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History of Slot Cars, The Champions and Scalextric Racing
A look into the interesting history of Slot Cars and the pioneers who started it all, Scalextric.
Slot car racing has a rich history lasting more than 60 years and continues to enjoy its reputation as a popular hobby today, with much advancement throughout the years to make it more fun than ever.
Scalextric is not only perhaps the most recognized name in slot cars but also the very first, having been in production since 1957. Slot cars racing has always been unique in its broad appeal, and is ideal for people of all ages and abilities. Pre-existing skills are not required for the beginner, and the family-friendly competitiveness make for a social activity that is both fun and addictively challenging.
Scalextric doesn’t just produce models of race cars. Each year Scalextric produces limited collectable versions of licensed vehicles from movies and TV shows, like the Ford Capri and Robin Reliant from the 1980s TV show ‘Only Fools and Horses’
Scalextric is also perfect for car & racing enthusiasts and collectors. The 1:32 scale vehicles are beautifully detailed and look as much at home on a collector’s shelf as they do ripping around a track. Many different motorsports are represented, including Formula 1, Le Mans, GT touring cars, V8 Supercars, rally, and vintage racing. Licensed film and TV cars also make regular appearances, like the Back to the Future DeLorean Time Machine, 007 Aston Martin DB5, & the Mad Max Interceptor just to name a few.
Minimodels Ltd. - The Beginning
Bertram Fred (B.F.) Francis was a toolmaker and inventor born in Hampstead, UK in 1919. Francis demonstrated his creative and engineering talents at a young age. In 1939 he founded a small tool making company in London, Francis & Co., which was soon operating around the clock to assist with the war effort. Post WWII, Francis decided to pursue toy making and founded Minimodels Ltd., producing toys made primarily of tinplate metal.
Scalex & Startex
Scalextric's first descendants appeared in 1952 as a small range of tinplate cars branded as ‘Scalex’. The cars were propelled by a pull-back clockwork mechanism and designed for play on a hard floor. The slot track element had yet to be developed however one important element was established: the approximate scale of 1:32 being chosen for the cars which has remained the standard scale for Scalextric to this day. The very first car in the Scalex range was a model of the Jaguar XK-120.
In 1955 the cars were modified to create a new range called ‘Startex’ cars. The key difference was a new cord-drawn mechanism replacing the pull-back winding mechanism of the Scalex cars. Production began in a new factory in Havant, Hampshire UK in 1956. However by this point the popularity of clockwork model cars had sharply fallen off. Sales began to dwindle and the future of Minimodels Ltd. was in jeopardy.
Birth of Scalextric
Francis continued to develop his cars further, fitting electric motors and experimenting by running them on model railway tracks. This inspired the creation of a rubber track system incorporating a slotted groove allowing cars to navigate the track via a guide wheel on the underside of the car. The track system was designed to accommodate two cars and allow for two racers to compete by using a simple on/off hand controller. The whole arrangement was initially battery operated.
This cut-away illustrates the inner-workings of an early Scalextric car. Note the gimbal wheel for keeping the car on the track which was eventually replaced with a guide blade.
To signify the new design, ‘Tric’ was added to the end of the Scalex name, and thus Scalextric was born. Scalextric was officially launched at the Harrogate Toy Fair in 1957. The first set introduced featured models of Ferrari 375 and Maserati 250F F1 cars. Scalextric was immediately popular and after two very successful years Francis sold Minimodels Ltd. to the toy empire Line Bros., the parent company of Tri-ang (and later Hornby) trains. Line Bros. understood the potential of the Scalextric product acted quickly to acquire the brand.
Early Scalextric cars and sets are now highly sought-after collectables, like this Ferrari 375 from 1957.
From Tri-Ang to Hornby
Under new ownership, Scalextric expanded their range greatly, with the introduction of plastic-bodied cars in 1960 that were lighter and offered better performance. Sales remained strong throughout the decade. The 1970s was a more experimental period for Scalextric as they were looking for ways to adapt to a rapidly changing market in an increasingly difficult economic period. For example, sets like ‘Jump Jockey’ & ‘Horse Racing’ offered horses as an interesting alternative to cars.
This 1970 saw frequent corporate restructuring and when the dust settled in the 1980s Scalextric became a brand under Hornby Hobbies. This period is often regarded as the golden age of slot car racing, with strong interest in the hobby, exciting new sets, and product innovations. The ‘Magnatraction’ feature is introduced, utilizing magnets to improve adhesion to the track and increase cornering speeds. In the 1990s Computer Assisted Design (CAD) was implemented in the design process, reducing the time required for a design to reach production to around 10 months.
Scalextric in the Digital Age
The Bathurst Legends set is an exclusive release only available in Australia. It features a large track set with crossover and is a wonderful representation of classic Australian motorsport with the inclusion of the Brock Holden A9X Torana and Moffat XC Falcon Coupe.
The most significant innovations have occurred within recent years. In 2004 Scalextric introduced the Sports Digital system, featuring cars equipped with a special chip that when used in conjunction with the digital track system allows for up to 6 cars to operate simultaneously in two lanes utilizing a lane change function to pass and block opponents. New analogue models can be easily upgraded to run on the Digital system by fitting a Digital Easy Fit Plug. Most older analogue Scalextric cars can also be upgraded to run on the digital system. (depending upon the amount of space available under the body shell).
The Scalextric ARC PRO Wireless Digital Pro Platinum GT set is the ultimate Scalextric set, loaded with all of the most advanced features available. It includes four digitally-equipped cars and allows for the running of up to 6 cars simultaneously with lane changing and digital wireless race management via the ARC PRO system and app.
Scalextric's App Race Control (ARC) PRO is a digital race control system that allows racers to create and manage their races wirelessly via a smart device such as a tablet or phone. Race results and lap times can be shared online, and races can be endlessly configured with simulation features such as pit stops, fuel use, tyre wear, race end types, variable weather conditions, arcade style power ups, and more. This digital integration adds new elements of and challenge and immersion into the racing experience.
A slot car set from Scalextric is a great way to re-experience the fun and excitement of this constantly evolving hobby and to share with a new generation of hobbyists and car enthusiasts.
Track layouts can grow endlessly with the addition of more track segments or one of many different Extension packs. Because the track is easy to assemble, new layouts can be created very quickly and you can let your imagination go wild!