In pictures: Toy story

The company must negotiate and purchase licences from the carmakers whose models it is copying. “The licences can run into thousands or hundreds of thousands of pounds, especially with our Formula 1 models,” says purchasing director Michael Walters.

Often, the auto maker will provide 3D computer images of the car, which Hornby designers (like Darren Nye, pictured) use to determine the exact dimensions of the model – before reducing it to 1/32 of its real size.