Foundry Miniatures Ltd manufacture the world's largest range of 28mm metal miniatures for gamers, collectors, modellers and painters.

Clifford Ansell was looking for an interesting retirement job that would keep him busy. Cliff had spent much of his life working in the mining industry (apart from a few years away with the Royal Navy in the 1940s) he ended up a mining engineer and an expert on mine safety, ventilation and dust suppression. In the 60s Cliff moved on to a second career as a maths teacher: he taught maths at Bishop Dunn Comprehensive in Nottingham.

Cliff's son was, and is, my father: Bryan Ansell who had made toy soldiers with Skytrex, Tabletop, Asgard and Citadel/Games Workshop. He ended up owning GW and was responsible for games like Warhammer Fantasy Battle, 40K, Space Hulk etc.

When Cliff announced that he was going to take early retirement, Bryan suggested that Cliff might like to have a go at manufacturing toy soldiers himself.

Cliff was already experienced in dealing with both stubborn Lancashire miners and wilful, disorganised children: so it was clear that the strange mindset of the confused denizens of the toy soldier industry would be absolutely no problem for Cliff to handle.

As it happened: this was the time when Citadel was starting to change from metal based models to their new "slotta bases", and also ceasing to make historical models. Bryan was able to set Foundry up with a number of discontinued ranges - Barons Wars and Wars of the Roses Medievals, Samurai and the Vikings, Normans and Saxons, Woodland Indians, Huns and Elizabethans initially (these had all previously served as Human forces in Warhammer Fantasy Battle for some years). Further hundreds of other Citadel models followed. We still make those models at Foundry today, though we cannot manage to have them all in stock at the same time.

Michael and Alan Perry sculpted almost all these models and were keen to continue sculpting historical models for their own painting and wargaming purposes, so they continued to sculpt new Foundry ranges for Cliff for quite some years. Alistair Morrison and Dave Andrews both contributed ranges too.

So, Foundry was up and running very quickly indeed. Cliff first had premises in Sherwood, then moved to a larger unit in New Basford. The upstairs in New Basford was taken by Alistair and Trish Morrison: who sculpted the Marauder range for Games Workshop up there.

For a long period, Foundry was making many master moulds and production moulds for Games Workshop whenever they found themselves with more moulds than they could handle. Over the years many ex Games Workshop staff worked for Foundry; most notably John "Bones" Ellard, "Ep" Epworth, Andy Pattinson, Kevin Adams, Colin Dixon and Shane Hoyle.

In 1991 my father left Games Workshop and went off to Guernsey for a decade or so. In Guernsey he had three children, restored four old houses (he does that wherever he goes: not the children, just the houses) started Guernsey Foundry and made Seven Years War, Old West, Pirates and Darkest Africa models these were mostly sculpted by Mark Copplestone. When he came back to England in 2000 he brought his ranges and a couple of the Guernsey staff with him, started restoring a house near Newark and took over running Foundry from Cliff. He produced more Seven Years War, Darkest Africa and loads more Old West, then Street Violence, Vikings, Gladiators, various Romans, 16th century Swashbucklers, huge ranges of Greeks and Macedonians, Fantasy and various odds and ends.

In 2005 my father left Foundry and went back to gardening and restoring houses.

We only re-entered the world of toy soldiers because my cousin Neil Littlewood went to work at Foundry for a while, and it became apparent that there were serious problems that needed sorting out. In the end we stepped in, and the Ansell family are running the factory again.

We have moved Foundry into the huge old Carriage Court alongside our house in East Stoke.

Cheers

Marcus

Frontline Wargaming manufacture various ranges of 15mm, 20mm and 25mm terrain, buildings, vehicles and figures suitable for many periods.

All furniture and vehicle ranges are now being produced in polyurethane resin, which speeds production and are more durable. I will still be using polyester resin for the larger scenery etc. The only downside is higher material cost therefore I have to put a price increase on these ranges.

GHQ Models since 1967 our goal has been to produce the highest quality wargame products in the world. In that time we have built one of the largest collections of military models found anywhere, and they are all available direct from GHQ to you.

1/285th scale armour (World War II and Modern)
1/2400th scale ships (World War I, World War II, and Modern)
1/1200th scale Napoleonic era ships
10mm American Civil War and Napoleonic War figures
HO-Scale (1/87th) model railroad vehicles
N-Scale (1/160th) model railroad vehicles and locomotive conversion kits

HäT Industrie are a producer of 1/72 and 1/32 scale soft plastic and 28mm hard plastic military miniatures and pre-painted 60mm metal miniatures. We strive to design authentic figures of various historical armies suitable for the collector, wargamer or hobbyist. Their uniforms are carefully researched and they look just like miniatures of their real life counterparts. This website is not a listing of product availability. It is informational and only show the list of products past, present and future.

Hornby Hobbies develops, manufactures and supplies hobby and toy products for a global market. With a collection of truly iconic brands spanning model railways, slot racing, die-cast models and plastic model kits.

 A Brief Hornby Hobbies History

Hornby Hobbies’ journey began back in 1901 in Liverpool. When founder Frank Hornby applied for a patent in 1901 to protect an invention he called Improvements in. Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People’. This became Meccano, and in 1964, Hornby and Meccano bought by a rival company, Tri-ang. Hornby Railways became independent again in the 1980s. And has continued it's legacy as one of the most iconic companies in Britain.

The Beating Heart of Margate

Hornby has been a famous fixture in Margate, Kent, since 1964 when Tri-ang acquired the company. The impressive Hornby factory site at Margate constructed by Lines Brothers Limited in 1953 as a purpose built. State of the art model production facility for Rovex Scale Models Ltd and their world famous Tri-ang Railway system. The new factory housed the technical, experimental and development departments of the company. In addition to a limited manufacturing capacity for their brand of Tri-ang model railways.

Hornby Hobbies’ Most Iconic Brands

Hornby is a household name and is famous as the UK brand leader in the model railway hobby.  The company’s founder was Frank Hornby. (1863 - 1936) who applied for a patent in 1901 to protect an invention he called. ‘Improvements in Toy or Educational Devices for Children and Young People’.  Nobody then could have imagined how this product would influence the model railway hobby that we know today. Frank Hornby, granted his patent and soon put the invention into production under the name ‘Mechanics Made Easy’.

Now simply called "Hornby", the company justifiably retains the position it has held for more than 50 years. As Britain’s leading model railway manufacturer.

Scalextric is the ultimate motor racing system

Scalextric is the ultimate motor racing system for all ages. Where miniature cars race against each other on special track. Getting their power from a slot in the middle of each lane (you will sometimes hear Scalextric called slot racing). Invented, Fred (B F) Francis, the very first Scalextric, made in Havant, Hampshire in 1956. In 1968, Hornby Hobbies acquired the company and was instrumental in shaping it into what you see today.  

Airfix is the oldest UK manufacturer. Of scale plastic model kits and has been producing kits for the mass market since 1952.  Air-fix produces a wide range of kits aimed at all types of scale modellers with subjects such as.

military aircraft

civil aircraft

ships

galleons

cars

space

figures

dioramas

military vehicles

Airfix founded in 1939 by Nicholas Kove

Airfix founded in 1939 by Nicholas Kove, a refugee from Hungary who originally manufactured rubber inflated toys. After trading hands and designs many times. In 2006 Hornby Hobbies Ltd bought both the. Airfix and Humbrol brands and have dedicated to their revitalisation ever since.

Founded in 1919 as the Humber Oil Company, Humbrol initially supplied bicycle oil for Hull's growing army of cyclists.  In 1935, however, the company asked to produce paints for renovating cycles and came up with Art Enamel. Since Humbrol, founded in 1919 the brand has been under several owners. In November 2006, the Humbrol and Airfix brands were acquired Hornby Hobbies Ltd. Where they sit alongside some of Britain’s best-loved toy and hobby brands.

Hornby model railways

Scalextric slot racing

Corgi die-cast models

Corgi's famous model vehicles captured the imagination of millions of baby boomers and, what were once simply toys for boys. Now highly sought-after in the expanding collectables market. The Corgi brand created the Mettoy Company of Northampton which first started to produce colourful, pressed metal toys in the 1930s.  It bought Hornby Hobbies in 2008. Today, the majority of Corgi cars, trucks and buses produced as once-only Limited Editions. And often sold out within weeks of release. 

Hornby Hobbies Present

Today, Hornby Hobbies ltd is home to 15 collectible and scale model brands. The company has had the opportunity to expand internationally. Working with brands from France, Germany, Spain and Italy and partnering with stockists all over the world.

Hornby Hobbies has prioritised its accessibility, ensuring that our much loved and loyal community has been able to grow into online spaces such as. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube and our forums, to continue connecting over their shared passion like never before.

With our long history of embracing change, promoting creativity and connecting with you. We are very much looking forward to another 100 years. The best is yet to come.

Hornby Railways is a British model railway brand. Also owns Airfix and Humbrol.