Hornby – Celebrating 100 Years Of Hornby Trains

Hornby Hobbies develops, manufactures and supplies hobby and toy products for a global market, with a collection of truly iconic brands spanning model railways, slot racing, die-cast models and plastic model kits.

A Brief Hornby Hobbies History

Hornby Hobbies’ journey began back in 1901 in Liverpool, when founder Frank Hornby applied for a patent in 1901 to protect an invention he called ‘Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People’. This became Meccano, and in 1964, Hornby and Meccano were bought by a rival company, Tri-ang. Hornby Railways became independent again in the 1980s and has continued it's legacy as one of the most iconic companies in Britain.

The Beating Heart of Margate

Hornby has been a famous fixture in Margate, Kent, since 1964 when Tri-ang acquired the company. The impressive Hornby factory site at Margate was constructed by Lines Brothers Limited in 1953 as a purpose built, state of the art model production facility for Rovex Scale Models Ltd and their world famous Tri-ang Railway system. The new factory housed the technical, experimental and development departments of the company, in addition to a limited manufacturing capacity for their brand of Tri-ang model railways.

Hornby Hobbies’ Most Iconic Brands

Hornby is a household name and is famous as the UK brand leader in the model railway hobby.  The company’s founder was Frank Hornby (1863 - 1936) who applied for a patent in 1901 to protect an invention he called ‘Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People’.  Nobody then could have imagined how this product would influence the model railway hobby that we know today. Frank Hornby was granted his patent and soon put the invention into production under the name ‘Mechanics Made Easy’. Now simply called "Hornby", the company justifiably retains the position it has held for more than 50 years as Britain’s leading model railway manufacturer. Scalextric is the ultimate motor racing system for all ages, where miniature cars race against each other on special track, getting their power from a slot in the middle of each lane (you will sometimes hear Scalextric called slot racing). Invented by Fred (B F) Francis, the very first Scalextric was made in Havant, Hampshire in 1956. In 1968, Hornby Hobbies acquired the company and was instrumental in shaping it into what you see today. Airfix is the oldest UK manufacturer of scale plastic model kits and has been producing kits for the mass market since 1952.  Airfix produces a wide range of kits aimed at all types of scale modellers with subjects such as military aircraft, civil aircraft, ships, galleons, cars, space, figures, dioramas and military vehicles. Airfix was founded in 1939 by Nicholas Kove, a refugee from Hungary who originally manufactured rubber inflated toys. After trading hands and designs many times, in 2006 Hornby Hobbies Ltd bought both the Airfix and Humbrol brands and have been dedicated to their revitalisation ever since. Founded in 1919 as the Humber Oil Company, Humbrol initially supplied bicycle oil for Hull's growing army of cyclists.  In 1935, however, the company was asked to produce paints for renovating cycles and came up with Art Enamel. Since Humbrol was founded in 1919 the brand has been under several owners. In November 2006, the Humbrol and Airfix brands were acquired by Hornby Hobbies Ltd where they sit alongside some of Britain’s best-loved toy and hobby brands – Hornby model railways, Scalextric slot racing and Corgi die-cast models. Corgi's famous model vehicles captured the imagination of millions of baby boomers and, what were once simply toys for boys, are now highly sought-after in the expanding collectables market. The Corgi brand was created by the Mettoy Company of Northampton which first started to produce colorful, pressed metal toys in the 1930s.  It was bought by Hornby Hobbies in 2008. Today, the majority of Corgi cars, trucks and buses are produced as once-only Limited Editions and are often sold out within weeks of release.

Hornby Hobbies Present

Today, Hornby Hobbies ltd is home to 15 collectible and scale model brands. The company has had the opportunity to expand internationally, working with brands from France, Germany, Spain and Italy and partnering with stockists all over the world. Hornby Hobbies has prioritized its accessibility, ensuring that our much loved and loyal community has been able to grow into online spaces such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and our forums, to continue connecting over their shared passion like never before. With our long history of embracing change, promoting creativity and connecting with you, we are very much looking forward to another 100 years. The best is yet to come.