BAYKO Basics

There are only a few BAYKO rules - the simplicity almost certainly helped “children of all ages” to immediately feel [oops, another split infinitive!] comfortable with “the BAYKO toy” right from the moment they opened the box for the very first time!

The basic BAYKO concepts are extremely simple, as you can see : -

Some BAYKO parts have a hole right through them [usually through a 'plate' on the top and bottom surfaces] which align and slide over a Rod.

The main use of this feature is providing greater control of parts such as pillars, corners or Curved Windows and thus give a stronger over all model.

The photo [right] is of a model which I've produced and use regularly for exhibitions. It mimics the “How to Build with Bayko” diagrams at the beginning of almost all of the manuals. It is a composite, showing all the BAYKO brick types that existed during the full 30 year life of the product, in particular, how they fit.

Some larger parts had a row of one or more holes [almost like a 'mini Base'] in the top…

…which enabled further building to continue above them.

Examples of this are sadly scarce and are limited to just four items - Arches, French Windows, Shop Windows and Spans, the latter facilitating the engineer's rather than the architect's contribution to BAYKO modelling. The two middle ones only emerged, in set #15, in August, 1962 - one up to Mr MECCANO - though he did kill off the Spans!

The most obvious use of this feature was with Spans, which were designed to allow large gaps to be bridged, above Base level, and for the building to then carry on upwards.

The 'Bridge House' model [left] shows a twist with building on Spans…

…as an aside, it 'builds on' the 3,4,5 right angle triangle [remember those from school‽]…

…to set the building at an angle of 37° to the Bases.

A range of roofing, [which could be one-piece, flat, multi-piece or ornamental] Wall Capping, Floors and Crazy Paving provided the finishing touches to the models.

Both the above model images show one final, important detail - to build larger models, two or more Bases can [indeed must!] be joined together, with the purpose-made Base Links which BAYKO provided.