New Cavendish

Initiated in 1978, the series forms a complete library of historical reference material covering all the products of the famous Binns Road factory of Meccano Limited, which finally closed in 1980. The first volume is an overview of all those products, whilst volumes 2 to 7 each cover the detailed history of one product: the final volume is a treasury of the accumulated literature of the company. Vols 2, 3A, 4A and 7A are out of print; Vol 4 has been effectively superseded by another title; Vols 3 & 5 have been "upgraded" by amended editions with new material (see below).

Special note - these details have been compiled from the actual books rather than the publisher's catalogues, which (with the dustjacket notes) are sometimes misleading! Several reprints over the years have claimed to be "completely revised", but the original text is often unchanged, although some volumes have acquired additional features. This factual comment is not a criticism: reprints have kept these books available over a long period at much less than the price of new publications.

Lavish illustrations and use of colour are the hallmark of this series, and a special feature is the reproduction in full colour of scarce original source catalogues which today have become highly prized collectors' items:

In addition, Vol 7A includes a reproduction of all 12 issues of the Meccano Magazine for 1936.

The "Compendia" cause some confusion as each serves a different purpose. Vol 3A is the complete chronological list of Dublo products (the "Compendium" from page 326 of Vol 3 but reset for easier use), plus a useful dated index of all known literature. Vol 4A was a serial listing of Dinky Toys, absent from only the 1st edition of the main volume. Vol 5A, a comprehensive table of all 0 Gauge production arranged to clearly highlight successive variations, is additional material not contained in either original or revised versions of the Gauge 0 story. Vol 6A is a reprint of pages 335 to 428 of Vol 6: it is NOT an add-on booklet as the text states! Vol 7A is a volume in its own right: an anthology of over 400 MM articles across the years, with all twelve 1936 issues of the MM reprinted in full.

Now, back to the full list of all the books published in the Hornby Companion Series:

Vol 5 "Hornby Gauge 0 System" (Chris & Julie Graebe); 440pp; 600 illustrations, 540 in colour.
(first pub 1985 - very dark blue jacket, reprints every 2 or 3 years. From 1995, revised edition - green jacket - extended by additional 100 page section of full colour illustrations, but original text unchanged unchanged. Note that 6 pages of additional information appear in Vol 5A, but not in the revised Vol 5. Note also that at the start of the HCS, Bruce Baxter was to be author of Vol 5 - and so appears on early dustjackets)

Vol 5A "Gauge 0 Compendium" (Chris & Julie Graebe); 128pp (tabular information only). OUT OF PRINT
(pub 1989, a table of all 0 Gauge production highlighting important variations: 6pp addendum to Vol 5).

Vol 1 "The Products of Binns Road" (Peter Randall); 224pp; 102 colour, 170 b/w illustrations.

Vol 2 "The Meccano Super Models" (Geoff Wright); 336pp, many b/w illustr. OUT OF PRINT

Vol 3 "Hornby Dublo Trains" (Michael Foster); 432pp; 632 photos/drawings, 64 in colour.

(first pub 1980, reprints every 2 or 3 years - some in 1983 as "Golden Jubilee" edition. From 1992 on, reprints

have included 16 extra colour pages based on an HRCA calendar. BEWARE: some books lack these pages!).

Vol 3A "Hornby Dublo Compendium" (Alan Ellis); 136pp - see above. OUT OF PRINT

Vol 4 "Dinky Toys & Modelled Miniatures" (Mike & Sue Richardson); 384pp; over 700 illustr. OUT OF PRINT

(the 2nd edition included 87 colour pictures formerly in b/w, and incorporated Compendium 4A, but otherwise

was unchanged: this volume was effectively superseded by "The Great Book of Dinky" published in 2000).

Vol4A "Dinky Toys Compendium" (Patrick Trench); 72pp. Supplement to Vol 4 1st Edition. OUT OF PRINT

Vol 5 "Hornby Gauge 0 System" (Chris & Julie Graebe); 440pp; 600 illustrations, 540 in colour.

(first pub 1985 - very dark blue jacket, reprints every 2 or 3 years. From 1995, revised edition - green jacket - extended by additional 100 page section of full colour illustrations, but original text unchanged unchanged. Note that 6 pages of additional information appear in Vol 5A, but not in the revised Vol 5. Note also that at the start of the HCS, Bruce Baxter was to be author of Vol 5 - and so appears on early dustjackets)

Vol 5A "Gauge 0 Compendium" (Chris & Julie Graebe); 128pp (tabular information only).

(pub 1989, a table of all 0 Gauge production highlighting important variations: 6pp addendum to Vol 5).

Vol 6 "The Meccano System" (Bert Love/Jim Gamble); 432pp; 850 illustrations, 96 in colour.

Vol 6A "Meccano System Compendium" (Jim Gamble); 96pp. Reprint of "Compendium" pp 334 on from Vol 6.

Vol 7 "The Meccano Magazine" (Joseph Manduca); 484pp. 690 covers in colour, 35 (as originals) b/w. OUT OF PRINT

(Brief history of MM taken from Vol 6, 100pp new contents index probably felt to be of limited value).

Vol 7A "Meccano Magazine Anthology" (Ed. Allen Levy); 1072pp, over 2500 b/w illus. OUT OF PRINT

(This was the only volume in portrait format, but came in a "landscape" slipcase to match other volumes).

Vol 8 "The Hornby Companion" (Roger Beardsley); 628pp; over 1000 illustrations, 265pp in colour.

(This gives detailed coverage to the whole range of Meccano Ltd publications, other than the MM - Instruction manuals & leaflets; New & Prize model books; promotional & trade literature; and of course public catalogues.

This final volume ends with a useful index of all the original source material consulted during the whole series).

It should be mentioned that as this series progressed between 1978 and 1992, the original sequence had to be re-numbered. At first, a single volume was intended for the material that eventually became Volumes 7, 7A & 8 so the jackets of older editions may appear to be incorrect. The above summary is correct at December 2005.

AVAILABILITY: AT DECEMBER 2005, Vols 1,3,5,6 & 8 REMAIN IN PRINT. STOCKS OF SOME VOLUMES ARE NOW LOW - www.newcavendishbooks.co.uk IS THE BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION. YOU MAY FIND THESE TITLES AVAILABLE SECONDHAND - CHECK THAT THE LATEST EDITION IS BEING OFFERED, especially Vol 5, Hornby Gauge 0 System.

(Queries on the HCS books: contact Peter Gurd at Arkwright Models (collectables@arkwright210.freeserve.co.uk)
This page has been produced as information for the TCS website as permanent reference material - please don't use for other purposes without consulting Peter Gurd.