Ideal Christmas first trainset for a 5 year old?

I'm afraid I know nothing of 00 sets (in N gauge too!), but can certainly recommend East Kent Models in Whitstable. Last time I was in, a mum was asking exactly the same questions for her son, who was just a bit older.

The - very knowledgeable - gent in the shop very carefully and patiently explained everything (I mean *everything* she was a beginner and had no idea what a set might contain), and after some pushing (he tried to stay impartial!), recommended one of the Hornby starter sets, which, I think, they have from about =A340 - this was end of August. They also have a fair amount of second hand, not to mention a massive spares service (in the same vein as the old Kingcraft Models in Ramsgate and later Sandwich). so for a young child you might well be able to get some extra bits and bobs (points are a must for play value, I think) to add on.

Probably also near you would be Hythe (Kent) Models. Also a good shop, although I have no idea of their prices for sets. Generally good service, like EKM.

No connection to either business, save as an occasional customer. Hope that's of some use.

Brian Smith

dmc wrote:

As I assume you don't wish to buy 'on-line' you are limited a little with a =A350 price limit.

THE ROVER SET Product Code: R1068 is =A350 as is the THOMAS PASSENGER SET Product Code: R9071.

I did see the Hornby Cornish Belle Train Set @ Toys R Us for =A349.99

This link may help :-

You could also try getting a new loco ( for it's 'run from the box' safeguard and something 'new' to wrap up ) then spending the rest on second hand track / wagons etc. from a local show for example ?

Hope your son enjoys his Christmas and remember it's HIS train set :-)

[...]

Wooden trains pushed around on the floor or on wooden tracks are best for this age group, if you expect the kid to play trains by himself or with friends. They are robust, easy to manipulate, and provide ample opportunity for imagination and creativity. Even the more expensive brands are reasonably priced when considered in terms of play value. Additional bits and pieces are available separately, which makes gift-giving aunts and uncles happy.

If you want an electric train, think in terms of sharing the set with him. It's not the sort of toy a 5 year old will play easily with on his own. I mean you'll have to set it up for him, or fix the tracks to a storable baseboard. So you're really buying a toy to be shared between you - and it's more fun to play trains together anyhow.

Anything in the price range you want to spend will do. Go with OO or larger, and pick a robust set. Be aware that there have been no universal wheel and track standards in the UK, which means that secondhand product may not play nicely with current production or with other brands. The same is true, unfortunately, for older models still in production: Hornby is upgrading their offerings but still put out a lot of past-its-best-before-date stuff. More recent models are better in most ways, but may be too delicate for a 5 year old, whose motor skills are still developing.

I think you really should go to a real hobby shop, and look around. Ask for advice and demonstration if possible. Be up front about how much you want to spend. A boxed set is best for your purposes, as it includes all the essential bits. A 5-year old is not too young to turn the knobs on the controller, and may be eager to make models of buildings, tunnels, etc, out of Lego, or cardboard, or whatever (Art Attack style).

I'm not familiar with the sets you mention, so can't advise on their price-quality ratio, but if you're willing to spend in the 50 to 100 pound range, you will certainly find something that suits you both. It may in fact be fun to go shopping for a set together - you could give the kid a "gift certificate", a promise to go shopping with him. That's a Very Grown Up Thing to do, so this might earn you bonus points. :-)

Have fun!

Please don't by anything from the Christmas only department stores. I don't think that 5 is old enough for something that you may appreciate or approve of ( and get wound up if it is ill treated etc). I would look at the non powered stuff and have a shared OO where a hands on whilst supervised, to use as a training ground. I didn't get my first Hydrogen Bomb kit until I was 6 or 7!

In message , dmc writes

Playmobil. My five year old loves it, and we have a room full of vehicles, buildings, trains, people, aircraft etc. Yes, it is big, but easy for little ones to use, almost indestructible, and the play value is almost limitless. Oh, and look at the second hand market (eBay etc.). Used Playmobil trains are not cheap, so you are unlikely to loose a fortune if it is not popular, and you sell it later.

In article , Graeme writes

I'll second the Playmobil, especially second-hand via eBay.

Both the older, no longer made, with the brass LGB track and track power and the newer plastic track with battery power and radio control. The latter is not so utterly rugged, but expanding the track is much cheaper.

I used the latter for two years in a children's ward in a hospital, where it went down a storm. (And did better when I'd slowed the engines down a bit, but that can be true with OO too!)

Actually a five year old would have no trouble controlling trains using either that or the Bachmann digital set (which might be even easier). The problem is in assembling the track and putting trains on the track. They do also like pushing trains which doesn't work very well (ok for coaches/wagons but not engines).

Mark Thornton

Am in a similar situation myself to the original poster, having a three year old grandson.. Have just spent £59.99 (normally £129.99) on a Tomy "Thomas the Tank Engine" set at Toys R'Us; it contains - according to the labels - Thomas, Annie, Clarabel, Percy, Harold, Bulstrode, Terence, Trevor, Elizabeth, Caroline, S C Ruffey, Troublesome Trucks Nos 1 and 2, and Cranky. It needs 2 Type "C" and 3 Type "AA" batteries, has a truntable, engine shed, ggods depot, level crossing, station, tunnel, girder bridge, inclined piers, signals and a good selection of track and points. According to the blurb it needs a space of 158cm x 230 cm approx - don't know what that is in English(!). The beauty of this is that, if he eventually decides he doesn't want it we can give it away, and be grateful that we didn't waste a lot more cash on something nearer to scale which might have suffered from a child's handling.

Hope this helps,

David Costigan

One option is an LGB starter set - Its big but runs on very tight curves so okay for use on carpeting (where it copes better with fluf and stuff than smaller scales), good for the garden if you have one, fair bit of play value - I know someone who got one for their little un, now has quite a large collection with a run of track round the garden and a couple of stations etc. It is a bit more than you were planning to spend but it is fun

Mike

"Bit more"? As in "mortgage a kidney"?

(kim)

From memory it was just over the hundred quid mark for a starter set - points are expensive but flexi- track is easy to make (concrete laid out in strips and cut into 'sleeper' widths with a ruler or flat stick, shoes threaded onto lengths of rail and araldited to sleepers using track gauge when concrete has set). Rolling stock ranges from quite expensive to very pricy but goods stock and basic coaches can be made - IIRC the G Scale Soc supplies all you need by way of heels etc. You do not need much by way of stock.

Twas good fun in the garden, they even had a snow plough to clear the way for winter running. Not cheap but as I said it was good fun.

Reason for mentioning it was possible dual use by kids and grownups

Mike

Ah yes! I actually used them a few times and yes, they were always great. Have the advantage that I can nip there at lunch as well as I work in Canterbury... :)

I agree. Can't stand trainsets that are just a loop of track :)

Didn't have much joy there a few years ago when I was looking for something or other. Maybe I just caught them on an off day. I'll revisit.

Yes thanks. Somehow I'd totally forgotten about the shop in Whitstable. Now I think about it there used to be a little model shop in Canterbury...pricy though from memory.

Darren

If you're in Canterbury, then a trip to the Hobby Shop in Faversham might be in order.

I'm not against online shopping (I do enough of it for other things). Just felt it a little sad when wheeltappers in folkestone shutdown (not strictly due to lack of buisiness I know) so would like to support a real bricks'n'mortar shop if poss. Something about memories of peering in the windows as a kid and dreaming about having the latest set on display.

Of course, the modern kid is much more likely to be browsing online so I guess this is a little misplaced :) Recommations on online stores for train sets would be good (ontracks is looking good).

However, having shown SWMBO the Rover set she isn't keen so my budget has been increased. While obviously a good thing it makes things even more complex :)

Ta.

Heh. He goes to bed earlier than me though ;-)

Cheers,

Darren

He has a fairly large collection of wooden brio style trains that he plays with a lot. However, he has explicitly asked for a "grown up electric trainset" as the wooden stuff is a bit babyish....

I agree. But as I say, he has been there, done that and now wants to move on. He is a pretty sensible 5 year old (nearly 6 in fact) and is well aware of how he needs to be very careful and look after this. He is very good with his toys in general so I have no concerns there.

Yep, that's what I was planning.

Thanks,

Darren

Little chance of that around here. There was so much thieving the shopkeeper had to move his entire railway dept upstairs, just a notice in the window to say he stocked Hornby at all. Somebody even stole a three-legged cat a few yards from where the model shop used to be!

(kim)

That backmann digital starter set is looking rather appealing now by budget has been increased by management. Reading the manuals from their website it sounds pretty simple to use as well (hit 1 for train 1, hit

2 for train 2 etc). Personally, I think that is less confusing than trying to explain to a 5/6 year old how he needs to keep different trains in different isolated sections of track.

yeah. Assembling the track isn't a problem (I'm assuming that it's all relatively compatible in OO - hornby, peco and bachmann track is all interchangable?)

I seem to recall hornby having a simple rerailer track when I was small. I guess they are still available.

No problem with that. He has a couple of battery powered trains for his wooden set and understands that you mustn't push these along.

Cheers,

Darren

In my view, either Lego (somewhat expensive), or the LGB toy-train range (as opposed to the fully detailed model range, which is a lot more expensive, though compatible).

Why the LGB - its big, chunky, can be used outdoors, virtually indestructable. Trucks good for carrying cars, play-people, etc. A little more expensive than Hornby; last time I looked a set was around £100, give or take a bit. However, you'll probably end up with fewer engines and trucks, so suspect the cost not too different.

The Hornby-esque options have been discussed in the thread to date.

- Nigel

Yes that does help (and they are still available). My sons are currently

1, 7 and 10 years old. They have been using the OO set for 3 years now with a Lenz Compact digital control plus an extra controller. The extra controller allows both the older boys to play together (or with a friend). Our main problem has been space. Even a small layout occupies quite a bit of typical british room and it needs to be set up on a stable board (carpet doesn't work well). To solve this problem I have built a layout outside Hope this helps Mark Thornton