My Tomytec Moving Bus has arrived!

I'd always fancied the Faller road system, in HO or N, but had always been put off by the cost. Most of them seemed to run a little too quickly for my tastes too. Then I started seeing descriptions and videos of the new Tomytec Moving Bus on the net. It seemed to run at a more realistic speed and was a lot cheaper. Trouble was, it was also out of stock everywhere.

In the meantime, my wide tram track arrived and I was really impressed with the whole clip together / take apart concept. As a family, we keep coming back to the idea of living on a boat at some point. This being England, it would be a narrowboat, only 7 feet wide and probably about 60 long. No room for a permanent setup of any description, just like the Japanese households this track is designed for. The fact the bus would fit into the setup clinched the deal and as soon as I saw stock appearing again, I ordered a set from the brilliant Plazajapan EBay store. Good job to, a day later they were all gone again!

It arrived yesterday, faster than I'd expected and before I'd obtained the all important LR44 batteries. Another quick online purchase saw them arrive today, so tonight was test night. And what a brilliant addition it is! Once I'd figured out how to put the automatic stop together, it added a whole new dimension. The bus can be set to run automatically, stopping each lap for about 10 seconds, then moving off again. This left me to drive the tram, stopping to connect with the bus, reversing every so often - a good old fashioned play in other words!

I added a couple of Oxford Diecast models (a London Country Queen Mary PD3 can be seen chasing the tram in the top photo) and my Hornby bus depot as background colour. Next job is to make a few filler pieces for these to sit on - nothing too fancy, I envisage a series of small bases that can be fitted around the track in various configurations and packed away when not in use.

Here we go again...

My tramway modelling currently includes 00 gauge (progressing nicely, if slowly), N scale (currently held up by the non arrival of my Tomix wide tram track from Japan, G scale (scaling back since the line's outside in the garden, ground level and the soil's already waterlogged for Winter), plus O9 (a Gnomy tram on a Bachmann N chassis, which comes out each Christmas. This year it'll use the Tomix tram track, an improvement on the Peco curves of previous years - if the Tomix arrives before Christmas - see above...).

For inspiration, relatively locally (at least the kind of distances that people in the US or Australia would consider local) we have the modern tramways in Nottingham, Sheffield and Birmingham, plus the wonderful Crich museum. And Heaton Park not too much further on, with a growing fleet of 'proper' Blackpool trams, which is more than their hometown can muster these days...

Ah yes, Blackpool - until recently, my favourite destination - sun, sea, chips and unique, classic tramcars, carrying the masses the length of the Fylde coast. Now swept away in a tide of modernisation that fails to recognise that most of the journeys were undertaken by holidaymakers, for whom the old double deck clunkers were an attraction in themselves. Sadly the council seem unaware of the numerous successful heritage operations around the world, such as San Francisco and Lisbon to name but two. It'll be interesting to see how things pan out once the new Flexities arrive.

To finish, here's a couple of views of my favourite spot on the tramway, the southern turning loop at Starr Gate, firstly with a Balloon car waiting to head north through the Illuminations.

 And finally, a little of the character - think English seaside, stick of rock, George Formby - that will inevitably disappear when the line is rebuilt to modern, clinical standards.