The end of Thomas and friends from Plarail?

If Tomy signed a licensing deal in 2012 then they normally last for 3 years before renewal or cancellation . So even with my mathematical skill 2012 + 3 = 2015

[Ucwepn]

^^ I agree @"Tootally Thomas", 3 years sounds about right.

@"jdogman" Not a rumor sadly but just business.

Upon Buying HiT Entertainment in 2012 Mattel would have had to honor the licensing contract between HiT and TOMY, Mattel will probably not grant TOMY the license again as the license fee is a small amount of money compared to the hundreds of millions Mattel can make by going Global with Trackmaster revolution.

[Ucwepn]

Shuffling of execs at HiT/Fisher Price. Sounds ominous for the whole franchise with Fisher price taking direct control of the Thomas franchise.

http://www.worldscreen.com/articles/display/50414

Thomas has always been part of Fisher price in the US. Try finding Thomas on the Mattel customer services site .

[Super]

I wonder if Tomy, seeing this coming, will move up production of Thomas related sets and trains before the deadline. Would they not still be able to produce any trains that were released under the agreed license contract but nothing new? Wouldn't they?

Would this be one of the new sets? Strange...pretty colored trucks but they are not troublesome trucks. I would have thought all Thomas trucks would be faced.

Quite an old set . Not all trucks have faces . I have around 200 Tomy grey and black trucks and about 1/2 are faceless . Not every truck is a troublesome truck just a select few .

No even all trucks in the TVS or RWS see faced either.

I can't quite understand how FENBO can produce these Thomas liveried models ! Do they need to pay a licence fee to Mattel ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fenbo-Thomas-A...20f9e4a71c

I can't quite understand how FENBO can produce these Thomas liveried models ! Do they need to pay a licence fee to Mattel ?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fenbo-Thomas-A...20f9e4a71c

Fenbo are a Chinese company, so typically wouldn't pay a licence fee to anyone, regardless of copyright etc.

I love the Chinese!!
They're like.."copyright? schmoppyright!"
"We don't need no stinking badges!!"
Yeah go ahead and sue them in a court that doesn't recognize infringement laws!!
Ha ha ha take that Fisher Price!!