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Original poster

which train set

15 replies

clairejo · 03/12/2007 22:39

we want to buy ds2 - 3 a train set for xmas. do we go for the wooden ones (like from asda/tesco/argos) or the plastic type ones - eg thomas where the train goes on its own.
tia

OP posts:
Kbear · 03/12/2007 22:41

Happy Land - ELC - fab! Also the wooden ones are great - hours of fun - I have a train mad boy who is moving up to his first Hornby (how much???) train set this Christmas.

TenLordsaLapin · 03/12/2007 22:43

DS is getting some Brio to start with

frisbyrat · 03/12/2007 22:45

Get the wooden one on offer in Lidl next Monday - it includes an electric locomotive. We have one and it's great! Depends if you have a Lidl and it's doing the same offer as ours, mind you!

here it is.

Original poster
clairejo · 03/12/2007 23:04

Hi frisby, when you say an electric locomotive, does it go round the track under it's own 'steam' so to speak or does it require a little hand to push it?

OP posts:
AllBuggiedOut · 03/12/2007 23:06

We've got wooden (Brio-style) and the blue plastic Thomas (Tomica). The latter has been played with far more. DS1 (now 4) enjoys the things like moving points so he can create complex tracks and send the train off in different directions. Although the wooden ones are nice, they are more limited in this respect.

madamez · 03/12/2007 23:14

The ELC wooden THomas stuff is nice because you can add bits to it at subsequent birthdays etc - and it seems to fit well enough with the other wooden makes.
I hve just bought my DS (who is 3) the wooden Thomas figure-of-eight track with a bridge (for Xmas), because he is obsessed with playing with the set at playgroup.

grannyslippers · 03/12/2007 23:55

We have the wooden railway, it does get played with loads by our 2 & 3 yr olds and is virtually indestructible. You can get quite a lot of gadgets for it and mix and match brands.

the take along thomas range might be better for you - you can get battery trains and lots of bits that automatically load and unload etc, and the plastic track is about the same size as wooden one. The tomica stuff has big track and takes up a lot of room!

pollywollybauble · 04/12/2007 02:12

dd played with wooden ones much more and you can get tomy thomas etc engines that fit and toot and go by themselves(tho' not thru' barriers as they are a bit too wide)

frisbyrat · 04/12/2007 03:42

clairejo
It has its own mini battery and an ON/OFF switch. It goes forward and back and has a magnet strong enough to pull 3-4 carriages. The set is compatible with Brio, Ikea etc, and a snip! Can you tell I'm a fan?

ABudafulSightWereHappyTonight · 04/12/2007 06:10

We went for the wooden one from Ikea and have added various other bits from Tesco and Brio. DS likes getting it all out and building a track but then loses interest quite quickly.

Original poster
clairejo · 04/12/2007 10:28

thanks all. i will have to have a look around

OP posts:
Original poster
clairejo · 04/12/2007 10:35

frisby does it fit other wooden sets if we wanted to add more

OP posts:
frisbyrat · 04/12/2007 13:59

Certainly Ikea and Brio. Probably others, then; don't they all aspire to be Brio?!

ChippyMincepie · 04/12/2007 14:29

one in Tchibo this week

hunkermunker · 04/12/2007 14:31

We have the Take Along Thomas stuff - it's lovely.

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