223:, fireworks, household items such as firewood and almost anything he could find, including gas masks. He discovered that model locomotives and toys were his best-selling items and he began to focus his attention on purchasing as much of this kind of stock as he could, mainly driving around Liverpool looking for second-hand stock to sell on; by the 1950s Hattons was on its way to becoming a fully-fledged model shop.
327:
Before closure, Hattons stocked a vast number of items, and boasted on their website that they usually had over 18,000 items available for sale. Products sold included locomotives, model vehicles and aircraft, scenery, track, tools and paints. Some of the well known brands sold by
Hattons included:
318:
Hattons began to buy and sell secondhand model railway items, diecast vehicles and plastic kits in 2013. This became a popular area of the
Hattons website and proved to be a successful venture for the business. So much so, that they expanded their operation to include a new sub-brand called Hattons
265:
The early 2010s saw
Hattons move the majority of their stock to a warehouse in Widnes, Cheshire, known as the Hattons Hub; and in January 2016, after 70 years, the store on Smithdown Road was closed for the final time, with all operations moving to the Widnes site on Montague Road. The expansion of
243:
In 1999 Hattons launched their first website, a directory of the items that they had for sale, to make it easier for people wanting to place orders by post or over the telephone to view the entire stock in one place. The same year number 182 Smithdown Road was purchased and the store expanded into
261:
Norman Hatton died in 2005 aged 87. By then, Hattons was turning over £1 million per year. His son Keith also died during a holiday in Ibiza in 2008. He was just 49. Following the deaths of her father and brother, Christine Hatton took over the running of the company along with present managing
275:
On 8 January 2024, Hatton's Model
Railways announced on their social media platforms that they would be closing down. The company cited "changing market conditions" as the reason for their decision, including "dramatically" increased costs for compliance after Brexit, changes in the number and
266:
the company's online business meant that having stock split over two sites was no longer viable. Further, the
Smithdown Road building needed to be brought up to modern standards and the lack of parking outside the store was inconvenient for customers.
235:
wanted to offload a large quantity of stock, and they sold the lot to
Hattons for a fraction of what they were worth. Norman was quoted in a 2001 interview as saying some items took 20 years to sell out, due to the amount he had purchased.
26:
303:
range of locomotives, quickly followed by other self-produced models such as a range of 50t
Warwell wagons, FEA Intermodal wagons and Rail Head Treatment Trains. In 2019, Hattons released an extensive range of Class 66 locomotives.
291:
Hattons started to push manufacturing their own products exclusively in 2018, under their
Hattons Originals sub-brand. Before this, they had mainly designed products and then relied on third-party manufacturers such as Heljan and
239:
Norman placed extensive adverts in the model railway press, and the company grew throughout the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s with the help of mail order customers from all over the world sending Norman regular business.
255:
Despite only having expanded the building in 1999, by 2001 the business was relocated further along
Smithdown Road to numbers 364–368, which better suited the ever-expanding stock levels.
790:
307:
In 2021, Hattons were set to release a range of 4 and 6 wheel coaches in OO gauge, representing the trains that would have been commonplace in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
785:
810:
805:
815:
231:
By 1958 Norman realised that he needed bigger premises. He remained on
Smithdown Road and moved into number 180 that year. It was around this time that
502:
795:
780:
276:
demographics of their customer base, as well as supply chain disruptions. Hattons permanently closed their shop on Sunday 4 February 2024.
520:
269:
The building on Smithdown Road was turned into a Leaf tearoom in September 2019. One of their tables is made from the Hattons signage.
800:
820:
199:, in 1946 by Norman Hatton (1918–2005). After significant growth due to a move into online mail order, the company relocated to
576:
444:
319:
Model Money, which took the form of a new website where customers could list their items online and receive a free valuation.
558:
389:
247:
Norman semi-retired in 1998, leaving the running of the business to his two children Keith (1959–2008) and Christine Hatton.
300:
258:
2002 saw the launch of the eHattons website, which allowed customers to order directly online for the first time.
216:
594:
310:
In 2024, after Hattons' closure, their model railway toolings were sold to Rails of Sheffield and Accurascale.
36:
678:"Hattons Originals OO Gauge Genesis 4 & 6 Wheel Coaches - Project Updates from Hattons Model Railways"
540:
626:
469:
280:
219:
in Liverpool. His idea was to sell things that people found hard to get after the war. He sold
118:
425:
296:
to produce them. Some Heljan products included the Beyer Garratt and Class 14 locomotives.
332:
525:
449:
220:
151:
774:
299:
2018 saw the release of the first Hattons self-produced products, their P Class and
677:
660:"Hattons Originals OO Gauge Class 66 - Project Updates from Hattons Model Railways"
659:
641:
720:
272:
As of 2022, the company turned over £11 millions, down from £17 millions in 2018.
191:
was a British retailer and manufacturer of model railway paraphernalia founded in
757:"Model railways in OO Gauge, N Gauge & many more from Hattons Model Railways"
695:
143:
Hattons Originals, Hattons Essentials, Hattons Constructor, Hattons Model Money
350:
340:
344:
192:
66:
642:"Heljan OO LMS Beyer Garratt - Project Updates from Hattons Model Railways"
407:
283:, and that the Hattons brand is planned to re-launch online in the future.
25:
279:
In April 2024 it was announced that the Hattons Brand had been bought by
207:, in January 2016 and Hattons would later close down on 4 February 2024.
204:
232:
196:
336:
200:
101:
602:
445:"Hatton's Model Railways moves out of Smithdown Road after 70 years"
484:
215:
After leaving the army in 1946, Norman Hatton opened a shop at 142
355:
293:
738:
360:
624:"Rails to take over Hattons Model Railways brand". Modal News.
521:"Tributes to millionaire model train businessman Keith Hatton"
756:
503:"Liverpool Museums interview with Norman Hatton - March 2001"
179:
467:"Model railway community shocked by Hattons closure". News.
696:"Hattons Originals Range Update - Hattons Model Railways"
595:"Hattons Closure - Customer FAQ - Hattons Model Railways"
462:
460:
630:. Vol. 170, no. 1477. April 2024. p. 96.
541:"LEAF on Smithdown starts tea service in the suburbs"
577:"Hattons Model Railways announces permanent closure"
174:
161:
147:
139:
131:
109:
96:
81:
73:
50:
42:
32:
721:"Pre-owned at Hattons from Hattons Model Railways"
563:find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
394:find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk
791:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 2024
8:
18:
786:Manufacturing companies established in 1946
426:"hattons.co.uk from Hattons Model Railways"
408:"Meet the Team from Hattons Model Railways"
24:
17:
135:Model Railways & Diecast Collectables
811:Retail companies disestablished in 2024
485:"Hatton's Model Railways | IAB UK"
473:. No. 254. April 2024. p. 15.
381:
7:
806:Retail companies established in 1946
816:Toy retailers of the United Kingdom
443:Samuelson, Kate (21 January 2016).
14:
601:. 8 January 2024. Archived from
1:
301:Andrew Barclay Sons & Co.
796:Model railroad manufacturers
368:Gaugemaster (including Kato)
781:Companies based in Cheshire
56:; 78 years ago
837:
262:director Richard Davies.
85:February 4, 2024
19:Hattons Model Railways Ltd
23:
801:Rail transport modelling
323:Brands and product types
314:Pre-owned model railways
821:Toy train manufacturers
37:Private Limited Company
743:hattonsmodelmoney.com/
189:Hattons Model Railways
739:"Hattons Model Money"
627:The Railway Magazine
529:. 27 September 2008.
470:Railways Illustrated
365:Oxford Diecast/Rail
163:Number of employees
20:
281:Rails of Sheffield
124:Christine Hatton
761:www.hattons.co.uk
725:www.hattons.co.uk
700:www.hattons.co.uk
682:www.hattons.co.uk
664:www.hattons.co.uk
646:www.hattons.co.uk
605:on 8 January 2024
599:www.hattons.co.uk
430:www.hattons.co.uk
412:www.hattons.co.uk
186:
185:
119:Managing Director
828:
765:
764:
753:
747:
746:
735:
729:
728:
717:
711:
710:
708:
706:
692:
686:
685:
674:
668:
667:
656:
650:
649:
638:
632:
631:
621:
615:
614:
612:
610:
591:
585:
584:
573:
567:
566:
559:"Filed accounts"
555:
549:
548:
537:
531:
530:
517:
511:
510:
499:
493:
492:
481:
475:
474:
464:
455:
454:
440:
434:
433:
422:
416:
415:
404:
398:
397:
390:"Filed accounts"
386:
244:both buildings.
182:
170:
157:
127:
122:
115:Richard Davies
105:
92:
90:
64:
62:
57:
28:
21:
836:
835:
831:
830:
829:
827:
826:
825:
771:
770:
769:
768:
755:
754:
750:
737:
736:
732:
719:
718:
714:
704:
702:
694:
693:
689:
676:
675:
671:
658:
657:
653:
640:
639:
635:
623:
622:
618:
608:
606:
593:
592:
588:
575:
574:
570:
557:
556:
552:
539:
538:
534:
519:
518:
514:
501:
500:
496:
483:
482:
478:
466:
465:
458:
442:
441:
437:
424:
423:
419:
406:
405:
401:
388:
387:
383:
378:
325:
316:
289:
253:
229:
213:
178:
168:
164:
155:
125:
123:
116:
112:
100:
88:
86:
60:
58:
55:
12:
11:
5:
834:
832:
824:
823:
818:
813:
808:
803:
798:
793:
788:
783:
773:
772:
767:
766:
748:
730:
712:
687:
669:
651:
633:
616:
586:
568:
550:
532:
526:Liverpool Echo
512:
494:
476:
456:
450:Liverpool Echo
435:
417:
399:
380:
379:
377:
374:
373:
372:
369:
366:
363:
358:
353:
348:
324:
321:
315:
312:
288:
285:
252:
249:
228:
225:
217:Smithdown Road
212:
209:
184:
183:
176:
172:
171:
165:
162:
159:
158:
149:
145:
144:
141:
137:
136:
133:
129:
128:
113:
110:
107:
106:
98:
94:
93:
83:
79:
78:
75:
71:
70:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
34:
30:
29:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
833:
822:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
802:
799:
797:
794:
792:
789:
787:
784:
782:
779:
778:
776:
762:
758:
752:
749:
744:
740:
734:
731:
726:
722:
716:
713:
701:
697:
691:
688:
683:
679:
673:
670:
665:
661:
655:
652:
647:
643:
637:
634:
629:
628:
620:
617:
604:
600:
596:
590:
587:
582:
578:
572:
569:
564:
560:
554:
551:
546:
545:Confidentials
542:
536:
533:
528:
527:
522:
516:
513:
509:. 3 May 2016.
508:
504:
498:
495:
490:
489:www.iabuk.com
486:
480:
477:
472:
471:
463:
461:
457:
452:
451:
446:
439:
436:
431:
427:
421:
418:
413:
409:
403:
400:
395:
391:
385:
382:
375:
370:
367:
364:
362:
359:
357:
354:
352:
349:
346:
342:
338:
334:
331:
330:
329:
322:
320:
313:
311:
308:
305:
302:
297:
295:
287:Manufacturing
286:
284:
282:
277:
273:
270:
267:
263:
259:
256:
250:
248:
245:
241:
237:
234:
227:1950s – 1990s
226:
224:
222:
218:
210:
208:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
181:
180:hattons.co.uk
177:
173:
166:
160:
153:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
130:
120:
114:
108:
103:
99:
95:
84:
80:
77:Norman Hatton
76:
72:
68:
53:
49:
45:
41:
38:
35:
31:
27:
22:
16:
760:
751:
742:
733:
724:
715:
703:. Retrieved
699:
690:
681:
672:
663:
654:
645:
636:
625:
619:
607:. Retrieved
603:the original
598:
589:
580:
571:
562:
553:
544:
535:
524:
515:
506:
497:
488:
479:
468:
448:
438:
429:
420:
411:
402:
393:
384:
371:DCC Concepts
326:
317:
309:
306:
298:
290:
278:
274:
271:
268:
264:
260:
257:
254:
251:2000s – 2024
246:
242:
238:
230:
214:
188:
187:
97:Headquarters
33:Company type
15:
705:11 February
335:(Including
221:bric-à-brac
211:Early years
154:11 million
775:Categories
581:RailAdvent
376:References
351:Heljan A/S
341:Corgi Toys
111:Key people
89:2024-02-04
609:8 January
345:Rivarossi
193:Liverpool
104:, England
69:, England
67:Liverpool
205:Cheshire
132:Products
43:Industry
233:Meccano
197:England
175:Website
148:Revenue
126:(Chair)
87: (
82:Defunct
74:Founder
59: (
51:Founded
337:Airfix
333:Hornby
201:Widnes
169:(2021)
156:(2022)
140:Brands
102:Widnes
46:Retail
507:RMweb
356:Dapol
294:Dapol
707:2024
611:2024
361:Peco
61:1946
54:1946
167:62
65:in
777::
759:.
741:.
723:.
698:.
680:.
662:.
644:.
597:.
579:.
561:.
543:.
523:.
505:.
487:.
459:^
447:.
428:.
410:.
392:.
343:,
339:,
203:,
195:,
763:.
745:.
727:.
709:.
684:.
666:.
648:.
613:.
583:.
565:.
547:.
491:.
453:.
432:.
414:.
396:.
347:)
152:£
121:)
117:(
91:)
63:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
