My Tomica World - Introductions

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New name for member FutabaSakura is ... Plarail Man UK ... so it will never be misconstrued. Thank You Plarail Man

Since I never got to add pics of the rest of my recent JAuce Plarail haul [mixed in with a load of, mostly Sailor Moon, anime merch], here we go


First up [I know not the most interesting, but still] - Yellow drive wheels




These are to fix my Tomica World 'Silver Streak'; aka the JR Kyushu 883 Series 'Sonic'. This came to me from Ebay as 'working', and actually was in very good physical condition, but when I powered it on, it could barely power itself around the layout; turns out the main drive gear on the axle was cracked; I swapped it for a spare set of grey drive wheels that I had, but it doesn't look right when the other wheels are yellow - At least now it'll look right 


Secondly,  Mk1 [original livery] 400 Series ['Bullet Train' in the Tomica World catalogue].





This is one of the last trains of the Tomica World export range that I don't already have, which I want to complete if I can. I had to go with a Japanese import since I couldn't find a Mk1 400 Series in decent enough condition around here, at least not for a decent price. The listing says it's not working, but knowing me, I'll be able to get it working; I got some spare gearboxes stripped from other dead or damaged units that definitely work, so it'll probably be a case of using one of those.  

Thirdly; [this is still on-going, so not sure if i've got this yet, but hopefully], a 'Ambitious Japan' 700 Series rear car.



This is just a special livery variant of the 700 Series, the significance being this was used in several adverts for JR Tokai's Shinkansen service as part of an on-going campaign called 'Ambitious Japan!' [AMBITIOUS JAPAN! - Wikipedia], which heavily featured the 700 Series, and an accompanying pop song by the group 'Tokio' [TOKIO AMBITIOUS JAPAN! MUSIC VIDEO - YouTube] which seems to have become an unofficial theme song for the Shinkansen system [at least, the vast amount of music videos made up of nothing but Shinkansen clips seems to indicate this ]


Next, the previously mentioned VHS - I didn't send a picture before now, but here it is.



This, at least from the pictures on my 300 Series track set's box, appears to be the same tape that should have been included with that [the picture has a green label on the tape, but I think, from what i've found, it's the same film on either tape, as this one's label has the same text and logos as the one on the box picture].

I'm kind of hoping this is going to be the same film as is already on YouTube [in poor quality, created by someone filming a TV screen], as that has video demonstrations of several rare and unusual accessories, including the much-discussed Motor Tomica 'McDonalds', so to have a high-quality transfer would, I am sure, be of interest to many of us here at BPT.

Anyway, that's all the Plarail bits I've bought, no point sending pics of the rest of my purchases, as it's basically just a mix of anime merch, of the anime I like xD That is, unless you guys want to see a large mix of Sailor Moon merchandise, among other things 

....Thirdly, a 'Ambitious Japan' 700 Series rear car....

This yellow-wheeled version is from a 2004 limited release for Nissha YUME-KOBO (sunshine dream workshop?), which was a railway model marketing brand of Nippon Sharyo the rolling-stock manufacturer.

JR Tokai 700 Series Ambitious Japan! / JR東海700系 アンビシャスジャパン！


There is a grey-wheeled version in the Tokaido Shinkansen 40th Anniversary Special Set, also 2004.


Pictures from the Plarail Museum

Well well, the more you know. Figures that there's complete versions of the train, I kind of expected that, although I imagine being limited editions that they'd be kinda expensive as complete trains, especially now on the secondary collector markets. 

This coach is 10 yen [presently] on it's own, and since I already have a 700 Series, I figured I'd just use it as an alternate rear coach for that, although now I know it's limited edition I guess there might be more demand closer to the auction close for someone looking to maybe complete an incomplete Ambitious Japan unit, who knows I guess?

I gotta say, the song [Ambitious Japan by Tokio] that went with the units & the ads is seriously catchy, gotta kinda love how the Shinkansen literally got their own full-length theme song - One wonders what the result might have been if British Rail had the idea to extend their 1970's 'Age of the Train' music out to album length and released it as an official single, would have been interesting for sure 

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I am not sure I have seen that 'Ambitious' train before. When I first saw the photo above I would have guessed that the wheels had been swapped to yellow because you just don't see that many 700 Series Shinkansen models with anything other than gray wheels.

UPDATE - Rolling Stock list

Well, while I was originally intending for my layout to be solely dedicated to Japanese trains only, this has kinda changed; Before I only counted Japanese units in my stock, now i've added my Thomas units to the list.

I kind of blame my mum [in a nice way lol] for the change of heart; [I live with her at the moment during my studies] who reminded me that the origins of my Plarail journey were A] her doing entirely, since she bought me my first ever Plarail [or rather, Thomas Motor Road & Rail] set [pictured below] & B] almost completely Thomas-related until I decided to jump back into Plarail to build my new layout, so therefore I should at least have Thomas on there too 


[Not my picture; the box is long lost to time   Still got all the components, however, and the level crossing [sans it's signpost] is a part of every layout i've ever built, without fail]

Funnily enough, she thought that she'd also bought me the Plarail James as a kid [for reasons I can't really publish, lest I break my online anonymity ] but actually got me Diesel 10 [my choice IIRC since I liked, and for now-different reasons still like Thomas & the Magic Railroad]; so she attempted to rectify that this Christmas, apparently as a nostalgic counterbalance to the mostly Japanese rolling stock [Christmas for me this year was unsurprisingly Plarail-heavy; made my gift shopping list for this year easier apparently though, so she tells me haha   ]  

A Plarail James was ordered with the intent of arriving for Christmas, but according to Amazon was never sent [although much to our surprise, one turned up on 8th Jan; see latest post on this thread], instead I got a new 2020 Plarail Thomas [ordered in place of the supposedly cancelled James], which now runs alongside the original [circa 2001] Thomas that started this whole trip in the first place lol   

Interestingly, unlike the mainline Plarail range that has swapped to the new 'generic' [as I call it] chassis design that can be swapped between most units, the Thomas range, or at least, Thomas himself, still uses the exact same 1992-era chassis and internal design from all previous Plarail models - I was expecting that they'd somehow have incorporated the generic chassis system so there you go I guess. 

Anyway, to the real purpose of this post

My stock of Plarail units numbers about 50-52 functioning units [that is to say, could run immediately], 4 in part or non-functional condition that could be repaired, and 2 that are beyond all hope [so basically will be condemned to scrap for spare parts, which I have not listed]

My fleet therefore includes;

Thomas and Freinds

Thomas the Tank Engine [x4, 2x TOMY [Tomica World/ Motor Road & Rail era], 1x v1 Trackmaster that uses the TOMY design; and 1x TOMY 2020 [Plarail/CGI era]

One of the Tomica World units [from a spares & repair Ebay lot] has a severely damaged, beyond repair gearbox, which functions but very poorly, sounds and perfoms like it has broken or damaged gears]

Diesel 10 [Tomica World era]
Percy [Tomica World era]
James [Tomica World era 'battery in tender' type, Non-functional and missing battery cover/tender coal, from the same lot as the damaged Thomas; suspect burnt-out motor, may use the damaged Thomas motor, which appears to still be good as a donor]
James [2020 Plarail, 'battery in engine' type, tender is now a non-functioning carriage piece]
Splatter [Thomas Motor Road & Rail]

Tomica World [Plarail Export range 1]

[English names from the Tomica World line, where provided, noted in quote marks]

'Bullet Train' [400 Series Shinkansen]
'Tomy Express' [485 Series 'Kamome Express']
'Super City' [300X Shinkansen]
'Lightning/Lightening Express' [Furano Express]
'Fun Express' [Meitetsu Blue Liner, sometimes erroneously referred to as the 'Animal Express' due to it's animal-centric designs, not to be confused with the 'Zoo Train' that also sometimes has the 'Animal Express' name attached]
'Zoo Train' [JNR C12 tank engine, in red, also seems to be referred to as the 'Animal Express' in some areas, based on the name printed on the carriage stickers]
'Virgin Train' [B.R InterCity 125 HST, mould used is of Kintetsu 21000 Series, train number printed on model corresponds to the BR Class 82 DVT]
'Eurostar' [B.R Class 373]
'TGV' [x2 - Orange 'Sud-Est' and Silver 'Atlantique']
'Silver Streak' [JR Kyushu 883 Series 'Sonic']
JNR EF65 [x2, although the other one I believe is supposed to be an EF81, since it has a red livery with a shooting star, and the two types of engine are similar looking]
Kintetsu 21000 Series
E3 Series Shinkansen [Yellow wheels]

Tomica Hypercity

E3 Series Shinkansen [Grey wheels]
E3 Series 'East I / Dr Yellow'

Plarail [Japanese imports, not featured in Tomica World]

300 Series Shinkansen
Red EF65/81 [See above]
Izukyu Royal Express
Pokemon With You 'Pikachu Train'
JR Shikoku 'Tetsudo Hobby Train'
Seibu 001 Series 'Laview'
L0 Series Shinkansen [Speed Change]
Cassiopeia Renewal
700 Series Shinkansen [with working headlights]
Nankai Rap:it
E4 Series Shinkansen [x2; coupling gimmick ver.]
E2 Series Shinkansen [x2; coupling gimmick ver.]
Narita Express [x2; coupling gimmick ver.]
Alfa-X Shinkansen [6-car special variant]
JR Freight EH500 'Kintaro' [special set including large selection of freight wagons]
JR 683 Series 'Thunderbird'
JR 500 Series Shinkansen [with working headlights]
JR 500 Series 'Hello Kitty' Shinkansen
JNR/JR EF66 
E5 Series Shinkansen [Special 'connecting' set with E6 Series]
E6 Series Shinkansen [Special 'connecting' set with E5 Series]
JR E233 Series 'Shonan' [with double-deck centre coach]
Odakyu Romancecar GSE70000 [with exclusive Pla-Kid and openable rear coach]
Tobu Revaty [x2, coupling gimmick ver.]
0 Series Shinkansen 'Dr Yellow' [with working headlights]
JR Shikoku 8600 Series
N700 Series Shinkansen 'Mizuho: Sakura'

There, bit wordy I know, but i've been compiling a list for personal reference anyway, so I figured i'd stick it here too hehe 

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A very impressive collection P-Man

Could the train your are referring to as " 'Zoo Train' [JNR tank engine, possibly D51 in red] "  Be the Animal Express Train featured in this Ucwepn video? If so then it would be a C-12 Steam engine. If its not this train I wonder what it could be.

That's it 

I knew it was a JNR steam type, I guess I must have just got the type numbers mixed up   It's an oddity in the Tomica World range for sure, since as far as I know, it only ever got released around maybe a year, if that, before Tomica World was discontinued?

My one was about £15 on Ebay, came to me in good condition, except the 'monkey wagon' as I call it wasn't working - The monkey's supposed to beat his chest as the carriage rolls along - I had to remove one of the stickers to dismantle the wagon and access the mechanism, and after a little grease and re-engaging the cogs [which had worked loose], it went back to normal.

Oddly enough, the monkey wagon was one of the reasons [aside from Tomica World range completion] that I bought this, as the monkey figure, especially with his action feature, reminded me a bit of Donkey Kong [guess that's what you get for combining Plarail with a video game addiction lol  ]  



Interestingly, the animal coaches have also now re-surfaced in the Plarail line, this time as 'Animal Park' wagons for the Thomas line, sold as part of a set including a Plarail Percy. Only difference appears to be a slightly different face on the monkey now, and the birds [who have a 'pecking' action] appear to now be playing a piano? The original had them pecking at seed, which makes more sense in my mind, but hey, who am I to decide what birds spend their free time doing 

The Tomica World set with the red C12 and the Animal Express wagons was item number 7560, and was indeed sold as "Zoo Train".

'Lightning/Lightening Express' [Furano Express]
'Animal Express' [Meitetsu Blue Liner]

Do you have an authoritative source that refers to the Tomica World release of the Meitetsu Blue Liner as  'Animal Express'? If so it wouldn't be the first example of Tomica World products having more than one name (take the motorised vehicles for example). The only Tomica World release of this train was in Super Deluxe Set No.7423, where on the back of the box it says:

"The trains are - the Lightening Express, with its sleek modern carriages, and the Fun Train with its wacky pictures on the carriages."

To further refine your list, the Kintetsu 21000 in the Tomica World Large Set No.7421 is referred to on the box as the 'Hi-Speed Express".