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Original poster

Best trainset for second birthday present...

14 replies

Alva · 12/09/2007 23:32

... any suggestions? Would like a system that we can add to over time. I did like the metal Thomas trains (don't have any track yet) until they became potential missiles!

OP posts:
Othersideofthechannel · 13/09/2007 07:21

We started with have the Ikea one for a 2nd birthday to which we have added bits of Brio and some other Brio compatible track that DH bought of Ebay, and inevitably a couple of metal Thomas engines.
Everyone I know has a similar set up (except the ones with big present budgets who have purely Brio!) so haven't tested any others but we are really happy with it. DCs are playing with it right now.

SpacePuppy · 13/09/2007 07:48

I got a basic set from here Add on sets

PrettyCandles · 13/09/2007 07:51

The wooden Brio-compatible sets are fantastic. Ds1 got his first from the ILs at about 18m, and we've added to it over the years. It's still a favourite toy at 7y! You can get all sorts of additions to it from virtually anywhere, paying anything from a couple of pounds (Asda) to £30-£40 (Brio) for each add-on.

goingfor3 · 13/09/2007 07:52

I agree with the wodden sets. Maybe start with a Thomas set if thats what your son likes wbut it's much cheaper to buy from Tesco, Woloworths and other places.

KommandantColditz · 13/09/2007 07:56

get a wooden one, because plastic can be far too flimsy and easily kicked over.

beansprout · 13/09/2007 08:17

We have a fab one from Sainsburys which is compatible with elc, Ikea, Tesco, Brio etc so it's easy to add things to.

bozza · 13/09/2007 08:22

I would say a wooden track. The Thomas trains that are compatible with the wooden track are actually wooden also. DS is 6 and still sometimes builds himself a track. When he was younger he had simple layouts that DH or I built but then gradually the building became part of the fun.

brimfull · 13/09/2007 08:25

wooden brio or similar,it's been played with for years in this house.

Othersideofthechannel · 13/09/2007 11:00

In our house the Thomas engines that are battery operated are metal and the ordinary ones are wooden.

ChippyMinton · 13/09/2007 11:29

I'd say wooden, as we have it at home. But my DC get more excited about their friends' plastic sets, because they have battery operated engines (we have the battery operated brio type ones, but they aren't strong enough to pull coaches up the bridges)

steam along thomas

Original poster
Alva · 13/09/2007 11:31

Excellent - looks like we need a wooden set of rails etc (SpacePuppy, that site looks good) and it's great to know that there's so much out there compatible with each other. Also nice (I think?!) that this obsession has legs; there can't be much else that will keep small people occupied literally for years. Thank you!

OP posts:
Speccy · 13/09/2007 11:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HappyMummyOfOne · 14/09/2007 09:58

We have the plastic Thomas set and a wooden set. The plastic one is sat in a tub unused somewhere. The engines are better on this set though.

Wooden one is easier to construct and put away and you can get compatible ranges.

Nemo2007 · 14/09/2007 10:03

ds got tescos track and thomas trains. easy to use and the girls also play with it now [well dd2 tends to just hold a train..lol]

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