Triang advert from Railway Modeller, November 1958
Once one of the most famous British toy companies, Triang has a long complex troubled history passing through numerous ownerships. Today it still exists but not in the way it once did.
Triang was once one of the most famous British toy companies. Its Dinky cars and Triang Railways were loved by children all over the world. But the Triang company’s history is a long and complicated one, with many twists and turns.
Triang was founded in 1919 by the Lines brothers. The company quickly became hugely successful, and by the 1930s, it was one of the leading toymakers in the UK and going on to own the world’s largest toy manufacturing factory, coincidentally near where I grew up.
However, Triang’s success came to an end in the 1970s. The company’s parent company, Lines Bros, went bankrupt in 1971. This led to Triang being sold off to a succession of different owners.
In 2022, Triang was finally acquired by Hornby, another British toy company that ironically was once also owned by Lions Bros, the creators of Triang.
Hornby has since revived the Triang brand and is now producing limited numbers of trains under the Triang name.
Although the Triang company no longer exists, its toys continue to be popular with collectors and enthusiasts. The company’s Dinky cars, Hornby model railways, and Triang Railways are all highly sought-after items. If, like me, you collect or are, interested in collecting these cherished toys, there are a number of resources available to you.
- My Traing train collection
- The Train Collectors Society
- The Triang Society
- Tri-angman
- Dave Angell Trains
- Tri-ang.co.uk
Books on the history of Triang
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