Canadian Tri-ang Railways 1972
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Louis Marx & Company of Canada Limited
Following the collapse of the Lines Bros. empire in August 1971, the company went into receivership and continued trading in Canada on a limited basis until the subsequent purchase of the Canadian model railway assets of MECCANO - Tri-ang Ltd. by Louis Marx & Company of Canada Limited sometime in the first half of 1972. However, the future of Tri-ang Hornby Railways in Canada was confused and uncertain.
No new Canadian Catalogue was issued in 1972 and no new Standard Sets were produced that year. In fact, no sets of any kind were listed in the 1972 Price List and Order Form - effective Jan. 1, 1972
No new Canadian Catalogue was issued in 1972 and no new Standard Sets were produced that year. In fact, no sets of any kind were listed in the 1972 Price List and Order Form - effective Jan. 1, 1972
In 1972, production of the 1971 Standard Train Sets continued on a limited scale to satisfy existing orders and demands. In addition, what appears to have been assembled is a continuation of some existing Special Sets (with minor variations of content) for department store chains and home shopping / mail order companies in order to satisfy commitments to existing retail customers. Also, early in 1972, a very few new Special Sets (numbered '926') had been produced; which appear to have been aimed at the smaller and individual retail outlets. These earlier 1972 sets still carried the 'by MECCANO Tri-ang TORONTO CANADA' inscription on the set box lids. The 1972 Price List and Order Form - effective Jan. 1, 1972 still quoted the company as being 'MECCANO Tri-ang' located at 95 Brown's Line, Toronto 520, Ontario. |
It was not until later, in the first half of 1972, that the company name was quoted on literature as being
'LOUIS MARX & COMPANY OF CANADA LIMITED' of 10 Continental Place, Scarborough, Ontario.
'LOUIS MARX & COMPANY OF CANADA LIMITED' of 10 Continental Place, Scarborough, Ontario.
Louis Marx Industries (Canada) Limited
However, this is not the end of a very confusing story.
On the 21st of June 1972 a new company, 'LOUIS MARX INDUSTRIES (CANADA) LIMITED' was registered;
within which a 'HORNBY RAILWAYS DIVISION' was established to market and distribute the recently acquired Canadian model railway assets of 'MECCANO - Tri-ang Ltd.'
Louis Marx Industries (Canada) Limited had a brief existence; it was sold and re-registered on the 21st January 1976 in the name of
'Q.O. TOYS OF CANADA, LTD.
The model trains were no more ... apart from the remainder stocks, that is.
And, in case you are wondering what 'Q.O.' stands for ... the answer is 'Quaker Oats' ! ... but more of that another time.
On the 21st of June 1972 a new company, 'LOUIS MARX INDUSTRIES (CANADA) LIMITED' was registered;
within which a 'HORNBY RAILWAYS DIVISION' was established to market and distribute the recently acquired Canadian model railway assets of 'MECCANO - Tri-ang Ltd.'
Louis Marx Industries (Canada) Limited had a brief existence; it was sold and re-registered on the 21st January 1976 in the name of
'Q.O. TOYS OF CANADA, LTD.
The model trains were no more ... apart from the remainder stocks, that is.
And, in case you are wondering what 'Q.O.' stands for ... the answer is 'Quaker Oats' ! ... but more of that another time.
1972 Revised Style Set Box
Same illustrations as the 1969 - earlier 1972 set boxes
but the inscriptions 'by MECCANO Tri-ang TORONTO CANADA' have been removed.
but the inscriptions 'by MECCANO Tri-ang TORONTO CANADA' have been removed.
Canadian Tri-ang Railways - 1972 Special Train Set
Special Set No. 1928 CP Rail Passenger Set
This set is currently classified as a Special Train Set because it does not appear in any known Canadian Tri-ang Railways Catalogue nor does it appear in any known Price List or Order Form.
The set is an updated version of the 1970 Set No. 917 CP Rail Passenger Set, now incorporating correctly named passenger cars and System 6 Track.
In 1973, the set was reissued in different Hornby Railways packaging as Set No. 7305 CP Rail Inter-City Express Set.
The set is an updated version of the 1970 Set No. 917 CP Rail Passenger Set, now incorporating correctly named passenger cars and System 6 Track.
In 1973, the set was reissued in different Hornby Railways packaging as Set No. 7305 CP Rail Inter-City Express Set.
In terms of dating this set, the absence of the 'by MECCANO Tri-ang TORONTO CANADA' inscription confirms that the set cannot date from 1971.
Also, had the set been of 1971 vintage it would have been logical for the set to have been numbered in the 9xxx series as '9281' in line with all the other Special Set numbering rather than Set No. 1928. In addition, since the 1971 Special Sets were numbered in the 9xxx series then it would follow that in the following year Special Sets would be numbered in the 10xxx series but that would have created a 5-digit number and the 'company stock systems' could only accommodate 4-digit numbers therefore the '0' had to be omitted.
More interestingly, the hand-stamp type-face (font) is different from any previous hand-stamped set numbers; the digits are now of a serif style.
(The same serif style numbering was used on at least one 1973-1974 set box but more of that in the 1973-1974 Sets pages.)
Also, had the set been of 1971 vintage it would have been logical for the set to have been numbered in the 9xxx series as '9281' in line with all the other Special Set numbering rather than Set No. 1928. In addition, since the 1971 Special Sets were numbered in the 9xxx series then it would follow that in the following year Special Sets would be numbered in the 10xxx series but that would have created a 5-digit number and the 'company stock systems' could only accommodate 4-digit numbers therefore the '0' had to be omitted.
More interestingly, the hand-stamp type-face (font) is different from any previous hand-stamped set numbers; the digits are now of a serif style.
(The same serif style numbering was used on at least one 1973-1974 set box but more of that in the 1973-1974 Sets pages.)
My sincere thanks are owed to Godfrey 'Steve' Stevens, the original purchaser of the Set No. 1928, who was able to provide additional information about the set origins:
'I bought the set from Lambton Paint and Wallpaper in Sarnia. The store was unusual in that one half was a paint store and the other half sold model trains.'
He was also able to verify the date of purchase, '... that it is indeed 1972.'
'With regards to the side of the box: the set name and price are exactly as we bought it at Lambton Paint and Wallpaper. I believe that (the set) is exactly how we bought it.'
He was able to confirm that the track contained in the pictured set box was exactly as originally purchased and ... 'To my recollection there was no box that the track fitted in. This set was set up on a 4 x 8 foot board as my son's first train set.'
The seller's hand-stamp on the set box inner tray reads: 'LAMBTON, PAINT AND WALLPAPER, SARNIA, ONTARIO'. which suggests that the set was generally available to small retailers... and, maybe, larger retailers as well. One assumes that very limited quantities of this set may have been available to order through the company's travelling Sales Representatives when they visited the individual dealerships. (above) Set No. 1928 CP Rail Passenger Set box lid - right side - showing hand-stamped set number and
retailer's hand-written set description and retail price. As with the previous 1970 issued Set No. 917 CP Rail Passenger Set and 1971 issued CN version, Set No. 928 Canadian National Passenger Train, the set has the same pale greenish-blue vacuum-formed styrene tray to hold the locomotive and rolling stock.
The transformer, with its card packing piece, and System 6 Track, 'loose' (not boxed), is located side by side in the remaining box space The pictured set is composed of the R.0553 CP Rail Diesel Locomotive, R.4423 CP Rail Baggage Car, R.4413 CP Rail Observation Car, R.4433 CP Rail Diner, R.4403 CP Rail Coach, Model 1000 Transformer and a very large oval of System 6 Track (R.605 1st Radius Double Curve x8, R.600 Straight x4, R.601 Double Straight x8 and R.618 Power Connecting Clip). Retail price was $38.00 Canadian. |
Note: the passenger cars, in this particular set, are now all the second-issue (Type 2) cars - correctly named 'Banff', rather than the incorrect spelling 'Danff'.
It would be expected that all passenger cars included in Set No. 1928 would be the second-type (Type 2) correctly named 'Banff' since new stocks of the passenger cars with corrected names were sent to Canada in 1971.
It would be expected that all passenger cars included in Set No. 1928 would be the second-type (Type 2) correctly named 'Banff' since new stocks of the passenger cars with corrected names were sent to Canada in 1971.