Toys & popular culture
The story of Dinky Toys began in 1901 with Frank Hornby. Frank Hornby was the creator of Meccano Erector Sets and in later years the company moved into the production of train sets. With an increase in business for the erector sets and trains he searched for other products to expand his market. The company began the production of scale figures to give the buildings and train sets more of a realistic appearance. Train station staff, passengers, hotel staff, animals, mailboxes, and railway signals. Each item was made of diecast metal.
7 min read · From the archive