THEDINKYSHOP

HISTORY

The history of Dinky toys

 

1914    

 The Binns road factory opened for Meccano production

1932  

  Meccano launch Modelled miniatures the fore runner of Dinky toys.

             The first issue is  No. 1  Station staff , to complement its '00' guage

             Model railways.

 

1934  

   In April the name Meccano Dinky toys is first used in the Meccano  magazine.

 By October there were 150 different Dinky toys available.

1935   

  By June there were 200 different varieties of dinky toys available.

1936   

  By august the model range had gone up to to 250.

On the 21st of September  Frank  Hornby Died. 

1937

The first military vehicles are released. 

1938

By April the model range had gone up to 300    

1939

Certain models in the dinky range are suspended due to the onset of the 2nd world war, these would be reinstated in march 1940

September, war is declared

1942

Due to the war the government forbids the manufacture of metal toys, Instead the  factory starts producing die-cast parts for engines, bomb releases and other machinery for the war.

1943

In September the government announces a law causing all stocks of toys in warehouses to be withheld from sale.

1944

Due to bombing raids some dies are lost.

1945

8th may V.E. Day

In June the government lifts the ban on using metal for toys, and stocks of toys 'frozen' in warehouses are released.

 September 16th - Japanese surrender in Hong Kong.

The war ends.

From August the diameter of Dinky axles is increased from 0.062 inches to 0.078 inches. This is the way to tell between pre and post war toys.

1947

The first Supertoys appear. The new 3 digit numbering system comes into force for new toys.

1950

New models are being issued at the rate of one a month.

Korean war started.

 

1951

Few models are released for the next two years, and a shortage of materials caused by the Korean war leads to experimentation of new materials for making toys , including aluminum and plastic.

1953

A new factory is opened at Speke , just outside of Liverpool to concentrate on diecasting with all other operations to carry on at Binns road.

The model range is renumbered from the figure and letter suffix to all figure numbers.

In July the Korean war ends.

1954

By the end of the year all toys had been changed to the new numbering system.

1956

26 million Dinky toys produced this year.

1958

There are now over 160 different models in the range.

From April windows were fitted to vehicles for the first time.

1961

20 new models released.

All car models changed from plain tyres to treaded.

1962

Meccano ltd. make a profit of  £94,000

1963

The factory at Binns road is extended and the one at Speke closed.

Meccano Ltd. made a trading loss due to various problems( £670,000 ). The cost of retooling, the purchase of Bayko  And a loss of market share as other diecast manufacturers entered the market ( Corgi, Lesney, Solido and Tekno) . 

Bayko was a building construction toy, but it bought it at a bad time as this was the year Lego was introduced.

1964

Lines Brothers took over Meccano.

Lines Bros Ltd was a Toy manufacturer operating under the Tri-ang brand name.

Lines Bros Ltd, at its peak, was claimed to be the largest toy maker in the world.It was best known for its Triang railways And Scalextric car racing system.

1965

8 new models introduced.

First of new style catalogues Introduced, numbered 1 to 14 although number does not appear on front until 1967 with issue number 3.

The transfers on toys are starting to change from a waterslide transfer to a sticker.

1967

The first television related toys are released , these being no. 100 Fab 1 and no. 101 thunderbird 2.

1968

The company manages to make a profit of £145,000 for the year, but it would never make a profit again.

1969

In June 'speedwheels' are introduced to the model range as a reply to Mattel's 'HotWheels'.

The company name is changed to Meccano Triang.

1971

 Lines Brothers goes into liquidation as a result of the recession to hit the toy trade.

 The bank calls in all its substantial loans .

Binns road and the other Meccano assets are transferred to a new company Maoford Ltd.,Which was latter renamed Meccano Ltd, and this was sold to Airfix industries.

1973

A new type of packaging is launched this year, a card base with a clear plastic moulded top.

1977

The design of the toys became lighter and finer and there was an increased use of plastic.

Another change to the packaging , this time to the blue, red and yellow hanging window boxes.

1979 

This was the year that the last catalogue was issued.

Losses for the last financial year (April 1978 - March 1979 ) stood at £1.7 million.

The next 6 months trading until September saw losses of nearly £1.0 million.

In November the Binns road factory is closed, and Airfix call in the receiver.

1980

The last of the warehouse stocks were released.

A trade catalogue was published but none of the models were released.

1981

After not being able to sell the Binns road factory as a going concern,  it is demolished, and it is turned into a car park.

   

Click for large picture

 

 

After 49 years in production Dinky toys are no more.

TOP OF PAGE

HOME

Powered by Ewisoft eCommerce Website Design Software