Barnardos boys with a train set, 1964. © NRM
To mark National Science and Engineering Week, Roy Gibson of the National Railway Museum heads into James May territory by banging the drum for miniature trains and the classic engineering toys of yesteryear.
"Playing trains" in front of an open fire with a simple oval track used to be the height of childhood enjoyment. But since the introduction of Playstations and Xboxes most children would rather spend their time in a virtual world in front of a television.
This decline was demonstrated by the recent documentary, James May's Toy Stories, which reminded us of the ingenuity and popularity of traditional toys. So has this by-gone era passed us by without a second glance or could it be on its way back?
Boy playing with a train set (circa 1930). © NRM
At the National Railway Museum in York we will be reminding the public how enjoyable playing with trains and other toys can be during our annual Cab-It event, which takes place on March 20-21.
The event will teach young minds some basic scientific principles through fun activities, including large layouts of model trains and miniature railway rides built by the Leeds Society of Model and Experimental Engineers.
Over-16s will have the chance to drive a full-size locomotive for only £5, and a display of Meccano from the Meccano Guild of Sheffield will help demonstrate how engineering toys first started.
This revolution in toys and engineering started in 1901 when the first "Mechanics Made Easy" (Meccano) patent was granted to Frank Hornby.
This led to Hornby creating his own purpose-built factory to manufacture the tiny Meccano parts in June 1907. Continuing Meccano production through the First World War, he then looked into another avenue of production – an affordable toy train.
Train sets have been engaging young minds since the early 1900s. © NRM
The first model train created by Hornby was designed for children who above all wanted to see a toy train whizz around a track.
Hornby created this model train in 1920 with the development and production of a clockwork tin train. This train was to become the starting point of the common train set, allowing the young and young at heart to simply "play trains".
There was no need to get the right scale of people on the platform or the correct wheel formation of the locomotive; the train was simply put onto the track so it could be watched as it hurried around.
It is from this beginning that we see the birth of model railway locomotives. In 1925 Hornby created its first electric powered train running on mains electric. This was later redesigned in 1929 to be powered by a six-volt DC source.
Driver and young boy, 1938. © NRM
By 1938, Hornby had scaled down the size of its locomotives to the now popular 00 gauge which were made with cast metal bodies as opposed to the pressed metal bodies synonymous with Meccano.
During the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s Hornby went through several changes. Company accusations and mergers played a large part in its history, but the changing point for the company came in 1972.
This was when its name changed to the now familiar Hornby Railways and the company started to produce more detailed models, to appeal to a more adult market.
The toy maker is now part of a multi-million pound specialist industry. In many ways this rapid expansion of the industry put an end to the classic oval track with a locomotive journeying around it.
Now the layout of a track can cross scale landscapes and take up whole rooms. These layouts can be seen all over the country, showing the immense possibilities that modern railway modelling holds.
Despite its immense popularity, the 00 gauge was simply too small for some people to work with. Miniature railway, with its far greater size and ability to take passengers, can evoke childhood excitement in grown adults.
Model Tinplate Hornby steam locomotive (circa 1939). © NRM
Across the UK, miniature railway lines exist mainly for rides in beautiful landscapes and parkland, but some routes have been known to transport mail, ammunitions during the War and even parts in large factories from one side of the site to another.
The NRM has a locomotive affectionately named Pet in its collection. This was originally based in one of the world's biggest locomotive works in Crewe and shows a practical use for miniature railway.
The locomotive worked on an 18in gauge and was effectively used as a forklift truck for the factory until its withdrawal in 1929.
For many children, the enjoyment they get from their train sets leads to a lifelong passion for the real thing.
According to Jon Pridmore, Community Programmes Team Leader at the NRM, playing with trains as a child can influence our later life more than we realise.
"Playing with trains or any engineering toy gives a child the tools to explore scientific and engineering problems," he says.
Model trains at Gamages department store, London (December 16 1939). © NRM
"I think this year's Cab-It event will demonstrate how playing with trains helps to develop our appetite for understanding scientific principles. If we influence just one person to have a career in science and engineering then I feel we have done our job."
So for your chance to step back into a world where you can enjoy the pleasure of seeing a train travel around a track, get excited by the power of a miniature locomotive, or get a thrill looking inside a locomotive such as Duchess of Hamilton, why not come and enjoy Cab-It on the 20-21 March at the National Railway Museum.
Who knows, the era of playing trains may not be gone after all.
Find out more about Cab-It and other events at the National Railway Museum by clicking on the venue details below. For more information about National Science and Engineering Week see www.britishscienceassociation.org
See also the Hornby Collectors Club.
