What is this Thomas Set?

B'Station Official

Hi there everyone, I am wanted to ask everyone something. Does anyone know what this item is? It was listed as a Plarail set on Jauce.com, and the station building looks like it is compatible with the Ffarquhar/Tidmouth station. Does anyone know any information about this item and what is its name?

Link: http://www.jauce.com/auction/d213257598

Regards

Super

I had seen that listing and thought the station looked cool but my guess its an insanely priced knockoff. I don't read Japanese but I don't see Tomy or Plarail on the box nor do I see mention of it in the title or description. The Thomas train, to me, does not look like a Plarail, Tomy train to me. More like a take and play or pull and go. I could be wrong, but my guess is knockoff but I would be interested in other members views on this especially ones that can read Japanese. In the Title and the lower right corner of the box is the word "Pilot" which is probably the maker.

MuddyPoppins

Super wrote
I had seen that listing and thought the station looked cool but my guess its an insanely priced knockoff. I don't read Japanese but I don't see Tomy or Plarail on the box nor do I see mention of it in the title or description. The Thomas train, to me, does not look like a Plarail, Tomy train to me. I could be wrong, but my guess is knockoff but I would be interested in other members views on this. In the Title and the lower right corner of the box is the word "Pilot" which is probably the maker.

Yes it seems to be a knockoff of the illustrious Pilot Corp.(lol I've never heard of), and also depicts NO BLUE TRACK anywhere on the box, as far as I could see?
It looks like it might run on Tomy track, but there are faint lines of a layout the doesn't look blue in one of the photos, so I don't know if I'd personally take the chance on a knockoff for that price.

B'Station Official

Muddy Poppins wrote
Yes it seems to be a knockoff of the illustrious Pilot Corp.(lol I've never heard of), and also depicts NO BLUE TRACK anywhere on the box, as far as I could see?
It looks like it might run on Tomy track, but there are faint lines of a layout the doesn't look blue in one of the photos, so I don't know if I'd personally take the chance on a knockoff for that price.

Thank you for the reply! 😃 Its a shame its a knockoff, it certainly does have some nice pieces that could work with a TOMY layout. And the price is not worth it, as it is a knockoff.

sunhuntin

for that price, i doubt its a fake.

looking the the "tracks" on the back, could it be one of those that follows a line drawn by a specific marker? ive never heard of pilot, though.

MuddyPoppins

sunhuntin wrote
for that price, i doubt its a fake.

looking the the "tracks" on the back, could it be one of those that follows a line drawn by a specific marker? ive never heard of pilot, though.

Oooh..Sunhuntin I think YOU are correct!!!
I had never heard of such a set with a pen reading technology, so I went back to look again for a pen image, and there may be a pen shown on the top of the box in one of the photos...ALSO It has a HiT logo on the packaging, so YES!! I think it is legit! Sold strictly for the Japanese market. It is most likely priced right too.
THIS is one of great things about this site!!!🙂
Thank you!!🙂

jdogman

To me it doesn't look like a knock off, and I'm aware that this product has had western releases.

MuddyPoppins

jdogman wrote
To me it doesn't look like a knock off, and I'm aware that this product has had western releases.

It looks like the Thomas might be a bit smaller than a Plarail?
I can't imagine that the price is only for the station, tunnel and features bnib, but in reading the discription it says, "vehicle sold separately"... It might just be a translation error, but without more info about what is supposed to be inside, and with no way to ask questions, it's is a tough call for that much money... Be careful, and good luck!!🙂

sunhuntin

the box also shows percy, so could have been an accessory kit? the items i know of came with a plastic mat that was wipe clean so you could draw, erase and re-draw. i have seen lightning mcqueen ones as well.

DalaGStanator

The link does not work for me. Please post an image of it.

Super

Oh, wow, you are right, I didn't notice the HiT logo but if its legit would it not also have to have a Thomas and Friends logo? I don't see an indication of battery installation on any of the sides we see in the pictures.

B'Station Official

Super wrote
Oh, wow, you are right, I didn't notice the HiT logo but if its legit would it not also have to have a Thomas and Friends logo? I don't see an indication of battery installation on any of the sides we see in the pictures.

Thanks to everyone for their feedback! Its certainly a mystery. Has TOMY ever produced any other wide tunnels or a Wellsworth station? Also the signal looks eerily similar to the ERTL signal found in various sets. 🙂

Also I found another listing to only Wellsworth station: http://www.jauce.com/auction/t473927138

On the front of the image is the "Thomas & Friends" in japanese in the white cloud, I believe this is meant to be the logo.

Miksolo

I was not aware that they released sets with buildings for this range, but in western countries you could buy a washable playmat, Thomas, Percy, and James. Judging from the Thomas, this is an AquaDraw set, and if I remember correctly, as the engines puff along, they use water to "draw" railway tracks behind them.

B'Station Official

Miksolo wrote
I was not aware that they released sets with buildings for this range, but in western countries you could buy a washable playmat, Thomas, Percy, and James. Judging from the Thomas, this is an AquaDraw set, and if I remember correctly, as the engines puff along, they use water to "draw" railway tracks behind them.

Yes, I believe this is the Japanese version of the AquaDraw Thomas & Friends, for example here is another listing with a paint brush to guide Thomas:

This Japanese blog explains why this tunnel is awesome!

http://p-kiesfan.hatenablog.com/entry/2014/04/15/204131
http://page2.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/b207656460

I think it is a real range for the Thomas merchandise, there is a Thomas & Friends logo in a cloud in Japanese; HiT logo and copyright I believe in the bottom left corner of the box.

Super

Very interesting, nice detective work B'Stat.

B'Station Official

Super wrote
Very interesting, nice detective work B'Stat.

Thanks a lot! 😃 Its very fascinating now my only question is if you can take the Wellsworth building station segment and place it on the Ffarquhar platform, to see if it fits, they both look very similar in shape and design.

If yes that would be awesome! 🙂

Super

They do look similar but this one looks a bit skinnier and shorter. I am remembering a Wellsworth Station by Plarail that is exactly the same as Ffarquhar but with white windows and bench. I may have one. Just checked and that is a Tidmouth Station

There is also another station design of Wellsworth I think. I will take a look around

B'Station Official

Super wrote
They do look similar but this one looks a bit skinnier and shorter. I am remembering a Wellsworth Station by Plarail that is exactly the same as Ffarquhar but with white windows and bench. I may have one. There is also another station design of Wellsworth I think. I will take a look around

Great, thank you very much for your help! 😃 I believe there are two Wellsworth stations, one from the Beginner Thomas Set and one from some MR&R Tomica World sets; its a repaint of the country station in green I think. 🙂

Super

May be this one although its not the other I had in mind http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-2001-THOMAS-THE-TRAIN-WELLSWORTH-STATION-/152345734593?hash=item2378836dc1:g:95gAAOSw6DtYRiW7

And the other yellow one I was thinking of was Lower Tidmouth here http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRACKMASTER-LOWER-TIDMOUTH-STATION-w-Stop-Go-Track-/332037055863?hash=item4d4ef36577:g:~YAAAOSw5cNYL6s2

So there were 2 Tidmouths, one Lower and one just Tidmouth that is identical to Ffarguhar

B'Station Official

Super wrote
May be this one although its not the other I had in mind http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-2001-THOMAS-THE-TRAIN-WELLSWORTH-STATION-/152345734593?hash=item2378836dc1:g:95gAAOSw6DtYRiW7

And the other yellow one I was thinking of was Lower Tidmouth here http://www.ebay.com/itm/TRACKMASTER-LOWER-TIDMOUTH-STATION-w-Stop-Go-Track-/332037055863?hash=item4d4ef36577:g:~YAAAOSw5cNYL6s2

So there were 2 Tidmouths, one Lower and one just Tidmouth that is identical to Ffarguhar

I know these two stations 🙂 Thank you for your help!

Tidmouth station is very expensive and hard to find!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Plarail-come-related-Thomas-First/dp/B0002U3LAY/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1482864733&sr=8-10&keywords=plarail+first+thomas