Icons Series

In this personal narrative, which presents a snapshot of the working world beginning with 1970s Britain, Simon talks candidly about his life and work and how the industry he chose shaped his life and how, ultimately, he helped define its future. 

For fans of the iconic brand, this account of life at Hornby reveals a timeline of key moments in the evolution of model railways from the ultimate must-have toy on a young child’s wish list to today’s sophisticated offering for model rail enthusiasts.

Alongside is a trip down memory lane, detailing new product launches and the politics that defined when and why each locomotive, coach, tank, gunship, scenic element, building, vehicle and bridge made it into the shops.

Every reader will come to realise why Simon Kohler is so affectionately known as 'Mr Hornby', the dedicated workaholic who made the time to speak to every enthusiast, answered every critic and fought to bring together collections of models that every enthusiast would love, each manufactured with an attention to detail that set the standard in the industry.