What is the best Brio/ Wooden Thomas accessory?

[Lucky13]

I recently bought the fab brio adventure tunnel for our wooden train set. DD loved the sounds and the way they came on automatically when the train passed through. Unfortunately it broke within 4 days and as i bought it second hand on ebay there's not a lot i can do about it.

I was thinking of buying another (new one this time), but before i do, i thought maybe there might be something better out there.

So what are everyones top recommendations for the best accessory?

we've got a level crossing that beeps automatically when the trains or cars go over it. DS spends hours lining up cars to cross the level crossing.

Ds1 coveted the water tower for ages and ages.
We got the chocolate factory in the elc sale last year; the boys think its really magic.

The level crossing sounds good.

Don't think you can get the chocolate factory any more though

Does anyone have any opinion on the Thomas Quarry mine tunnel?

Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Is the station that you record messages on any good?

The collapsable bridge is a fave in our household - many happy hours spent collapsing and crashing trains!

The Thomas deluxe over the track signal is good fun, about 27 pounds. As is the deluxe water tower thingy but that's more than 40 pounds new. If you go for the station that records message I would go for the Brio model, the Thomas one seems to get bad reviews (poor design, difficult for traisn to go through, microphone crap). All the tunnels are great too.

The bridges are great as is the turntable.

JB any idea what the collapsible bridge is called? Have googled - it sounds ideal for DS!

Aha, found it - Brio "collapsing bridge"

Will keep a weather eye out for that one.

DS1 is lobbying hard for the level crossing and the turntable for his b'day. Good to hear recommendations. He also liked the look of the mine tunnel thing.

We have the station that says 'Welcome to New york/Bienvenue a Paris' etc when you press the button - not v impressive, mostly because it's practically inaudible.

You can get the colllapsing bridges in Tescos for not very much at all and they fit with the brio/Thomas stuff.

DS1 is lobbying hard for the level crossing and the turntable for his b'day. Good to hear recommendations. He also liked the look of the mine tunnel thing.

We have the station that says 'Welcome to New york/Bienvenue a Paris' etc when you press the button - not v impressive, mostly because it's practically inaudible.

We like the collapsing bridge too. And we have the adventure tunnel - got it a year ago and it's still going fine so sounds as if you were unlucky.

Sorry - didn't reealise I'd posted teh first one - the collapsing bridge isn't a tesco one.

Really? We don't have a Tesco but will make a trek if they do have them. Nothing on their website...?

They're a bit pricey, aren't they?!

Will alert relations before Christmas.

I've been told that a lot of the Tesco stuff isn't on the net and the stock depends on the store.

Our one has the starter set, the bridge, freight train and the battery powered one. Just don't buy the big battery powered train and expect it to go through Brio tunnels

My dad had a look at the adventure tunnel and it is now fixed - yippee - it is soooo fab

I have now seen the Brio Smart Track stuff - hmmm now pondering whether that might be more fun...choices choices - for my DD you understand!

Our battery powered tesco train goes through the adventure tunnel.

God, I could get a blimmin degree in wooden train equipment.

midnightexpres - really wow - you would have to chop the top off of ours to make it fit
Did you make any adjustments