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Tomy Thomas the Tank Engine Cranky at the Docks (1999)

First written August 5th, 2024

One of the coolest Thomas-series Plarail accessories (and, honestly, one of the coolest Plarail accessories in general) is the motorized, animated Cranky the crane accessory with double-track "docks" base with attached shed and blue "water" section. The track closer to Cranky stops an incoming train and triggers a motor inside the base to swing Cranky back and forth so that it looks like he is loading and unloading the train's cargo. The further track has a manual rail stopper with the switch nearby. The accessory also includes Bulstrode the barge with four wheels underneath so he can roll along the "water." First released in Japan in 1999, the accessory was used in several export Thomas sets as well as a separate accessory in both the United States and Europe.

Thomas the Tank Engine and Strongman Cranky Set (1999)

The first release of the motorized Cranky accessory came in the summer 1999 Thomas the Tank Engine Strongman Cranky Set.

Bulstrode the barge has a cargo well, but as this accessory predates most of the Tomy Thomas-series cargo that fits the Troublesome Trucks, Bulstrode does not fit the standard size of Tomy cargo. Cranky's basket is removable and other things can be hung from his hook. Like many other motorized Tomy toys, a sticker inside the battery compartment reveals the month and year of production, in this case G stands for July because it is the seventh letter of the alphabet and seventh month of the year and 9 for 1999.

This release of the accessory is a slightly earlier variation that only has one larger support peg and a single-position interlock between the output shaft in the base and Cranky. Later versions added a fifth locating peg and changed the interface to be hexagonal to make it easier to line up Cranky correctly and have the driveshafts inside engage properly. These early Crankys are free to spin 360 degrees, while later ones are locked mechanically slightly outside their regular range of travel.

Another small piece of quality on these original releases is a small piece of cushioning foam under where the crate covers the battery compartment. I believe when this set was released in Australia in 2000 as part of the Tomica World range that the Cranky included was still this variation.

7506 Cranky at the Docks (Motorized Road & Rail) (2003)

In North America the Cranky and Bulstrode destination with some support track pieces was released in red and blue Motorized Road & Rail packaging in 2003 as Cranky at the Docks. This release includes the Cranky base, Cranky with bucket, Bulstrode, a pair of single/double point rails, a regular straight rail and a half straight rail. These track pieces make it easier to integrate the accessory into many Thomas sets - it can be inserted easily into pretty much any set that comes with two straight rails with the provided pieces.

This updated Cranky has a fifth locating peg around Cranky's base and the interface between the drive system in the base and Cranky's back and forth movement is now a hexagon. As export production continued, the CE and do not dispose marks were added into the tooling. The production marks on these Crankys were stamped into the battery cover, sometimes on top instead of inside (where the CE and do-not-dispose marks were also added to the tooling). This accessory stayed in production for use in several export sets including the 2006 Thomas Ultimate Set where this August 2006 example originates from.

Bulstrode and the dock's base had their old curvy Tomy logos updated to the new squared-off one as well.

The design of the shed roof changed sometime around 2005, probably at the same time that the CE marks were added. The original version is painted directly on top of the brown shed structure with insert pieces in the corners. The later design has a separate green roof piece that is screwed in from the bottom on top of the brown shed structure which has also been retooled with a large open section and the corners changed to accommodate screws.

Cranky at the Docks (Bill & Ben Harbor Friends Set variant) (2004)

In 2004 the Japanese Bill and Ben Harbor Friends Set was released with a cool color variant of Cranky that more closely matched his green appearance in the television series. Like the other releases, Cranky moves back and forth and his arm rises and falls.

This green color of Cranky was used again in the Thomas Exciting Cruise Set but had the arm sprung upwards and does not rise and lower as it swings side to side. This release also lacks the black bucket from the Bill and Ben set. Any of the five-peg Crankys can fit onto the cruise set base, and the cruise set Cranky works on the dockyard base without the lifting and lowering of his arm.

7589 Cranky and Bulstrode at the Harbour (Motor Road & Rail) (2007)

In 2007 the Cranky destination was released with a pair of single/double point rails in blue European Thomas Motor Road & Rail packaging as Cranky and Bulstrode at the Harbour. The Cranky destination had previously been sold in the U.K. starting in 2003 in the Thomas and Cranky Deluxe Action Set.

By this point in production, accessories were often marked with the exact day of production underneath, in this case July 4th, 2007.

8 August 2018 layout

This is one of my all-time favorite Plarail accessories. I love the catch-and-release function of Cranky and how much the fairly simple animation elevates the action of any layout. The fact that it works with the double rail standard opens it up to being used with many cool track pieces and I love combining a few of them to make a larger docks scene. Tip - turn off Cranky or pull out the battery while the track stopper is down towards the end of its cycle and you can use it as a regular through-track if you do not want the animation.