From the English and French text I assume this was the Canadian box. If you look at battery info and name area on the lower part of the box you can see it is actually a sticker put over an existing box (take a look at how Thomas' cab is split in the background printing in the lower left corner). I wonder what box that was originally printed up as.
I have a website where I have been writing about and photographing many of the sets and pieces that I find interesting.