BAYKO - ‘Architect’ Articles
From 'MECCANO Magazine'

The really sad thing about this generally excellent collection of BAYKO articles is that they emerged so late in the life of BAYKO! Although the individual models won't be to everybody's taste, their can be no doubt that this could have been the start of something important for BAYKO's future - if only there had been one.

The first Article appeared in the 'MECCANO Magazine' in July, 1963 and the last one graced the May, 1964 edition, three months after the final BAYKO advert.

Gary Birch tells me that, following the TRI-ANG takeover, MECCANO surrendered editorial control of the 'MECCANO Magazine' in March, 1964 to MAP Magazines, which wouldn't have helped the longevity of the ‘Architect’ articles…

…indeed, the last three articles [e.g. below, right] are titled 'BAYKO Builds' rather than ‘Architect’.

In one sense, the ‘Architect’ Articles peaked early in that the September, 1963 contribution spilled over onto a third page - the only one to do so.

The aim of the Articles appears fairly simple - to encourage children with BAYKO sets “large or small” to experiment with new models and enjoy what we all know to be the world's greatest hobby!

The ‘Architect’ designed buildings aren't revolutionary, but the Articles included useful advice and encouragement to those teetering on the brink of experimenting with their own designs.

Encouraging people to grow is one thing, but to go into print with the sentence, “After all, you cannot expect to build huge models with small outfits”, [January, 1964] could have been better expressed - and better timed!

As a general rule I have mixed feelings on the contribution Mr. MECCANO made to BAYKO, but I have to congratulate him on this initiative - even if it did prove to be unfortunately timed - and short lived. There really is much more fun to be had from designing models from scratch. In fact, while displaying at exhibitions, I've heard from several real life, career architects that this was exactly what fired their initial enthusiasm.

The February, 1964 article on a 'New Zealand Split-Level House' was based on plans submitted by a reader, an excellent development which augured well for the future…

…or, at least, that might have done, if BAYKO hadn't already died…

…there are also some fundamental flaws in the design as shown…

…was this a slightly petty attempt by ‘Architect’ to sabotage the series as he / she lost control of it?

Regardless, none of the other ‘Architect’ models is difficult to build…

…are you a BAYKO collector[?] - why not have a go - not many other people will have built them in the last 60 years.

I'm pleased to say that Andy Harris took up, and has now completed, my ‘Architect’ challenge and relevant photos of his excellent models have now been added to each individual ‘Architect’ page…

…I've also put all eleven into a small slide show [left]…

..I hope you enjoy them, many thanks Andy!

You may also be interested in the ‘Toyman’ articles, also in 'MECCANO Magazine', which, though intended to promote DINKY TOYS, also regularly used BAYKO models in the background…

In March, 1962, there was also a one-off article, in 'MECCANO Magazine' entitled “Famous Buildings in BAYKO”…