Minimodels was the creation of Bertram Fred Francis, a tool maker who set up Francis and Co in 1939, in Mill Hill, North London. Following WWII, Fred Francis formed Minimodels in 1947, the first toy produced being the Minitype typewriter in 1948, followed by tinplate lorries and cars, then, in 1952, the Scalex and Startex range of clockwork powered tinplate road vehicles. Minimodels relocated to Havant in 1954 and, in 1957, developed the Scalex range with electric cars, creating Scalextric. Minimodels was sold to Lines Brothers, owners of Tri-ang, in November 1958. For far more background information with illustrations, please read the Triang Scalextric pages.
Minimodels Minitype Typewrite, c1948 |
Minimodels Scalex Jaguar XK120 |
Minimodels Scalex Jaguar XK120 |
Minimodels Startex Sunbeam Alpine |
Minimodels Startex Sunbeam Alpine |
Minimodels Scalextric Ferrari (missing rubber driver) |
Minimodels Scalextric Motor |
Minimodels Scalextric Power House (battery box, for Ever Ready 126 batteries) |
Minimodels Scalextric Power House (battery box, for 3 Ever Ready 126 4.5v batteries) |
Minimodels Scalextric Controller, for use with Power House battery box |
Minimodels (Tri-ang) Scalextric Motor Racing Manual |
Minimodels (Tri-ang) Scalextric Motor Racing Manual |
Minimodels (Tri-ang) Scalextric Motor Racing Manual |
Minimodels (Tri-ang) Scalextric Motor Racing Manual |
Minimodels (Tri-ang) Scalextric Motor Racing Manual |
Minimodels (Tri-ang) Scalextric Motor Racing Manual |
Minimodels (Tri-ang) Scalextric Motor Racing Manual |
Minimodels Smoothflow 2.5 amp Power Unit |
Minimodels Smoothflow 2.5 amp Power Unit |
Minimodels Smoothflow 2.5 amp Power Unit |
Minimodels Smoothflow 2 amp Transformer-Rectifier |
Minimodels Smoothflow SFP. 240 2.5 amp Power Unit |
Minimodels Smoothflow SF1/R 2 amp Power Unit with Reset Button |
Minimodels Smoothflow SF1/R 2 amp Power Unit with Reset Button |
Minimodels Smoothflow 2 amp Power Unit with Reset Button |
page views since 1998