The Plarail Thomas the Tank Engine and Percy and the Dragon Set (きかんしゃトーマスとパーシーとりゅうセット) was released for the Thomas Plarail series on October 19, 2006. The set is based on the episode Thomas, Percy and the Chinese Dragon and it features Thomas, a surprised Percy, a Chinese Dragon with light feature, and a loop of track with automatic switch to alternate the direction of incoming trains, and a DVD containing the episode.
Quantity |
Item |
Photo |
---|---|---|
1 | Thomas | |
1 | Percy (surprised face) | |
1 | Chinese Dragon | |
1 | Troublesome Truck (happy) | |
2 | Tarped loads (one of each large and small) | |
1 | R-01 Straight Rail | |
1 | R-02 Half Straight Rail | |
10 | R-03 Curve Rail | |
1 | R-08 Stop Rail |
|
1 | R-11 Turnout Rail (L type) | |
1 | R-19 Automatic Turnout Rail (set variant) | |
2 pieces | Ffarquhar Station | |
3 | Trees | |
1 | DVD |
The Thomas in this set is mostly normal, just with a longer rear coupling installed. The Percy in this set has a shocked face replicating the shocked face used in the episode and shown on the front of the box. In the episode, Percy is stuck on a siding overnight and is startled in the middle of the night when Thomas pushes a large, lit-up Chinese Dragon past where he is resting, scaring him.
I think to help the light effect of the dragon show better, Thomas and Percy have long rear couplings so anything they pull hangs back a short ways further. Both of the engines in my set were produced in September 2006, with Thomas having a sticker but Percy being produced in one of the stamping-type machines (the mark is near the number code tooled into the bottom of the bunker). Thomas uses the newer smaller type of gearbox while the Percy in my example has the older style.
The Chinese Dragon sits on a flatbed section that also has the battery compartment (which takes two AAA batteries), light, and drive system for the light feature. As the car rolls, the trigger makes the light flash on and off. In the episode, Thomas is pushing the dragon on a flatbed with another flatbed with tarped supplies on it in front, but for the set this is replaced with a "happy" Troublesome Truck with tarp loads.
The set's layout is a basic oval with passing loop but an automatic turnout rail with variant sticker and sign is included so that the two powered trains can chase one another around. A standard mid-2000s Ffarquhar station and three wide-base trees are included.
The auto switch makes it easy to have Thomas and the dragon chase Percy around. You don't have to have Thomas always pulling the dragon, of course.
In 2007 as part of the export Motor Road & Rail series this set was released in blue packaging as the 777908 Thomas, Percy, and the Chinese Dragon Set at Kmart Australia. This set has the same contents as the Japanese issue version, with white running board engines and the scared-face Percy, just without a DVD.
Set name | Thomas the Tank Engine,
Percy, and the Dragon Set きかんしゃトーマスとパーシーとりゅうセット Thomas, Percy, and the Chinese Dragon Set |
Release period | 2006-2007, Japan 2007, Australia |
Vehicle rating | Track rating | ||
Accessory rating | Overall | ||
Notes: |