Minimodels Ltd.
- a brief illustrated history
Bertram Fred Francis - tool maker and inventor
- the creator of Minimodels Ltd. & Scalextric Born in Hampstead in October 1919 Fred Francis showed little academic ability but, once free from school at fourteen years of age, he showed great enthusiasm for engineering and a sharp business mind.
In 1939 he began a tool-making company, Francis & Co., which ran twenty-four hours a day throughout the war years. The business operated form a small premises in Mill Hill, London, England. Then, in 1947, he decided to fulfil a childhood ambition and become a toy-maker, and founded Minimodels Ltd. which, among other toys, produced Scalex and Startex clockwork cars. The launch of Scalextric at the Harrogate Toy Fair in January 1957 was a triumph, and best of all the North American market was completely captivated. After two hugely demanding years he sold the expanding company at the end of 1958 to the Lines Bros. toy empire. |
The Early Years - 1947 to 1952
Tennyson Works, Mill Hill, London N.W.7
The 'Minitype' TypewriterReleased in 1948, The 'Minitype' Typewriter was the first toy to be manufactured by the newly founded Minimodels Ltd. company.
The 'Minitype' was a lithographed tinplate toy typewriter; the base was green and the carriage was generally a blackish colour. Whilst it was well engineered, it was difficult to use since the dial had to be turned by hand in order to print each individual character. According to Fred Francis, "Not many were sold, (we) just about covered the costs (and) made a small profit." Although, it seems that about 30,000 of the 'Minitype' were actually manufactured and sold. |
Minimodels ltd. production after the 'Minitype' is difficult to assess in terms of exactly what was issued and in which sequence.
Absolute clarification of what was issued is lacking, and information from the broader toy trade is conflicting.
However, fairly soon after 'Minitype' it is believed that Minimodels Ltd. introduced it’s range of tinplate lorries although many believe that it was The Automatic Reversing & Steering Traffic Car that was issued before the lorries.
Absolute clarification of what was issued is lacking, and information from the broader toy trade is conflicting.
However, fairly soon after 'Minitype' it is believed that Minimodels Ltd. introduced it’s range of tinplate lorries although many believe that it was The Automatic Reversing & Steering Traffic Car that was issued before the lorries.
Minimodels Articulated Truck with winch and loading rampsA tinplate model with working forward/reverse gears.
Also available were: an articulated 'Petrol Tanker' and
an 'Autotip Lorry' which has a working tipping bed and a driver who peers out of a window. |
The Automatic Reversing & Steering Traffic CarThe Automatic Reversing & Steering Traffic Car was originally made without a windscreen wiper.
A later version of the Traffic Car was issued with a working windscreen wiper.
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John Cobb Racing CarReleased in 1950, a key wound clockwork tinplate replica of John Cobb’s land speed record Railton-Mobil-Special.
The model exists with either plain blue flags crossed on the nose or with UK & US flags crossed on the nose. John Cobb captured the World Land Speed Record at Utah Salt Flats
on the 16th September 1947 with an average speed of 394.19 miles per hour (mph) - (385.6 mph & 403.1 mph) over the measured mile in both directions; the first land vehicle to exceed 400 mph. |
Goldie Gardner's MG Racing CarA later 1950 release: Lieutenant-Colonel Alfred Thomas Goldie Gardner's land speed record breaking MG EX-135. The MG was the first 'small car' to break the 200 miles per hour speed barrier.
The model was produced in either red or British Racing Green. The MG was notable as it was the first model in which Fred Francis fitted his patented fifth-wheel self-winding clockwork mechanism, which was to form the basis of the soon to be issued Scalex series.
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Scalex and Startex - 1952 to 1956
Scalex cars worked by pressing the car down, then pulling the car backwards on its fifth wheel (which was located in the base plate slightly behind the front right wheel of the car) - this wound up the clockwork motor - then release the car and it would then run forwards about 10 feet.
Startex cars ran on the same principle but had a chord which, when pulled, wound the clockwork motor.
The Scalex and Startex cars did not have drivers.
Startex cars ran on the same principle but had a chord which, when pulled, wound the clockwork motor.
The Scalex and Startex cars did not have drivers.
Minimodels Scalex Cars
1952 - early boxes read - 'Made in England by MINIMODELS LTD., Tennyson Road, London, N.W.7'
1954 - boxes now read - 'Made in England by MINIMODELS LTD., New Lane, Havant, Hants.'
circa 1956 - the last boxes simply read - 'Made in England by MINIMODELS LIMITED . Havant . Hants.'
1954 - boxes now read - 'Made in England by MINIMODELS LTD., New Lane, Havant, Hants.'
circa 1956 - the last boxes simply read - 'Made in England by MINIMODELS LIMITED . Havant . Hants.'
The 1952 Minimodels Ltd. Trade Catalogue illustrates that, as with Fred Francis' recollections, the tinplate model of the Jaguar XK 120 Roadster was the first Scalex car to be issued and appeared in 1952. The Jaguar XK 120 was soon joined by a tinplate model of an Aston Martin DB2.
Scalex 4.5 litre Ferrari 375 F1
- 1956 Advertisement - |
The Scalex range of cars at January 1st, 1956 - just five cars
& the first model in the Startex range - the Sunbeam Alpine Roadster |
Two late additions to the Scalex range
Scalex Maserati 250F F1Not only was the Maserati a late addition to the Scalex range but it only appeared as a Scalextric model in 1958; more than a year after the launch of the first Scalextric car, the 4.5 litre Ferrari 375 F1.
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Scalex Jaguar 2.4 Mk1 SaloonThe Scalex Jaguar 2.4 has see-through windows and a pressed tin interior.
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Minimodels Startex Cars
Around 1955 Minimodels Ltd. introduced a new series of models, the ‘Startex’ range. This comprised of re-works of two earlier ‘Scalex’ models and one completely new model.
Startex differed from Scalex in that it no longer utilised the innovative fifth wheel winding mechanism and now relied upon a cord winding system. This was either disguised as the exhaust pipe (in the case of the Austin Healey & Jaguar 2.4) or the steering wheel in the case of the Sunbeam Alpine Roadster.
Startex differed from Scalex in that it no longer utilised the innovative fifth wheel winding mechanism and now relied upon a cord winding system. This was either disguised as the exhaust pipe (in the case of the Austin Healey & Jaguar 2.4) or the steering wheel in the case of the Sunbeam Alpine Roadster.
Startex Sunbeam Alpine
The first Startex model and by far the biggest seller in the range.
Startex Austin Healey 100/6The Startex Austin Healey was modified from the Scalex range by changing the shape of the grille & adding a raised section on the bonnet, to replicate a 100/6, and through the addition of a windscreen & screen frame.
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Startex Jaguar 2.4 Mk1 SaloonThe Startex Jaguar 2.4 lost its pressed tin interior and gained
smoked-out windows to hide the winding mechanism. |
Minimodels Scalextric 1957 to 1958
Havant, Hampshire
January 1957 - Scalextric was introduced at the the Harrogate Toy Trade Fair
November 1958 - Minimdels Ltd. was purchased by Lines Bros (Tri-ang)
November 1958 - Minimdels Ltd. was purchased by Lines Bros (Tri-ang)
Scalextric Set MM1 - 1958 / 1959 with the Tri-ang name - issued after the purchase of Minimodels Ltd. by Lines Bros.
Minimodels Scalextric (Scalex-electric) Cars
manufactured from 1957 to 1960
The tinplate electrified Scalextric cars were sold with rubber Drivers in each car
1960 - Production of the tinplate cars ceased when the more familiar plastic bodied cars began to be introdued
1960 - Production of the tinplate cars ceased when the more familiar plastic bodied cars began to be introdued
Scalextric MM/C53
Austin Healey 100/6
A very late Minimodels Ltd. release and very difficult to find