Thomas & Friends merchandise facts for kids

Thomas & Friends is a super popular TV show and book series about trains. Because so many people love Thomas, lots of different toys and items have been made! These items are called merchandise. Even before the TV show started in 1984, there were already some Thomas toys. But after the show became famous in places like the United States and Japan, even more companies wanted to make Thomas-themed products.

The most popular items are toy trains and railway sets. But you can also find Thomas videos, books, games, puzzles, clothes, and even things for your house like curtains! In 2010, Thomas & Friends toys were the number one preschool toy in the U.S. and one of the top 10 toys overall. In the U.K., it was the top preschool toy for 11 years in a row! Thomas toys are also very popular in Australia, Germany, Japan, and Korea.

Companies that Made Thomas Toys

Many different companies have made Thomas & Friends toys over the years. Each company often had its own special way of making the characters.

Pre-Cut Model Engine Books

The very first Thomas toys were 'Pre-cut Model Engine Books' released in 1957. These were cardboard kits you could press out, fold, and glue to make train models. They were made until the 1960s.

Four different books were published:

• Thomas, with Annie the Coach
• Percy, with Clarabel the Coach
• Gordon the Big Engine and his Tender
• James the Red Engine and his Tender

Newer press-out models came out in 1994. These books included accessories, track, and a station. You could make models of Thomas, Percy, James, Toby, Annie, Clarabel, Bertie the Bus, and Harold the Helicopter.

Meccano

In 1967, a company called Meccano made a special train set. It had a clockwork (wind-up) model of Percy the Small Engine with some trucks. The Percy model looked a lot like the pictures in the books. This set was only made for one year and is now very rare.

Ertl Company

Ertl was one of the first companies to make Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends toys. They started in the UK in 1984 and in the US in 1989. Ertl stopped making these toys in 2005.

Die-cast Models

Ertl was famous for its die-cast (metal) models and playsets. These toys were very popular, and many people enjoyed collecting them.

Thomas, Henry, and James were the first models. Later, Percy, Toby, Annie, Clarabel, and Bertie were added. Over time, new characters were made to match their appearances in the TV show. Some special models were also created, like a Gold Thomas for the 50th Anniversary of The Railway Series.

The trains used special hooks to connect to each other. Most of the engines were made of metal with plastic parts. They were painted and looked very detailed. Ertl also made playsets with playmats and connectable track systems.

Thomas Mini World

In 1991, Ertl released a line called Miniatures. These were smaller Thomas characters that came with connectable bases like a turntable or a level crossing. You could put stickers on the track sections. This line was updated in 2002 and renamed Thomas Mini World. The characters got molded faces, and the bases were changed so you could build them like Lego.

Gold Rail Series

The Gold Rail Series came out in 1993. These models had magnets to connect them. The playsets had detailed track sections and accessories.

Large and Wind-Up Versions

Ertl also made larger, motorized versions of Thomas and Percy in 1985. They even made a remote control Thomas! Later, they released wind-up versions of many characters like Thomas, Percy, and James.

Merit

Merit made several push-along Thomas toys. These included a sit-on Thomas for toddlers and larger push-along versions of Thomas, Annie, Clarabel, and Percy. They also made a Thomas toy where kids could put shaped blocks into the correct holes.

Hornby Railways

In 1985, Hornby Railways started making Thomas & Friends model trains. These were designed to work with other Hornby trains. The range grew to include many main characters and train sets. Hornby stopped making these trains in 2018 due to new safety rules.

These models were made for slightly older children because putting them on the tracks needed a bit of skill. However, they were also made to be strong enough for kids to play with without easily breaking.

Hornby also made clockwork 'Playtrains' and a battery-powered set where Thomas was pushed by a motor in Annie.

Fisher-Price

Fisher-Price has made many different types of Thomas & Friends toys.

Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway

The Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway started in 1992. These toys are made of wood with plastic wheels and faces. They use magnets to connect. In 1995, they even patented a special "Clicketyclack" track design!

Over the years, the models were updated with more detailed faces. Battery-powered engines were also introduced.

Around 2007, some of these wooden toys were recalled because they had red or yellow paint that contained lead. This was a safety concern, and the company worked to fix it.

In 2008, the Talking Railway Series was created. These engines and destinations could talk to each other using special magnets.

In 2009, Mattel's Fisher-Price took over the Thomas toy line. The toys started to feature characters from the CGI (computer-animated) TV series. In 2017, the line was completely changed and called Thomas & Friends Wood. The engines became smaller, and the track was different. After some criticism, Fisher-Price started fully painting the engines again in 2019.

In 2021, Thomas & Friends: Wood was stopped. It was replaced by a new version of the original "Wooden Railway" line in 2022. This new line has more accurate designs and stronger toys, and it brought back the older track system.

Take-n-Play Thomas & Friends

Take-n-Play (which used to be called Take Along) is a series of die-cast Thomas models. These toys are designed for younger children. They replaced the Ertl die-cast models. Take-n-Play models use special 'two-way' magnets to connect.

These models are generally chunkier and look more like toys than the older Ertl ones. The range includes many characters from the TV series and movies. Some special models have a metallic finish or even sound and lights.

In 2010, Mattel bought Take-Along and renamed it Take-n-Play. The models were updated with better paint and faces. In 2017, the line changed again to Thomas & Friends Adventures. These models have hook couplings, similar to Hot Wheels trains. This line was stopped in 2018.

TrackMaster

TrackMaster (formerly Tomy) is a line of battery-powered Thomas trains. The trains and track were designed to connect easily. Some special engines could be remote-controlled or change faces. In 2010, Fisher-Price took over this line.

In 2014, Mattel changed TrackMaster completely. The new trains were faster and could go up tall hills. The track was made to look more realistic.

Motorized

Motorized is a battery-operated toy system launched by Fisher-Price in 2020. It's very similar to the 2014 TrackMaster line, with new and re-released products.

Capsule Plarail

In 1997, Tomy made small wind-up Thomas models that had special actions when you wound them up. A new range with more characters was introduced in 2006.

Tomix

Since 1998, Tomix has made electric N gauge Thomas train systems. These are smaller, detailed models.

Golden Bear

My First Thomas & Friends

My First Thomas & Friends is a line of chunky plastic toys made by a British company called Golden Bear Toys. This range started in 1994 and was made for very young children. The toys are safe for little ones to play with.

The range includes most of the main and smaller characters from the TV series. There are also "Talking My First Thomas & Friends" models that speak famous phrases from the show and have moving eyes.

Bandai

Thomas Engine Collection Series

Bandai made many die-cast Thomas vehicles that looked similar to the Ertl "Gold Rail" models. This series had even more characters, mostly from Seasons 1-5 of the TV show. Bandai also made tiny plastic toys called "Pocket Thomas."

Lionel, LLC

In 1993, Lionel Trains USA started making Thomas & Friends models in O-scale for the US and Canada. As of 2013, their O-scale engines are controlled by a special remote. Since 2018, most of their engines have faces that look like the CGI TV series.

Bachmann Industries

In 2002, Bachmann USA also started making their own HO-scale electric Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends models for the US and Canada. These models are designed to look like the characters from the TV series and have moving eyes.

In 2009, Bachmann announced they would make larger scale Thomas electric trains. In 2015, they announced a line of narrow gauge trains based on characters from the Skarloey Railway. In 2019, Bachmann started selling their Thomas range in Europe. In 2020, they introduced a new N-Scale Thomas & Friends range.

Marklin

Marklin, a German model train maker, released a small number of Thomas & Friends items in HO-scale in 2006. These were only available in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. They were designed for young children and were very simple.

Lego Duplo

In 2005, Lego introduced their Duplo 'Thomas' series. Duplo is made for very young children, so the sets have only a few pieces to put together. New sets were released each year until Mega Bloks took over the license in 2010.

MV Sports

In 2006, MV Sports made self-assembly Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends engines and buildings. These included sets with Thomas, Toby, Mavis, Percy, James, and Edward.

Mega Bloks

In 2009, Mega Bloks started making buildable Thomas & Friends models like Percy, Thomas, and Diesel. This line ended in 2017. In 2017, Mega Bloks made even larger versions of these characters.

Video Games

Many different computer and video games based on Thomas have been released over the years.

• Thomas the Tank Engine (1990): In this game, you control Thomas as he takes special trips, like bringing children to the seaside or medicine to the hospital. You have to avoid obstacles like dead ends and other trains.
• Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (1993): This game was released for Sega Genesis and Super NES. It was based on the TV show.
• Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Pinball (1995): This is a pinball game with different boards based on characters like Thomas, James, Percy, and Toby. You can choose from three skill levels.
• Thomas & Friends: The Great Festival Adventure (1999): This is an educational computer game where you play seven mini-games around the island of Sodor. You might prepare rides or sort goods for an event.
• Thomas & Friends: Trouble on the Tracks (2000): Another educational adventure game similar to the previous one. You play eight mini-games around Sodor.
• Thomas & Friends: Railway Adventures (2001): In this game, you control Thomas in a 3D world of Sodor. You use a special playset with levers to move Thomas, change directions, and blow his whistle. You help friends with tasks and can even watch clips from the TV show.
• Kikansha Thomas – Sodor-tou no Nakama-tachi (2001): This action-adventure game was released only in Japan for the Game Boy Color. You explore Sodor as Thomas, picking the right track pieces and completing mini-games for other characters.
• Thomas & Friends: Building the New Line (2002): You are a new engine driver helping The Fat Controller build new railway lines on Sodor. You can create your own track routes and interact with objects like factories.
• Thomas & Friends: Thomas Saves the Day (2003): In this point-and-click adventure game, you help Thomas and his friends clean up after a big storm and deliver chocolates.
• Thomas & Friends: A Day at the Races (PlayStation 2): This game was released in Europe and Australia.
• Thomas & Friends: Hero of the Rails (2010): Released for Nintendo Wii and Nintendo DS, this game follows the story of the movie of the same name. You can race, shunt, paint, and fix Hero.
• Thomas & Friends: Steaming Around Sodor (2015): This Nintendo 3DS game is the latest Thomas video game. You help Thomas and the other engines get ready for a special visit from the Duke and Duchess of Boxford.