History Of Hornby Model Trains

Hornby-made model trains are a renowned brand among millions of model train aficionados around the planet. Innovation, standardization, and interchangeability are just a few of the terms that can describe Hornby and its merchandise which can be traced down and credited to its creator Frank Hornby.}Frank Hornby is a toy maker who modernized the method of manufacturing toys by offering interchangeability to the toys he made in the early 20th century. Frank Hornby’s legacy is the Hornby Railways Company which principally makes different scale model trains and accessories along with additional kinds of scale models such as construction equipments.

The company Frank Hornby began at first wasn’t named as Hornby Railways Co. Instead, Hornby started a small manufacturing company he named Meccano Ltd. in 1908 and in less than two years, the company made profits that allowed Hornby to build new Meccano factories in other parts of Europe.

Hornby himself made a line of scale models after diverse construction equipments and patented them as “Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People” in 1901. The distinctive quality that Hornby’s scale models has is the interchangeability of sections that other toys during that period didn’t have. Later on, he named these scale models as “Mechanics Made Easy.” This is the kind of innovative thinking Hornby products is famous for which also started a common standard scale size for model trains.

Meccano even sustained their manufacture even during the first world war. Hornby has also presented a new lineup of model train products which were incorporated with clockwork motors imported from a German company known as Marklin which also has the certified right to manufacture products of Hornby. In World War II, on the other hand, Hornby’ company was forced to halt their production. Only after World War II did production resumed but production of model trains under the Meccano brand name ended.

Hornby introduced 100-250 volts electric-powered model trains in 1925 which was soon changed to six volts DC to make it more safer. Production and introduction of a 00 scale, 12 volt DC model trains started in the 1930s and is now the most common type of scale in the UK.

Popular railroading models from Hornby Railways are recognized as Lyddle End and Skaledale. Although both have similarities when it comes to accessories, the Lyddle End has a scale of 1:76 which is a little bigger than the Skaledale. Both Lyddle End and Skaledale models are modeled after specific places in England. These two villages in England have a picturesque scene of natural and man-made scenics.

Hornby exported and licensed the Hornby model trains brand to several parts of Europe, Asia Pacific, and North and South America.

The endeavor of Hornby to establish a factory in the United States during the 1920s was not as triumphant as other Hornby sites in Europe. Hornby intended to manufacture model trains modeled after American trains but one-dimensional clockwork motors and the crash of 1929 forced Hornby to halt the venture completely.

Nowadays, many model train collectors and enthusiasts have Hornby model train brands. The reliability, durability and quality of Hornby scale models made it possible for model train fanatics to take pleasure and take pride of their model train collections and how they create their track layouts complete with sceneries.