A long time ago, my son developed an obsession with Toad, who happens to be Oliver's brake van. I suggested to him that we should buy Oliver first (except at Christmas and birthdays, my son only gets one wooden railway piece at a time), but he had no interest in Oliver. Finally after several weeks, unable to stand it any longer watching poor Toad run around the tracks by himself or attached to the "wrong" train, I took it upon myself to buy Oliver for my son as a surprise.

Oliver the Character
Oliver is a GWR (Great Western Railroad) Engine. He and his brake van Toad were both once saved from scrap by Douglas. Now restored with a new coat of paint, Oliver works on Duck's branch line and is a very happy, proud, and kind engine.

Oliver the Toy
Like most all of the Thomas & Friends wooden railway characters by Learning Curve, Oliver is made mostly of finely painted maple, with a few plastic parts and a bit of steel holding it all together. Oliver is about 3 inches long and is a one piece toy. Since the character runs on a branch line and doesn't travel long distances, Oliver does not have a coal tender. Oliver the toy is the same green color as Percy, Henry, and Duck, he wears a yellow #11 on his side, and the GWR logo. His wheels are black, and he has a strong magnet on each end with which to pull or push other cars and engines.

Play with Oliver
Because we have Toad, Duck, and Douglas as well, my son is able to recreate every story we've seen or read so far involving Oliver. Oliver is played with on a regular basis, usually pulling long freight trains with Toad on the end.

General Praise with One Specific Complaint
Like all of Learning Curve's wooden railway items, Oliver is a beautifully made toy. He's colorful, durable, and comes with an absolutely unconditional lifetime guarantee. Although they won't fall apart on you even with the roughest treatment, these toys are generally vulnerable to paint chipping and dings in the wood, so this guarantee may come in handy.

However, my complaint about this particular toy is that he just doesn't really look like the Oliver character from the books and show looks. Oliver has a unique face and wears a striking expression. They've completely failed to capture that, or any of the other characteristics unique to Oliver. When I'm picking out Oliver on my son's train layout, I look for the big #11, as that's the only way I really know who he is.

Final Thoughts
Oliver is not really a main character in the Thomas universe, so he should not be one of your first wooden railway purchases. Once your Thomas fan already has quite a collection started, and once you've read or seen some stories involving Oliver, he makes a good addition. But, to get the most value out of Oliver, you should plan to purchase at minimum Toad, and - if you can afford it - Duck to work alongside him. To really spoil your little Thomas enthusiast, consider buying Douglas as well.

Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 8.99
Type of Toy: Trains
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years