Publisher Description

The 00 gauge train set was the ultimate 'boy's toy' of the 1950s and '60s. Electric 00 gauge trains were introduced by Trix and Hornby Dublo in the mid-1930s, but the Second World War quickly halted production. However, they burst back onto the post-war scene with great success, and 00 quickly became the dominant scale in Britain, and was taken up by other large manufacturers including Tri-ang. Whilst the components of the sets themselves were often basic, they could be transformed into astonishing landscapes in the hands of imaginative builders. The sheer number of box sets, locomotives, rolling stock, buildings and accessories gave everyone the ability to form a bespoke layout. This beautifully illustrated introduction to the heyday of clockwork and electric 00 gauge trains tells their story up until 1975, when finer detailing and changing trends led to them becoming enthusiasts' models rather than children's toys.

Author Biography

Bob Leggett has had a lifelong enthusiasm for railways and train sets and is a committee member of the Train Collectors Society. In 1993 he started the Alresford Festival of Toy Trains and he has his own post-war toy museum at Beale Park, Pangbourne.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Richard LinesIntroductionThe Beginning to 1945Post-war Austerity: Smaller CompaniesPost-war Hornby Dublo and TrixThe Giant Awakes: Enter Tri-AngEuropean HO Gauge in BritainTri-Ang Hornby and Hornby Railways 1966–75Beyond 1975Appendices: Accessories; Retailers; Bertram OttoPlaces to VisitFurther ReadingIndex

Review

I feel like a gap in my education has now been filled... an interesting and informative read. * MODEL RAIL *

Promotional

The ideal introduction to electric train sets from the Second World War to 1975.

Review Quote

I feel like a gap in my education has now been filled... an interesting and informative read.

Promotional "Headline"

The ideal introduction to electric train sets from the Second World War to 1975.

Feature

Most of the photographs in this book will be taken especially for the publication and so have never been published before.

Details