Lone Star Products (England) toys

Lone Star Products was a British toy company that was founded in 1939 as Die Casting Machine Tools (DCMT). The company was originally based in Palmers Green, North London, and manufactured die-casting machines and equipment. In the early 1950s, DCMT began to manufacture die-cast toys under the brand name "Lone Star". The name was chosen to appeal to the popularity of Western films and TV shows at the time.

Lone Star gained recognition for its die-cast metal vehicles, often made at a smaller scale compared to competitors like Dinky Toys and Matchbox. One of their popular series was the "Roadmaster" line, which featured various cars, trucks, and other vehicles. The company's focus on affordability and attention to detail helped it gain a foothold in the market. In the 1960s, Lone Star introduced the "Impy" series, which included a wide range of die-cast cars and trucks more... with detailed features. Additionally, they released model kits that allowed children to build their own vehicles, fostering creativity and skill development.

Lone Star also ventured into the action figure market. They produced figures like "Harvey Series" cowboys and "Riding for the Pony Express" figures and also capitalised on the fascination with space exploration during the Space Race era by producing space-themed toys and playsets.Lone Star also produced a number of licensed toys, such as tie-in toys for the James Bond films and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. TV series. The company's peak came in the 1960s, but it began to decline in the 1970s due to competition from Japanese toy makers. Lone Star Toys finally went out of business in 1983.

Despite its relatively short lifespan, Lone Star Toys left a lasting legacy on the British toy industry. The company's products are considered to be some of the finest die-cast toys ever made. less...