The Hornby Companion Series - The Hornby Gauge O System by C & J Graebe

Hardback book - Pre-owned Good condition.

The Hornby Companion Series - The Hornby Gauge O System

by C & J Graebe

"Before the outbreak of the Great War, Frank Hornby's inventions had already made his Liverpool Meccano factories famous, and himself a wealthy man. It had previously been thought impossible to compete with continental manufacturers in the model railway market, but Hornby, realising the antipathy towards German goods after the 1914-18 war, thought that conditions were opportune for a large investment in toy train production. In 1920 he took the gamble and initiated a massive expansion of his legendary Binns Road works for this purpose.

The first 0-Gauge 'Hornby Trains' were the pioneers of an unrivalled series of toy train products, which enabled Hornby to offer everything for the complete model railway. Station buildings, lineside accessories, and even scenery such as the 'Countryside Sections' were added to an extensive range of rolling stock and locomotives. Although not accurate scale models, they captured all the atmosphere of real railways.
These first Hornby Train Sets inspired a fierce brand loyalty among their youthful and not so youthful customers, and although safety regulations would prevent their sale today, the pre-war generation of Hornby Train users survived happily, and grew up to see their own children playing with the 0-Gauge Hornby Trains. They also saw them graduate to Horby Dublo Trains (subject of a companion volume by Michael Foster) whose development ultimately eclipsed the O-Gauge range.

This volume by Chris and Julie Graebe tells the story of this most famous and successful British make, the Hornby 0-Gauge Train, from the first constructional train sets of 1920 right through to the final 0-Gauge production in the 1960's. Various landmarks in the development of the system, such as the creation of the true-to-type No. 2 Special Locomotives representing famous engines of the major railway companies, and later the 'Princess Elizabeth' and 'Eton' Locomotives, are recorded; and the cheaper 'M' Series trains are also covered, as are Meccano train products sold under trade names other than Hornby; 'Zulu' Trains, ‘Tinprinted Trains', and the 'British Express'. The evolution of the Hornby Series is followed in a series of colour photographs, some items being illustrated here for the first time. A detailed study of the individual items is contained in the text, and appendices list the most important production variations for the benefit of the real enthusiast."

337 pages

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ISBN 0-904568-35-0

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