Royal Mail: 12 nostalgic new stamps featuring iconic Hornby model railways toys launched - where to buy
A tribute to a century of model railway magic has arrived, with iconic locomotives and vintage artwork 🚂
Royal Mail has unveiled a new set of special stamps celebrating Hornby Model Railways, the iconic British brand that has been delighting train enthusiasts for more than a century.
The 12-stamp collection pays tribute to the craftsmanship and nostalgia of Hornby, founded by Meccano inventor Frank Hornby.
He produced his first clockwork Hornby Series trains in 1920, before launching models based on real British locomotives in 1929, many of which would have once travelled Yorkshire’s main lines on their way to destinations.
Over the decades, the brand has become synonymous with model railways in the UK.
What do the stamps look like?
Each of the 12 main stamps features an exclusive photograph of a detailed Hornby model, specially commissioned by Royal Mail for the issue.
Designs include the elegant Bournemouth Belle Pullman cars and a 1920 No 1 locomotive, capturing both modern and historic eras of rail travel.
Several of the locomotives immortalised in miniature, such as the InterCity 125, would once have thundered through stations such as York and Leeds, carrying passengers north and south across the country
In addition, a miniature sheet of four stamps celebrates Hornby’s heritage with nostalgic artwork. These designs showcase classic packaging, vintage catalogue covers and promotional illustrations from different periods in the company’s history.
All of the stamps are set against a backdrop illustration of a London, Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) locomotive in full steam, reinforcing the romantic appeal of Britain’s railway past.
Royal Mail said the collection highlights Hornby’s role in preserving the magic of rail travel and its place in British design history.
Where can you buy them?
The Hornby stamps are available to pre-order now from the Royal Mail website.
They will also be on sale at selected Post Office branches across the UK once officially released on Thursday, February 19.
As with previous commemorative issues, collectors can purchase individual stamps, full presentation packs, first day covers, and framed editions.
Could they be worth more in the future?
Commemorative stamps often attract interest from philatelists (stamp collectors) and railway enthusiasts alike.
While most modern special issues do not dramatically increase in value, limited-edition formats, such as first day covers in pristine condition, can become more desirable over time.
Their long-term value will likely depend on demand, condition and how many are preserved unopened.
But for Hornby fans and collectors, the real appeal may lie less in investment potential and more in owning a small piece of Britain’s modelling heritage.