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United Kingdom Toy Manufacturers
A complete guide to 16 historic and current British toy manufacturers. United Kingdom played a defining role in toy-making history — explore each company's founding, toys, and legacy.
16 manufacturers listed.
Bassett-Lowke, Ltd.
Bassett-Lowke was the premier British maker of high-quality scale model railroads, ships, and engineering models. Wenman Joseph Ba…
Brimtoy / Wells Brimtoy
Brimtoy produced affordable tin and later die-cast vehicles for the British market. After merging with Wells Toys in 1932, the com…
Britains Ltd.
The Britain family firm dates from 1845; around 1893 William Britain Jr. perfected hollow casting for lead soldiers, which cut the…
Burnett, Ltd.
Burnett produced colorful lithographed tin vehicles including famous London omnibus models popular in Edwardian England.…
Chad Valley Toys
Chad Valley was one of Britain's most beloved toy companies. It held a Royal Warrant as toymakers to the Queen from 1938, and prod…
Corgi (Mettoy Playcraft)
Mettoy launched the Corgi brand in 1956 to compete with Dinky Toys. Corgi differentiated itself with opening doors, hoods, and tra…
Crescent Toys
Crescent produced lead and later plastic toy soldiers, die-cast vehicles, and cowboy and Indian figures. Their soldiers and small …
Dinky Supertoys
Dinky Supertoys was not a separate company: it was the heavy truck and commercial vehicle range within Dinky Toys, producing large…
Dinky Toys (Meccano)
Dinky Toys launched in 1934 as a Meccano subsidiary, beginning with miniature 'Modelled Miniatures' sold as Hornby train accessori…
Hornby (Meccano/Triang Hornby)
Frank Hornby introduced his famous O-gauge tinplate train system in 1920, which became Britain's most beloved toy train brand. Lin…
J.W. Sutcliffe
Sutcliffe produced clockwork tin toy boats and ships for some six decades, until original production ended in the early 1980s; the…
Lesney Products (Matchbox)
Lesney launched the Matchbox brand in 1953 — small die-cast vehicles named for their matchbox-sized boxes, numbered 1 to 75, which…
Lines Brothers (Tri-ang)
Lines Brothers was Britain's largest toy company, trading under the Tri-ang brand. They produced an enormous range including tin c…
Lone Star (D.C.M.T.)
Lone Star (Die Casting Machine Tools) was an important British die-cast toy manufacturer producing vehicles, cap guns, and figures…
Meccano
Frank Hornby invented Meccano as a system of perforated metal strips, plates, and rods combined with nuts and bolts to build worki…
Mettoy Company / Mettoy Playcraft
Mettoy produced tin toys and later die-cast Corgi toys under the Mettoy Playcraft name after 1956. The Corgi brand launched in 195…