i got hooked on the original tomy engines about 20 years ago when i saw a set on display in a department store for christmas. i announced to mum that i wanted it and was delighted to actually get it! i still have that set in top condition... the tracks only started breaking due to age. i taught myself how to clean and repair the engines, finding a reliable source for replacement motors as many had burned out.
the old engines are great to clean, as quite often you will find the plastic cogs are different colors. ive found some in shades of green, orange, blue and yellow, along with the standard white.
since then, i have added many more vintage tomy accessories through finds in thrift shops, yard sales, and, more recently, the wonder world of the net. i recently added sets like le shuttle and europark.
i only got hooked on the thomas line earlier this year when i had the opportunity to buy an almost complete set from a guy a few towns over for $400NZD. i took a day to decide before texting him and saying that i would buy the lot. i rode my motorbike down to pick them up, taking all the luggage i could and still didnt have enough room. ive never carried so much stuff before!
i have only 10 engines left to find, and am mainly sourcing them from ebay uk and trademe. in finding them, i have met some wonderful people and made one new friend who is helping me get more from the tomy uk website since they wont ship internationally.
i have no idea how often this will be updated, so we will see. it is mainly here to serve as a reference site. feel free to comment, but dont expect an immediate reply. im hopeless like that!