Meccano

Frank Hornby patented a construction toy in 1901 and first sold it as Mechanics Made Easy through the business he established with his employer, David Elliott. By 1907 the system had taken the Meccano name and Hornby was preparing to manufacture parts himself. Meccano Ltd was founded in 1908 in Liverpool; its early products were metal construction sets assembled from perforated parts and fasteners. The growing business moved into a purpose-built factory at Binns Road in 1914.

Meccano Ltd expanded beyond construction sets. It introduced model trains under the Hornby name around 1920 and developed the Hornby Dublo railway range in 1938. Its die-cast miniature line became Dinky Toys in 1934. Frank Hornby died in 1936, after which his son Roland took over company leadership. During the Second World War, toy production stopped as the Binns Road factory switched to war work; Meccano returned after the war.

Lines Brothers took over Meccano Ltd in 1962–63. The Binns Road factory closed in 1979. Meccano production continued in France through later ownership changes, so the Liverpool factory closure did not mark the end of the Meccano brand.