Hornby O Gauge 1929 to 1939
1929 Introduction of No. 2 Special 4-4-0 true to
type the No 1
Special Tender & Tank locomotives & the No 2 Special 4-4-2
Tank locomotive with improved mechanisms.
1930 Revised underframe and reduced buffer height of
all goods
rolling stock.
1931 Automatic couplings and the new No. 0/1 locomotives.
1932 Country-side and electrically lit accessories
improved.
1933/4 Brighter colours introduced to wagons & accessories.
1935 No.2 passenger coaches and solid base points introduced.
1937 Introduction of 4-6-2 Princess Elizabeth, 4-4-0 Eton
No. 4 locomotives
No 2 corridor coaches and steel
three foot radius rails.
1939 Hornby - Dublo trains begin to displace the O Gauge trains.
First of
matt varnish on locos.
1940 Some wartime
grey rolling stock. Hornby production ceases for war.
Hornby O Gauge 1946 to 1953
1946-8 Post-war production began slowly. Only 0-4-0 locomotives
were
produced after the war
and a few LMS & LNER electric tender locos
mainly for export. A
short run of No. 2 coaches and goods vans.
1949 New bases added to 4 wheel-wagons. The
peak of post-war production.
1951 Introduction of plastic wheels due to metal
shortages and use of
Bluemel instead of nickel
plating caused by Korean war.
1952/3 SR & GWR company liveries no longer produced.
Hornby O Gauge 1954 to 1969
1954 British Railway nationalisation, which occurred
in 1948, was recognised
finally, with the introduction of
new liveries for locomotives and rolling
stock. All locomotives had
clockwork mechanisms.
1957 The No. 50 wagons with tin-printed detail,
brake-levers and die-cast
buffer beams were introduced.
these were the last major development
in the Hornby O gauge range.
1958-69 Production continued on a limited range of products until end of 1962
with a few deletions each year.
The last Meccano price list to include
Hornby O Gauge items was issued
in 1969.
1969 Hornby Railway Collectors Association (UK)
was founded.
1994 New Zealand Hornby Railway Collectors Association was founded
