Forum-1211528 Posted February 3, 2016 Posted February 3, 2016 /media/tinymce_upload/2a04d7c72e191928d1e2db8f89630515.jpgEXIN LINES BROTHERS LIMITED opened the MARGATE FACTORY in 1954 it is a huge place i visited it when it was first opened and have been there too recently its sad to see it go but in 21st century its become a place i fear will be gone forever! I think it should be saved and be the HORNBY MUSEUM OF TRAINS!
2e0dtoeric Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Not much room for parking, and the place would cost a fortune to maintain!
walkingthedog Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Blimey it's huge, it could be a museum of real trains and they'd be lost in there. Pull it down and build some affordable houses.
Chrissaf Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Unless I am corrected, I believe the Hornby Visitor Centre is still open on the factory site. The HVC is due to move to a new sea front building in Ramsgate Harbour, current target move date is I believe Easter this year (2016).
Buz Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 hi allI to wish it could be kept its where most of my trains where made.The reality is to keep it as a viable entity would take a lot more than just the visitor center and huge sums of maintinence money.Best thing is to carve it up into large by UK standards housing blocks so there is some garden green space around the houses and put some nice but afordable houses on them.But for goodness sake Don't let the stored dies dissapear enough of those have been lost alreadyregards John
walkingthedog Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 If we kept all the places where favourite things of ours were made the country would be full of huge old half derelict factories.
Chrissaf Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Just be aware that the photo was taken in 1954. All that surrounding green space has long gone. The site now sits on the edge of a large industrial area. I for one, wouldn't want to live in a house in the middle of all that regardless of how big the garden was..Granted there is farm land opposite and housing nearby, but even so.
walkingthedog Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Unless I am corrected, I believe the Hornby Visitor Centre is still open on the factory site. The HVC is due to move to a new sea front building in Ramsgate Harbour, current target move date is I believe Easter this year (2016).That's only 7 weeks.
Chrissaf Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Time moves inordinately slowly in Kent.......... 😀
Buz Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Just be aware that the photo was taken in 1954. All that surrounding green space has long gone. The site now sits on the edge of a large industrial area. I for one, wouldn't want to live in a house in the middle of all that regardless of how big the garden was..Granted there is farm land opposite and housing nearby, but even so.Unless I am looking at it wrong if the factory is flattend the housing would join into the other housingand of course farm land to one side.It would make I nice change for a factory to go for housing instead of the norm which is the other way round.People have to live somewhere and you can't keep wiping out farm land for housing for ever we do need to eat as well.Then what do you do with a dead derelict facory you can't just leave it as an eye sore something will have to be done with it.regards John
Chrissaf Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Looking at the general site location, I would assume that the site is defined by the local council as industrial and be redeveloped accordingly.
walkingthedog Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 We must start building more houses on brownfield sites. We fought tooth and nail to prevent meadows near us being built on, finally buying them from a rather large well known building company. They had owned the land for 20 years and sold us 40 acres for 55 grand, a gigantic loss for them.
96RAF Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 This screen grab from Gurgle Maps shows the scope of development potential, plenty of bare land around that area. Number 1 is the old Hornby site... /media/tinymce_upload/71369aec0c2f889c0d3c4ceb99401680.PNG
Jimbo1707820979 Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 I see from the Kent Business write-up (link kindly posted by Chrissaf, to whom many thanks) that "The company would also have the option of using another neighbouring boat ramp during busy periods". Hope the bosses are not going to scarper with the company funds by fast boat to the Continent. Could be a Hornby speedboat, I suppose. Racer III would be a good choice. I had a Condor as a child. Wonderful toy at 12 shillings and sixpence.Used to sail it in the stream inBournemouth's Lower Pleasure Gardens.
trainlover23 Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Just be aware that the photo was taken in 1954. All that surrounding green space has long gone. The site now sits on the edge of a large industrial area. I for one, wouldn't want to live in a house in the middle of all that regardless of how big the garden was..Granted there is farm land opposite and housing nearby, but even so.No in front of the old factory it is still arable land and if you use the current Google Maps you will be surprised how little it has changed in the 60 years or so
malB Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 It's a case of; "The King is Dead. Long live the King!". Thankfully it's only the Margate factory that's going and the firm is continuing elsewhere. To which I for one am quite thankful, From memory the frontage of the Margate works was the insperation for the factory in the Skaledale range.......thus keeping the memory alive.
Chrissaf Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 R8771 and for comparison this Google streetview image.
Buz Posted February 5, 2016 Posted February 5, 2016 Hi CrissafLooks like its based on all right.Wonder If we asked real nice if Hornby would do a slightly bigger frontage more acurate factory version.With the Hornby on the front over the doors and the bits to go behind it as a working factory.regards John
malB Posted February 5, 2016 Posted February 5, 2016 Agree with Buz there Crissaf. As I did say insperation rather than direct copy of the frontage of the Margate factory. Though we are all entitled to our views.
Chrissaf Posted February 5, 2016 Posted February 5, 2016 As I did say inspiration rather than direct copy of the frontage of the Margate factory.Though we are all entitled to our views..I think you may have maligned me unfairly. Considering I made absolutely no comment whatsoever. I merely provided the evidence to support your comment regarding inspiration. I totally agree, the R8771 does look to be inspired by the Margate factory, there are lots of similarities. I never gave any indication that I thought otherwise..It is not the first time Hornby have based a model on a local Margate landmark. Take these two for example:Hornby clock towerMargate clock tower.
Ruffnut Thorston Posted February 5, 2016 Posted February 5, 2016 1954-2016....Westwood, Margate. !950-1954...Rovex Factory, Richmond, Surrey...a former Brewery!https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond_Brewery_StoresThe site is being developed...http://bandaproperty.co.uk/2015/07/15/news-and-events/construction-underway-at-richmond-brewery-stores Tri-ang Railways....https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-ang_Railways#Foundation_of_Tri-ang_Railways
LCDR Posted February 5, 2016 Posted February 5, 2016 /media/tinymce_upload/64ba0f508a48f86795ec39a64add3604.jpg This is how Tri-ang illustrated their factory in 1958. (Fourth edition catalogue)
AndyMac1707817969 Posted February 5, 2016 Posted February 5, 2016 Some Hornby memorabilia from the 1970s, maybe even from the factoryhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-Railways-Ashtray-1970s-/161969656733
The son of Triangman Posted February 6, 2016 Posted February 6, 2016 Very sad to see it go, can Hornby call itself a British company now it's roots will be totally gone once the former historic Triang factory is destroyed? Sad times, I guess it had to come when production went to China. I will be ceasing the purchase of Hornby products for the business and my own collection, the British-ness and magic of the brand Frank Hornby and Tri-ang built is gone.Is there a British manfuacturer left?
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