Hornby Dublo Heaven

Hornby Skaledale Modern Wheely Bins

You can really bring a train set to life with just a few well chosen accessories. If it’s being used by younger children it will help to feed their imagination. If the train set is being used by older children then they will appreciate the realism.

The Hornby Skaledale collection provides a wide range of different items – all at exactly the correct scale for use with Hornby’s famous oo gauge system. You can choose items which are appropriate to the era which your train set represents. For example, if you have a modern set – say the Virgin Pendolino for example – you can get modern shops, telephone boxes and wheely bins.

If you have a train set that’s themed around steam, then there’s no shortage of accessories which won’t look out of place. The “Doctor Who” style of police box is a good example which would look just fine with a steam set. On the other hand, you can still find these dotted around the country today – so it wouldn’t look bad with a more modern themed set either. The same could be said for a lot of the “old” buildings that are on offer. They would probably work quite well with either a modern or steam based set. The detail on some of the buildings really is very impressive.

In addition to buildings and “street furniture” you can also get commuters, animals, trees, delivery vehicles, cars, lorries etc. You can add these gradually over time – they will soon transform your train set.

Hornby Skaledale "Doctor Who" Type Police Box

Hornby Skaledale Main Station Building

The Flying Scotsman

A train set is always a popular gift choice – especially for Christmas and birthdays. Obviously train sets are very popular with boys – but there’s no reason why girls can’t join in the fun as well.

Although a good quality train set may cost a little more than some of the toys available on the market, it’s worth remembering that when the video games have been finished and recycled to make plastic cups and whatever else, a train set will still be in use. It will give hours of pleasure and enjoyment to kids for a long time – in some cases it might even be passed on to the next generation.

If you are thinking about buying a train set for use as a gift, then it’s worth considering the age of the lucky recipient when you decide on which one to buy. Hornby do make special boxed sets specifically for younger children. Thomas The Tank Engine has been a very good seller for them – it’s an ideal starter set for younger kids.

The Hogwarts Express

Slightly older children may not be quite so well pleased with Thomas The Tank of course. Maybe the Hogwarts Express, as featured in the Harry Potter movies, might be a better option for them. They may enjoy the detail and the fact that it is so similar in appearance to the train used in the film. If they are old enough to appreciate the detail in replica locos and carriages, then something like the Flying Scotsman would also be a fine choice.

As well as the actual locos, carriages and trucks themselves, it’s worth taking a little time to consider the layout of the track. Younger children will probably get bored fairly quickly watching a train which does nothing much more than go round and round on a circular or oval track. What would probably hold their interest – and spark their imagination – would be the inclusion of a siding or two where they can back their train into in order to pick up goods. Goods trains, with their hustle and bustle, can be more fun as a rule for younger children.

A few accessories can also make a huge difference for both younger and older children alike. Some buildings, a few vehicles, some miniature people, trees, tunnels, farm animals etc. All of these will make the whole experience more interactive and allow the kids to use their imagination and creativity. The Hornby Skaledale range offers a wide selection of these accessories which are in the correct scale (of course) and also appropriate to the period of your chosen train set.

Of course, you don’t need to buy all this kit in one fell swoop. Adding some extra track here, a model delivery van there, some commuters on the platform – it’s all part of the fun. Encourage the kids to take a part in the planning process – they will love it.

Hornby Skaledale Bedford Van

Hornby R1134 Virgin Trains Pendolino 00 Gauge Electric Train Set

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Retail Price: £137.99

Amazon Price: £198.99

Manufacturer’s Description
This magnificent 4 car Pendolino pack is representative of Virgin Trains latest ’state of the art’ passenger train. The new Hornby 4 car model is ready to use straight out of the box. Designed to capture the real style and essence of the full size counterpart, the Pendolino can show off its accurate tilting mechanism especially when the train travels at speed around the bends. Each Power car unit incorporates directional lights plus a Hornby digital decoder so that the lights can be turned on and off, even when the train is in motion.

Box Contains

Virgin Trains Class 390 Power Car (motorised)
Virgin Trains Class 390 Power Car (non-motorised)
Standard Buffet Coach (non operating pantograph)
Standard Open Coach
Track: Oval of track with two sidings, two points and two buffer stops
Hornby TrakMat
Hornby Select Digital Control Unit

Hornby R9271 00 Gauge Thomas & Friends Passenger Train Set

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: £139.99

Amazon Price: £70.00

Product Features and Technical Details

Hogwarts Express Set

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Retail Price: Varies based on product options

Amazon Price: View Sale Price

It would make a great present for a child (young or old) who likes Harry Potter, and it would be a good introduction to model railways for them.

Hornby R2339 00 Gauge LNER 4-6-2 A4 Class Mallard Steam Locomotive

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Retail Price: £146.49

Amazon Price: £149.99

The original engine weighed 102 tons 19cwt and featured 6′8 driving wheels. This model is the LNER A4 Mallard Locomotive – Running No 4468 - Livery BR Garter Blue Period 1938 – Finish Pristine and is DCC Ready.

This locomotive is ready for Hornby’s Digital Control System and has a detailed cab and semi-fixed tender, spring buffers, NEM couplings and a five pole skew wound motor. Ideal for your long distance express trains.

Free UK delivery from Amazon.

Hornby R1072 Flying Scotsman 00 Gauge Train Set

Overall Rating:

Retail Price: £147.99

Amazon Price: £129.99

This allowed for a non-stop service between the two capital cities and the journey time was reduced from eight and a half hours to seven hours and twenty minutes.

 This Hornby set includes the Starter Oval track plus extension Track Packs A and B, which provides a layout with two sidings. If you want to enlarge the circuit you can add extra Track Packs later. It’s a great introduction to model railways and any youngster will have hours of fun with it.

Here’s what you get:

Technical Details