Tri-ang model trains / model railway catalogue

34 items

Tri-ang was founded in 1950 by the Lines brothers, when they took over the company Rovex Plastics. Tri-ang produced 00/H0 and TT trains. Hornby (Meccano) was acquired in 1964. In 1975, Lines Bros itself was acquired by Dunbee Combex Marx. More

Tri-ang was founded in 1950 by the Lines brothers, when they took over the Rovex Plastics company. Rovex had won the order to supply electric train sets to Marks & Spencer before Christmas 1950. However, there was no money for further expansion. Lines Bros was looking to expand, so the takeover suited both parties well.
From 1951 the trains were sold under the name Tri-ang, but the company name became Rovex Scale Models Ltd. In 1954 a completely new factory was moved into Margate, Kent. Tri-ang produced 00/H0 trains, but from 1957 to 1967 also in TT scale. Australian models were produced by Moldex in Melbourne, South African in Durban. In New Zealand, English models were painted in the colors of New Zealand railways. In the early 1960s they also tried a garden track with a track width of 26 cm, but this was not a success. Other toys became known as Minic, Pedigree and Frog.
The competition fared less well and in 1964 Hornby (Meccano) was taken over. It is notable that the proper name Tri-ang was abandoned in 1972. In 1975 Lines Bros itself was taken over by Dunbee Combex Marx who continued the name Hornby Railways.

Brand name changes:
1952 - Triang Railways
1965 - Triang Hornby
1972 - Hornby Railways
1997 - Hornby

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