Donald and his twin Douglas are Scottish engines that arrive on Sodor together. The Plarail Donald was released in 1998 with his twin never receiving a regular release in Japan. In Europe Douglas got a regular individual release while he was set-exclusive in Japan.
Like many other 1990s Thomas Plarail trains, the prototype appears in some promotional material and has a slightly different face, cab window stickers, and black side rods.
Plarail Donald (プラレールドナルド) was released on July 7, 1998 and was the second new engine for 1998 in the Thomas series of Plarail sets, trains, and accessories. The regular release includes Donald with his tender and two troublesome trucks.
Donald is nicely tooled and uses a new "flat-type" AA gearbox. Nicely for what would regularly be a three-pack, this release really has four components as Donald's tender is disconnectable. The two trucks are the "angry" and "happy" types.
Donald's original chassis used the old curvy Tomy logo. 1998 print run boxes were also used in 1999 when the truck chassis transitioned from the original style to the shorter rimmed-screw type.
In February 1999 the Donald and Douglas Snowplow Train Set was released featuring the only Japanese release of Douglas. Douglas has a different more-open mouth and slightly different eye placement. The set also includes two clip-on snowplows for the twins.
These Douglases were produced in early 1999 and use the old logo chassis like Donald in the set and of the era.
New print runs of boxes from 1999 onwards included the new Tomy website URL. Like several other later 1990s Thomas Plarail characters, Donald received a new run of boxes in 2000 that was seemingly used until the range was redesigned in 2003.
The truck chassis from this November 2000 example have the new 1996-dated tooling with more centered text.
In 2002 the first Donalds were exported in red and blue 2001-style Thomas Tomica World packaging for the European market. In 2003 Donald was rereleased for Europe in the Thomas Motor Road & Rail range but Tomy-made Donalds were never exported for American sale.
In 2003 the Thomas Plarail range was revamped and earlier characters were given updated detailing. Donald, however, remained largely unchanged. The 2003 print run box seen here is stamped and contains a Donald dating to 2005.
The troublesome trucks have the same angry and happy faces as the 1990s releases.
Donald and the trucks appear mostly identical to earlier releases, with Donald and the truck's chassis being updated with the new Tomy logo. The CE mark was also added into the tooling as European export continued.
In 2003 Donalds were released in blue Thomas Motor Road & Rail packaging for the European market. A new box style was introduced in 2005, around which time the CE mark was added to the toolings, with the do not dispose mark added by 2006. Donald was also included in the 2008 U.K. Tomy TrackMaster range.
In 2006 Douglas was released in blue Thomas Motor Road & Rail packaging for the European market. Included in the three-pack is a red "happy" troublesome truck.
These Douglases have updated CE and do-not-dispose marks in the chassis and battery hatch toolings. These marks are also present on later Donalds of the same era.