Hornby Train Set
Maker and role
Meccano Limited, Manufacturer
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Object detail
Accession number
1977.143
Maker
Production period
Description
A Hornby train set consisting of green and black British Railways engine No.50153. Includes; the tender, guard van, 2 more carriages, 2 straight tracks, 12 curved tracks, winding key, 14 connecting plates, small original box for winding key and connecting plates, 3 railway lamps (2 red, 1 black), original envelope for lamps, original box for the full train set.
Brief History
Hornby is a British model railway brand. Its roots date to 1901 when founder, Frank Hornby (1863-1936) received a patent for his Meccano construction set. Hornby was at first a tradename for the railway productions of Meccano Ltd and was based in Liverpool, England. The first model train released by Hornby was a clockwork 0 gauge (1:48) model in 1920. It was powered by a high quality clockwork motor held together by Meccano nuts and bolts. Later 0 gauge trains were powered by electricity but the clockwork models remained more common. Production post-Second World War (1939-45) was virtually all clockwork.
The first sets contained an 0-4-0 locomotive (with two axles and four coupled wheels) with the clockwork mechanism, tender, a single wagon and a small oval of track. The locomotive, tender and cab were enamelled in either green, red or black and the wagons had railway company initials clipped on.
In 1965 Hornby was taken over by Tri-ang. The Tri-ang Group was disbanded and sold in 1971 and the model railway section which had been known as Tri-ang Hornby was renamed Hornby Railways.
In 1980 the company, now known as Hornby Hobbies Ltd became an independent company and became a public company in 1986. In 2017 the company was taken over by Phoenix Asset Management.
It is thought that this set dates from 1948.
The first sets contained an 0-4-0 locomotive (with two axles and four coupled wheels) with the clockwork mechanism, tender, a single wagon and a small oval of track. The locomotive, tender and cab were enamelled in either green, red or black and the wagons had railway company initials clipped on.
In 1965 Hornby was taken over by Tri-ang. The Tri-ang Group was disbanded and sold in 1971 and the model railway section which had been known as Tri-ang Hornby was renamed Hornby Railways.
In 1980 the company, now known as Hornby Hobbies Ltd became an independent company and became a public company in 1986. In 2017 the company was taken over by Phoenix Asset Management.
It is thought that this set dates from 1948.
Media/Materials
Collection
Credit Line
Meccano Limited. Hornby Train Set, 1977.143. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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