TOY
CultureFrance
Dimensions.1a: 7 x 5 x 18 cm (2 3/4 x 1 15/16 x 7 1/16 in.)
.1b: 6.2 x 5 x 10.5 cm (2 7/16 x 1 15/16 x 4 1/8 in.)
.2a: 6 x 5.2 x 26 cm (2 3/8 x 2 1/16 x 10 1/4 in.)
.2b: 5.7 x 6.4 x 26 cm (2 1/4 x 2 1/2 x 10 1/4 in.)
.3a: 8 x 5.4 x 25 cm (3 1/8 x 2 1/8 x 9 13/16 in.)
.3b: 7.4 x 4.5 x 14 cm (2 15/16 x 1 3/4 x 5 1/2 in.)
.3c: 5.8 x 10.7 x 31.2 cm (2 5/16 x 4 3/16 x 12 5/16 in.)
.4a: 7.3 x 5.1 x 27 cm (2 7/8 x 2 x 10 5/8 in.)
.4b: 5.8 x 8 x 28 cm (2 5/16 x 3 1/8 x 11 in.)
.5.2-4: 8 x 5.7 x 26.7 cm (3 1/8 x 2 1/4 x 10 1/2 in.)
Object numberHF.2021.44.1-5
DescriptionA Meccano Hornby electric pre-war French SNCF train set with tracks. .1 a-b is the train and tender, both black with red and gold line work. A switch is present on the top of the train. Each have four wheels. .2-4 are additional train cars: a flatbed, crane, and a blue and yellow passenger car, each comes in a orange paper box with black decoration and "Trains Hornby" printed on the top and sides. .5.1-4 are sections of metal tracks, each straight with three thin, parallel sections of metal attached to short perpendicular base. 5.1 looks like a bridge with crisscrossed-wall sections on either side. Narrative
Meccano Limited, originally named "Mechanics Made Easy", was founded in the United Kingdom by Frank Hornby in 1901, and for many years was a leader in model railway toys. Meccano's first train was released in 1920; a clockwork 'O' gauge model which aimed to fill a gap in the toy market as a result of World War I. Meccano Ltd. slowed production during World War II and completely halting manufacturing in 1942. After the war, production was reduced due to the general shortage of raw materials and new toys were not introduced until the 1950s.
