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The History of Dinky Toys

The Meccano Ltd toy company introduced Dinky Toys in 1934. Dinky Toys, a line of die-cast miniature vehicles, delighted children and adults until they ceased production. Dinky Toys closed in 1980.

Origin
- In 1931, the English company Meccano offered railway accessories for their Hornby Railways model train sets. The small cars they produced with metal bodies and rubber tires led the company to launch the Dinky Toys line in 1934.
Early Flaws
- Early Dinky Toys, made from cheap zinc alloy, suffer from deterioration called zinc pest. This corrosion causes early Dinkys to pit, break and eventually crumble.
Types
- Dinky Toys quickly expanded from cars into trucks, airplanes and ships. For a time, the British company offered miscellaneous Dinky Toys, including doll houses and doll house furniture.
Design
- Generic cars marked the early production models. Due to their success, Dinky Toys soon evolved into finely detailed specific car and truck models.
Closing
- By 1980, overwhelmed by international competition, the Dinky Toys manufacturing plant in Liverpool, England, closed. The Dinky name was acquired by other companies, but never achieved the popularity of original Dinky Toys.

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