About us

Trains have always been a passion in my life whether as a passenger or playing with toy trains.

It was always a treat when my mother would take me into town by train and I can still remember the distinct aroma as I climbed up onto the train from the platform trying to negotiate the large imposing gap.

Around the same time I became familiar with model railways. Some very beautiful sets made by Hornby were on display in a (sadly now gone) chain called Beatties and I would frequent the stores in both Kingston and Croydon marvelling over the beautiful detail with trees and grass and station houses.

Fast forward several decades and I still occasionally visit model railway exhibitions. I’m completely in awe of the passion and dedication the enthusiasts have for their hobby. But I noticed one minor detail – these beautiful toys weren’t aimed at young children. While great to look at toddlers are obviously very tactile  and  these particular trains aren’t suitable for them to play with due to their fragility and the small parts they contain.

My two sons have been fortunate enough to have grandparents in Japan who have sent them over some amazing train sets over the past few years featuring the Shinkansen(bullet train) and also some favourite Steam Engine character adored by children. Looking into this I realised that while similar train sets had been on sale in the UK, they had already been discontinued a few years back.

I therefore thought about how I could introduce this to other children in the UK and so Happy Tracks was born.

The trains and track we use is specifically designed for young children due to their durability. While not having the detail of Hornby sets it offers features that are more engaging for youngsters including rising towers and bridges and track switches and level crossings. It encourages a lot of creativity and problem solving skills which is why it is not only suitable for pre-schoolers but can be enjoyed by children up to the age of 8 or 9 or even above. I have found that SEND children are particularly engaged.

I hope you and your child will come and enjoy one of our sessions as we help create the next generation of train lovers.