He's the Really Useful Engine we Adore!
Written: Jan 11 '03 (Updated Mar 27 '03)
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Pros: Comes in many sets, always on sale somewhere, a fine toy by himself, widely available.
Cons: Thomas is a "gateway" engine: the beginning of a very expensive habit.
The Bottom Line: This little wooden Thomas is a great toy all by himself, though I guarantee you won't be able to stop at just one.
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| dagny21's Full Review: Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends: Thomas The Tan... |
I can't believe how many reviews I've written about the Thomas & Friends wooden railway system without writing about Thomas himself. Well, Thomas' time has finally come.
Gordon: "You, Thomas, are small. Small small small. Teeny weeny weeny."
Thomas: "Little engines can do big things. Especially when they've got nice blue paint like mine!"
Thomas is a good and "really useful" little engine, though he's certainly flawed. Kind and optimistic, he's also impatient, fussy, "cheeky," and his jealousy is easily aroused. In other words, we can all (children and adults alike) relate to Thomas. We want to be good, but it just doesn't always come easy.
Wooden Thomas
Is really a lovely little toy that looks quite a lot like the engine in the books and television shows. Like all of the Learning Curve engines, he's sturdily built of maple, with a molded plastic face and wheels, and a bit of steel holding it all together. No matter how many times he crashes to the floor, he's not going to break. Though his paint might chip a little. If ever any damage does occur, you needn't worry because of Learning Curve's unconditional lifetime guarantee against damage of any sort. This includes the inevitable paint chipping. Yes, I asked them myself.
Price
If you pay full retail value, Thomas is a $10 purchase. But you'd have to be out of your mind to pay this much. If you're buying Thomas, chances are you've just begun your wooden railway adventure, and you're going to want a lot more than just Thomas. The good news is that he's available in quite a few starter sets, so be sure to check those out before purchasing Thomas by himself. Also, unlike many of the other engines and cars, Thomas is very widely available, and always seems to be on sale somewhere. I got mine as part of my son's Circle Set, but he was also on sale at the same store for $7.99. Finally, I've seen him sell on ebay, brand new in a box for as low as $5, and without a box - but still brand new - for $3.99.
Our Experience
It's hard to say, really, which engine is my son's favorite, but he certainly likes Thomas. He holds him up near his face and says "Thomas is nice train," then places him on the wooden rails, with his coaches Annie and Clarabel in tow and says "Hurry, Hurry!" just like in the story book we have. Though other trains may be bigger, stronger, or faster, without Thomas, my son's wooden railway play would definitely be diminished.
FIND RELATED REVIEWS BELOW
Wooden Railway System
Annie - Thomas' Beloved Coach
Barrel Car
Bertie the Bus
Clarabel- Thomas' Beloved Coach
Edward the Blue Engine
Gordon the Big Express Engine
Harold the Helicoptor
Henry the Green Engine
James the Red Engine
Lady
Percy the Small Engine
Rusty with Construction Cars
Tidmouth Milk Tanker
Toby the Tram Engine
Arched Stone Bridge
Single Stone Tunnel
6.5 inch Curved Switch Track
6.5 inch Curved Track
Circle Set
Books
Diesel's Devious Deed
Thomas: The Really Useful Engine
Buying Thomas
All Aboard Toys
Train Table
Nilo Train Table
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): Part of Set
Type of Toy: Trains
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
dagny21
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 in Kids & Family |
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Member: Christine D
Location: Alaska
Reviews written: 388
Trusted by: 66 members
About Me:
Happily married mother of one boy.
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