Hornby

Hornby is a British company that is a market leader in the manufacture of scale railway models. In 1920 Hornby, then known as Meccano Ltd. and based in Liverpool, released its first train, a clockwork “0” gauge (1:48 scale) model, and electric trains quickly followed. Since then, Hornby has produced a huge number of model trains and accessories that have been largely aimed at children, but have also won considerable popularity among adults.

The company's founder, Frank Hornby, was an English inventor and businessman. In 1899 he began developing interchangeable metal strips that could be used to build toy bridges, trucks, and cranes. He patented the invention in January 1901 and marketed his first construction sets in 1902. In 1907, Hornby registered the “Meccano” trademark as the name for his products, which enjoyed significant commercial success. Hornby also developed and manufactured a number of other toys and model kits, including trains. During the 1920s Hornby's “0” gauge train sets sold well and many engines and accessories were released.

In 1938 Hornby introduced a new “00” gauge of model trains under the name “Hornby Dublo.” Approximately half the size of the “0” gauge trains, the locomotives were diecast, while the carriages and wagons were generally made of tinplate. Both clockwork and electric sets were available, and the range expanded quickly. With the outbreak of World War II, however, production was curtailed and was completely suspended in 1942. Production resumed in peacetime, but did not reach full capacity again until 1948.

Hornby Dublo thrived during the early 1950s, but began to struggle toward the end of the decade. The company was slow to realize the potential of plastic and lost ground to competitors, especially Tri-ang Railways, who quickly developed plastic-bodied trains. The rivalry continued until 1964 when Tri-ang's parent company, [Page 304]Lines Brothers, purchased Meccano Ltd. The two firms were subsequently merged to form Tri-ang Hornby and the former Hornby Dublo products were discontinued in favor of Tri-ang's less costly plastic designs.

In 1971 Meccano Ltd.'s owner, Lines Brothers, filed for bankruptcy and Tri-ang Hornby was sold to the Dunbee-Combex-Marx business conglomerate. Relaunched as Hornby Railways in 1972, the range was also upgraded to make it more attractive to adult enthusiasts, with improvements such as finer detailing and better paint finish. Throughout the 1970s a steady flow of new locomotives, rolling stock, and other accessories was released. Other new products included a steam-powered model of Stephenson's Rocket and a multiple train control system called Zero 1. The market, however, was extremely tough, and in 1980 Dunbee-Combex-Marx went into liquidation. Nevertheless, a management buyout put Hornby back on a sound footing as an independent firm named Hornby Hobbies, which was floated as a public company in 1986.

The early 1990s saw Hornby again facing competition from newcomers such as the Welsh firm Dapol, and established foreign manufacturers such as Lima, an Italian company, and the Chinese-owned Bachmann Industries. But Hornby fought back. To cut production costs, the company began moving its manufacturing to China in 1995, while a variety of new products were also released. Especially successful were Hornby's range of model engines and accessories based on the television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, and another range based on the locomotives featured in the film adventures of Harry Potter. Hornby also expanded through the acquisition of Lima in 2004, Airfix (a plastic model kit manufacturer) in 2006, and Corgi (one of the world's oldest makers of diecast toy cars) in 2008. Into the 21st century, therefore, Hornby retained its position as Britain's leading model railway manufacturer.

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