Battery-Operated is a special range of die-cast metal vehicles that run on AA batteries. It was the first and the longest of the special variant ranges. The range was first released in 2000 as the Thomas Express range, where the engines could go backwards and forwards, and were bundled in special packs. It was replaced by the Battery-Powered range in 2002 and featured redesigned vehicles with features such as working headlights. Battery-Operated is a special range of die-cast metal vehicles that run on one or more AA batteries. It was the first and the longest of the special variant ranges. The range was first released in 2000 as the Thomas Express range, where the engines could go backwards and forwards, and were bundled in special packs.