Maker record
Electrotren
Electrotren is a Spanish model railway maker whose range focuses mainly on trains representing Spanish railway prototypes. Founded in 1951, it began by making stamped sheet-metal models from cleaned tomato and olive tins, materials used when production supplies were scarce. Its present product catalogue includes locomotives, coaches, wagons, train sets, track, buildings and railway accessories. Hornby acquired the company in 2004, and its 2020 interim report noted continued investment in Electrotren tooling.
- Founded
- 1951
- Countries
- Spain
- Locations
- Barcelona, Spain · Madrid, Spain · 1954
- Founders
- Jaime González Forellach
The story of Electrotren
Electrotren was founded in 1951 by Jaime González Forellach during a period of economic hardship in Spain. Lacking the materials and financial support to make trains, González collected empty tomato and olive tins, cleaned and processed them, and used the sheet metal to produce the company’s first models. The company began in Barcelona.
As the business grew, it moved from Barcelona to Madrid in 1954, first operating from a warehouse on Antonio López Street. Electrotren’s main subject focus was Spanish-outline model trains. Hornby acquired the company from its founder in 2004. For the following three years, the Spanish company served as Hornby’s European operations headquarters, developing models and handling export sales. Hornby’s 2020 interim report described continued investment in Electrotren tooling and distribution beyond Spain.
