Trix model construction sets were originally produced in 1931 by a

Nuremberg Nuremberg (, ; ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the Franconia#Towns and cities, largest city in Franconia, the List of cities in Bavaria by population, second-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Bav ...

company, Andreas Förtner (Anfoe). The German patent for the basic Trix pieces had been granted the previous year, in 1930. The origin of the name Trix is uncertain; it has been suggested (by Adrie Wind]) that it could have referred to the triple-hole configuration of the basic pieces. A friendship between Bing (company), Stephan Bing, owner of Anfoe, and the English toy manufacturer W J Bassett-Lowke led to the founding of the London company Trix Ltd in 1932. In the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, the first sets were advertised in the 1932 Gamages catalogue. Trix sets challenged the British-invented

Meccano Meccano is a brand of construction set created in 1898 by Frank Hornby in Liverpool, England. The system consists of reusable metal strips, plates, angle girders, wheels, axles and gears, and plastic parts that are connected using nuts and ...

model construction sets.

Meccano Ltd Meccano Ltd was a British toy manufacturing company, established in 1908 by Frank Hornby in Liverpool, England, to manufacture and distribute Meccano and other model toys and kits created by the company. During the 1920s and 1930s it became the ...

responded to the challenge by producing their own similar competitor set, the Meccano "X-Series", which had the same wider strips as Trix with three rows of holes. Senior trix

A unique feature of Trix was the Trix Unit System, in which sets were built from seven different units that each contained a variety of parts. Unit A was the basic unit, which allowed the construction of simple models. Unit B added components that enabled "more ambitious models to be attempted". Unit C added a range of wheels and pulleys. Unit D contained angle girders. Unit E introduced electrical parts that allowed the construction of buzzers, bells, telegraphs and other electric apparatus. Unit F contained two sizes of tyres. while Unit G added gear wheels of different types. Hence. the Trix slogan, widely featured in advertising, was "Always complete - yet never finished".

References

External links

Trix construction sets
website by Adrie Wind containing scans of most Trix manuals and brochures, mainly in Dutch, with some in German and some in English

(tr. "A Short History of Trix Construction Sets") by Werner Sticht

German/English illustrated website by Wilbert Swinkels {{DEFAULTSORT:Trix (Construction Sets) Construction toys Educational toys Model manufacturers of Germany