Home to iconic British brands, the WonderWorks puts a spotlight on model railways, slot racing, die-cast models and building plastic model kits. Uncover a brief history of Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix, CORGI® and Pocher below.
OUR BRANDS
INSPIRING PEOPLE TO CREATE THEIR MODEL WORLD
First introduced in 1920, Hornby has become the brand leader of ’00’ gauge model railways in Great Britain. Throughout its long history, Hornby has produced iconic sets, highly detailed locomotives and much more.
With new ideas and technology continuing to progress the hobby, including the launch in 2022 of Hornby TT:120, a new compact scale, and HM7000, a revolutionary new control system, Hornby continues to look forward to a new era of model railways.
BRINGING PROPER RACING FUN FOR ALL
First introduced in 1957, Scalextric has become one of the industry leaders in slot car racing. What began with basic electric tinplate cars 66 years ago, has now evolved into highly detailed plastic models.
Many slot-car miles have been travelled since 1957, with racing enthusiasts, club members and collectors joining children and young adults alike. With new ideas and technology constantly progressing the hobby, there will be many more journeys to come.
MAKING HISTORY COME ALIVE
Airfix is the oldest UK manufacturer of scale plastic model kits and has been producing kits for the mass market since 1952. They’ve taken on the challenge of replicating some of history’s most beautiful ships and vehicles, resulting in an incredibly diverse range of products.
The recent introduction of the Quickbuild brand, a range of brick-based models with no glue or paint needed, has been the perfect introduction to modelling for many new and younger beginners.
COLLECTING AND SHARING SOUVENIRS OF LIFE
Corgi’s famous model vehicles have captured the imagination of millions since the brand was created by the Mettoy Company of Northampton in the 1930s. Today, the majority of Corgi cars, trucks and buses are produced as once-only Limited Editions and are often sold out within weeks of release.
The brand has been associated with numerous licenses during its history, from Batman to Thunderbirds, but the most famous of these is James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 from the film Goldfinger, which was originally issued in October 1965. It has gone on to sell over 3.9 million copies, earning it a unique place in British toy history.
THE JOY OF MAKING AND OWNING MODEL MASTERPIECES
Pocher is the home of the ultimate premium model vehicle kits. They’ve created luxury kits for over 50 years, offering vehicles with over 500 pieces, intricate detailing, and pre-painted parts to delight our customers.
The first 1:8 scale model kit was released back in 1966 – the Fiat 130 HP F2. Recent models include Ducati Panigale Superbike in ¼ scale and Emerson Fittipaldi’s 1972 Lotus 72D in 1/8 scale, one of the most iconic Formula One racing cars of all time.