Toltoys Trains

I've started this page on the 1970s plastic Toltoys trains only because, if you search for Toltoys products on the net, you see plenty of material on Star Wars and many other collectable items distributed by Toltoys, but almost nothing on the trains - And this has been commented about in forums elsewhere. So I've made a start to try and include some photos of the range and (hopefully) others can assist me to fill the gaps.

This page added 26 August 2008
Page last updated 03 August 2010



As a child of the 1970s myself, my brother and I were each presented with a Toltoys road and rail set for Christmas one year and naturally we both had a lot of fun with them, joining them up to cover the floor with the red train track and the blue road track. Over the years, pieces went missing or got broken and eventually the leftovers were disposed of.

The trains turn up now and then on eBay and other auction sites, but the road system rarely appears. Presumably it was not made for very long.
Below are photos of the items I have today (along with some photos contributed by others), with a list below that of items I remember from my own set in the 1970s and 80s. Perhaps if you have any information on these toys and photos of items not shown here, you might like to and help complete the record on this page.
I know little about the history of these once popular toys. Distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Toltoys. I understand they did appear (with slight variations) in other countries as well, presumably under a different name.
The contributed photos include items from the UK and NZ and may not necessarily have been available in Australia.

Although the rail track was always red and the road blue, the colours of all other items in the range appears to be randomly produced in red, blue, yellow and green.



Toltoys red plastic track toy railway system.

Locomotive

Tender

Photo by Judith Coulter - UK

Open wagon

Passenger Carriage

Straight Track

Double-sided

Curved Track

Double-sided

Curved Track without sleepers and ballast detail

From battery set??? Double-sided

Short straight with two female connectors

Photo by Nickolas Te Paa - NZ

Connector piece for two female ends

Photo by Nickolas Te Paa - NZ

Turnout - without switch

Double-sided

Left-hand Turnout w/ switch

Right-hand Turnout w/ switch

Double-slip crossing

Double-sided crossing with "slip" tracks

Bridge ramp (male connector)

Bridge ramp (female connector)

Bridge pier also shown (blue)

Bridge pier

4 locating pins broken off top corners - very common

Buffer stop

End of track ramp

Allows trains to be "driven" off the track onto the floor or table

Telegraph Pole

with broken base

Signal (or signpost)

Usually referred to as a signal, looks more like a road signpost to me

Signal with raised arm.

Photo by Judith Coulter UK

Railway Crossing sign

Photo by Judith Coulter - UK

Lamp Post

Railway or street light.

Photoby Judith Coulter - UK

Level Crossing

Photo by Judith Coulter - UK

Turntable

Photo by Judith Coulter - UK

Engine Shed

Photo by Judith Coulter - UK

Signal Box

Photo by Nickolas Te Paa - NZ

Other items in the range not illustrated (yet)
  Boom gate   Station - photo coming soon  

If you can help with photos of missing items, please

 

Matching road system.
Although apparently not as common, there was a road system to complement the rail system.
The road pieces were interchangeable with the red railway track.
The road pieces were a light blue with a moulded centre line.
I do not presently have any examples of these. This list is those pieces I can recall and may not be complete.
Straight road

Double-sided
Photo Nickolas Te Paa - NZ		 Curved road

Double-sided
Photo Nickolas Te Paa - NZ		 Road Junction - similar to railway turnout, but with the two ends parallel like a divided road. Double-sided Road bridge ramp.

Same style as the railway bridge ramp
Photo: Nickolas Te Paa - NZ		 Road end
Similar to railway buffer stop, but with a short solid barrier
End of road ramp.
As with the railway version, allowed road vehicles to be driven off the road onto the floor or table.		 Truck with interchangeable body.
Tray, tanker, van and more (I think).		 Gooseneck street lamp
Larger base as with railway items. Was possibly intended as a station or railway yard light		 Modern street light Road crossing
Road version of the train crossing with double slips

Assorted colours of the locomotive.

Green, Red, Yellow and Blue

Assorted wagon colours

Yellow wagon with red underframe

Passenger carriages

in 4 colours

Yellow carriage

Red carriage

Green carriage

Blue carriage

Blue wagon

Green wagon

Yellow Locomotive

Red locomotive

Green locomotive

Online Auction photo

From New Zealand

Shows gooseneck lamp, station and boom gate. Yes, you have to look hard. :)

Scanned image

eBay image

Showing turntable

Assorted accessories.

Bridge Pier.

Orange passenger carriage.

Photo: Nickolas Te Pass - NZ

Toltoys railway box cover art.

Accessories - Houses, Signalbox and Station.

I had a set of these houses, although they did not come with the train set. They could be stacked on top of one another to make multi-story buildings. Mind you, even as a child, it bothered me that there were doors on the upper floors. :)

 I understand there were sets with battery-powered locos as well. I recall seeing these and have part of one in my own collection. I can also recall seeing similar sets using blue train track, but they were probably a different make. The connectors were square rather than round.
If you have or know of other items in the range, feel free to contact me.

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