Mettoy

Lore & Background

Mettoy was established by Philip Ullmann and Arthur Katz, both Jewish, who moved to Britain following Hitler's rise to power in 1933. They set up their toy-manufacturing business in Stimpson Avenue, Northampton, with the company registered on 31 August 1932. Initially producing tinplate toys similar to those made in Germany, the factory grew to employ 600 people within six years. From 1944, Katz served as managing director. During the Second World War, the factory manufactured munitions and a cooking stove for troops in tropical jungle environments. The Northampton factory later moved to a larger site at the corner of Spencer Bridge Road and Harlestone Road, originally a boot factory. The firm is most famous for its Corgi Toys branch, created in 1956. That same year, Mettoy merged with the Playcraft model railway and slot car company. Mettoy also produced a 'Castoy' line of clockwork motor vehicles in 1948, dollhouses from 1954 to 1965, and a variety of low-cost clockwork toy trains to compete with Hornby. Between 1961 and around 1971, a range of low-cost, mainly plastic, HO scale trains were sold as Playcraft Railways, largely imported from French manufacturer Jouef. The company also made toy metal weapons, Dan Dare space toys, and a hospital playset based on the television show Emergency Ward 10. Mettoy distributed Petite Typewriters, Bandbox radios, and Aurora Plastics Corporation model kits in the UK and Commonwealth.

Reader's Guide

Mettoy's significance lies primarily in its Corgi Toys line, which became a leading brand of die-cast toy vehicles. The company's Playcraft Highways slot car system, introduced in 1959, was the first HO scale slot car set and established pickup standards and track geometry that many subsequent brands followed. Although not a commercial success in the UK, it was developed into Aurora Model Motoring in the United States and became a market leader. Mettoy also ventured into home computers in the early 1980s through its Dragon Data branch, after a director noticed children's growing interest in computers. The company was sold in 1984, with assets transferred to independent company Corgi Classics, but folded shortly afterward. Its legacy endures through the continued popularity of Corgi die-cast models and the influence of its slot car system on the hobby.

Did You Know?

• Mettoy's name is an abbreviation of 'Metal Toy'.
• The company's Playcraft Highways was the first HO scale slot car system.
• Mettoy distributed Aurora Plastics Corporation model kits in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth.