Complex sentence: The same forces were affecting their British counterparts/competitors as well: following in the footsteps of Meccano (Dinky) and just a year before Mettoy (Corgi), Lesney went bankrupt in June 1982, and went into receivership.
Split into simpler sentences: The same forces were affecting their British counterparts/competitors as well. Following in the footsteps of Meccano (Dinky), and just a year before Mettoy (Corgi), Lesney became bankrupt in June 1982, and went into receivership.