fall inside a hole
Tomy Knapford Station (2005)
First written October 16, 2024Having previously released a fold-out carry-case that doubled as the iconic Knapford Station, Tomy produced a more traditional Plarail Knapford Station in 2005, releasing it in Japan and Europe and later other parts of Asia.
Thomas the Tank Engine Knapford Station (Plarail)
On June 30, 2005 the Thomas the Tank Engine Knapford Station (きかんしゃトーマス ナップフォードステーション) was released for the Thomas Plarail series of train toys. The station includes four platforms with canopies and track stoppers.
This accessory set does not seem to be as common as the European export version, and I think it is somewhat sought after by Japanese Thomas Plarail collectors... I got this one with a somewhat sunfaded box for a good price because it was incomplete and used parts from a Motor Road & Rail Knapford to complete it.
Knapford Station sits on two rail base sections, each of which has a section of double rail-width rails with integrated stoppers. Switches at one side of the platform control these stoppers, and the two bases have locating tabs and slots that make it easy to put the two double-line bases next to each other. The bases measure one and a half straight rails long and are spaces apart such that the two inside lines across the two bases can be connected with a pair of Y-shaped point rails.
There are two different toolings of wall, with the difference being which side of the inner support pillar the station platform number sign is hanging - signs hanging to the right will end up being in the front on the left side of each base's structure and in the rear on the right, and vise versa for the other type of support with the sign hanging to the left. The shape of the support pegs and their matching holes only allow the supports to be inserted so that the platform signs are always more towards the middle than the entrance or exit, but putting them on the wrong side of the platform will leave the sign hanging out to the outside of the station instead of next to its platform. After the stickers have been put on, each support now has a specific corner it should be in to match the one next to it and the track it is next to, but obviously you don't have to put it together as intended if you don't want to.
There are six roof canopy sections included, three for each base. This means that each track has its own arch overhead. In the television series, one of these arches covers each of the three double-track sections of the station, with a fourth canopy going over the main station building itself, but the compromise here where there are still double-track sections and four canopies in total is understandable. The canopy sections have tubes underneath that sit on top of the station walls - this is part of why they are keyed, so that the inner section (above the platform number sign) has two bumps, one for the outer canopy it is primarily under and the other for the middle floating section.
Each base section can be built individually, and the two bases connect in several ways - they can be connected straight together for a long double-track platform or be placed side by side, with the intended orientation being with the track connections going the opposite ways so the track stopper controls can be accessed easily from the outside and so that it can connect with Y-shaped point rails, as provided in the European release. In Japan, a track pack was released at the same time that adds a loop of track and several switches to expand the station into a more complete layout.
The station looks rather nice all connected to rail with trains stopped inside...
The Knapford Station Extension Rail Set was released at the same time as Knapford Station and included multiple switches and other track to incorporate Knapford Station into a rail layout.
Knapford Station Extension Rail Set (2005)
Also on June 30, 2005 the Knapford Station Extension Rail Set (ナップフォードステーション拡張レールセット) was released as a standalone track pack that easily incorporates all four lanes of the Knapford Station accessory.
Set contents| Quantity |
Item |
Photo |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | R-01 Straight Rail |
 |
| 2 | R-02 Half Straight Rail |
 |
| 10 | R-03 Curve Rail |
 |
| 1 | R-08 Stop Rail |
 |
| 1 pair | R-11 Turnout Rail |
 |
| 2 pairs | R-13 Single/Double Point Rail |
 |
| 1 pair | R-22 Y-Shaped Point Rail |
 |
| 3 pieces | Shed |
 |
The single/double point rails work nicely with the Y-shaped point rails to bring the four lanes together into one. Almost any way you use it, Knapford Station requires a pretty big layout.
The rail stoppers let you set different engines out around the layout. There are also plenty of ways you can use these same rails to make other layouts, although there aren't quite enough curve rails to make two different loops around the station... without buying more rails, of course.
7532 Knapford Station (Motor Road & Rail) (2005)
In 2005 Knapford Station was released in Europe as part of the Motor Road & Rail range.
Earlier releases of Knapford had a 60th Anniversary sticker attached as part of the 60th anniversary of the Railway Series in 2005.
This pack includes both Knapford bases, two pairs of single/double point rails, and a pair of Y-shaped point rails to help connect the station to other sets and rail.
The switches can also be used to turn the station's existing four tracks into five, which seems like it would probably be even harder to properly incorporate into a complete setup.
Thomas Mega Set (2007)
The 2007 Australian Motor Road & Rail Thomas Mega Set included one Knapford Station base with platforms 1 and 2. This was the only inclusion of part of Knapford in an export set and the first set to include it in general, with platforms 1 and 2 also appearing in a set for the second and final time in the 2012 Japanese set mentioned below.
Knapford Station (other Asian markets) (circa 2010)
Around 2010 when Thomas Plarail began being specifically produced and boxed for other Asian markets outside of Japan Knapford Station was released in the light blue style of packaging used for these Asian releases. This pack includes the six switches that the European release did.
Thomas and Percy Knapford Station Set (2012)
A slight production variation of one base section of the Knapford Station was included in the 2012 Plarail Thomas and Percy Knapford Station Set. This section, which comes with stickers to make platforms 1 and 2, has two "A" type roof sections with the grid lining on one end and one "B" section with blank ends, so that only the ends of the arches have the green grid pattern. I think this looks a little nicer but I also think it is probably just because it was cheaper to produce that way.