When I visited Toy Fair in London last month I was eager to catch up with Orchard Toys and see what they’d be adding to their ranges in 2016. It didn’t take me long to get rather excited, as soon as I saw the Giant Railway and Station sets, I could already envisage them out in our living room. I knew Monkey, my little train fanatic, would just love them. I wasn’t wrong.
The Giant Railway set comes with 22 interchangeable floor puzzle pieces and 4 play pieces with stands.
The box offers a few different track layout options, but the magic of this type of set is that there is no right or wrong design, it’s totally in the hand of your track engineer. There are end of the line buffers, 2 stations, as well as lots of track sections.
This set works well as a stand alone floor jigsaw, or you can add in the Station set (featured below), or with the 2 level crossing sections included, you can add-on to the Giant Road, Town and Farm sets, that we’ve previously reviewed.
There is also a new Airport set, which can also be added to the play scenario.
As with all Orchard Toys products the quality of the pieces always stands out. Everything is made from good quality cardboard, that lasts and withstands play.
The graphics are bright and engaging, offering plenty of opportunity for looking at different characters and working on story scenarios.
The floor puzzle pieces are suitable for children aged 3 years and over to piece together, and a 6 year old Monkey is as engaged with this series of floor puzzles as he was when he first received the Road and Town sets back in early 2014.
Priced at £13.95 the Giant Railway has been a big hit here. Monkey is less bothered about using the play pieces that come with the set, and would rather use his own trains, whether that be Trackmaster or Wooden to ride along the rails. Stopping to pick up passengers and enjoying the views.
The Station set is an 8 piece expansion set which can be linked up to the Giant Railway and/or Giant Road set. It featured a main station, buffers and level crossing sections with the lovely detailing you come to expect from Orchard Toys.
Priced at £7.50, the Station set is a great little add-on set to the range. Both sets can be purchased directly from the Orchard Toys website, or from your local toy shop.
disclaimer: we were sent the items mentioned in exchange for an honest review
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We are so impressed with the new Orchard Toys Giant Railway, that we have one available to giveaway to you, my readers! Just complete the Gleam form below for your chance to win.
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Terms and conditions:
(Please note that all entries will be checked against comments for validation).
Only the first step of this form is mandatory, all other steps are optional. Only one entry per person is allowed.
This giveaway is for UK residents only.
Once a winner is randomly picked, I will check if the winner has done what was requested and I will contact them, if they do not reply within one week, the prize will be allocated to another person.
The giveaway will close on 13th March 2016 at midnight.
Ivor the Engine – to remind me of my childhood favourite toot toot train! I love the old fashioned steam trains far more than the modern hightech train! Take me on a slow countryside journey any day!
i would name one Eva after my baby girl, there needs to be some more girly engines!
my son says terry after his teddy!
Choo Choo I just love the babies say it.
The Brucie Express! Because I wish I could be a bit more “express” around the house!!
Sidney after my grandpa who was a train driver
I would call it Izzie, because I’m vain enough to want a train named after me. 😀
Frantic family express.
Danny Disney Star as my son would love his train to go to Disney
lightning express it would be fast
Jasmine Express – my daughter would be delighted to have a train in her name
I would call the train ‘Puffy’ and it would be a nice old passenger steam train that tours the countryside, stopping at different counties having adventures synonymous with that county.
I would name it Jeffrey just because I think its a snazzy name and would suit a train.
The hanley express , after my family
The Noah Nicholas, after my son who is obsessed with trains! 🙂
The hurricane Hutchinson after the family name.
The Pippa express! X
Estella Bella – I’m not sure!!
Truffles….after my wee cat who sadly passed away….we all loved him so much!
Casey Jones after a TV show I saw as a child. The Train Driver was called Casey Jones, he wore a cap. I think the theme song was Casey Jones, he drives the Cannonball Express.
Sandy because it would travel on a seaside route
I would name it Gary, it’s a name that’s dying out apparently so I could immortalize it in the naming of the train.
I like trains with old fashioned names like the ones in Thomas (Percy is the best train name imo) so I will go with something like Walter
the johno stemmy
The Ford express after my family xx
The Evans Family Express after my little family.
I would call my train Sebastian after my son!!!!
I would call it molly after my cat x
casey jones after u.s. tv series
If you could name a train what would you call it and why? . . . . . . Jake’s Express . . . .. ‘cos Jake would love it
Trax – simple to remember and thats what it runs on!
Peter the steam train. My son is Peter and he loves trains
Tristan the train (its my son’s name… and he loves trains)
Speedy – in the hope it would actually be fast
Trudy the Train, Just sounds nice haha
Toby the Train , no real reason just like the sound of it!
Jimmy choo choo after my favourite shoes lol xx
I would call it the tidy express, it would come and take away all the mess in a flash!
I would call it imagination express .
I would call it Toby which was my first dog’s name. 🙂
I would call it Boris the Steam Train as Boris is a cool name
The Granton Flyer – After the disused station opposite my house
Norman Boyd my granddad who was a railwayman all his life
I would call my train the Pamper Express because it would have beauticians on board to pamper you for free while you travel.
Chase – because it will be very fast and all the other trains will have to “Chase” it to catch up
Id call It the lollypop express, because it would be filled with candy and my nickname is lollypop haha 🙂
The Hulk Train, it would be huge and painted bright green.
Accelerate because it gets too its destination at accelerated speed? x
BeeJoe after my two boys 🙂
Joseph – there isn’t a famous one yet and he is my lovely 5 year old who adores trains
I would call it Hattie, as that is the name of the girl my son likes to play with
The Aidan Express after my son!
I would name it George after our dog
I’d just call it choo-choo because that’s what my little boy loves to call trains.
Toot, its the sound we can here from the steam railway near our home.
Easy Rider, as I love a stress free train journey 🙂
I’d name it The Rau Experss after our family name 🙂
The shining Daisy after my daughter
My little one would like a train called zoomer because it sounds like it will be the fastest 🙂
Manfalou … because its what the hubby calls me 😉
The ‘I’ll Get There When I Get There’, a long name, but says it all!
Katherine after my daughter, she loves trains.
big billy after my brother
I would call it the Joe-Joe after my train mad son
Puffing Peter after my dad x
Marianna – because she loves trains!
i think Amazing Amy after my daughter x
Louis after my dad
I’d call it Brian because the last two I have been on have been as slow as a snail lol
Chewie – the choo choo train 😀
I would call it Oscar after my son x
The Falcon Flyer
Terry the train
The primrose express because there are not enough feminine names
Chookie- My son’s nickname
I would call it Orlando, my favourite holiday destination 🙂
showstopper as it would be bright sparkly colours
The Tobias express after my son
The Dukestar Express, my train mad son called his most precious toy train this so it would be perfect for a real one.
Rupert after my son
George – as my litte cousin is obsessed with trains 🙂
George Arthur after my boy
The Tuby Trumpeteer
WillScar – the names of my babes!
The Reid Express – after my family
Warren express after my son x
The Skylark – just so I could say “all aboard the skylark”.
Choobacca as it is an awesome name
Rosie
The Nutty Nanny Express
Lucky Clucky – after my nickname and luck
I’d call it Alan after my great-uncle who a lovely man and huge train fanatic!
Nessie after my lovely labrador
I love the name percy, id have to name a train that 😀
Larry as it seems fitting
choo choo ….. thats what all my kids call them. Even now ! and my eldest is 13!! LOL x
My daughter said the Tinsley choo choo, she is only 2
I’d name my train ‘Ontime’ because whatever you say about it, it could always claim to be ‘Ontime’! 😉
Comet – flashes thru the fields
Ronald after my Grandad
The Charlotte, because my daughter would be so excited about it
Stenhousemuir because it rolls off the tongue!!
Drake after my grandson
Casey jnr, like Dumbo!
the Plodder! Because that’s what I do these days, just plod on, despite days where I want to scream!
The Express bullet because speed and safety is what we need
William because I like the name.
I’d call it George after my cat. Thanks for the lovely giveaway.
I would call a train after my son and his favourite type of train. Dylan The Diesel Engine He would love it!
Gary
Sebastian – after my nephew
I would call it Jacob after my train mad son
Chit Chaooo because of my nieces love of trains and owls.
Jakey 100 after my grandson, although he’s not 100!!
The Lucky Stitch, after our dogs Lucky and Stitch.
The Bet Express – after me!!! :p
Why, John Coal Train of course! (hyuk hyuk)
hmmmn I do love something that really gets my brain working. Id go for the attain train…you will reach your destination in the end…after a bit of a detour (procrastination)
The Beach Express sounds a nice place to go!
I would call it the Langridge Express, if I was wealthy it would be nice to have my own train! x
The Queen of Cheshire as that’s where I live.
Id have a pink train , called the Pink Lady – after my fave movie Grease <3
The Lowe, after our family.
id call it arons express after my son
there is already a train with my name.
My partner says Judith, because you (as in me) need a rocket up your (as in my) ar.. Isn’t she rude!
I would call it Speedy in the hope it would be quite fast 🙂
The Yorkshire Flier, I’m from Yorkshire.
chug chuff choo choo
Chugga Chugga – because that’s what sound a train makes.
Wayne The Train!
Fiery Fin after my grandson, it would make his day
I would name a train Joseph after my son, he’s train mad x
Gordon Stanley after my dad 🙂
whitney express, after my grandaughter x
ashton a nice unisex name xx
Charlie the choo choo after my dad who is mad on trains
billy bum bum….because it would amuse my child!
Loopy the Loco, don’t know why, just works as a name for a train.
Choo Choo because I’m not very creative at all lol
trevor the train is a good name
The O’Connor Thunderbird Express – just because it makes our family name sound ace!
The fast train as I’m 100 miles an hour
lenharcam after my 3 boys
I would ame it after my childhood pet dog, brecon
I’d call it Lady Penelope after my best friend’s little girl who has just been born.
Charlie express after my son
The Toot toot express is cool!
The Poppy Express, named after my baby girl Poppy
I would call it Mattie after my train mad grandson
Chug as its such a lovely word!
The Wichita Lineman because I am a country music fan.
The West Moors Express because we own a piece of land in West Moors which used to be a railway line before it closed.
I think that the letter “i” is not coming out on any of these comments! This is it!
You need to make your message read without the lower case letter “I” because that particular letter does not come out on the comments and they all look so funny!
I would call the train Speedy Sam
bertha after my nannan cos it would be tough
I would call it Swift because it sounds fast and smooth
The Maryam Express, after my daughter.
The blue rocket as it would be a super zippy train!
I would call it George after my nephew
I would call it The Heart of England as that is where I live.
The Harvey Express after my grandson who just loves trains
Edward after my grandad who used to be a steam train driver
Reg after both my grandads 🙂
Big Red
I would name it Dexter after my son, not very original I know
Woody’s express because its a wood burning train 🙂
i would name is elisabetania,when my daughter was younger she had an imaginary country called elisabetania !
Elaiva, mix of my daughters names 🙂
Shaunny Express after my autistic, train mad nephew!
Finley Flyer after my newphew
The Henry Engine after our cat who always makes us laugh!
Delayed – because they always seem to be!
Loco – short for locomotive
Kali le Belle – Named after my puppy
Speedy because hopefully it would be!
I’d call it DEB, the initials if my 3 children.
John-Edward after my father who loved trains
Nicola jane —-after a little girl that I once knew!!!
after my daughter, tiffany, because she is always rushing around all over the place x
Bomber, they bomb down the tracks and it sounds cool!
Loveday Express. Its the family name.
I would call it Ivor because I loved Ivor the Engine 🙂
Hope – purely for just that
The Powell Flyer after our family surname
The Frampton express after our cat
trevor as i like the name trevor the train
I would call it The Black Panther Exspress
The Lucas Locomotive – after my wee man
I would call it Ethan after my first born son
I would call it Carito the train, after my close friend who passed away way to young.
Mad Mad Mad Madam Mim- because it is from my fave kids film, and it just sounds nice to say!
Choo choo
Henry after my son
I would call it the Nutz Express as that’s my nickname and I think it has a certain ring to it +we’re all nutz in my home x
Joshua after my son. x
Autumn Ella… after my 2 children x
I would call it the Dear Diane after my Mum who loved trains.
I would call it Hurricane Harley because it would arrive like a hurricane and Harley after my grandson xx
Big Chuck – seems like a nice reliable engine!
The Collingwood after a branch of our family tree
I would call it Peter – trains remind me of Thomas The Tank Engine, Thomas The Tank reminds me of My Grandad who I used to watch it with every afternoon…I must have been only about 3 but have vivid memories of it, he passed away unexpectedly last year and he is Peter ☺
The Rock n Roll Express. We are all huge music fans in our house, even Phoenix and Maxx 🙂
Belle after my cat
Dave as that’s my dogs name lol x
The Wispa Express (named after my cat).
Missy express after my baby cat
Cleo an elegant steam train
Trev the train my little boys have picked it
I’d call it the Hollibobs, my daughter’s pet name.
Hasbil – (my sons nick)
I would call it Domino after my daughter’s hamster.
Maxie, as my grandson Max likes to be called.
after my son mo
Nessie after my dog haha xx
The Hare – because hare’s are speedy.
Reggie after my granddad who worked on the trains
Kitty Express
I would call it Kira, because my little daughter loves trains so much
stu the choo choo. the boys have a toy train and they call it that so they’d love a real train called it.