---
product_id: 253784245
title: "Toy Trains: 1935–1975"
price: "R420"
currency: ZAR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 5
url: https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/253784245-toy-trains-1935-1975
store_origin: ZA
region: South Africa
---

# Toy Trains: 1935–1975

**Price:** R420
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Toy Trains: 1935–1975
- **How much does it cost?** R420 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.co.za](https://www.desertcart.co.za/products/253784245-toy-trains-1935-1975)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
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## Description

Buy Toy Trains: 1935–1975 by Leggett, Bob online on desertcart.ae at best prices. ✓ Fast and free shipping ✓ free returns ✓ cash on delivery available on eligible purchase.

Review: Bought this item as a present for my brother inlaw made his birthday 5stars all the way
Review: Chegou bem antes do prazo

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #414,453 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #129 in Railroads #2,149 in Antiques & Collectibles #3,417 in Hobbies & Games for Young Adults |
| Customer reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (36) |
| Dimensions  | 16.26 x 0.41 x 20.68 cm |
| Edition  | Standard Edition |
| ISBN-10  | 1784423084 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-1784423087 |
| Item weight  | 1.05 Kilograms |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 64 pages |
| Publication date  | 18 April 2019 |
| Publisher  | BY |

## Images

![Toy Trains: 1935–1975 - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81IaUjG2jlL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by P***D on 15 October 2020*

Bought this item as a present for my brother inlaw made his birthday 5stars all the way

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by M***S on 5 December 2022*

Chegou bem antes do prazo

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review
*by P***A on 15 September 2023*

In Victorian times, prosperous families were able to commission railway train models directly from craftsmen and engineers and later from toy manufacturers such as Marklin and Bassett-Lowke. These privileged families had large rooms and gardens where the model trains could be easily accommodated. With time, Christmas and birthdays became popular for giving presents to children. Sometimes, playing with these model trains was allowed only on a Sunday, given their delicate construction and high prices. Meccano owned Hornby and Dinky Toys. Through its magazine which had a circulation of about 70,000 in the 1930s Meccano was able to launch Hornby Dublo through its agents, to a captive audience, in 1937. The magazine dealt with all forms of transportation: air, land and sea. Meccano also set up Hornby Clubs in schools. Post war, Ever Ready was keen to produce electronic toys that had use for its batteries. It produced a London Underground set in 1950 that sold well. Enthusiasts still run these trains today, although using new bogies. Airfix produced its first plastic kit in 1949, a Ferguson TE20 tractor. All their kits were sold through toy shops, Woolworths, newsagents and the local post office. Rovex was asked by Marks & Spencer to build what turned out to be a Princess 4-6-2 at Christmas 1950. Despite its price of 59s 6d ( sic ) it sold very well and Marks & Spencer were delighted. Post war, Meccano was left with hundreds of thousands of pre war parts for 0 and 00 gauge trains and Meccano and Dinky toys. Many post war toys included these pre war parts. Meccano never produced an overhead system. Tri-ang purchased Hamleys in 1931 to push its products to the affluent sections of London society and also to the tourist market. Slot cars in the 1960s caused part of the decline of the toy train market. The author states that Tri-ang's Model Land of the early 1960s, a pre-coloured series of plastic kits, was superior to Airfix. These included a church with chimes, supermarkets, pylons, shops, figures and the like. By the late 1960s and early 1970s the UK toy market was hit by huge quantities of cheap and exact copies of British toys from Hong Kong and tin and plastic toys from Japan, apart from the import of large numbers of toys from America. This state of affairs, taken with the condition of Britain's economy which was in turmoil at the time, made it impossible for the Tri-ang company to survive, with its 40 manufacturing plants. It was sold off in 1971 to several eager buyers, one of them being Hornby. Tri-ang had been the dominant manufacturer of toy trains from 1955-75 and was the world's largest toy company at the time. The recipients of train sets in the 1950s and 1960s were generally boys in the age group of 8-15. Today boys of this age are more interested in PlayStation 5. The market for model railways is now adult and consists largely of those same boys of the 1950s and 1960s who have now grown up and still run the trains today. Even the 00 gauge trains of today are digital. 00 gauge is unique to the UK though the track width of 16.5 mm is the same as that of HO ( half 0 ) gauge. The models are mostly made to a scale of 1:72. The author says that the correct scale is 1:87. In 1975 manufacture of 00 gauge trains for the British market moved to Hong Kong where the models emerged in greater detail with lower labour costs, leading to much cheaper prices. Many Matchbox cars of the early 1950s and 1960s were perfect for the 00 gauge. Corgi's Husky range had many 00 gauge compatible models, generally sold by Woolworths. Gamages, a large London store, and Hamleys had vast 00 gauge railways built on their toy train levels, each Christmas in the 1950s. I wish this delightful book was much thicker. It does bring back happy memories.

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*Product available on Desertcart South Africa*
*Store origin: ZA*
*Last updated: 2026-02-28*