Articles on Toys | Topics: toys, toy
by Kent Wall
The Railway Series books, written by Rev W.V.Awdrey, introduced the world to Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends. The stories were about the everyday lives of Thomas, Percy, Toby, Henry, Gordon, James and Edward and so on. Sometimes they were cheerful and helpful and some characters were mischievous. The Fat Controller tried to keep them in order. When the TV series was made, merchandise came on the market and lots of children wanted a Thomas the Tank Engine toy.
The items available include video games, puzzles, DVDs and clothing but the railway models are the most popular. There are different kinds of Thomas the Tank Engine toy railway and they are made by several companies, mostly for the UK, American and Japanese market. Tomy produced battery run engines and wind up models and Hornby and Tomix made electric models. A few manufacturers made wooden engines and rails and Lego introduced their own train set.
The first company to get involved in the Thomas the Tank Engine toy market was the US company, Ertl. They made die cast model kits from 1984 to 2004. The engines had fixed plastic faces and the models could be coupled together. Locomotives were made from metal and the chassis and wheels were plastic. Although this Thomas the Tank Engine toy range was based on the TV show, some of the characters were only taken from the books and hadn't appeared on television. In 1991, Ertl began a range of miniature models, presented in a play set. These were later sold as keyrings. The play set consisted of a station, level crossing, goods yard, engine shed, oval track, windmill, viaduct and airport.
| Quote of the Day |
The world-spirit is a good swimmer, and storms and waves can not drown him. He snaps his fingers at laws; and so, throughout history, heaven seems to affect low and poor means. Through the years and the centuries, through evil agents, through toys and atoms, a great and beneficent tendency irresistibly streams.
| —Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882) |
|
|
My First Thomas and Friends was produced by the British toy firm, Golden Bear Toys. They were aimed at younger children and were made from chunky plastic. Talking versions followed, in models with moving eyes, saying catchphrases from the show. The voice was that of original narrator, Ringo Starr, who was followed by Michael Angelis.
Merchandise also exists for the American made spin off series, Shining Time Station that was first shown in 1989. The Lionel Train Company made several different kinds of model sets, which were very popular in America and Ireland and Canada, where the show was also broadcast. In addition to the Thomas the Tank Engine toy models, there are models of Annie, Clarabel, James and the Troublesome trucks, Harold the Helicopter and Percy the Saddle Tank Engine.
|
We strive to provide
only relevant articles on our website. If
there is a specific angle on toys that you would like us to cover, please contact us here.
Please note: All personal opinions expressed in the "Thomas The Tank Engine Toy" article belong to the contributing author and are not necessarily shared by ToysGiftsPresents.com. |
Great Toys that Engage Parents and Kids in Play
By Parker Jarvis
Parents today face the dilemma of how to limit the amount of time their children spend in front of the television, playing electronic games, or on the computer. This becomes increasingly difficult when the weather is not appropriate for outside play....
Doing Your Holiday Shopping on eBay
By Irwin
Doing Your Holiday Shopping on eBay. Most people do far more shopping in the holiday season than they do for the rest of the year – and now you know how to use eBay, why not do it there? If you know what kind of thing your friends and family like then eBay's categories are ideal places to get ideas....
RFID: Wireless Shopping
By Joy Dudley
RFID: Wireless Shopping. So wireless networking has got rid of your network wires and your USB wires......
Wedding Anniversary Presents
By Amarion Terrell
Our society has become more self-centered than in any other time in our history. We are advised by the media, friends, relatives and co-workers to think about ourselves and to make ourselves happy....
Shopping Malls
By Simon Carrillo
Shopping Mall For the longest time I avoided a shopping mall. Money was tight for us and I knew that most of the items at the mall costs more than I had spent....
Christmas Gift For A Teenager
By Quinton McCarty
When it comes to buying something for those who have left childhood, but are not quite adults just yet, you can have a hard time finding something that you think they will like. Teens can be hard to buy for, and that means your chances of getting the right thing are slim if you don’t put some time and thought into what you want to get for them....
|
