Scalextric is a
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create ...
of
slot car racing sets which first appeared in the late 1950s. The Scalextric were first invented by engineer B. Fred Francis, when he added an electric
motor
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy.
Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power g ...
to the ''Scalex'' tin cars that were produced by Minimodels Ltd, his own company
[Historia del Scalextric]
on Diario 9 de Julio, 14 Jan 2016 The first "Scalextric" were first made in
Havant
Havant ( ) is a town in the south-east corner of Hampshire, England between Portsmouth and Chichester. Its borough (population: 125,000) comprises the town (45,826) and its suburbs including the resort of Hayling Island as well as Rowland's Cast ...
,
Hampshire
Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English cities on its south coast, Southampton and Portsmouth, Hampshire ...
, in 1956.
The brand is currently owned and distributed by
Hornby.
History
The forerunner to Scalextric was ''Scalex'', which Francis first produced through the company Minimodels Ltd which he had founded in 1947. The company was based in London and made tinplate toys and models. Early products included the Startex toy car range and the very popular Scalex, which was introduced in 1952. Scalex was a range of toy racing cars with
clockwork
Clockwork refers to the inner workings of either mechanical devices called clocks and watches (where it is also called the movement) or other mechanisms that work similarly, using a series of gears driven by a spring or weight.
A clockwork mec ...
motors which were activated by pulling out the steering wheel.
In 1952, Minimodels moved to a larger factory in New Lane, Havant to meet the growing demand for the toy cars. At the peak of its popularity, over 7,000 Scalex models were being produced weekly. By 1956, the novelty of clockwork racing cars had worn off and sales began to fall. Eventually the future of the company and its one hundred employees was threatened.
In an attempt to revive his company's flagging fortunes, Fred Francis began to look at alternatives. He was inspired by seeing model car racing tracks, but wanted to develop the player's control of the car so as to increase the sense of competition. He experimented by putting small electric motors into Scalex cars and running them on model railway track. Next he introduced rubber slotted track and gave the cars a 'gimbal' wheel to pick up the electric current in the groove of the track. Original tin-plate cars had one hard plastic rear wheel and one rubber-tyred wheel, with gave different handling characteristics for left and right corners. Power was supplied by batteries hidden in a little cardboard hut, with players having their own on-off button to control their cars. Therefore Scalex-electric became ''Scalextric''.
Scalextric was unveiled at the Harrogate Toy Fair in 1957 to immediate acclaim. It appealed to both adults and children, combining speed, competition and the glamour of
Formula One
Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...
motor racing. Demand for the toy was immense and the Minimodels factory struggled to keep up with the orders.
In 1958, Fred Francis sold the Minimodels company to
Lines Brothers (who operated as "Tri-ang"). The popularity of Scalextric continued. In 1960, plastic bodies replaced the original tinplate, and in 1961, production moved to a new factory in the Leigh Park area of Havant. By 1964, Scalextric was being advertised as 'the most complete model motor racing system in the world'.
Production of Scalextric was transferred to
Rovex in 1968 (although the Minimodels factory remained open until the early 1970s). It is now owned by
Hornby Hobbies of England.
Products
The first model Francis introduced in his Scalex line of tin-plate clockwork cars was the
Jaguar XK120. These
1:32 scale models had some unique features, including a clockwork motor which was not wound by a key but by a 'fifth wheel' device. This wheel is found under the chassis behind the front axle, and works by pressing the car down on a hard surface and being pulled backwards. This wound the clockwork motor and when the car was released it shot forward at speed. The Scalex range expanded to include six cars: the
MG TF,
Austin-Healey 100
The Austin-Healey 100 is a sports car that was built by Austin-Healey from 1953 until 1956.
Based on Austin A90 Atlantic mechanicals, it was developed by Donald Healey to be produced in-house by his small Healey car company in Warwick. Heal ...
,
Aston Martin DB2,
Jaguar 2.4 Saloon,
Maserati 250F and
Ferrari 375. The last two were in a slightly different 1:28 scale.
Scalex was very successful: at one point the company was producing up to 7,000 cars a week. Later cars also featured a steerable front axle which could be set at an angle and the cars would then run in an arc.
Most Scalextric models are
1:32 scale, though between 1968 and 1970 Super 124 cars and track were manufactured at 1:24 scale. In 1994 Micro Scalextric at
1:64 scale was introduced. Cars and track are not compatible between scales.
At the beginning of the 21st century, Scalextric track underwent a major redesign to make it easier to assemble. The new design is known as Scalextric Sport and can be connected to the original track using special adaptor pieces. The new track was designed to be compatible with all earlier 1:32 cars.
Many other manufacturers, including the likes of ''Fly'', ''Slot.it'', ''SCX'', ''Airfix''/''MRRC'', ''Carrera'' and ''Ninco,'' produce cars that can run on Scalextric track with minor or no modification.
In 2004 "Scalextric Sport Digital" (SSD) was introduced, which allows up to four digital cars to be raced in a single slot. The cars can change from one slot to another using special slot-lane change tracks, the lane change or otherwise being controlled by a button on the throttle. Sport Digital cars will run on analogue layouts without modification, but analogue cars require a digital decoder to be installed before they can run on a digital layout.
Many of the original Scalextric cars can be fitted with a digital decoder, depending on available space within the body shell. Performance of converted cars on a digital system can vary, but enthusiasts have been able to successfully convert a wide range of cars, both from Scalextric and other brands.
As use of Scalextric Digital has increased, a community has established itself where users have developed enhanced powerbase functionality, fuel management and timing systems for increased realism.
To convert Scalextric Sport into Scalextric Digital requires a digital power base, power supply (transformer), lane changing track (to utilise the full benefits), and digital controllers.
In late 2010, Scalextric released a revised six-car digital powerbase, C7042. This powerbase includes a separate screen which aids set-up and also displays race information such as lap times. The company worked closely with customers when developing the new system. The result includes features such as yellow flag options for dealing with crashed cars, ghost cars to race against which can run and change lanes automatically, and the ability to race in analogue mode for older models that have not been converted to digital.
In Spain, Hornby Scalextric is marketed under the brand ''Superslot'', as the ''Scalextric'' brand is owned there by Scale Competition Xtreme, whose products are sold internationally under the SCX brand. Whilst there are some common standards, parts of the two ranges, particularly in their digital offerings, are not compatible.
Sets
Scalextric is typically sold as a set containing enough track to make a circuit, the necessary power supply and throttles, and two cars. The cars are usually based on real vehicles from
Formula 1,
A1 Grand Prix
A1 Grand Prix (A1GP) was a "single-make" open-wheel auto racing series that ran from 2005 until 2009. It was unique in its field in that competitors solely represented their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most for ...
,
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
, rallying, touring, or
Le Mans, or based on ordinary road-going cars. A number of novelty sets have been produced, such as horse racing sets and 360-degree sets. The latter, produced sporadically since the 1960s, have a specially made guide that enables the car to run back the way it has come by spinning through 180 degrees.
Power and control
Scalextric is controlled with a hand-held plunger, connected by wire to a connector on the set. A set normally has two to six plungers included. Mounted in the track (for each lane) are two metal rails, which for Analogue carry the DC current from the controllers, or for Digital have constant AC current passed through them, in either case picked up by two metal braids or plates on the underside of the racing cars.
TV and film licensing
Since the 1960s, Scalextric have offered TV and film
tie-in
A tie-in work is a work of fiction or other product based on a media property such as a film, video game, television series, board game, web site, role-playing game or literary property. Tie-ins are authorized by the owners of the original prop ...
s, beginning with the now rare and valuable James Bond 007 set, featuring an Aston Martin with action features as shown in the film ''
Goldfinger''. Even the 'baddie' car in this set, a Mercedes, had action features of its own, whilst the set also sported many other unique action points and props.
It was some time before Scalextric returned to licensing in the 1970s, first with ''
The Amazing Spider-Man
''The Amazing Spider-Man'' is an ongoing American comic book series featuring the Marvel Comics superhero Spider-Man as its main protagonist. Being in the mainstream continuity of the franchise, it began publication in 1963 as a bimonthly per ...
'' (the 1970s series), which had specially liveried TR7 cars and white track. Then, in the 1980s, came the original TV series based ''
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
''Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles'' is an American media franchise created by the comic book artists Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird. It follows Leonardo, Michelangelo, Donatello and Raphael, four anthropomorphic turtle brothers (named after It ...
'', ''
Power Rangers
''Power Rangers'' is an entertainment and merchandising franchise built around a live-action superhero television series, based on the Japanese tokusatsu franchise '' Super Sentai''. Produced first by Saban Entertainment, second by BVS E ...
'', ''
Knight Rider
''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series '' Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...
'' and then Tim Burton's ''
Batman'' film.
Since then the franchises have grown to include ''
Batman Begins
''Batman Begins'' is a 2005 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan and written by Nolan and David S. Goyer. The film is based on the DC Comics character Batman, it stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne / Batman, with Michael Caine, ...
'', ''
The Simpsons
''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'',
The ''Transformers'' movie, ''
James Bond
The ''James Bond'' series focuses on a fictional British Secret Service agent created in 1953 by writer Ian Fleming, who featured him in twelve novels and two short-story collections. Since Fleming's death in 1964, eight other authors have ...
'' 007 films ''
Quantum of Solace'', ''
Skyfall
''Skyfall'' is a 2012 spy film and the twenty-third in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. The film is the third to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond and features Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva, the vill ...
'', ''
GoldenEye
''GoldenEye'' is a 1995 spy film, the seventeenth in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions, and the first to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by Martin Campbell, it was the first in the se ...
'' and
''Spectre'', ''
Starsky and Hutch'', ''
The Italian Job
''The Italian Job'' is a 1969 British comedy caper film, written by Troy Kennedy Martin, produced by Michael Deeley, directed by Peter Collinson, and starring Michael Caine. The film's plot centres around Cockney criminal Charlie Croker, r ...
'' (models from both the original and re-made films), ''
Top Gear
Top Gear may refer to:
* "Top gear", the highest gear available in a vehicle's manual transmission
Television
* ''Top Gear'' (1977 TV series), a British motoring magazine programme
* ''Top Gear'' (2002 TV series), a relaunched version of the or ...
'', ''
Star Wars'' and the
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios (commonly known as Pixar () and stylized as P I X A R) is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful computer animated feature films. It is based in Emeryville, Californ ...
/
Disney
The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
movie ''
Toy Story
''Toy Story'' is a 1995 American computer-animated comedy film directed by John Lasseter (in his feature directorial debut), produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The first installment in the '' Toy Story ...
''.
Many of these have appeared in both 1:32 and 1:64 scales.
Scalextric also produced a ''
Dukes of Hazzard
''The Dukes of Hazzard'' is an American action comedy TV series that was aired on CBS from January 26, 1979 to February 8, 1985. The show aired for 147 episodes spanning seven seasons. It was consistently among the top-rated television series ...
'' ''
General Lee'' car and more recently a twin car pack with licensing from the ''
Fast and the Furious'' film franchise.
Scalextric has also recently licensed the ''
Need for Speed
''Need for Speed'' (''NFS'') is a racing game franchise published by Electronic Arts and currently developed by Criterion Games, the developers of ''Burnout''. The series generally centers around illicit street racing and tasks players to co ...
'' brand from Electronic Arts and has produced a set based on the popular video game series.
On 22 November 2004, thieves stole 2,500 ''Simpsons'' Scalextric sets from the back of a
lorry
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructio ...
which was parked near services on the
M2 motorway This is a list of roads designated M2:
Europe
* M2 motorway (Great Britain), a motorway in England
* M2 expressway (Hungary), a motorway in Hungary
* N2 road (Ireland)#M2 motorway, a motorway in the Republic of Ireland
* M-2 highway (Monteneg ...
in England.
Vehicles
In addition to various types of cars, Scalextric vehicles have included motorbikes, sidecars, go-karts, pickup trucks, SUVs, racing trucks, articulated trucks, horses, skateboards and bicycles.
Track
Standard track consists of straights of various lengths and corners of different radii and degree of turn. Special track includes several different styles of chicane, cross-over tracks, crossroad track and humpback bridge. Novelty pieces of track have included pit lane tracks, Le Mans start, blow-out track and loop-the-loop tracks.
[Scalextric history](_blank)
There are five generations of 1:32 scale Scalextric track:
#Original Scalextric Track (Mk. 1): This was made from rubber with thin, vertical electrical connectors, and held together with separate metal clips. This track had white lines between the lanes. Track produced during the 'Minimodels era' was slightly glossy, and curved sections had side protrusions to allow for the attachment of the supplied crash barrier. Later 'Triang era' Mk 1 track dispensed with these, possibly because they thwarted future additions like outer radius curves. The later iteration had a more realistic matt finish to its road surface. The earliest track had a dedicated 'power straight' for the connections to each lane, whereas the later one used power clips that were held in place between the contacts of any two track sections including curves. It was during this transition that the original on/off button control gave way to hand-held plungers with a greater degree of speed control.
#Original Scalextric Track (Mk. 2): Released in 1962, the material became plastic, electrical connections were through wider, horizontal pins, and the track was held together by two integrated circular, spoon-shaped pins and sockets moulded into each end. Converter pieces were available to link the two types. It is now known as Classic track. Classic track is compatible with another leading brand, SCX's classic track.
#Scalextric Sport: Released in 2001, another plastic track, but with a smoother surface. The track connectors are square and slot into place unlike the ring shaped Classic track ones. Converter pieces are available to link to Classic track.
#Scalextric Digital: Released in 2004, Scalextric Digital is compatible with Sport. It allows up to 6 cars on a 2 lane track at one time, with each car fully controllable. This was a feature previously unavailable from Scalextric.
#Scalextric Start: Released in 2010, Scalextric Start aims to be a basic track for children. It has only one type of straight and corner, and each set can be made up into various layouts; the cars included in the sets are fantasy models, which reduce manufacturers' licensing costs, and a converter track piece is available to allow cars to cross from Start track to Sport and back again.
Scalextric racing in popular culture
The character Bryn Cartwright, played by
William Thomas, is seen in multiple scenes playing Scalextric in the 1997 Welsh dark comedy film,
Twin Town
A sister city or a twin town relationship is a form of legal or social agreement between two geographically and politically distinct localities for the purpose of promoting cultural and commercial ties.
While there are early examples of inter ...
.
In 2009,
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
using Scalextric track and cars. This was undertaken with a team of 350 volunteers building the track from an uncounted number of pieces of Scalextric track, navigating ponds and roads, closely following the route of the old Brooklands track. This event broke the
for the longest ever Scalextric track in the world, intended to measure the original of the original Brooklands circuit but in reality recording in length, because of the need to navigate modern features that block the original course. The episode was first shown on
''.
, E1 Lister Jaguar with lights, E2 Aston Martin DBR with lights
*4th edition catalogue 1963 – C66 Cooper, C67 Lotus, C68 Aston Martin, C69 Ferrari GT, C70
, E3 Aston Martin with lights, E4 Ferrari GT with lights
*5th edition catalogue 1964 – C72 BRM, C73
Special, C5 Europa Vee, C6 Panther, C7 Rally Mini Cooper, C32 Mercedes 250SL, C99
GP
*11th edition catalogue 1970 – C20 Dart GP, C21 Cougar Sports
*12th edition catalogue 1971 – C22 Porsche 917GT, C23 Scaletti-Arrow, C24 Team Car MkII, C34
Micro Scalextric (or MicroScalextric, as appears on product boxes) was launched on 1 February 1994 (then known as Scalextric Micro MR-1) at the Olympia toy fair. It became available to the public in October of that year and used a much smaller track geometry to the standard Scalextric product. Many of the Micro MR-1 models were re-badged products manufactured by Marchon, Inc. In 1995, again at the Olympia toy fair, a new track system was introduced along with new vehicles. At the same time Scalextric Micro MR-1 was re-branded as Micro Scalextric. The Micro Scalextric range is aimed at children four years of age or older and has a scale of
). There is also a 'My first Scalextric' range, aimed at 3-year olds. In February 2019 a new track system was introduced.
characters for use in the Micro Scalextric range of products. The latest (2019) range Micro Scalextric slot car motors run on 9v, which is different to earlier Micro Scalextric vehicles.