BAYKO Sets #0 to #3 Instruction Leaflet -
1946 and 1947 - Version 2

This Instruction Leaflet, unusually stapled at the top in terms of 7 of the pages, even though they are landscape orientation, was produced by Plimpton for their first post-war BAYKO sets from 1946. None of the early post-war manuals has “How to Build with BAYKO” instructions, this document fulfilled that role. This is the second version of this document, and dates from 1947 or, possibly, late 1946.

This period after the war was chaotic in many ways. Materials shortages lead Plimpton to be modest in their printed matter, and as economical as possible, and, as part of that, this leaflet is printed on a very basic newsprint paper. Set contents and the instruction manuals were printed as separate documents at various stages, and there is a table of links to all the various versions of these in the navigation table [below].

Altogether, for product change, Purchase Tax hikes, and marketing requirements, there are five domestic versions of this Leaflet and one Canadian.

Page 8, [below] is obviously(!) the same size as the other pages, but I have deliberately displayed it in its correct portrait orientation. Also, page 8 of the this version now carries the Plimpton company address details in conventional black on white, rather than the earlier white on a black background.

Apart from minor type setting differences on page 1 [below], a surprising extravagance given the general austerity of the time, there is one small difference between this version and the original one. The italics used on the phrase “Made throughout in Plastic”, [upper right] have been superceded by a more conventional font.

As a piece of continuing trivia, on page 3 [below], the word 'showing', on the second line of the first paragraph, was misspelled as “shewing” in version 1 and has still not been corrected.

The changes to page 4 [below] are again surprising in a time of austerity. The legends associated with images five and six [upper left and upper right, respectively, have both been lowered by several millimetres.

By far the most interesting changes in this version appear on page 5 [below]. Three of the eight drawings, showing the Roof End; the “Method of assembling sectional roof”; and the use of the Canopy over a door, have all been replaced with more accurate, clearer versions.

Pages 6 and 7 [below] both show trivial changes from the original version. On page 6 the legend “Model made from No. “0” Set.” has, here, been rendered in capital letters, while on page 7 the page title has been reset to reduce its width!

When set #3 was introduced in 1948, this leaflet, or rather one of its successors, was still being included, in that instance, along with a specific set #3 manual.

It comprises just 8 pages, printed in black on cheap, off-white, newsprint type paper.

Size 178mm x 124mm = 7.0 x 4.9 inches.

If you would like to see the leaflet almost hot of the press, as it were…