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Plarail Neville (2006)

First written November 2, 2025

In 2006 Tomy began releasing Neville, a new character introduced in the later live-action model series of Thomas and Friends for the Thomas Plarail series and export ranges. Neville is based on a Bulleid Q1 class locomotive, which have a very distinct shape. The Tomy toy was likely designed by the European Motor Road & Rail team like some other trains in the mid 2000s that were released in Europe first and later in Japan.

4920 Neville (Thomas Motor Road & Rail) (2006)

Neville was first released as early as February 2006 in the European Motor Road & Rail range with a faceless red van.

The three-pack release also appeared in the Toys R Us style of box in the United States and in Tomy TrackMaster boxes in the 2008 U.K. range.

Neville does not have many painted details, although the tooling is nice and resembles the television series model fairly well for fitting the Plarail system. The red van is actually the first variation of the Troublesome Van, and the only color it was released in without a face.

4936 Neville with Track (Thomas Motorized Road & Rail) (2006)

In 2006 Neville was also sold with four curve rails in the United States.

T-28 Plarail Neville (2006)

Plarail Neville (プラレール) was released on September 21, 2006 as T-28 in the Thomas Plarail series. The red van is included.

The shape of the tender is quite nice, and the tooled axleboxes on the tender and a less common style of wheels both add to the detail of the interestingly-shaped locomotive, if not a fancifully painted one.

This example is of August 2006 production, likely part of the first batch that went on sale in Japan in September. Neville was discontinued with the end of the T series of boxes in 2012.