The Hornby Gauge O System (used) 4

The Hornby Gauge O System (used)
The Hornby Companion Series volume 5
published by New Cavendish Books
First Edition
over 500 illustrations including 423 in full color

This book is in excellent condition complete with dust jacket.

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, realizing the antipathy towards German goods after the 1914-18 war, thought tha 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 the 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 Hornby Duplo Trains whose development ultimately eclipsed the 0-Gauge range.

This volume 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 “Eaton” Locomotives, are recorded; and the cheaper “M” Series trains are also covered, as are Meccano train products sold under other trade names other than Hornby: “Zulu” Trains, “Tinplated 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.

Contents

1. Acknowledgements
2. Preface
3. A Historical Survey
1. 1900 to 1957
2. The Latter Years
4. Manufacturing and Marketing
1. Ideas and patents
2. Items planned but not produced
3. The manufacturing process
4. Marketing and the Selling Service
5. Locomotives
1. Zulu and No. 0 Locomotives
2. No. 1 Locomotives
3. No. 1 Tank Locomotives
4. No. 1 Special Locomotives
5. No. 1 Special Tank Locomotives
6. No. 2 Locomotives
7. No. 2 Tank Locomotives
8. No. 2 Special Locomotives
9. No 2. Special Tank Locomotives
10. Riviera “Blue Train” Locomotives
11. No. 3 Locomotives
12. No. 4 “Eaton” Locmotives
13. “Princess Elizabeth” Locomotive
14. Metropolitan Locomotives
15. Swiss Type Locomotives
16. LE220 Locomotives
6. Coaches
1. No. 1 Coaches
2. No. 2 Passenger Coaches
3. No. 2 Corridor Coaches
4. No. 1 Pullman Coaches
5. Bogie Pullman Coaches
6. Saloon Coaches
7. Riviera “Blue Train” Coaches
8. Mitropa Coaches
9. American-Type Coaches
10. Metropolitan Coaches
7. Wagons
1. American-Type Wagons
2. Barrel Wagons
3. Bitumen Tank Wagons
4. Brake Vans
5. Breakdown Van and Crane
6. No. 1 Cattle Trucks
7. No. 2 Cattle Trucks
8. Cement Wagons
9. Coal Wagons
10. Crane Trucks
11. Fibre Wagons
12. Flat Trucks
13. French-Type Wagons
14. Gas Cylinder Wagons
15. Gunpowder Vans
16. High Capacity Wagons
17. Hopper Wagons
18. No. 1 Luggage Vans
19. No. 2 Luggage Vans
20. No. 1 Lumber Wagons
21. No.2  Lumber Wagons
22. Milk Tank Wagons
23. Milk Traffic Vans
24. Open Wagons
25. Open Wagon B
26. Petrol and Oil Tank Wagons
27. Private Owners’ Vans
28. Refrigerator Vans
29. No. 0 Rotary Tipping Wagons
30. No.1 Rotary Tipping Wagons
31. Side Tipping Wagons
32. Smowploughs
33. No. 1 Timber Wagons
34. No. 2 Timber Wagons
35. Trolley Wagons
36. No. 0 Vans
8. Accessories
1. Spring Buffer Stops
2. Hydraulic Buffer Stops
3. Hornby Control System
4. Countryside Sections and Scenery
5. Dinky Toy Figures
6. Engine Sheds
7. Footbridges
8. Goods Platforms
9. Island Platforms
10. Lamp Standards
11. Level Crossings
12. Loading Gauges
13. Passenger Platforms
14. Platelayers’ Huts
15. Platform Cranes
16. Posters and Hoardings
17. Railway Accessories
18. Signal Cabins
19. Signals
20. Stations
21. Telegraph Poles
22. Train Name Boards
23. Metal Tunnels
24. Turntables
25. Viaducts
26. Water Tanks
27. Sundries
28. Electrical Items
9. The M Series
1. MO Trains
2. British Express Trains
3. M1 Trains
4. Tinprinted, George V, No. 00 and M3 Trains
5. M Series Accessories
6. M3 Tank Locomotives
7. No. 0 “Silver Link” and Streamline Locos
10. Hornby Trains in France
11. Hornby Trains for Export
12. Hornby and Meccano Publications
1. Meccano Magazine
2. Hornby Book of Trains
3. Hornby Train Folders, Catalogues and Illustrated Price Lists
4. Meccano Procucts Catalogs
5. Price Lists
6. Misc. Meccano Publications
7. Hornby Booklets
8. Misc. Hornby Leaflets
9. Guarantees and Instructions
10. Postwar Instructions
13. Hornby Train Packaging
14. Rails
15. Appendices
1. Catalog Dates for Hornby Trains
2. Summary of UK Literature
3. Advice Notes of the 1930s
4. Summary of Locomotive Numbers
5. Dating Guide for Hornby Wagons
16. Bibliography & Footnote
17. Index