Tomy’s Tomica range and our family are old friends. We have bought the odd Thomas the Tank Engine bits in the past and the Tomy trains. However, they appear to have revamped it and we were introduced to the Hypercity range that would surely gladden the heart of any transport-mad child. The Big City set contained a pick-up truck, train, person, as well as a garage, station, track and road.

What does a train mad four-year-old need? His own station that’s what but not just any old one. He needs a mega station that comes complete with a car ramp and two vehicles that let the train go past, flashing warning lights and sounds, and a dashboard that lets him be master of all he surveys which, thanks to the Tomy Hypercity Mega Station set, is quite a lot. It includes a large track layout, a shop, person and a train.

The Lego Toy Story train chase prompted quite unprecedented excitement in our house. This is a toy train that looks like a toy train should! There is a bright engine and three carriages and the added bonus of a host of Toy Story minifigures – Hamm, Woody, Buzz, Rex and Bullseye. Once complete the train is 23 inches long and 4 inches high – substantial and large enough for little hands to play with.

For starters, the box of the Lakeland Limited Advent Train weighed a lot more than I expected, so back injury aside, I was pleased with how substantial it is. It’s a traditionally-styled engine with two carriages, hand-made from brightly painted pine, and it’s got that proper “came from Santa’s workshop” look to it. Flea was absolutely thrilled with it and immediately set about opening the 24 little ‘cargo’ drawers (there are 12 on each side of the train).