Boys watching a scalextric demonstration at the Schoolboys Own exhibition in 1960

Boys watching a scalextric demonstration at the Schoolboys Own exhibition in 1960. The exhibition was held every year at the Horticultural Hall, Westminster, usually in December and January. In 1952, a small company called 'Minimodels Ltd' introduced a range of metal racing cars which contained a unique type of clockwork motor. They were trademarked 'SCALEX'. In 1956 designer Mr B. Francis modified the cars fitting an electric motor and creating a rubber track suitable for two cars. He named the new cars Scalextric and they were an immediate success.