Wooden Toys - Buses
G & J Lines LtdThe company G & J Lines (George and Joseph Lines) 1876-~1931) produced one of Britain's best-known Nineteenth-Century ranges of wooden rocking-horses, and with Allen & Co (which they owned) also produced dollhouses, carts and prams.
The company started using the "Thistle" trademark in 1910, and the new North London works that they moved to in 1913 (in Down Lane, Tottenham) was called Thistle Works. G&J's business had been wood-based, with a speciality being wooden horses in various scales, right up to full-size models used in shops to sell saddlery - looking for new markets for their wooden horses, G&J Lines had been successful in promoting the rocking-horse. However, while G&J were focused on traditional wooden toys (with some wheeled items), William, Walter and Arthur Lines, the three brothers who together founded Lines Bros., all went to work for their father, Joseph Lines, in the family firm of G & J Lines Ltd. (William starting in 1894, Walter in 1896 and Arthur in 1910). Here they gained first-hand experience in all aspects of toy manufacture. Walter, for example, attended evening classes for design, building, carpentry and cabinet making. |
TriangtoisFollowing World War One, and after disagreements over how best to manage and develop G&J Lines Ltd., Walter, Arthur and William decided to leave their father’s company and set up their own toy manufacturing business.
Their new company, Lines Bros., was registered on 1st May 1919. Walter, who was the public face of the company and the main driving force behind it, became managing director, with additional responsibility for the design department. William looked after sales, and Arthur ran the factory. They bought the Hatcham Works in Ormside Street, Old Kent Road, London in June 1919. This was named the Triangtois Works. The first range of toys was designed by Walter, and sold under the Triangtois trade name. |
G & J Lines No.628 4-wheeled General Bus - large scale wooden 4-wheeled toy bus, with faded orange paintwork, white lower panels, turned wooden wheels, the upper deck seats lack their backs, with exterior wooden staircase to rear, lacks most of the metal grille to front but still a Fair to Good scarce example, c.1920, 56cm long.
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G & J Lines large wooden General Bus c.1920 - scarce example of this original 4-wheeled Bus substantially constructed from wood, red, cream, with Piccadilly, Oxford Street and other well known London destinations to sides, with early thistle motif to rear and "G & J Lines" inscription, replacement rear axle and wheels have been fabricated to a professional standard and some wear to edges but generally a Good example for display overall, being complete with external staircase to rear, 75cm long.
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Lines Bros. Triangtois 4-wheeled General London Bus - substantial wooden construction, red, white, including original interior seating, "Triangtois" metal labels to front, with original tinprinted grille to bonnet, reproduction "Fairycycle" adverts - but still a Good example fitted with turned wooden wheels and remains of the pull chain, 55cm long.
Lines Bros. Triang London Transport 4-wheeled Bus - Pre-war wooden Double Decker is deep red, cream, with black lining, metal grille and steering wheel, black metal wheels have lost their rubber sleeves, but includes "Service 123" plates to sides, some damage to the plywood at the rear lower edge but otherwise Fair to Good for display, 52cm.
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Lines Bros. Triang London Transport 4-wheeled Bus - Pre-war wooden Double Decker is deep red, with white window surrounds, grey roof, black lining, black tinplate wheels with original rubber sleeves (some have perished) and Original "Service 123" and "Triangtois" plates to sides and rear. This bus is wired for electric lighting to lower deck and includes battery compartment to underside, with metal grille and steering wheel - Good for display, 52cm.
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Lines Bros. Triang large wooden 6-wheeled London Transport Bus - from the 1937 Catalogue, possibly the largest vehicle in this Triang range, comprising an original wooden body which is deep red, white, 6 x pressed steel wheels, white rubber tyres, with Fairycycle adverts to sides, Liverpool Street destination to front, some age wear, and fading to the metal "Triangtois" emblem. The interior wooden seats are covered in pink printed paper, with a plastercast replacement seat to the front upper deck, "Service 123" tinplate tabs are present at each side, as is the original pressed steel mudguards to the front wheels and lithographed "General" tinplate radiator grille. The roof has been refurbished and there is some wear to the white rubber tyres, wired for lighting to the lower deck with battery compartment to underside - overall a Good Plus scarce example, 76cm long, 41cm high and 23cm wide.
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