Meccano Ltd was a British toy manufacturing company, established in 1908 by Frank Hornby in Liverpool, England, to manufacture and distribute Meccano and other model toys and kits created by the company. During the 1920s and 1930s it became the biggest toy manufacturer in the United Kingdom and produced three of the most popular lines of toys in the twentieth century: Meccano, Hornby Trains and Dinky Toys.
Frank Hornby, founder of the company
Hornby's freight wagon
Dinky 23e model of George Eyston's land record car, "Speed of the Wind". The toy was made from 1936 to 1940
Meccano model car at Paris Motor Show 2018
Frank Hornby was an English inventor, businessman and politician. He was a visionary in toy development and manufacture, and although he had no formal engineering training, he was responsible for the invention and production of three of the most popular lines of toys based on engineering principles in the 20th century: Meccano, Hornby Model Railways and Dinky Toys. He also founded the British toy company Meccano Ltd in 1908, and launched a monthly publication, Meccano Magazine in 1916.
Frank Hornby
Frank Hornby's 1901 patent number GB190100587A for what later became known as Meccano
Poster for the 2013 Heritage Lottery Fund-supported anniversary project