Model Train Set; Advice Needed

[Chez2 10]

Hello. My young nephew has grown out of Thomas the Tank train set so it looking for something a bot more grown up for his seventh birthday, hes' train obsessed. He still wants to play with it as a toy so I'm not looking for something that is a collectors piece. The trouble is there is so much to consider and I don't know where to start. Any hints and tips you could share please? His dad is happy for me to buy something second had for him to build up with more pieces as I know its expensive. 

[DeZeus 11]

How about a Steam Engine? 1/32 Scale?

[altus 537]

This page has some advice on what sort of set to buy. The opportunity for interactivity seems to be key - rather than a train just going round and round an oval.

 

Note: Their recommended train sets are old models so you'll have to find current versions. There's the Hornby site and you could ask in somewhere like Rails of Sheffield on Chesterfield Road.

[Chez2 10]

Thanks for the reply but does that go on a track? Thats the problem; so many gauge, sizes I don't know what I should be looking for. He had a go at a railway museum with one of those landscape tracks and loved it. His dad (my brother) suggested a bit of electrified track and a train so he can build it up. 

 

I have no idea what make is more affordable for a child as opposed to a collectors piece an adult may buy to use themselves. 

[altus 537]

9 minutes ago, Chez2 said:

Thanks for the reply but does that go on a track? Thats the problem; so many gauge, sizes I don't know what I should be looking for. He had a go at a railway museum with one of those landscape tracks and loved it. His dad (my brother) suggested a bit of electrified track and a train so he can build it up. 

 

I have no idea what make is more affordable for a child as opposed to a collectors piece an adult may buy to use themselves. 

Buy an OO gauge set of some sort - they are the most widely available and cheapest way to get started. They come with everything you need and he can add to it if his interest develops.

 

You can use the bits from a typical set aimed at older kids with the expensive high quality models aimed at retired baby boomers with too much money trying to relive their childhoods. ;) Anything from that Hornby Highland Rambler set upwards will do although something with a siding or two will provide more scope for interactivity.

[tzijlstra 11]

Have you considered Lego? Used to do a brill trainset when I was around that age!

[Chez2 10]

Thanks altus. I had seen that link but still feel a little overwhelmed. I think the logical person in me would have liked a summary table, its the sort of summary I would normally be able to do myself. I had seen the shop in Sheffield on an Internet search. I think I'm going to have to go in for advice because there is so much to think about.

[Chez2 10]

29 minutes ago, altus said:

Buy an OO gauge set of some sort - they are the most widely available and cheapest way to get started. They come with everything you need and he can add to it if his interest develops.

 

You can use the bits from a typical set aimed at older kids with the expensive high quality models aimed at retired baby boomers with too much money trying to relive their childhoods. Anything from that Hornby Highland Rambler set upwards will do although something with a siding or two will provide more scope for interactivity.

Ah yes, that is the sort of summary that is really helpful, thanks. 

27 minutes ago, tzijlstra said:

Have you considered Lego? Used to do a brill trainset when I was around that age!

He does have a lot of lego but it was an electric train set his dad said he wanted thanks.  They have his Thomas train laid out in the loft room and hes hoping to replace that with something more suitable for his age. 

 

I remember my brother having the lego train set when he was a child. Hes younger than me. It was all stored in a wooden chest of drawers just right for the Lego. I used to sort it out by function, size and colour but then my brother would just mess it all up. 

[Top Cats Hat 10]

Does it have to be a ‘thing’?

 

What about a day out at some railway related event or museum?

[Chez2 10]

8 hours ago, Top Cats Hat said:

Does it have to be a ‘thing’?

 

What about a day out at some railway related event or museum?

Yes, it needs to be something for him to play with at home. His parents regularly take him to railway related events.  

 

[zach 234]

eBay?

 

I just had a quick look and there seems to be plenty to go at. A lot looks like tat but plenty of the above mentioned OO gauge.

 

Although I had them as a kid, I can't offer any buying advice. All I remember is, you need track, a power supply and an engine. Or see if there's any complete sets.

 

 

[spilldig 187]

00 gauge needs a lot of room. I would go with N gauge. You could go with Z gauge but it is very small.