Thomas the Tank Engine pulled over by West Yorkshire police

A BMW modified to look like Thomas the Tank Engine was stopped by police on the M1 near Wetherby, reports the Huddersfield Daily Examiner.

Vehicle stopped M1(S) Wetherby – driver reported for construction/use offences pic.twitter.com/hfUfPHD6Qv

— WYP Roads Policing Unit (@WYP_RPU) May 10, 2017

“Construction/use offences” basically means that the car doesn’t look safe.

It was said to be owned by Huddersfield’s self-styled ‘King of the Eccentrics’ Jake Mangel-Wurzel, who also owns a Kia with a toilet on the roof.

Here’s a trailer for a documentary made about him a few years ago. He seems quite a character.

UPDATE

David Stott has been in touch. It appears the origins of the Thomas car are actually rather different. Over to David…

“Hi, your recent article about Thomas the tank was credited to the wrong person. It is in fact myself and my friends Craig Turner and Kristian Benson who own the car.

We designed the car for a 4,000 mile road trip around Europe called Scumrun, which we do for children’s charities each year, this is the 5th year this car has done the journey after paying less than £500 for it!

It has previously been the Beatles’ yellow submarine and a John Deere tractor! I don’t know who that strange bloke is you have actually credited haha.”