Meccano

Invented and patented by Frank Hornby in 1901, Meccano remained synonymous with toy construction sets for over 100 years. Between 1914 and 1979, Meccano was manufactured in Liverpool at the famous Binns Road factory alongside Hornby railways and Dinky Toys. It was also manufactured in France, where production continued after the Binns Rd closure. Meccano was acquired by Lines Bros (Tri-ang) in 1964, and then in 1972 by Airfix in the UK and General Mills in France. General Mills subsequently acquired the UK operation in 1981, at which point all production moved to France. After further changes of ownership Meccano still exists, albeit barely recognisable with many plastic components replacing metal.