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Plarail Mavis (1999)

First written June 27, 2024

Mavis is a diesel engine with sideplates that works at the Sodor Island quarry in the Thomas the Tank Engine television show and the Railway Series books it is based on. She was first released in Plarail form in 1999 accompanied with a nice articulated green breakdown train.

Plarail Mavis (1999)

Plarail Mavis (プラレールメイビス) was released on September 25th, 1999 and was the third and final new character in the Thomas series of Plarail trains to be released in 1999. The three-pack release includes Mavis with a neat articulated breakdown train crane and flatbed.

Mavis uses the large C battery gearbox introduced with Duck.

Mavis has nice sideplates and yellow wasp stripe details.

The breakdown train crane rotates around on the base and lifts up and down, with the small hook on the end also able to swing. Unfortunately, the crane does not really interact that well - it is not magnetic and it does not really have a hook, and it does no interact with Plarail truck loads or vehicles very well either. Likewise, the flatbed is not really that good at holding a regular Plarail truck - although you actually can kind of stretch a car's rear coupling open over the plinth that supports the crane.

In 2001 a second print run of Mavis boxes was produced. Other than the different ST mark, nothing is different in the text or contents of the box, as the original 1999 print already had the updated Tomy phone numbers and website URL.

7451 Mavis (Tomica World) (2002)

In 2002 the first Mavises were exported in red and blue 2001-style Thomas Tomica World packaging for the European market.

T-15 Plarail Mavis (Updated rerelease) (2003)

In 2003 the Thomas Plarail range was rereleased in new packaging with some updates to older characters. Mavis was almost entirely unchanged but appeared in new boxes as T-15 Plarail Mavis.

Licensing information on both Mavis and the breakdown train chassis were updated to say 2002. This particular example was produced in November 2003.

7451 Mavis (Thomas Motor Road & Rail (U.K.)/Thomas Motorized Road & Rail (U.S.)) (2003/2005)

In 2003 updated Mavises were exported in blue Thomas Motor Road & Rail packaging for the European market. A new box style was introduced in 2005 and used until 2008. Mavis was also included in the 2008 U.K. Tomy TrackMaster range. In 2005 the three-pack release of Mavis was briefly sold in the U.S. in Toys R Us.

5581 Mavis with Track (Thomas Motorized Road & Rail) (2006)

In 2006 Mavis was released with two half straight tracks in the United States.

TS-15 Plarail Mavis

In 2012 Mavis was somewhat briefly reintroduced in the new style of CGI box, still including the breakdown crane and flatbed. In 2014 Stephen replaced Mavis as the TS-15 designation, and Mavis went out of production.