DOS

HI THERE,

I HAVE THREE SONS AND CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT THE BEST VAUE FOR MONEY TOY I HAVE EVER BOUGHT IS THEIR WOODEN TRAIN SET ... IT IS FIVE YEARS OLD AND STILL PLAYED WITH 2/3 TIMES PER WEEK .... IF I AM LUCKY MY 2YEAR OLD,4 AND 6 YEAR OLDS WILL EVEN PLAY WITH IT TOGETHER - THERE ARE SO FEW TOYS THAT THEY CAN ALL ENJOY ACROSS THE AGE RANGES IT REALLY HAS BEEN A GREAT INVESTMENT.

SO HERE ARE MY DOS AND DON'TSFORWOODEN TRAIN TRACK...

DO ...

BUY TRACK PIECES MADE FROM A SINGLE SOLID PIECE OF WOOD RATHER THAN THE TYPEWITH BALLS AND LUGS GLUED IN AS THERE ARE PRONE TO COMING OUT

BUY PLENTY OF BRIDGES, RISERSAND JUNCTIONS TO MAKE AN INTERESTING TRACK

BUY FROM CAR BOOTS, JUMBLE SALES, CHARITY SHOPS, NEWSPAPER ADVERTS, AND EBAY OF COURSE TO GET A BARGAIN

GO TO A CRAFT SHOP AND BUY A PACKET OF LITTLE STICK ON MAGNETS SO YOBU AND THE KIDS CAN MAKE YOUR OWN 'CARGO' TO CRANKY THE CRANE TO LIFT UP OR THE TROUBLESOME TRUCKS TO CARRY OR HARVEY THE BRAKEDOWN TRAIN TO CLEAR FROM THE LINE- STICK THE MAGNETS ONTOLITTLE BLOCKS OF WOOD, OXO CUBES, EMPTY MATCH BOXES ETC

FEEL FREE TO TAKE ANY BROKEN ELC ITEMS BACK TO THE SHOP - THEY HAVE A LIFETIME RETURNS POLICY (NO RECEIPT NECESSARY) ... SO FAR WE HAVE HAD THREE NEW BATTERY OPERATED THOMAS THE TANK ENGINES, A NEW CHOCOLATE FACTORY AND A STATION WITH RECORD YOUR OWN ANNOUNCEMENTS !!... WHEN THEY KONK OUT SIMPLY TAKE THEM BACK FOR A FREE REPLACMENT !!

ASK FRIENDS FOR TRACK AND COACHES ETC FOR BIRTHDAY AND XMAS, REMEMBER THAT IF YOU ARE IN THE ELC BIRTHDAY CLUB YOU GET 20% OFF ALL YOUR BIRTHDAY PRESENTS !!!

SO MANY THOMAS STORIES AND TV EPISODES CENTRE AROUND LIFE IN THE ENGINE SHED AND CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN A TRAIN ON THE TURNTABLEWITH OTHERS IN THE SHED. NO WONDER THAT THE BRIO AND ELC ENGINE SHEDSARE 80+, A LOTFOR EVEN THE MOST DEVOTED THOMAS FAN TO COUGH UP.MY ADVICEIF YOU GO FOR ONE OF THESEIS TO BEAR IN MIND THATYOU WILL ALSO END UP HAVING TO BUY THE COMPATIBLE TURNTABLE AND NO THE ELC DOES NOT FIT THE BRIO OR VISA VERSA. WE OPTED FOR THE TESCO ENGINE HOUSE, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS BY ASDA ETC.

KEEP A POT OF WOOD GLUE AND SOME CLOTHES PEGS IN THE HOUSE FOR TRACK-SIDE EMERGENCIES - SUPERGLUE IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR MOST WOODEN REPAIRS

USE TRAINS TO RESOLVE ARGUEMENTS AND DAILY PROBLEMS, IN MY EXPERIENCE BOYS WILLPICK UP TWO TRAINS (LIKE DOLLS) AND ROLE PLAY MAKING THEM TALK TO AND ARGUE WITHEACH OTHER'ITS MY TURN, NO ITS MY TURN' 'I WAS HERE FIRST' ' YOU WENT FIRST LAST TIME' 'LETS SHARE'ETC

DO USE THE PROMISE OF TRACK OR CARRIAGES TOENCOURAGEAND REWARD DESIRED BEHAVIOUR ... YOU COULD MAKE A NEW ENGINE THE TOP PRIZEON YOUR STAR CHART .... IT IS ALSO PRETTY GOOD FOR POTTY TRAINING TOOIN A DRY PANTS FOR NEW BRIDGE KIND OF WAY !

DO MIX OTHER TOYS WITH YOUR TRAINSET TO ENCOURAGE CREATIVE PLAY,HOW ABOUT PLASTICANIMALS TO MAKE A FARM / ZOO, OR LEGO TO BUILD TUNNELS FOR TRAINS TO RUN THROUGH, OR DINOSAURS OF MONSTERS TO SCARE THE TRAINS !

DO ENCOURAGE YOUR KIDS TO SWEEP THE FLOOR BEFORE YOU BUILD YOUR TRACK TO KEEP IT FREE FROM WEETABIX ETC (AM I SOUNDING A BIT LIKE MARY POPPINS ?)

DON'T ...

DON'T BOTHER BUYING BUILDINGS, TREES, SCENERY ETC ... IT RARELY GETS USED AND JUST ENDS UP AS CLUTTER. IF YOUR KID IS ARTY YOU CAN ALWAYS MAKE A LITTLE SCHOOL ORSWEET SHOP OR SOMETHING FROM JUNK MODELLING

DON'T BUY THE WOODEN TRACK WITH CLIP ONLUGS ... DESIGN WISE IT SEEMS LIKE A GOODIDEA TO BE ABLE TOCHOOSE MALE, FEMALE OR DOUBLE ENDERS ... BUT ... IT IS SLIGHTLY SHALLOWER IN DEPTH AND WHEN JOINED TO YOUR OTHER TRACK WILL CAUSETOO MANY DERAILMENTS.

DON'T BUY CURVED BRIDGE RISERS WITH GLUED IN LUGS, THEY STRETCH AND POP OUT, IT IS BETTER TO GO FOR RISERS MADE FROM SINGLE PIECES OF WOOD

DON'T BUY THE ELC WATERFALL IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY

WELL BLESS MY COUPLING RODS THATS ALL FOR NOW ... HAPPY CHUFFING KAY