Beloved train gets facelift

Glenfield Library reveal their new addition.

The beloved train at Glenfield Library has had a facelift - literally.

This week, Percy became Thomas, after spending three months in the Men’s Shed’s workshop.

The previous old, green train was a gift donated three years ago, but adoration and age was beginning to show on its face and body.

So, Glenfield Library approached the Men’s Shed to complete a full restoration and face change.

The Men’s Shed is not-for-profit community workshop, where members complete varied projects on request.

They were delighted to take on the project, which they dubbed a ‘‘restoration and alteration’’.

Chairman Larry Klassen says everyone has different skills sets that would ‘‘go to waste otherwise’’.

‘‘Any given day, we usually have 12 or 15 people working on anything between three and 10 projects,’’ Klassen says.

The train’s revamp was a group effort by six members of the Men’s Shed, each taking different jobs.

Thomas’s face was hand-carved out of wood by Roger Curl.

The grand reveal took place on August 25, just after the morning’s Rhymetime session.

Twins Ronin and Imogen Phengsavat were one of the first to try it out.

Senior librarian Andrea Nixon says the boys and girls enjoyed playing on the train almost as much as the men from the Men’s Shed seemed to enjoy working on it.

‘‘I believe Thomas will be the envy of other libraries. We are so very lucky to have him,’’ she says.

Thomas the Tank Engine now lives in the children’s section of the Glenfield Library and visitors are always welcome.