BAYKO Sets #0 to #3 Instruction Manual -
April, 1954 - 14th Issue

This Instruction Manual was produced by Plimpton for their basic range of BAYKO sets - sets #0 to #3, and was the bread and butter of BAYKO's heydays, with a total of 20 issues being printed.

It is print coded April, 1954 and designated as being the “14th issue”. This is strange because there is a second print run, with the same date code, but designated as “13th issue”.

I think that we can fairly assume that this is the later of the two print runs, based on the issue numbers, and I suggest that the confusion lies in a failure to change the printer's date code for this, the second run.

Of course this makes it a little difficult to be specific as to exactly when this version emerged but…

…it overlaps set #3X manuals from in November, 1953 [probably] and certainly September, 1954 and the new August, 1954 sets #0 to #4 manual.

Given the confusion over the coding, it is rather surprising that there is a minor change between the two issues…

…not in terms of content, but in the colour of one of the inks…

…prior to this issue, the green ink, used for Bases, Windows and Doors, had a definite blue tinge, but, from this issue onwards, Plimpton switch to a brighter apple green, with more yellow in it.

The manual was printed by J.H. Leeman Ltd., Leighton Printing Works, Neston, Wirral. It has a full colour cover, the rest of the 40 pages are printed in red, green and black on white, gloss paper.

Page 33 [below] contains an ongoing anomaly. The list of new parts included in sets #3X and #4 continues to omit the Dome and both the Pinnacle Roof and Platform, despite the fact that these were certainly included following the launch of set #4 early in 1952.

Despite the confusion, anomaly, ink colour and all, the actual printed content of this issue is, as far as I can tell, identical to the previous issue.

Size - 250mm x 185mm = 9.8 x 7.3 inches.
It is labelled as the 14th issue.
Number of this version that were printed - 50,000.

If you would like to see the manual hot off the press, as it were…