Lines Brothers (Tri-ang)
64 years in operation (1919–1983)
About 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 cars, pedal cars, trains, dolls' prams, and construction toys. They acquired Hornby Railways in 1964.
Founding
The brothers William, Walter and Arthur Lines, who founded the firm in 1919 — the Tri-ang name and triangle logo representing the three of them — building on their father's earlier toy business, G. & J. Lines.
History of Lines Brothers (Tri-ang)
Lines Brothers became the largest toy manufacturer in the world, and its Merton factory in south London — the Tri-ang Works — was a genuinely enormous industrial operation. The output covered almost everything: pressed-steel and tinplate vehicles, pedal cars, dolls' houses, dolls, prams, wooden toys, boats and trains.
Minic clockwork cars of the 1930s are the best-loved part of the range: small lithographed tinplate vehicles with reliable clockwork motors, closely modelled on real British cars. Tri-ang Railways in OO gauge became a serious postwar business, and Spot-On die-cast, launched in 1959, was a direct and technically excellent attack on Dinky and Corgi, built to a consistent 1:42 scale.
Lines Brothers grew by acquisition — Meccano and Hornby in 1964, Pedigree, Rovex, Sindy — and then collapsed under it. The group failed in 1971 and was broken up, with Rovex-Tri-ang continuing as the model-railway business that eventually became Hornby Hobbies. The Tri-ang name itself faded through the 1970s and was gone by 1983.
Timeline
- 1919The Lines brothers found the firm, adopting the Tri-ang name and triangle logo
- 1924The Tri-ang Works at Merton opens as one of the largest toy factories in the world
- 1935Minic clockwork tinplate cars become a flagship line
- 1959Spot-On die-cast launches at a consistent 1:42 scale
- 1964Lines Brothers acquires Meccano and Hornby, forming Tri-ang Hornby
- 1971The group collapses and is broken up
Notable & Best-Selling Toys
- Tri-ang tin cars and trucks
- Tri-ang Hornby trains (post-1964)
- Tri-ang pedal cars
- Tri-ang Spot-On die-cast cars
- Tri-ang Ships
- Tri-ang Minic clockwork cars
Identifying & Dating Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) Toys
- Look for the Tri-ang triangle logo with "LINES BROS LTD" and "MADE IN ENGLAND", stamped, transferred or moulded depending on the product.
- Minic cars carry "MINIC" and the Tri-ang mark on the base, with a model number.
- Spot-On bases are marked "SPOT-ON" with "TRI-ANG" and a model number; Spot-On is a distinct collecting field from Tri-ang generally.
Collector's Notes
- Spot-On is the strongest collector area, because production was short, the models were good, and boxed examples with their inner packing and leaflets are genuinely scarce.
- Minic cars are valued on original paint, working clockwork and the presence of the correct box; the range is large and well catalogued.
- Pedal cars and large pressed-steel toys were used outdoors and are usually restored. Establish what is original before paying an original price.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When was Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) founded?
Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) was founded in 1919, based in London, England.
Is Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) still in business?
No. Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) ceased operations in 1983, after 64 years in business.
What is Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) best known for?
Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) is best known for Tri-ang tin cars and trucks, Tri-ang Hornby trains (post-1964), Tri-ang pedal cars, among other toys.
Where was Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) located?
Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) was based in London, England.
What kinds of toys did Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) make?
Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) is categorized under tin toys, pedal cars, dolls, trains.
Who founded Lines Brothers (Tri-ang)?
The brothers William, Walter and Arthur Lines, who founded the firm in 1919 — the Tri-ang name and triangle logo representing the three of them — building on their father's earlier toy business, G. & J. Lines.
How can you identify genuine Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) toys?
Look for the Tri-ang triangle logo with "LINES BROS LTD" and "MADE IN ENGLAND", stamped, transferred or moulded depending on the product. Minic cars carry "MINIC" and the Tri-ang mark on the base, with a model number. Spot-On bases are marked "SPOT-ON" with "TRI-ANG" and a model number; Spot-On is a distinct collecting field from Tri-ang generally.
Are Lines Brothers (Tri-ang) toys valuable?
Spot-On is the strongest collector area, because production was short, the models were good, and boxed examples with their inner packing and leaflets are genuinely scarce. Minic cars are valued on original paint, working clockwork and the presence of the correct box; the range is large and well catalogued. Pedal cars and large pressed-steel toys were used outdoors and are usually restored. Establish what is original before paying an original price.