Category:Bassett-Lowke Ltd

Toy Brands and Manufacturers

Bassett-Lowke Ltd

1899 -

1904: Bassett-Lowke catalogue cover [image info]

1904: Bassett-Lowke catalogue, titlesheet [image info]

1909: W.J. Bassett-Lowke & Co., "Every Boy a Locomotive Superintendent!" [image info]

1925: Bassett-Lowke Model Railways advert [image info]

Private Owner's Wagon, Bassett-Lowke Model Engineers, gauge 0 [image info]

Bassett-Lowke, Model Makers catalogue cover [image info]

Bassett-Lowke Catalogue, Section A [image info]

1940: "Take your forst step in model locomotive building" [image info]

The Bassett-Lowke company started as a model engineering supplies company in 1899, and became a limited company in 1909. It was founded by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke and H.F.R Franklin, with the help of WJ's father. The company's initial premises were a site owned by the Bassett-Lowke family's boilermaking business (of which Franklin had been the company accountant), and it went on to become one of the country's largest suppliers of medium and large-gauge model railways, model ships, and exhibition models.

The company name is often abbreviated to B-L by enthusiasts. Where the influence of an outside primary manufacturer is recognisable, models may sometimes be referred to by collectors as being "Bing for B-L", or "Carette for B-L", .

Bassett-Lowke "Lowko" graphic, 1930s

Key engineers and designers

Helped by Percival Marshall, WJ assembled a formidable pool of talent for his new business. George Winteringham had designed some mass-producable model railway track, and in 1902 he joined the company and ran a new B-L factory space, Winteringham Ltd., aided by engineer James Mackenzie. The talented small-scale model railway engineer Henry Greenly joined as a consulting engineer to produce new designs, and in 1904 became the engineer for an offshoot B-L company to produce exhibition small-scale railways and garden railways, Miniature Railways of Great Britain. When the first London showroom was opened in 1908 it was run by Edward W. Hobbs, a well-known marine architect who then proceeded to churn out a range of ship and boat designs for B-L, and introduced the company's waterline models range in 1913. The company produced its first architectural model in 1912, and in 1913 brought in model aero engineer and artist Ernest Twining to continue this side of the business, via Twining Models Ltd. Twining also designed much of the company's distinctive Art Nouveau corporate artwork.

Product ranges

In 1905, the Bassett-Lowke range was split across three catalogues: Section A (Model railways), Section B (Engineering) and Section S (Ships). By the mid-1930s, the three-way distinction in their advertising was between gauge 0 model railways, larger-gauge railways, and ships (with Twining having their own separate booklet for architectural models).

At the outbreak of WW2, the 00-gauge range of Trix Twin Railway was added as a "core" category (without the Trix name), perhaps because the conflicts over control that Stefan had had with WJ were now over, with Stefan facing being removed as a Director due to his German citizenship (Stefan was interned in 1940, and didn't survive the war).

The B-L catalogues also carried accessories, sets of castings and plans to build your own locomotives and ships, stationary steam engines (from Stuart Turner and German companies), and a selected range of items from other manufacturers, such as the Anchor Blocks company's metal construction system, and Structo kit cars.

Bassett-Lowke advert in Meccano Magazine, showing three main consumer ranges, August 1939

Bassett-Lowke advert, Scale Railway Modelling Today, September 1939

History

1899-1914

Starting as a spare parts model engineering supplies company, an encounter with Stefan Bing at a Paris trade fair convinced both men that there was a market for new model trains based on British locomotives (as opposed to the "continental-only" designs then being produced by German companies). WJ then drew up a design based on the LNWR 4-4-0 locomotive, which Bing put into production.

The success of this first locomotive encouraged WJ to source more German-made locomotives and rolling stock, from Bing, Georges Carette and Märklin. These were initially mostly quite Germanic-looking models, sometimes re-finished in British railway company livery, with B-L emphasising that the models were "in correct colours", perhaps to divert attention from the less-than-correct bodyshapes. However, as the business grew, and B-L became a more and more important client, and supplied further designs and feedback, their German suppliers got to produce more and more faithful reproductions of British locos, carriages and wagons. A high-point was the contract with Georges Carette to produce 30,000 well-finished lithographed tinplate models of a Caledonian Railway locomotive and West Coast carriage, which were sold as a marketing exercise in conjunction with the CR at bargain prices through stands at railways stations, boosting the public's appetite for model railways.

Ramsay's Guide lists the most popular models of the period as the "Precursor" tank locomotive, George the Fifth, Sydney, Deeley Compound, GNR "Atlantic" and Sir Sam Fay.

The Great War and beyond

World War One ended stopped B-L from importing any more German trains, and increased the focus on Winteringham and UK suppliers. After a pause in toy production during the War (when B-L made precision gauges for other manufacturing work), B-L found that their model ship business boomed as shipping lines rebuilt their fleets to make up the war losses, and wanted models of their newbuilds, with B-L often being the default supplier. As a Frenchman living in Germany, Georges Carette had found that he could no longer operate his business, and B-L acquired the Carette tooling and designs and started to manufacture the equivalents of the earlier Carette pieces in-house in the UK.

B-L retooled with more emphasis on bulk mass-production rather then individually hand-crafted pieces, and the focus on gauge 0 made it easier for them to sell into a wider market. However, the anti-German sentiment after WW1 meant that the hold that the German manufacturers had previously had on the market was now broken, and Meccano Ltd. began making gauge 0 train sets. Hornby's early clockwork-only pieces were far more toyish than B-L's engineered steam-powered models (and priced accordingly), but increased in sophistication from about 1929 onwards.

B-L had carried the slightly experimental Bing Tabletop Railway range from 1922 onwards, and then cooperated with Stefan Bing in the design and manufacture of the next-generation range, the 1935 Trix Express range, with Stefan organising the manufacture of the mechanisms and German bodyshapes, and B-L designing and building the UK-styled bodyshells, at Winteringham. When the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany made conditions intolerable for Stefan, WJ helped Stefan to move to the UK and start manufacturing Trix Twin Railways at the Winteringham site.

World War Two

Bassett-Lowke spent WW2 producing lots of models as the war effort required new recruits to be trained as quickly as possible, and it was now recognised that models of ships and aircraft made it easier to train recruits in how to identify friendly and enemy aircraft and ships, or to find their way around ships or technical equipment. Bassett-Lowke models were used to plan the D-Day landings, and to train operators to assemble the Mulberry Harbours and other new equipment.

Post-War

After the second World War, the need to rebuild Britain's bombed-out infrastructure resulted in a lot of new buldings and a great demand for architectural models. However, the period was less kind to the other Bassett-Lowke ranges. The main market for model railways was now 00-gauge, and although "Trix Twin" wasn't as expensive as Hornby Dublo, it also didn't look as expensive - the Hornby product benefited from Meccano Ltd.'s expertise of diecasting good-looking metal bodies for the Dinky Toys range, and by comparison, the TTR range (whose main selling point had been technical innovation rather than artistic looks) suffered. TTR also found itself having to compete with cheaper plastics manufacturing, a subject that the company knew little about and found it difficult to embrace. With even less understanding of the new low-priced mass-market than Meccano Ltd. (who went bust twice), B-L went into a period of decline and ended up going through a series of buyouts that typified the toy industry in the late C20th.

1904: Catalogue text:

ENTRE NOUS.

THE daily increasing demand for our goods places upon us the responsibility of ever improving our manufactures, the variety of patterns of fittings, introduction of novelties, and the clearness and accuracy of description of the numerous articles catalogued by us in every branch of the Model Engineering trade.
We are confident that even a cursory glance at this, our New Catalogue, will more than satisfy our customers that we have left nothing to be desired in the way we have carried out the whole of this responsibility.
We still have the best equipped Model Engineering Works in the United Kingdom, and produce goods of one quality and workmanship only, The Best, which cannot be equalled for Price and quality elsewhere. This fact is worth pages of testimonials.
Some of the goods here shown, though not our own manufacture, are specially selected by us from the stocks of most reliable manufacturers having the highest reputation.
We make the rapid execution of Letter Orders a Speciality, being executed the same day as received. The popularity of many of our goods is such that runs frequently occur. To avoid inconveniencing our customers we have enlarged our Stock-rooms, but should nevertheless be greatly obliged if intending purchasers would place their orders promptly.
We shall be pleased to undertake special work, for which full particulars and drawings must be supplied, also to make castings from customers' own patterns in Iron, Gun Metal, Brass, or Aluminium.
With grateful thanks for the support given us in the past, we look forward with every confidence to its continuance in the future, knowing that our persistent aim at advance and improvement will keep us ahead of all our competitors and enable us to give the public a better article at a more reasonable price.
Very obediently your Servants,
W. J. BASSETT-LOWKE & Co.

1931: "Hobbies" magazine article:

THE ROMANCE OF A FAMOUS FIRM: The Editor visits the famous firm of W.J. Bassett-Lowke, Ltd.

THERE is in a model of anything a never-ending source of fascination, unbounded opportunity for the display of ingenuity, and intriguing romance. The urge has been strong upon me for a long time to pay a visit to that world-renowned factory where the world's best models are produced – the firm of W. J. Bassett-Lowke, Ltd., Northampton. The urge must have been particularly strong, a fact you will realise when I mention that I drove thirty miles to catch the 9 o'clock train from Euston to Northampton. By a purely fortuitous circumstance, Mr. W. J. Bassett-Lowke, beaming enthusiasm and radiating good humour was also on the train, and in my journey to Northampton he imparted to me something of that enthusiasm which his models seemed to have imbibed. This enthusiasm I soon found upon arrival at his works permeated his managers, his hundreds of employees and his office staff. The splendid finish of his models seemed to reflect the care and attention of their creator as I passed by. I must confess to a feeling of amazement at the sight which unfolded itself as I passed from machine to machine, from assembly bench to assembly bench, from department to department, and finally to the stores. The illustrations on these pages convey but little of the vast organisation behind Bassett-Lowke models. A mere visit of one day would not suffice to convey to the visitor the history behind this firm. Directly you enter its portals, famous, inanimate, yet lively things spring to life, for it is true to say that there is scarcely a locomotive or a ship of the past or present which has not been faithfully reproduced in bijou form down to the last detail in the works of Bassett- Lowke. My astonishment increased when I saw the vast army of skilled engineers and model makers, the many power presses, lathes, grinding machines, delicate and intricate press tools, the paint-spraying apparatus, and the well-organised system of progressive manufacture and assembly. Literally, raw material goes in at one end of the factory, and the finished product comes out at the other. There is no other factory, I repeat, in the world where such realism is imparted to models.
A Bassett-Lowke model is not a toy, nor is it comparable in any way to the German monstrosities which soon disappoint their owners. We have all seen those splendid and remarkable large models of steamships and locomotives at exhibitions, in the board-rooms of shipping companies and in museums. In almost every case these amazing pieces of workmanship have emanated from the Bassett-Lowke factory. I must confess I had no idea even after years of contact with models and model making of the degree of skill which Mr. Lowke demands in his works. These large models of ships and locomotives – scale models all of them – cost hundreds of pounds, and my visit dispelled any doubt that Mr. Bassett-Lowke manufactured only these expensive models costing hundreds of pounds. Not so. Take the splendid scale model Enterprise which you see illustrated in these pages. I saw this manufactured from sheet tin to its finished form. Even the lines on the boiler were painted on by hand, not transferred.
We all know that the power of a steam engine depends on the fit of the piston in its cylinder. Examine any Bassett-Lowke piston and cylinder and you will find (as I saw with my own eyes) that every piston is ground to diameter and then lapped in until it fits its cylinder accurately. A large number of viewers inspect the work in its progress and I can assure my readers that the tiniest flaw and inaccuracy is noticed and the part sent back for rectification. Every locomotive is given a running test, and it is little wonder that no Bassett-Lowke locomotive fails to work satisfactorily or to delight its owner.
In spite of all the care expended in the manufacture of Bassett-Lowke models, you can buy the Enterprise for the very low sum of 50s. I almost forgot to mention that the metal parts of the locomotives have their colours lithographed on them before they are punched out. In this form they pass through the factory and are really unscratched. Mr. Lowke, however, is not satisfied. He insists upon a further stoving or sweating operation to impart a beautiful gloss. The slightest scratch due to works handling is remedied in the finishing shop. There is little wonder that the vast numbers of skilled enthusiasts which Mr. Lowke has gathered round him, coupled with his indefatigability and love of models, has earned for the firm an unassailable reputation for quality and accuracy. You can buy a Bassett-Lowke model for a few shillings or for hundreds of pounds – the quality is the same throughout.
All this intensive endeavour, concentrated on the production of British models, is responsible for the name of Bassett-Lowke being accepted as the hall mark of refinement, accuracy and extreme value for money. The literature and catalogues issued by the firm reflect in great measure this quality and the firm's reputation. Perhaps the term "catalogue" is hardly he correct word to apply, for no other firm in the trade issues such a comprehensive handbook. They are really text-books on models and model making, and if you want to make a scale model of anything your wisest course is to consult one of the Bassett-Lowke books. One very interesting brochure entitled "Run your own railway", is a fascinating document. It will come to you free if you mention this paper. For the other catalogues a purely nominal charge is made. They are well worth it. Two of them are before me as I write: the first, "Everything for Models", is a handbook of no fewer than 296 illustrated pages of everything related to model making, fie scale drawings, photographs, facts, figures and formulae; yet it comes to you for the modest sum of 1s. Another, "Scale Model Ships", is a handbook of ninety-four pages costing 6d. You have not a long address to remember – Bassett-Lowke, Northampton is sufficient.
Mr. Lowke, I thank you for an interesting day, which was at once an education and an entertainment.

— , The Editor, , Hobbies weekly, , 7th November 1931

Bassett-Lowke today

Bassett-Lowke ceased trading in 1965, although the name resurfaced on some products in the late 1960s and mid-1990s. Corgi bought the company's assets and launched a new "gauge 0" Bassett-Lowke range under the umbrella name "Corgi Classics". Corgi was then bought by Hornby in 2008. The "Bassett-Lowke" brand was used by Hornby for a range of 0-gauge locomotives and rolling stock built using traditional sheet-metal techniques, but the company's page is not currently active (as of early 2014). The role of supplying finely-finished metal gauge 0 locomotives is now carried largely by ACE Trains.

Identifying "unusual" historical B-L pieces can be difficult - Bing had vast ranges of toys and parts in their catalogues, so the range of items produced by Bassett-Lowke, including variations and custom orders, defies any attempt at a complete listing. Toys and models based on German stock designs were often "Britishised" with UK locomotive numbers and railway liveries or modified in other ways, and with a workforce of craftsmen "finishers" who could essentially build bespoke toys and models to order by adapting stock mechanisms and parts, so it's not unusual to find "B-L"-manufactured items that don't seem to appear in any published listing or catalogue.

In the museum

The listing below is not a complete listing of the B-L pieces that we have on display in the museum - the listing will be expanded as and when we have more time.

The museum's Bassett-Lowke collection can't include the outdoor railway or exhibition model ranges, for reasons of space (both display space and storage space).

Further information

books

Pat Hammond, Ramsay's British Model Trains Catalogue (6th Edition, 2008) pp.73-94 ISBN 9780955619489
Roland Fuller and Allen Levy, The Bassett-Lowke Story (New Cavendish Books, 1982) ISBN 0904568342
Derek Head, Bassett-Lowke Waterline Ship Models (New Cavendish Books, 1999) ISBN 1872727727