the mid 2000s and was even exported overseas, with the range being revived in 2016 with CGI-updated Thomas, Percy and James with updated motors.

Thomas-series trains

Tomy sold Thomas-series engines and rolling stock in individual or multi-pack releases. In 2021 a more traditional N scale Tomix model of the real-life Oigawa Railway Thomas the Tank Engine was released as an individual engine and in a large train pack with seven coaches including one with an additional drive mechanism and motor and a dummy ED501

Year Name Description Photo
1998 Thomas the Tank Engine Train Set Thomas with Annie and Clarabel
1999 James Train Set James with tender and two troublesome trucks  
1999 SCRuffy Freight Car Set Rolling stock pack containing troublesome truck S.C.Ruffy and a troublesome van
1999 Yellow Tank Wagon Set Sodor Fuel tanker and troublesome truck  
2000 Thomas N-Gauge Accessory Set Export package of Thomas, Annie and Clarabel
2001 Henry Express Train Set Henry with tender and brake coach  
2001 Express Passenger Car (Red) Individual red express car  
2002 Annie and Clarabel Passenger Car Set Annie and Clarabel two-pack  
2005 Percy the Tank Engine Car Set Percy with mail car and three additional interchangeable faces  
2005 Mail Car (Thomas Seires) Individual Sodor Mail car  
2016 Thomas the Tank Engine Train Set Rereleased CGI-face Thomas with Annie and Clarabel  
2017 Percy the Tank Engine Train Set Percy with S.C.Ruffy  
2017 James Train Set James with tender, troublesome truck, and van  

Thomas the Tank Engine Train Set (1998)

The first Tomix Thomas-series train was, of course, Thomas himself with his coaches Annie and Clarabel. The example shown here is an early example with the original drive system - circa 2002 Thomas gained a flywheel (apparently the first in an N gauge locomotive) and when rereleased in 2016 the motor was updated to a coreless type. I quite like the face on this version.

Thomas has nice molded details like front and rear lamps and the coaches each have faces resembling those seen in the television series.

The top Thomas shell can be popped off the running board by carefully squeezing in his face and the rear of his cab and lifting out the clips at either end. Inside is a block weight and the motor unit. Both are held in by one screw each on the underside of the chassis. There are wiper pickups resting on the tops of all six wheels, with one screw holding another weight and the chassis block in place in the running board.

The wheels are pinned through the lower block, with small gears on one side providing six-wheel-drive from the worm gear on the motor output.

Annie and Clarabel's roof and windows can be carefully pulled out of the top of the coaches and the coach body unclipped from the chassis to reveal the weight inside.

Thomas N-Gauge Accessory Set (2000)


In the early 2000s a few of the Thomas Thomas-series trains were imported to the United States. These have the Tomix logo and were handled by Tomy's Hobby Division. I believe these all would have been the original drive type - I am not sure if the flywheel-equipped Thomas was ever formally exported by Tomy.

SCRuffy Freight Car Set (1999)

Two-pack release with the troublesome truck S.C.Ruffy, who was memorably pulled apart when in the "rotted" appearance represented here with "rusty" orangish bracing lines and a troublesome van.

The troublesome van also has a nice face sculpt resembling one used on the Thomas television show. Both pieces have nice molding all around. Like other Tomix Thomas-series trains, they were produced in China.

Thomas-series sets

Thomas series sets are all-in-one and include at least an oval of track, ready-to-run train, and power pack speed controller.

Year Name Description Photo
1998 Thomas the Tank Engine Starter Set The first Thomas-series set with oval of track, track mat, power pack, and Thomas, Annie, and Clarabel
1999 Thomas the Tank Engine DX Set Large multi-level layout including the three individual Thomas-series scenery pieces and a large formed base with mountain and other painted decorations with Thomas, coaches, and controller  
2002 Basic Set SD Thomas the Tank Engine Oval set with track mat and Thomas with two trucks  
2005 Percy the Tank Engine Starter Set Oval set with Percy, mail car, and three interchangeable faces  
2016 Thomas the Tank Engine Set Thomas with Annie and Clarabel and oval of track with level crossing  
2016 Thomas the Tank Engine DX Set Larger deluxe set with switch and siding, additional curve rails, and the three previously-released Thomas-series accessories  
2017 Percy the Tank Engine Set Percy with S.C.Ruffy, oval of track with level crossing, and controller  

Thomas-series accessories

Three buildings based on ones seen in the Thomas the Tank Engine TV show were released individually in 1999 and were included in some Thomas series sets since. A large diorama base was also sold as part of a large DX set which also included the other buildings.

Year Name Description Photo
1999 Thomas N Gauge Series Station Set N scale Ffarquhar Station
1999 Thomas N Gauge Series Watermill Set Watermill similar in design to one shown in the Thomas TV show
1999 Thomas N Gauge Series Windmill Set Windmill based on one seen in the Thomas series

Thomas N Gauge Series Station Set (1999)

A station based on the television show appearance of Ffarquhar Station. There aren't any added details like the map or timetable board or even the name of the station, although there are molded places for them.

Thomas N Gauge Series Watermill Set (1999)

A rather neat looking watermill with rotating wheel based on one seen in the Thomas television show.

Thomas N Gauge Series Windmill Set (1999)

Also in 1999, this windmill resembling one seen in the television series was released. The stairs section at the rear is a separate piece.

Although they are a little simple, I think they look rather nice running with the little Thomas.