Opportunity Shop: Bertie the Bus Toy 🚍

Today is April 1st, 2026. I bought a toy of Bertie the Bus from the classic British children's TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (1984 - 2021), based on The Railway Series books created by Rev W. Awdry. Thomas the Tank Engine followed the adventures of Thomas, a sentient little blue train who lives on the railway line in the island of Sodor. The series was narrated by Ringo Starr. The series aired on CITV. I was born in the UK in 1984. Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends was a brilliant series and Ringo Starr was the perfect choice for the narrator. Bertie the Bus was a character who first appeared in a episode called "Thomas and Bertie". Bertie was a little red bus who challenged Thomas to a race. The Bertie the Bus toy was manufactured in 2000 by a toy company called Golden Bear Productions Ltd. The Bertie the Bus runs on batteries and on top of the toy is a button. You press the button and the eyes move and it also plays a recording of Ringo Starr doing Bertie the Bus's voice. However, there were no batteries inside the toy. The wheels are cracked, but apart from that, it was in very good condition. I bought it for 50c. I decided not to keep it and I am going to give it to a friend of mine Belinda who is a bus driver. I haven't been on a train ride since 2007 and I wish I had a Lego space monorail train set.