Creamier Annie & Clarabel

**Super** · **Super** 03-29-2018, 11:24 PM Track Engineer

Anyone know where these creamier colored Annie & Clarabels are from. They are lighter in color to the normal brown Annie & Clarabel kind of more tan like. It says Tomy 2002 under the chassis.

MuddyPoppins · MuddyPoppins 03-30-2018, 01:06 AM Collector

It looks like thier names are painted on, and not clear decals?
Are the 8 nodules on top a bit taller than normal?
Do you have a standard A&C to do a side by side against?
Which faces do they have?

**Super** · **Super** 03-30-2018, 08:16 AM Track Engineer

I thought of that too but unfortunately I don't have a regular Annie and Clarabel for a side by side comparison which would give a better idea of this lighter shade. The best I could do is find a picture of the real ones from Ebay below. Their names are clear stickers like normal and their faces look to be normal too, see below. At first I thought the color may have bleached out a tad from something like UV rays but shade is evenly throughout and if it were that I would assume the faces still would be the darker color which they are not....cool, another mystery. Big Grin

**Super** · **Super** 03-31-2018, 12:33 AM Track Engineer

No ideas Muddy...anybody?

MuddyPoppins · MuddyPoppins 03-31-2018, 02:08 AM Collector

Ok, so I spent some time looking at all the A&C that we have, and most all of the shells we have are about the same creamy color that you have, but most all of them have darker faces like the second picture... I only have one set with the darker body and it has the dark face, but I do have one set with the creamier body and light colored face, except it's the "chuffing Annie w/ matching Clarabel.
So, my only guess is that the creamy shelled light faced set that you have was made around the same time as when the chuffing Annie (is it the Thomas adventure set?) was released.

**Super** · **Super** 03-31-2018, 02:23 AM Track Engineer

Thanks Muddy

The best way to show the shade would be a side by side and.............I found a regular set of Annie & Clarabel in the bottom of the To Be Sold box. Can you see the difference better now?

MuddyPoppins · MuddyPoppins 03-31-2018, 02:26 AM Collector

Yes they do seem to be almost blonde.
Very interesting!

**Super** · **Super** 03-31-2018, 02:27 AM Track Engineer

Blonde...yes thats a better description

Tharazero1 · Tharazero1 04-01-2018, 12:49 PM Thomas Fan

Ooooo, I love a good old plarail mystery to get the morning started

**Super** · **Super** 04-01-2018, 02:27 PM Track Engineer

LOL... Come, Watson, The game is afoot!

I have noticed these blonde ones on a couple occasions and was curious but never had a set in hand until these arrived in a bulk purchase. I wouldn't think it to be a factory error. I would think if it were a mis-made that either the body would be blonde or the faces because they are probably made in different places. What would be the odds of them coming together at the same time on the assembly line?