End of an era: Hornby parts ways with Scalextric

For generations, Scalextric wasn’t just a toy; it was Christmas morning chaos in plastic form. The inevitable corner crashes, your dad taking it a bit too seriously, it was the foundation of the day.

Now, as reported by The Guardian, after almost 60 years under its wing, Hornby has decided to let it go.

The Margate-based hobby firm has agreed a £20m deal to sell the iconic slot car racing brand to Scalextric Motorsports, a newly established holding company created by Mark Brown, president and chief executive of Purbeck Capital Partners. The deal includes £8.5m in cash upfront, with a further £11.5m deferred and payable out of free cash flow. Completion is expected in early March.

Hornby has owned Scalextric since 1968, though the brand itself dates back even further. Invented by Fred Francis, the first Scalextric set rolled off a production line in Hampshire in 1956. Since then, it has become one of Britain’s most recognisable hobby brands, a staple of spare rooms, garages and rainy Sunday afternoons.

Hornby says the proceeds will be used to pay down debt and invest in its other brands, including Airfix and Corgi. The company, founded in 1901 and responsible for its first model train set in 1920, has been undergoing a broader strategic reset in recent years.

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There’s also been a fresh influence at board level. In 2024, Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley became a consultant after Frasers Group took an 8.9% stake in the business. This latest move feels like part of a wider reshuffle.

That said, Hornby isn’t walking away entirely. Under the terms of the deal, it will continue to manage the Scalextric business as an agent, providing operational support and infrastructure while the new owners focus on brand growth.

Mark Brown, whose background includes leading US spirits giant Sazerac (they make the BuzzBallz you no doubt see littered everywhere), described the acquisition as an honour, highlighting Scalextric’s role in bringing families together for “nearly 70 years, spanning four generations.” The long-term ambition is to expand the brand’s motorsport footprint while maintaining its hands-on, real-world appeal at a time when screen time dominates.

For Hornby, the sale is being framed as an “important milestone” in Scalextric’s growth journey, and a chance to crystallise value while concentrating on its wider portfolio.

For everyone else, it’s the end of a quietly significant chapter in British hobby history.

Luckily, the tracks aren’t going anywhere. But they’ll soon be powered by a different engine behind the scenes.

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