| The Big Big Train was an O gauge system introduced | | | | open and side tipping wagons), a passenger set with |
| by Tri-ang into the UK market in 1966 and available until | | | | two coaches, lumber camp, goods set, freight set and |
| 1972. It consisted of a variety of battery powered | | | | zoo set. |
| locomotives running on bright red plastic track and the | | | | One of the features of the Big Big Train electric train |
| large scale meant that the system was more suitable | | | | sets was the side switches on the locomotive. If you |
| for younger children than the more fiddly 00 gauge | | | | flipped the switch on one side it would stop; if you |
| trains available from Hornby. | | | | flipped it in the other direction it would change direction, |
| While production ceased in the UK in 1972, the tools | | | | often resulting in a catastrophic derailment. |
| were bought by Novo Toys, who restarted | | | | The switches were activated by a device that you |
| manufacture in the USSR from 1975 until the early | | | | attached to the track; depending on which side you |
| 1980s. | | | | placed it, the device would either stop the train or |
| Of the range of sets available, none of the | | | | reverse it. One neat bit of the design was that the |
| locomotives has the detail or finish of the Hornby train | | | | switch was set to only activate the switch in one |
| sets and in quite primary coloured plastic, the items are | | | | direction - I the train approached in one direction it |
| all quite crude looking. The locomotives include a 0-6-0 | | | | would continue, but in the other direction it would stop |
| steam engine - probably the best looking of the | | | | or reverse, depending on which side of the track the |
| models available - a 0-4-0 diesel shunter, a 0-4-0 | | | | device was set. |
| steam engine and a Hymek diesel mainline named the | | | | This meant that rather than the typical model railway |
| "Blue Flyer". | | | | circuit layout, a single line of track could be laid and - |
| These models were available in a number of different | | | | providing the switch flipping mechanism worked |
| sets, each including track and depending on the theme, | | | | correctly - the train could be set to automatically |
| one of the locomotives and a variety of rolling stock. | | | | reverse before running out of track. |
| These included the mining depot, No. 1 train set (with | | | | |