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Plarail Thomas the Tank Engine-series rolling stock

First written June 2024

Thomas the Tank Engine is the titular character of the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends T.V. show as well as a main character in the Railway Series books it is based on. In 1992 Tomy began releasing a series of Thomas Plarail trains, sets, and accessories. Throughout the decades since, Tomy has produced a wide variety of new toolings and variations for trucks, carriages, and other rolling stock.

Annie and Clarabel (1992)

First released with Thomas in 1992, his coaches Annie and Clarabel share the same new tooling and have different stickers applied.

Early examples from 1992 to 1994 were made in Japan, with newer coaches manufactured in Thailand. These coaches followed the construction methods of the time and use the older single-split couplings.

When production of Thomas moved to Thailand in 1995 Annie and Clarabel also began being manufactured in Thailand.

This chassis was used for a few different variations of branchline and narrow gauge coaches

4860 Annie (Motorized Road & Rail) (2004)

In 2004 new-chassis Annies were released individually in the United States in plastic hanging-box packaging.

4861 Clarabel (Motorized Road & Rail) (2004)

In 2004 new-chassis Clarabels were released individually in the United States in plastic hanging-box packaging.

Van (1993)

In 1993 the early 1970s Plarail box van was released in grey with the original Plarail Henry. Seemingly around or slightly ahead of the release of the Talking Henry in 2000 the stubby rolling stock chassis was updated with axleboxes and in the early 2000s trucks that used this chassis moved from having the "open" end of their axles hammered or pressed flat to hold the wheels on to having a metal "cap" at the open end of the axle which can be removed with a pinion puller.

This tooling was adapted by HiT Toys and later Fisher-Price for their TrackMaster series and released in a variety of colors.

Log Car (1993)

In 1993 the early 1970s Plarail log car was released in grey with three logs with the original Plarail Henry.

Although the Thomas-series version of these trucks were all produced in Thailand, the toolings having moved in the early 1990s, logs included with Japan-made Henrys in 1993 and 1994 have shorter logs, even though the trucks and logs in both versions were produced in Thailand. They have similar molding slot marks.

These log cars were first exported in the 1997 American Battery Operated Rail System as part of the Percy Accessory Set. This pack included Percy and the log car without logs.

Like other short-chassis rolling stock, the log car chassis gained axleboxes around 1999 and changed to using capped instead of hammered axles in the early 2000s, with a brief hammered axle with molded axleboxes transition period. The grey plastic was also slightly lighter in the early 2000s.

This tooling was adapted by HiT Toys and later Fisher-Price for their TrackMaster series and released in a variety of colors.

4863 Log Car (Motorized Road & Rail) (2004)

In 2004 individual log cars with three logs were sold in the United States in hanging plastic boxes.

Cattle car (1994)

In 1994 the Plarail livestock car was released in a nice brown and black color scheme with the Plarail James. This cattle car unfortunately does not have the pig and sheep inside like the late 1970s Plarail version but the doors still slide open and closed.

Like other rolling stock, the chassis tooling was updated with axleboxes in the early 2000s, with axles changing to the capped type seemingly at the same time. In the 2010s some decorated variations of the cattle van were released in themed train packs.

Brake van (1994)

Also included with Plarail James is a version of the fairly common Plarail guard's van or brake van, based on a JNR design.

Like the other short-chassis rolling stock, the chassis tooling was updated with axleboxes around 1999 and capped axles in the early 2000s.

Later on, HiT Toys and Mattel both used their TrackMaster versions of this brake van a lot as it was cheap and small.

Fuel Tanker (1995)

In 1995 the 1970s Plarail tank car was released in yellow with a black chassis with fuel stickers along with the Plarail Percy.

4864 Fuel Wagon (Motorized Road & Rail) (2004)

Starting in 2004 in the United States individual fuel tankers were sold in hanging plastic box packaging.

Sodor Mail Van (1995)

In 1995 the 1979 Plarail mail car was released in a brown Sodor Mail version with Plarail Percy.

Around late 1997 or early 1998 the Sodor Mail stickers on the right side of the truck started being applied backwards as Mail Sodor. This carried forward to all of the export releases.

Like other trucks, in the early 2000s the hammered-flat axles were replaced with more modern capped ones. The color of the car and roof also got lighter over time. Shown from left to right are an early Sodor Mail-stickered car with darker roof and body, early Mail Sodor car that still has the darker coloration, a later hammered-axle Mail Sodor car with slightly lighter roof, and a 2000s capped axle Mail Sodor car with lighter body and roof.

4868 Sodor Mail Car (Motorized Road & Rail) (2004)

In 2004 the Sodor Mail Car was released in individual plastic hanging packaging in the United States.

Express coach (1995)

The second new rolling stock tooling for the Thomas range came in 1995 when Gordon was released with a green express coach.

As production went on, the chassis was updated to use a more traditional screw around 2001. A brief version lacked the "Made in Thailand" text in the chassis insert with darker yellow window surrounds that also appeared on the later type with text, also produced with lighter windows.

Later on the coach's roof was darkened, with some slight variations in the window surrounds. The earliest chassis with rimmed screw has lighter and darker variations as does the transitional no-logo chassis with the squared-off logo chassis has both lighter and darker roof variations, with the darker roofs carrying forward to the updated 2006 licensing version.

Red Express Coach (2001)

In 2001 a red express coach resembling the other common style of express coach seen in the Thomas television series was released first produced from red plastic in early copies of the Plarail Thomas and Busy Freight Cars Set.

In 2002 a version of the red coach was included with Powerful Gordon. It has the one-off reinforced rear coupling like the Powerful Gordon itself. It seems that these coaches were produced from grey plastic.

In 2004 the Thomas and Busy Freight Cars Set was rereleased with a grey-plastic version of the red express coach.

Here are four variations from various versions of the Freight Cars set, an early type made from red plastic circa 2001, a transitional chassis coach circa 2002 or so, a 2003 or so updated logo chassis version, and the later 2006 license info chassis from the Thomas and Full Freight Cars set.

"Season's Greetings" Coach (2003)

This express coach variant was included with the American and Australian Thomas Holiday Set. The coach is produced in green plastic with a red stripe and Season's Greetings sticker on the side.

TF-04 Red Passenger Car (2006)

As part of the 2006 Thomas and Friends fright car series a red express coach with yellow stripe was released as TF-04 あかい客車 Red Passenger Car.

These coaches are stamped with production date and have stickers with 2005 licensing information. Later on, this 2006 date was added to the coach chassis tooling.

Troublesome Truck (1996)

Released with Edward and in the first Thomas the Tank Engine and Freight Cars Set in 1996, Troublesome Trucks are a staple of the Thomas series and were widely used with a variety of faces and colors in the following decades. Troublesome truck variations and other rolling stock based on them are covered on the Troublesome Truck page.

Troublesome Van (1996)

Also released in 1996 and using the same chassis as the Troublesome Truck is this Troublesome Van based on vans seen in the television series. This is a nice van with a face sticker on the rear but unfortunately unlike the troublesome truck no other face variations were released. It is covered in more detail on the troublesome truck page.

Henrietta (1997)

Released, of course, with the Plarail Toby; Henrietta shares the same chassis as Annie and Clarabel but with nice observation decks at either end.

Henrietta's chassis follows the same revisions as Annie and Clarabel, although she was never produced in Japan.

Tanker (1997)

In 1997 for the Plarail Diesel a new tooling was introduced to produce tankers more similar to the style seen on the Thomas TV show, as the existing Plarail tanker tooling was based on a Japanese-style tank car. This tanker was first used in white as a milk tanker and yellow as a Sodor Fuel tanker.

In 1998 a tar tanker was introduced with Plarail BoCo.

These tankers actually continue to use the same chassis as the existing Plarail tanker and was even used in the regular Plarail range in the 2001 Railway Yard Set Full of Freight Cars decorated like a Japanese tanker. It also appeared in the Thomas-series equivalent Thomas and Busy Freight Cars Set with a face and blank white body.

One export-only variant is the Hot Cocoa tanker included in the Thomas Holiday Set.

4862 Tidmouth Milk Tanker (Motorized Road & Rail) (2004)

In 2004 individual milk tankers were sold in hanging plastic boxes in the United States.

Branchline Coaches (1998)

First produced in dark red with Plarail Oliver in 1998, a branchline-style coach tooling with a slightly different roof but otherwise similar features to Annie and Clarabel was released that used the same chassis.

Like other Thomas-series trains and carriages from the later 1990s, there is a period of production where roofs were darker grey than their 2000s counterparts. The old logo, transitional old logo, and new logo variations of the chassis were all used on this type of coach.

Emily's Branchline Coach (2005)

In 2005 for the American and European three-pack releases of Emily a recolored and nicely painted version of the tooling was used to represent her matching coaches seen in the television show.

Skarloey coaches (2006)

Included with Skarloey in 2006 were two repainted versions of this coach tooling resembling blue coaches seen in the Thomas TV show.

Works Unit Van (1999)

Released as a set-exclusive double-ended van in the February 1999 Donald and Douglas Snowplow Train Set to connect the twin engines together back to back, this van closely represents the one seen in the television series down to particular molded details on the different sides of the van. There are weights inside to help stop the van from lifting off the rails when connected between a powered train pulling another train that is unpowered but weighty (potentially also having a battery inside), particularly around curves. These coaches use a screw with a large rim around the head to hold the chassis together.

In 2001 the Splatter and Dodge three-pack was released with a greenish version of the van with no text. This pack was also available in Europe and Australia.

Earlier examples of this coach use a screw with a separate plastic rim around it to emulate the old wide-brim screws while later examples use a revised version of the chassis insert piece.

Brakevan (1999)

In 1999 a new tooling of brakevan resembling some of those used on Sodor was first released with Plarail Stepney. Interestingly, there does not seem to be a designated "correct" way around for the roof to be installed, and the pip sticking out closer to one end appears both ways around during multiple production periods.

Older examples do not have axleboxes and have the old curvy Tomy logo on the bottom. The later examples with axleboxes added have the new straight Tomy logo.

A few set and train pack variants of this brakevan were also released.

Breakdown Train (1999)

The first Plarail breakdown train, consisting of a crane and flatbed, was included with Plarail Mavis and some of her later international rereleases.

In 2001 a slight color variant was included with the Thomas and Busy Freight Cars Set.

In 2002 the chassis tooling was updated, changing the Thomas licensing date to 2002.

The flatbed and crane both use the tiny wheels and bent axles used on some different rolling stock in the later 1990s and early 2000s.

Flatbed (2001)

Developed for and included in the Thomas and Busy Freight Cars Set in May 2001, this flatbed with spring-loaded side can be used to hold a few different Thomas-series accessories. The chassis is similar to the brakedown train chassis, using the same bent axles and small wheels.

A similar flatbed that reuses some parts of the spring-loaded flatbed but with a new cargo section on top was released first with Harvey in 2003.

Works Unit Van (powered) (2003)

In 2003 a new version of the works unit van was produced for the Plarail Harvey that contains a Thomas-type gearbox and space for a C battery. This van's chassis was adapted for the 2004 Talking Thomas' Annie as well as used for the 2004 Talking Percy.

Spencer's Private Coach (2004)

Spencer, the private locomotive of a duke and duchess in the Thomas and Friends television series, comes with their private brake coach in three-pack releases.

This coach uses the same chassis as the express coach but has rounded ends that cause the couplings to be partially obscured. This causes them to couple slightly closer together, which gives a nice effect.

Green narrow gauge coaches (2006)

Released first with Mighty Mac in 2006 and later with Freddie in 2007 and 2008 were these green narrow gauge coaches resembling a style seen in the Thomas the Tank Engine TV show. Mighty Mac included one powered car and one unpowered car, with Freddie including two regular coaches.