this mornings delivery

just a quick snap over breakfast. will post more pics later.

new tomytec keihan 700 static display with thomas wrapping, last bits of track for my tomix layout made up of half straights and buffer tracks, and the just released pixar dream monsters inc train.
surprised me that the loco is a 2 speed. was sure it would just be one. "sulley" also has boo's wardrobe door on one side, a nice touch. i also like how his horns are now actual tooting-style horns.

[Super]

Like the Tomytec Thomas wrapping on those coaches. Am I to assume they aren't track worthy just a display piece?

you can buy motorised chassis for them, but i cant be bothered with trying to work out what to buy and how to fit it. they have couplers, so can also hook on the end of a train one at a time and be pulled around. good for placing in a siding somewhere.

[Super]

Kewl, can't wait to see them on that layout you have been working on when finished.

Hhhmmm, this is the problem - well opportunity I suppose depending on your view of the Japanese auctions, some of the really unusual things you get on offer.

As Super knows I've dipped my toe in the water in my search for Takara Plarail (i.e. pre Tomy merger) and been quite successful in my crusade. Things have started to arrive at Jauce and From Japan so will soon be winging their merry way to the UK.

However while looking I've also found something else which has caught my eye/imagination, a product called 'ZZ Trains' made by Bandai. Now as many will know I love the PlaRail Advance because of their diminutive dimensions and level of detail.

But these ZZ Trains are something else, sold in 'blind' boxes a bit like trading cards or similar things you don't really know what you get when you buy a box. They typically will (apparently) have either a rear & middle coach with two curved rails or a single motor car with a single curved rail. Now you may think that the motor car sounds like a bit of a swizz, except it turns out these are actually motorised - powered by a single 'button cell' which gives you an idea of the scale of these things.

They are actually a smaller scale than 'N' gauge and maybe even smaller than 'Z' gauge - now for you that know your gauges in hobby trains 'Z' gauge are small, so you can imagine how small these will be. They carry the accolade of being the smallest self powered train on the market. Anyway when they arrive I'll quite happily share some pics of them, probably alongside a PlaRail and a PlaRail advance for size comparison purposes

[Super]

Like this? The listings last picture compares all the scales and its quite smaller than Z
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZZ-Train-800-Ser...SwAYtWHE8m

That's the babies, lovely aren't they?

That listing is a bit misleading though, there are way more than the sets that guy is talking about - although not in that form, as I said they were also sold in 'blind boxes'. I've managed to win two boxes of those (i.e. 10 blind boxes per outer) along with a bunch of loose ones some sealed still, some loose used.

Either way I paid nowhere near that sort of price for the entire set of auctins I won so it seems I got a bargain even once I factor in the charges, shipping etc...

Happy Days!!