In pictures: Toy story

The story begins in the southern English town of Margate, at the headquarters of Hornby Plc, a medium-sized company with a 2.3% share of the £2.1bn ($3.7bn) UK toy and games market.

Each year the company puts hundreds of new lines on the market. It launched the Audi TT and Porsche Boxster models featured here in 2004.

The process begins two years before launch. Hornby researchers like David Lubliner consult car magazines and attend shows to predict which car models are likely to become popular.