The talking only versions had fully painted buffers without the sensors (which were indicated by a small purple LED light). The interactive versions communicated using small sensors hidden in a semi-transparent buffer on one side (Bertie and Harold had the sensors in a headlight and a float respectively). Skills that can be developed through the Mountain Adventure Train Set include thinking skills, motor skills, imagination and academics. My First Thomas and Friends Railway Pals Mountain Adventure Train Set James

Children can also press James' light-up bumper to hear him talk and sing, or activate it by bumping him into the crossing gate. When toddlers roll James over the track activation points on this Mountain Adventure train set, he'll deliver sounds, songs and phrases that teach letters, numbers and directions. Plus, other Railway Pals™ vehicles – like Percy, James, Harold and Rosie – interact with the activation points on this set to provide their own unique, educational content.The amount of pieces was a little daunting but they were all labelled on the bottom and with the instructions to follow it didn’t take too long to have it up and running.

The thing we love the most about the Railway Pals set is the clever activation points that are spread out across the tracks. Lady is the only talking engine from the interactive range not to be re-released in the later non-interactive talking range. Are Thomas Trackmaster, Take 'n Play/Adventures, Wooden Railway, and Geotrax compatible with each other? Our track sets are waiting to help little ones imagine all kinds of cool adventures with their Thomas the Tank Engine toys.

Plus, other Railway Pals™ vehicles – like Thomas, James, Harold and Rosie – interact with the activation points on this set to provide their own unique, educational content.

The vehicles used chunky, simplistic designs and the track system first consisted of coloured plastic pieces. Additional Railway Pals™ interactive train sets can also connect with Mountain Adventure to build a talking, singing world of play! There’s everything from jumparoos to books to building bricks, meaning there’s always going to be something the little one will love. Not only will this toy give hours of fun but it will help develop their motor skills, imagination and creative play. The sound test function that can be activated (by holding down the button, putting one battery back in the vehicle and releasing the button) on the original engines from 2000 revealed names of characters that were not released in the talking range (like Toby, Bill, Ben, Diesel, Terence, Henry, etc.Finance is provided by PayPal Credit (a trading name of PayPal UK Ltd, Whittaker House, Whittaker Avenue, Richmond-Upon-Thames, Surrey, United Kingdom, TW9 1EH). For even more exciting ways to play, kids can spin the windmill, load and unload cargo, rotate Percy on the turntable and roll the drum on the Tidmouth Sheds. He reaches the turntable, a hand from above comes down and turns the track with the engine on it and Percy is off again. There is also a windmill to spin, cargo to load and light-up train sheds at Tidmouth for them to discover.