Established by Wenman Joseph Bassett-Lowke in 1899, the Basset Lowke toy company specializes in producing above all model trains and railways. Aside from model trans and railways, Bassett-Lowke toy company also manufactures model ships and model construction equipments.
Even though W.J. Bassett Lowke only had few years of education, he had an acute understanding of architecture and skill in manufacturing. In the long run, he joined his father in his business making boilers. During his free time on his father’s factory, W.J. Bassett-Lowke made stationary model steam engines. When he started his own business, he created a mail order catalogue business together with an associate who used to be a bookkeeper in his father’s boiler-making business.
Bassett-Lowke’s fascination in making model trains was heightened when he attended the Paris Exhibition in 1900 where he also purchased intricate German-made model trains with English livery paint. His first manufacturing factory came about in Northampton, England. Initially, the first scale models his company manufactured were scale model ships used as training pieces for the navy and for display. The company’s model trains were initially made exclusively for the wealthy and exhibits. Bassett-Lowke also coordinated with E.W. Twining for the production of architectural models for model railways.
The Bassett-Lowke company made a test run of their very first 15” gauge steam locomotive branded as Little Giant on the Eaton Railway in 1905. This test run served as a preview for people on how the model train’s main line counterpart would run once it start service.
The Bassett-Lowke company continue their usual sense of producing model trains in terms of materials and fine points, however, they constantly incorporate new technological ways in improving the functionality of every model train and railway part. The utilization of new materials as well as digitization of model train and railway mechanisms have provided model trains hobbyists new ways to make better and take pleasure in their collection.
These days, a number of legendary main line locomotives are offered by the Bassett-Lowke line up. Among them are the Flying Scotsman and the Flying Fox. Both of which is the handiwork of one brilliant English fellow named Nigel Gresley who also became England’s Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME.)
Created in 1923, The Flying Scotsman was recorded to be the fastest steam locomotive of its time. The Flying Scotsman ended its operation in 1963 and the Flying Fox in 1964.
Made from soldered sheet metal, Basette-Lowke’s Flying Fox and Flying Scotsman models are made strong and long-lasting. The in-house components also consist of revised gearboxes which makes the model trains run quieter, smoke generators to simulate the steam exhaust from the engine, electric drive, illuminated firebox, and superb paintwork and miniature details that add pizazz.