The campaign celebrates family play and the growing popularity of young railway enthusiasts
Hornby is launching a nationwide hunt for a Mini Conductor, inviting parents to submit their child’s audition for the chance to star in a Hornby ad celebrating the joy of family train travel, and bringing the excitement of rail adventures home through play.
The competition taps into the growing popularity of young railway enthusiasts, with children gaining attention online for their love of all things locomotive, from spotting trains and learning routes to recreating the sounds and theatre of the railway with their own announcements.
Martyn Weaver, Brand MD at Hornby, said: “Our research shows that children value spending time with friends and family above anything else when they play and that’s exactly what we want to help create – special shared memories. At Hornby, we’re all about bringing stories to life through play, and the Mini Conductor competition is a brilliant opportunity for families to celebrate curiosity and imagination that train travel inspires, while giving one young rail fan the chance step into the conductor’s shoes for the day.”
The research found that four out of five children (82 per cent) love making up stories while playing with toys – the same kind of storytelling energy that makes train journeys so magical in the first place. Hornby trains help bring those outward experiences indoors, letting kids recreate the sights, sounds and excitement of railway adventures at home by building tracks, designing routes, creating tunnels and bridges, announcing “next stop…”, and inventing whole new worlds one station at a time.
The findings also show that the moments children remember most are often the simplest. Looking out of the window ranks highest (62 per cent), followed by going fast (49 per cent) and travelling through tunnels and over bridges (31 per cent) – all the ingredients of a great adventure.
Hornby is now inviting kids to bring that excitement to life by entering the Mini Conductor competition. Open to children aged four to 10, the competition will see one lucky winner spend a day alongside the LNER team as a ‘Mini Conductor’, including visiting the train cab, greeting customers and making announcements, as well as starring in a Hornby video advert. Four runners-up will also receive a Hornby Playtrains prize bundle worth £100.
