Toy Trainsets.

[Mountain]

I thought I would start this thread just because I do see the value of toy trainsets in encouraging people into the hobby. I want to look at these as fun toysrather then expecting them to be ultra scale models. However, once one realizes they are toys, and is a bit more forgiving when they lack one or two refinements, when viewed for their play value, I have to say that with some of the trainsets I am incredibly impressed.

About a month ago I picked up a little battery trainset for £1.99. Yes, the track really needs glueing on a board as it is slightly warped so this effects the running of the train, and once this has been done, I'm sure it will then run well. But for £1.99 to £2.99? Well. You can't expect miracles. However, they can be made to work and I once had one of these when a child and it went on running for many years.


Then today I found another battery operated trainset for £12.99. Now this set ran faultlessly. It is impressive. If it was twice the price I would have still bought it for a childs christmas present if I was a parent. The wheels all run smoothly on the plastic rails. If I push a coach it rolls rather nicely. It somehow even feels like it is quality if one ignores the child friendly piston and con rod assembly. And another thing that impressed me was that while testing, it didn't once jump off the track. The locomotive runs at a nice sedate and friendly pace. It is a real nice set for a child. Thw scale and gaue reminds me of American 00 gauge. I have not measured the gauge but it is larger then 00. More like approx 20mm (American 00 scale runs on 19mm gauge track). The track does take some space. It will fit on a 6x4 board. It may fit on a 5x3 board maybe? Not measured it. It is not small. But it is impressively rugged and for £12.99? How can you go wrong?

[heda]

I bought a couple of those £1.99 train sets a few years ago for fun. One I used for a Christmas Polar Express layout. Now I have just finished making a small Christmas layout for my Grandson, Total cost less than £10, apart from the cost of the train the only other things I bought were some trees and coloured led's from China. The rest of the layout was made from odds and ends.
As mountain says at the price it is a good way to introduce youngsters to the hobby.

[Mountain]

Very nice.

[Mountain]

A size comparison between my 7mm narrow gauge models and the larger scale toy trainset to show the potential.

From the left. 7mm narrow gauge Smallbrook Studio Clio kit with a coach converted from a toy coach (See an earlier post). Second line. The battery operated loco from the set. Third row. A Hornby 0-4-0 conversion,A Peco 4 wheel coach and a Smallbrook Studio 4 wheel coach. Fourth line. A bogie coach from the set.

[Mountain]

More photos..

[Firefly16]

Re-gauged, that coach suggests interesting possibilities for North American orientated scratchbuilders/kitbashers.

[Mountain]

They are slightly narrower then Peco and Smallbrook Sttudio coaches, but I am less concerned about that, as coaches do vary compared to the lines they used to run on. They are a similar width to the other bogie coach I converted so it is not too bad.. (Many lines took over stock from previously closed lines and had them re-gauged them, so a width difference is acceptable)..
It is the height I will need to address as they need about an extra 10mm of body depth to them to make them look right. The loco can also be used though I may need to shorten the body and make te cab a bit higher...
They certainly have potential.