Shite in Miniature II

[Datsuncog]

1 hour ago, danthecapriman said:

What/where was the minimodels factory? Havant is only a few miles down the road from me but I’ve never heard of it. Be interesting to know…

Lines Bros bought up a lot of different toymakers in the 1950s and 1960s, but tended to let them continue on as before the buyout and in the same location, where possible.

Minimodels was set up by B. Fred Francis in 1947, making tinplate toys and models in fairly small numbers from premises in London.

In 1952 Minimodels launched the 1/30 Scalex range, which were 'keyless' clockwork racing cars, operated by pulling out the steering wheel to wind up the motor.

With Scalex suddenly becoming a 'must-have' toy, in order to meet demand Minimodels took out a lease on factory premises in New Lane, Havant the same year. They were soon turning out 7,000 Scalex models a week. 

However, demand for clockwork toys dropped off and by 1956 the company was in trouble. Fred tried a number of things, but settled on developing a racing track system where the players could actually control the speed of the cars as they played.

Starting off with electric motors fitted to Scalex cars to run on railway track, he finessed this down to cars fitted with motors running on rubberised track fitted with pickups, powered by batteries, and controlled with on-off hand throttles. He called this Scalex-electric, soon shortened to Scalextric.

Although not an entirely new concept - Lionel Toys in the US had marketed a very similar concept as far back as 1912 - there was a sensation when Minimodels launched this innovative new Scalextric system at the 1957 Harrogate Toy Fair, with orders pouring in from retailers. The Havant factory were suddenly facing the opposite problem, where they simply couldn't keep up with demand.

Keen to get in on a slice of the action, Lines Bros approached Fred in 1958, offering to buy him out - and so Minimodels became part of the Tri-ang Toys empire. They were able to bring in best-practice from elsewhere in their businesses to reduce costs and increase production capacity, such as switching to injection plastic mouldings for the car bodies and chassis instead of metal.

There were rivals, as Victory Industries launched a very similar range in 1957, as VIP Line - but Scalextric focused mainly on Grand Prix racers, while Victory's range was more akin to model roadways with passenger cars.

In 1961, the Minimodels factory moved to bigger premises in the Leigh Fields area of Havant, where they remained until 1968 - when Scalextric production switched to the Margate Rovex factory. However, Minimodels apparently remained at the Leigh Fields plant until the early 1970s (though I don't know what they were making by that stage).

Quote

Years ago I had a plastic kit of a signal box, branded Hornby, came in their packaging but on the plastic base section it said ‘Rovex West Germany’. I always thought that was odd as it was a Great Western Railway building kit, not a foreign building rebranded by Hornby to sell here. Did Hornby have a factory in west Germany then?

That's interesting - I know Lines Bros had subsidiary companies all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Ireland and South Africa, but I wasn't aware of a Rovex subsidiary in West Germany... intriguing!

I know Hornby Hobbies subsequently acquired model railway companies from all over the world in the 1980s and 90s, such as Lima and Jouef, but I'm not aware of any German ones.

[Datsuncog]

Messing around with some of my more recent diecast acquisitions earlier in the week led to the sobering realisation they were unacceptably MANKY.

Yeuch.

Only one thing for it... a bit of rub-a-dub-dub.

The Aston in particular seemed to have enjoyed a previous career as a grasstrack racer - it was absolutely clogged with dried mud inside.

Not so much a toothbrush job as a coathanger job, to poke the muck out.

Less 'orrible.

Much better.

The Consul Classic looked a bit better, too:

The paint never seems to be all that great on these, but this one looks a bit less grotty now.

While the big Bedford bin lorry appeared more spruce after a tickle with the toothbrush...

...and a bit of strategic bending to straighten up the chassis.

The rails are surprisingly delicate just behind the cab, so it wouldn't take much pressure at all to create a bad bend.

Luckily, this meant it was fairly easy to knock back into shape as well.

Success all round!

[egg]

When you think about it from a logistics point of view having a toy factory in Margate is a daft idea - literally the edge of the corner of the country. OK, London isn't far away, but diecast from that factory must have done some mileage. But then again, 'Thanet earth' is the largest greenhouse complex in the UK - supplying the UK with fruit and veg - so wot do I know.

[bunglebus]

16 minutes ago, sierraman said:

I’ve always had this hope that in these factory’s there would have been loads of old bits of diecast left. However on looking at the urbex reports of the old Lesney building in Hackney it looked pretty bare since they vacated in in 82-83. No piles of Superkings wheels or unused shells!

That's now flats and workshops unless there's another place I don't know of

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, Datsuncog said:

Lines Bros bought up a lot of different toymakers in the 1950s and 1960s, but tended to let them continue on as before the buyout and in the same location, where possible.

Minimodels was set up by B. Fred Francis in 1947, making tinplate toys and models in fairly small numbers from premises in London.

In 1952 Minimodels launched the 1/30 Scalex range, which were 'keyless' clockwork racing cars, operated by pulling out the steering wheel to wind up the motor.

With Scalex suddenly becoming a 'must-have' toy, in order to meet demand Minimodels took out a lease on factory premises in New Lane, Havant the same year. They were soon turning out 7,000 Scalex models a week. 

However, demand for clockwork toys dropped off and by 1956 the company was in trouble. Fred tried a number of things, but settled on developing a racing track system where the players could actually control the speed of the cars as they played.

Starting off with electric motors fitted to Scalex cars to run on railway track, he finessed this down to cars fitted with motors running on rubberised track fitted with pickups, powered by batteries, and controlled with on-off hand throttles. He called this Scalex-electric, soon shortened to Scalextric.

Although not an entirely new concept - Lionel Toys in the US had marketed a very similar concept as far back as 1912 - there was a sensation when Minimodels launched this innovative new Scalextric system at the 1957 Harrogate Toy Fair, with orders pouring in from retailers. The Havant factory were suddenly facing the opposite problem, where they simply couldn't keep up with demand.

Keen to get in on a slice of the action, Lines Bros approached Fred in 1958, offering to buy him out - and so Minimodels became part of the Tri-ang Toys empire. They were able to bring in best-practice from elsewhere in their businesses to reduce costs and increase production capacity, such as switching to injection plastic mouldings for the car bodies and chassis instead of metal.

There were rivals, as Victory Industries launched a very similar range in 1957, as VIP Line - but Scalextric focused mainly on Grand Prix racers, while Victory's range was more akin to model roadways with passenger cars.

In 1961, the Minimodels factory moved to bigger premises in the Leigh Fields area of Havant, where they remained until 1968 - when Scalextric production switched to the Margate Rovex factory. However, Minimodels apparently remained at the Leigh Fields plant until the early 1970s (though I don't know what they were making by that stage).

That's interesting - I know Lines Bros had subsidiary companies all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United States, Ireland and South Africa, but I wasn't aware of a Rovex subsidiary in West Germany... intriguing!

I know Hornby Hobbies subsequently acquired model railway companies from all over the world in the 1980s and 90s, such as Lima and Jouef, but I'm not aware of any German ones.

That’s interesting to know. I’ve lived in this area most of my life and had no idea that place was there.

I do know New Lane, I did quite a few jobs down there in various places when I was the electricity board. I can’t think exactly where the factory would be or would’ve been. But lots of the sites there have been demolished and rebuilt, particularly more recently. There was a big place call Colt Ventilation on the corner of New Lane and Barton’s Road that’d been there years but that’s been flattened and now a housing estate (fuck knows where all these people work now!). It is quite a long road though. 
It’d be interesting to find pictures of the toy factory and see where it was/is and do a comparison shot of it now.

[MiniMinorMk3]

5 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

Ah, interesting - seems likely your Bristol is a pretty early example too, either a very late '59 or early 1960 release.

Also worth picking up that Spot-On were always sold as 'Spot-On Models' whereas Dinky and Corgi both sold as 'Toys'.

 

I'd love to know what became of the Brighton Toy & Model Museum's collection:

I'm also still kicking myself, two decades on, for walking past it every day for quite some years and never going in...

The Brighton Toy & Model Museum's collection is still there.

… Other exhibits | Brighton Toy and Model Museum (brightontoymuseum.co.uk)

[MiniMinorMk3]

3 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Plan at the moment is the original colours plus detailing, and hopefully a bit less rubbish looking

One of my favourite cars. I've had a few white metal versions.

[bunglebus]

40 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

One of my favourite cars

Hopefully I can do it justice. Having problems with the casting being porous on the roof which creates a bubble under the paint when I apply a bit of heat. 

Fingers crossed the paint will harden enough that I can mask the roof off without removing any 

[FakeConcern]

53 minutes ago, MiniMinorMk3 said:

The Brighton Toy & Model Museum's collection is still there.

… Other exhibits | Brighton Toy and Model Museum (brightontoymuseum.co.uk)

When I went there recently the only Spot On models were buildings...

Some Dinky

and Matchbox

Loads of Corgi..

 

[bunglebus]

I wonder what the survival rate is for the average toy car? Must actually be pretty good despite the efforts of Bl*e Pet*r to melt them all down.

I mean how often do they actually get thrown in the bin? They either end up in collections or do the jumble sale/charity shop/boot sale/eBay circuit

[FakeConcern]

I quickly had a look at my Spot Ons to see the bases as this seems to be topical now.

Ford Thames Trader, nothing, not a dickey bird...

TR3, Spot On Models by Triang, Made in Gt Britain

Land Crab, Spot On Models by Triang, Made in Northern Ireland

Jag, Spot On Models by Triang, Made in Gt Britain

Silver Wraith, Spot On Models by Triang, Made in Gt Britain

A40, Spot On Models by Triang, Made in Gt Britain

Prinz, Spot On Models by Triang, Made in Northern Ireland

Really strange the Thames, I wonder how I even knew it was Spot On?

[Spottedlaurel]

Matchbox were on clearance at 50p in our local Tesco. Not worth making a trip out for, but Miss SL's BF was passing and picked up half a dozen of the old favourites.

[Datsuncog]

Despite forum issues...

... it's that time again.

[andrew e]

I thought it was just me! How was I going to live vicariously through a fellow shitter in another country!

Phew panic averted 😂

[flat4alfa]

[bunglebus]

I had the same massage this morning, worked on my laptop but not my phone. All OK now it seems

[Datsuncog]

Ok then - a slightly cooler morning with a bit of dampness, and the aforementioned issues with the forum causing a degree of consternation.

But Tat Friday always gets through.

(Except when it doesn't)

Upon bustling in, just after 7.30, I clocked our old chum The Nemesis checking out a new Tat Box...

Well - I say new; that white-painted Corgi Karrier box van has certainly shown up before.

But the others... I think they could be new to us.

Freshly dredged, possibly.

So - slightly later than we might like - let's take a closer look, hey?

[sierraman]

That’s 50p stuff surely! 

[flat4alfa]

I'd have the Karrier box van if it was 50p

[Datsuncog]

It ain't 50p, sadly.

[flat4alfa]

Surely the Lesney Thames Trader Trailer isnt more than five 50 Pences. 

[sierraman]

I’m amazed he sells anything, it looks like my scrap box in there 😂

[flat4alfa]

Oh he will, because I'm here and I am mug. 

[flat4alfa]

18 hours ago, Datsuncog said:

In 1952 Minimodels launched the 1/30 Scalex range, which were 'keyless' clockwork racing cars, operated by pulling out the steering wheel to wind up the motor.

... 

However, demand for clockwork toys dropped off and by 1956 the company was in trouble. Fred tried a number of things, but settled on developing a racing track system where the players could actually control the speed of the cars as they played.

Starting off with electric motors fitted to Scalex cars to run on railway track, he finessed this down to cars fitted with motors running on rubberised track fitted with pickups, powered by batteries, and controlled with on-off hand throttles. He called this Scalex-electric, soon shortened to Scalextric.

Good write-up for CogBook™ inclusion 😎

The pull-string operated a flywheel mechanism so wasn't strictly clockwork (angry old men might shout).  The 'Startex' brand was used for those, once there were bigger ideas for 'Scalex' so there was some cross-over.  The Talbot Alpine had the steering wheel pull, while the Jaguar had the pull as the exhaust pipe as Doris inspects here

[Datsuncog]

So what was there in the somewhat dubious depths... well, this:

Various early Lesney and Dinky items, with a smattering of more recent ERTL character stuff and far-eastern no-names.

Scruffy Bburago F40 and a doorless Majorette Caprice cop car probably won't set anyone's undercrackers alight with desire. Early regular-wheels Silver Shadow mostly alright; Ford pickup with the usual front end damage. Bedford OB removals van pretty shagged.

Mostly more recent stuff here, though the Dinky Austin Champ looked reasonably restorable.

Naturally, m'learned friend was alongside, having beaten me to the box again today... but I started taking them out to get a better feel for what was what...

[junkyarddog]

I do love a virtual tat box rummage!😁

[flat4alfa]

I think Katie Price does that sort of thing now

[Noel Tidybeard]

it gives me sedness to see the renner17 looks like a bent axle

if not and its pennies yes please

[Datsuncog]

Since the Thames Trader tractor unit's been mentioned already, let's start with it:

Berkeley Caravan ok but missing its hitch, while the CA evening news van seemed to be wearing every one of its 60-odd years in the toybox.

Karrier Refuse Collector not too bad, though missing a rear section (I think). M3 Personnel Carrier had lost its windscreen superstructure, while the Commer TV Service Van was just a shell, until I found the (broken) base right at the bottom of the box, and reunited them as best I could.

Bedford looks like it's had a bad time of it.

Mmm, yeah. No.

The Zodiac floppytop had similar windscreen woes, while the Scammell snow plough was missing a critical bit of kit; ditto the Euclid dump truck. The Albion Chieftain cement truck was largely ok though, while the Minor and Commer Cob had some base issues to be sorted but were otherwise pretty sound.

Minor and Cob already claimed, I should point out!

(It's been a confusing morning)

Moving up to King Size Lesneys, the Foden Tipper, Ford D-Series flatbed artic and Merryweather Fire Engine were in varying states of dilapidation and incompleteness.

Hey, we've seen better.

Some well-worn Dinkys were also lurking - a Vanguard with a nasty-looking axle limp, and an Oxford MO.

Both looked like they've been collected with a fishing rod.

Even older Dinky lorries were in evidence:

And this tiny little wheel-less Dinky MG, which was nearer Matchbox size...

 But kinda looked about right, next to the lorries.

Unknown maker fire engine was crude, and to be honest not all that appealing:

No clue.

Dinky Taxi has had some hard wear.

Nemesis nearly took this, but put it back when he clocked the busted A-post.

This modernish Hot Wheels Mustang was ok, though.

Metal base mid-90s casting.

Speaking of Hot Wheels, is this curious McDonald's toy meant to be based on the Silhouette?

There was also the dregs from last week up top:

But I think we went through these in detail last week, no?

This box fresh Buddy L was new, though:

A not-unreasonable £20 asked on this one, which has somehow avoided Death By Sandpit.

I have to say, there was a bit of mild jealousy towards some of my fellow diecast addict's finds this week...

Blue Corgi Juniors Land Rover towtruck isn't one I've seen before, but... 

WHAT

IS

THAT

**Swoons**

[Datsuncog]

9 minutes ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

it gives me sedness to see the renner17 looks like a bent axle

if not and its pennies yes please

R17 was more than just a bit borked, sadly... more pics to come!