I scrolled through 2,500+ pages of WorthPoint

So uh, yeah, I'm back-

Huge thanks to Super for fixing my account and password to allow me to post this thread. So yeah, in my time away I scrolled through 2,500+ pages worth of WorthPoint with the search term, "thomas trackmaster new", I just wanted to look at HiT packaging for fun but it turned into a whole adventure, here's what I found (there's a lot):


First off we have Thomas with the redesigned HiT Annie & Clarabel. The Annie and Clarabel page on wiki states that the 2008 HiT redesigns are, "Only available in Carriages and Coaches". 

But it appears sometime in 2008, Thomas' Toys 'R' Us release came with these redesigns





All of these have 14 roof vents or 7 pairs of roof vents, I know I said sometime in 2008 but all the boxes I found are the 2009 style so I don't know, take that how you will.


Next up we have "Bonus" packaging. Unknown when they did this but HiT did packaging similar to Wooden Railway's "Bonus" DVD packaging. I only found two but it's a Little Friends engine plastic wrapped to accompany a Trucks & Track pack


When I saw the Mavis, I thought the "Bonus" text was part of her Little Friends box but looking at the Rusty proved that wrong. It's just a piece of cardboard inserted next to it. It reminds me of when Motor Road & Rail did their Thomas and Friends 60th Anniversary Two for One Value! packaging.



Next, "Steamies" Packaging. I'm sure you guys have seen this picture of Percy at least once, if you haven't, it's a Big Friends release of Percy in blister packaging with the word "Steamies" above his name

I always wondered where the rest of the cast was in this packaging. Where was Thomas? Where was James? Is there a "Diesels" variant? Sadly I didn't find a "Diesels" variant but I did find Thomas and James (James' picture is blurry)


Maybe the main three (Thomas Percy & James) were the only ones to feature "Steamies" above their name but I wonder if there were others...



Next, Variants (kinda). I say kinda because they're just switch and shell differences. HiT Lady was originally released with a gray switch. I assume it used a TOMY shell as well.

Although it looks like HiT changed this very early on (well, I believe they did) as this white switch Lady has the same 2007 box as the original gray switch one

I can't remember exactly, but I swear a Tomica World Lady is shinier than a standard TOMY/Plarail Lady, and that HiT used that shell because a HiT lady is shinier than a TOMY/Plarail but please correct me if I'm wrong. Anyways, HiT Stepney also originally came with a gray switch and shell like the TOMY one. 


The eyes are more dilated than a standard HiT, just like the TOMY one
Duncan appears to have first released with a gray switch, a perhaps different nameplate font (like TOMY's?), and a darker face (like TOMY?)


Other characters were released with gray switches like Thomas, Percy, Toby etc.




Next, Factory Errors. I didn't find many (interesting ones) but the ones I did find were kinda cool
 Donald in Douglas' Box
 This one I'm unsure if it's sealed and a factory error, or if they had an opened box and forgot what the last coach was and put a random coach in there (James' Yellow Coach...)
 Rocky in "Diesel Helps Out" box (I just wanted a souvenir from page 777, this was the most interesting thing there)
 And finally, Ned labeled as Jack


Now, we have stuff that either isn't listed on the Wiki, or doesn't have a picture on the Wiki
First, a HiT Lady in a 2008 Big Friends Box (No track)




There are several characters that don't have 2008 Big Friends releases listed, Lady, Harvey, Edward & Diesel 10 to name a few that I found




Arthur's Little Friends release in blister packaging doesn't have a picture on Wiki

The picture of Rosie's 2007 Little Friends box on wiki is a little low quality so I found a better one

Bulgy's Canadian Box

James with his name on the packaging in a different spot than the one on the Wiki?

2008 Toys 'R' Us Boxes for Lady and Dodge


Duke without the "New Friend!" icon

A (slightly, no barely) better picture of Oliver & Buster

And I'd heard about a cancelled Big Friends Hiro

But never about a cancelled Big Friends Flora

Both found on the back of a Bertram Box



And that's everything, for WorthPoint...

I have two things I found on Facebook Marketplace and a couple of things from eBay

Facebook Marketplace

An Alfie that was nearly mine but the seller never responded to my message so I missed out it was a steal too! ($75 CAD = $54.99 USD!)

 This was back in October btw

And a Flip-Face Toby, I have this here because I've heard that he was only sold in the U.S. (Is Canada part of the U.S.?) making me question why it's in Canada? Was it sold in Canada? Did someone from the U.S. fly to Canada with a Flip-Face Toby?


eBay

First, a variant of the HiT Track Expansion Pack, this one being a 2009. Compared to a 2007, it ditches the station platform lid from the 2007 and had only 2 of each sloped curve instead of 3 (this 2009 version isn't on Wiki either)
 2007
 2009
 2007 back
 2009 back
 Box showing ©2009

Next I wanted to ask if HiT Duck was ever released as a Little Friends release? I believe he wasn't but I'm unsure as he was listed on the back of HiT Little Friends boxes from 2008-2009


It seems Echo Cave was a Toys 'R' Us exclusive at one point



And it looks like James at Boulder Mountain was once a Walmart Exclusive



R/C Hiro with the "NEW!" Icon
 Front
 Back


Is this an early Fisher-Price Thomas? Spotted on UK eBay
 The Thomas with the whites to his eyes
 Closer


It seems Fisher-Price was obsessed with the Flip-Face Percy Prototype because not only does he appear in the instructions for Percy's Day at the Farm, but also in the instructions of their Deluxe Sodor Adventure Set
 Front of instructions
 Back with Flip-Face Percy

A better picture of TOMY Stanley's box


And finally, is there a possibility that Bertram was released in 2008? Or at least late 2008?
 ©2008
 Front
 Back
 ©2008 closer but a little more blurry


Well uh, that's everything I've found in my time away
I don't know what else to say except thank you for your time (and sorry if I wasted said time! 😅)