I've NEVER seen one for sale in UK, in any condition!
They do show up from time to time here in the States but thats probably due to the fact that the set was only released here. Of all the sets I have had and the ones I watched I don't think I have every seen a 'new in box' listing.
I think it was a QVC Home Shopping Network exclusive. For those youngsters out there...before there was Internet and Online shopping there was a TV program where they would show products live on the telly and you would call in to the QVC Network to buy in Live. There was always a time limit with a countdown clock showing how much time was left before the sale ended and they went on to the next product.
Again from the infamous resuperg2, he never fails to impress me. I believe how he managed to get foreign Plarail is that he is the distributor himself. I know he is around 50 or 60 years old judging from his skin shown in one of the auctions, so he has time to travel places around the world to collect these Plarail.
A set like this will never come up new in eBay, you will either find it an incomplete set or only the coaches or only the engine.
So important to glean every bit of information from these older collectors because when they leave this world, their knowledge leaves with them.
That includes you too Super, someday I'd like to see your complete collection of Tomica World.
Far from a "Complete" collection...more like a gathering...lol
You are just too humble Super, there might be things that we have not seen before so we always welcome you to show all your Tomica World.