The Harold Helicopter Station was a Tomy product that was part of various Thomas sets including:
- Plarail #104735 Thomas the Tank Engine and Harold Flying in the Sky Set (1998)
- Plarail #576846 Talking Harold and Station Set (2000) - brown platform
- TW #7408 Thomas Adventure Set (2000)
- TW #7408J Talking Thomas and Harold Adventure Set (2002)
- MRR #4760 Talking Thomas Adventure Set (2002)
- MRR #4768 Thomas Holiday Set (2003) - snowy
- MRR #4775 Thomas Ultimate Set (2004)
- MRR #4751 Thomas Giant Set (2006)
I recently received one of these that wasn’t working. When I dismantled it I found that it needed re-wiring. The diagram below explains how the wiring should be organised, and may be of some use to anyone else who needs to repair one.
There are three switches, the first is operated by the button on the platform beside the station house, the second is operated by the stop-rail ramp being raised, and the third is operated by a vehicle parked on the stop-rail pushing on the pass-lever that protrudes from the side of the platform.
When the button switch is in position 2 the motor is live and the arm with Harold on it rotates regardless of the position of the other two switches. When the button switch is in position 1 the motor only rotates when the stop-rail ramp is raised AND the pass lever is pushed to one side or the other by a locomotive that is parked on the stop-rail ramp.
Trivia: The station itself is modelled on the western side of Dryaw Station which is on Thomas’ Ffarquhar Branch Line between Knapford and Elsbridge. The name “Dryaw” is an anagram of “Awdry”.
