BAYKO Nerd's Corner

Crazy Paving was one of only three non structural part BAYKO ever produced - its function being entirely ornamental.

In a commendable search for realism, Plimpton actually produced no less than 12 separate mouldings for Crazy Paving [left] - yes, that's right, 12, I counted them!

I presume this means that the plastic moulding machinery was capable of producing 12 Crazy Paving pieces at the same time and that they each occur in the same amounts...

...I'll leave it to you to check!!!

At first I thought the change to twin nipple, pure grey Crazy Paving was down to MECCANO...

...but it was, in fact, Plimpton that increased the range of Crazy Paving mouldings to 16 [right] some time in the mid 1950s as this type appears in Retail Pack A...

I actually, somewhat carelessly, thought they had 17 mouldings, but, thanks to Bob Burgess's eagle eye, I now know better!!!

In Nerds Corner, regardless of the effort needed(!), I try to be thorough, so let's continue the Crazy Paving theme from above.

There is another available image of Plimpton era Crazy Paving, [right] it's on the additional parts pages to the rear of the 1950s manuals. It was also shown on the rear of Retail Cabinets!

In true nerd-facilitating style, this specific design, there was only one, was never actually manufactured.

If you want to do the same check for Crazy Paving in the MECCANO era, you can't. Crazy Paving was the only plastic part not illustrated in the manuals!

Crazy Paving was, however, represented on the rear of the MECCANO era Retail Cabinets, you guessed it, with another nonexistent design!

You could achieve a MECCANO era set #15 in 2 ways : -

Either by buying the set #15 out right...

...or by adding a set #14C to a set #14.

Did you know that the 2 different options actually produced different contents...

...can you say what the difference was?

Set #14 contains : -
2 size 'D' Roofs.

Set #14C contains : -
1 Dormer Roof set.

Obviously set #14 would need 2 Roof pieces or you wouldn't be able to make up a full roof would you!

This means that children who were lucky enough to be bought a set #15 would have to make their largest green roofed buildings with a Dormer Roof every time - looks to me like a piece of penny pinching by Mr. MECCANO.

Although sets #15 and #14C included the new Boarded and Waney Edge Roof Ends, neither included the original Roof Ends - part #B152, B154, B156 & B158.

This means that children who were lucky enough to be bought a set #15 would be deprived of these 8 parts, making them 9 parts short in all - it's beginning to look more like grand larceny than penny pinching by Mr. MECCANO!!!

When MECCANO first planned to introduce the Dormer Unit in sets #14C and #15 they intended to make the unit in black plastic, presumably to simulate tar or similar roofing materials which were in common usage at the time...

...but they changed their mind!

I don't know why they did this, but I would suggest their are 3 possible reasons : -

They couldn't produce a suitable black plastic for the unit.

They didn't think the black version looked very attractive.

They just changed their mind - the purchasers won't mind.

The photo [top left] shows a pre-production version of set #15, clearly showing a very dark version of the Dormer Unit in the centre.

The image [top right] shows the Dormer Unit in the set #15 literature.

The image [bottom left] shows the covering letter, signed by one G. E. Pierce, explaining the situation to the BAYKO retailers.

The photo [bottom right] shows the Dormer Unit as produced.

Personally I think MECCANO got this one right...

...Plimpton learnt the same lesson in the 1940s...

...that dull colours don't attract modern kids.

Garage Doors were initially known as Opening Doors but the play value meant most people gravitated towards calling them Garage Doors.

One set of Garage Door was included in sets #2 and #3...

...and 2 in set #4.

Logically, therefore, one set of Garage Doors would also have to be included in two of the conversion sets - #1X and #3X.

However the card (right), dated April 8th, 1959, intended as a wholesale price list for retailers, states that : -

"This part will be contained in Standard Sets No's 2-3-4 [and] Converting Sets 1X-2X-3X"...

...except that it does - as confirmed by the letter sent to BAYKO retailers at the time - work that one out!

There's more information on exactly how Plimpton went about introducing the new Garage Doors to their retailers.

You'll remember that before the war BAYKO was produced in sets #1 to #6.

Early post-war literature also promised a range of 6 sets - this time numbered from set #0 through to set #5...

...but, as you probably know, Plimpton only produced up to set #4, post-war - and that only arrived in 1952.

Did the proposed extra set fit between a set #3 and #4...

...or would it have been bigger than set #4?

Another one where I suspect the answer has been lost, however...

This leaflet [left], dating from 1946, was included with the earliest post-war BAYKO sets and, on the side shown here, you can clearly read the reference to sets # 5 and #4X.

Early post-war literature - specifically a postcard parts list franked in 1946 - specifies that the colour of the Steps will be red...

....but, as far as I can tell, Plimpton only produced grey Steps post-war.

It also refers to white windows and green roofs!

I'll leave you to decide whether this was a printing error, an 'un-thought-out' transcription from a pre-war parts list, or just a change of mind.

Probably the leaflet was made with a pre-war mind set, before product decisions were taken.

For several years Plimpton produced 2 different versions of the BAYKO End Bricks...

...they produced both a 'left-handed' and a 'right-handed' version.

This let modellers ensure that the brick pattern could continue correctly round corners.

A detailed look at 'official' models shows Plimpton were quite particular on this detail.

Sorry about the fuzzy image, I can't afford a posh camera, but you can see the brickwork.

When starting building, a bricklayer will always start with a full brick at each corner on the front of the building.

...but the pre-war Full Corner Brick [left hand image] shows the moulding error - both faces start with full bricks...

...wrong!!!

The 'New Series' sets saw the launch of the smaller [Type 1 B] Base.

This size base lasted until the death of the product, but not unchanged...

...you can identify the earlier bases by the number 1 which is reversed on the older Bases.

The main reason for the retooling was to strengthen the moulding of the corners of the Bases, which, just like their earlier, larger predecessors, had proved to be a little fragile.

Slips like this were often used by Plimpton to pass information to their young market.

In this case children must have been experiencing problems in using, and probably damaging, Curved Bricks and Curved Windows.

Logically, therefore, I assume this slip dates either from around the launch of these parts just before the war, c1939...

...or from their relaunch after the war...

...I'll leave you to decide.

In the same vein, this example is more traceable...

...it refers to "the diagrams on page 4" which links it to two possible manuals : -

► 1946 Leaflet

► Standard Set #0 to #3 manual

...the manual has only one diagram on page 4.

Is this the bricks fighting back?!

Just look at the image right and you can clearly see that this Curved Brick is missing its holes.

Were the Curved Bricks fed up of children forcing Rods through their holes?

More seriously, this convinces me that the holes were drilled rather than being created as part of the moulding process - or not as in this example!

Can you really get more nerdish than this???

BAYKO, like many other children's toys, made much of its profit through repeat purchases of extras of one sort or another.

MECCANO recognised this and, as was pretty common for much of the last century in the U.K., instigated a "Toy Club" to encourage kids to squirrel away their pocket money with their favourite toy shop in order to save up for that special something.

Were people really so daft that they never thought of opening a small savings account?

For the record, the card was designed to be folded in half to make a booklet.

I feel a little self conscious doing so, but I feel that I can now answer the question I posed above...

...yes I can get more nerdish...

...so here goes!!!

This typed and stencil-copied document [left] was used by MECCANO sales reps as part of their regular routine to help their retailers keep up to date with their stationery requirements.

There are two references to the Toy Club card above : -

Reference #92011 - "Not overprinted" - of which retailers could have up to 100 "Free of Charge".

Reference #92001 - "Overprinted" - with their business name and address - of which retailers could have a minimum of 100 "for 5/6 " [27½ pence] or "1/6 for each additional 100" [ 7½ pence].

For completeness, there is also a reference [#92020] to a "Bayko Folder" , which I can't specifically identify, which cost 2/6 [12½ pence] per 100 and which the retailer was supposed to charge -/1 for!!!

To me, this one is just strange...

...so why the sudden switch on these 2 price lists?

► B146

I don't usually get over excited by typing errors...

...but I couldn't resist.

In the parts list for one of the pair of models, the "HOUSE and VERANDAH", shown on page 18, apparently "8 Green Wnidows" are required!

This could be my most nerdish entry yet!!!

When MECCANO launched set #15 in August 1962 they produced a set of 6, double sided leaflets featuring models which showed off the new range of BAYKO parts...

...but they were a little clumsy on the artwork.

The leaflets also carry printing codes and corporate information at the bottom, within the green strip...

...they state "C Meccano Ltd., Binns Road, liverpool 12, England" on one side...

...and "Printed in England" and "(13/4/62/30)" on the other side.

You might logically expect that each leaflet would have a front and a back...

...and that this would be done consistently on all 6 leaflets...

...so that the even numbered models would all have one type of information...

...and odd numbered models would show the other one...

...but no!!!

Well, I did warn you that this was the most nerdish yet!!!

Apart from the familiar numbering of sets #11 to #15 etc., MECCANO also used different 5-digit codes within their administration systems...

...including codes for Plimpton era leftovers!

You also get the MECCANO era BAYKO retail pack codes free, gratis and for nothing!!!

No, I've not gone mad...

...nor am I offering extra adverts for Brian Salter's new parts, good as they are...

...but 'Games & Toys' announced "bricks in half lengths" in June, 1939...

...just 65 years before Brian fulfilled the pledge!!!

For the record, I presume the reference was to Long Bricks which are 1½ bricks long!

The first mention, that I'm aware of, of BAYKO in MECCANO literature, is a somewhat confused affair and could have been included here, but is detailed elsewhere.

The first, somewhat confused leaflet produced by MECCANO in 1960, not long after the takeover, could also very easily have been included in this section, but is detailed elsewhere.

A I said above, I don't normally bother about typing errors, but this one did appear in the first ever BAYKO manual and, in deed, lead to its being reprinted correctly.

Page 27 of the manual, printed in late 1933 or 1934, bears the legend : -

This typo was first noticed by Brian Tunstill.

This anomaly appears on page 8 of the very first BAYKO manual, the same one as the typo above, but, in this case, it was retained in its later two versions and, in the new style which replaced it, on page 14.

If you look closely at the Windows which form the sides of the porch, you will see that they are white not green...

...these white Windows didn't appear until the set #6 was launched later in 1935.

Sorry about the heading...

...but at least it's not misleading!

This is something that has only recently been discovered - thanks to Andy Harris for the photo of Gary Birch's parts.

Look at the pips in the corners of the windows in the picture - they are very clearly different sizes.

The pips were introduced in the mid 1950s to hold the newly introduced glazing.

The smaller pips [left] must have been introduced comparatively late in 1959 and are the same size that MECCANO used after the takeover.

If you view the image to the left, taking into account the item above, I hope you'll see what I'm driving at...

...and agree with my conclusion.

I'm sure the MECCANO engineers remodelled the Plimpton moulds for their Large Windows.

The pips for the MECCANO era standard Windows are exactly as the example [above, left], so I'm sure they too were 'Make Do and Mend' re-use of the Plimpton era moulding.

Thanks to Gary Birch for the photo.

Initially I put this information into the page on Bases, but have decided that Nerd's Corner should also be informed.

The image [right] shows two MECCANO era BAKELITE BAYKO Bases, but [thanks to Bob Burgess for the research] could just as easily have been Plimpton era Bases from the 1950s.

The style on the left, with the thinner reinforcement, probably emerged slightly earlier than the thicker reinforcement style on the right [which also has a strange ribbing along just one edge - see image]. The latter probably coming from a second mould which was needed after sales volumes increased.

A strange one this...

...if you look at this image, you will see that there are several flaws in the photo, which is taken directly from the 'Architect' article in the February, 1962 issue of the 'MECCANO MAGAZINE'.

As you can see, it contains several flaws, such as non-standard windows; brick patterned Arch and Curved Bricks; strange tile markings on the roof; and a lower Brick course which shows 5 runs of engraved bricks rather than the correct 4!!!

Either the original New Zealand subscriber, or the 'MECCANO MAGAZINE', clearly cheated...

I don't think much needs to be said on this one...

...but that's never stopped me before!

Please just look at the two Straight Turrets (Long) in the photo [left]...

...you can see that the centrally located, moulded part number "23" reads exactly the same on both pieces, despite the fact that they are the opposite way round.

Clearly these are two distinct mouldings.

If you are having difficulty reading the numbers, just click on the image and it will launch a larger version which should make things crystal clear.

I haven't checked the other three turret styles, but I'm sure you can do that in your own collection.

Thanks to Robin Throp for loaning the two pieces for the photograph.

This is getting to be a theme.

It's a little difficult to see on the small image [right], but click on it to reveal a larger version...

...and you should be able to see that it actually shows 4 different mouldings.

If you look at the part number - "22" - you will notice that they all read exactly the same way, despite the fact that the four moulds are all aligned in different directions.

Clearly these are four distinct mouldings.

Here the differences are much more subtle : -

The only visible difference is that the letter "B" in the part number "23B" moulding is slightly lower on the part at the right hand side of the image.

It is possible, though pure speculation, that the complete mould held 2 Long and 2 Short Straight Turrets...

...this would produce a mould of comparable size, though a little smaller, to that required for the 4 Square Turrets above.

This little section is for completeness...

...I'm afraid I can find no such variability in the mouldings for Curved Turrets...

...sorry!

For a number of BAYKO parts there is a doubt as to whether the holes in them were produced by incorporating pins into the mould, or by drilling.

Thanks to Andy Harris, we now have evidence that, for Wall capping at least, the answer appears to be drilling.

The image to the right clearly shows damage, almost certainly caused by a bungled attempt at drilling holes through the part. Unfortunately from a quality control perspective, thankfully from our perspective, the anomaly has survived to point us in the right direction.

Looking at this image, you see that the contents list clearly says that set #2 contains 5 Corner Ties [not the normal 8] - indeed Andy Harris, who owns it, confirms that the set did contain 5.

This correlation could, of course, be the result of somebody making up the contents to their "correct" level - we'll never know - but there's still a problem explaining this...

...there are two other versions of this manual, neither of which has the error...

...set #2 was launched after the sets #0 and #1, so how did this error spontaneously appear in a later print run?

The Ornamental Additions Sets were introduced in early 1935 to provide a range of innovative coloured parts, to enhance the appearance of models made from the standard sets.

They didn't get mentioned in the earliest BAYKO manuals, but had to wait until the following year before the second style of manual included any reference to them.

The Ornamental Additions Sets were allocated two pages, unfortunately the script on the second page [page 69] contains an error. Interestingly, this error wasn't picked up at the time, and was perpetuated in the later edition of the same style manual.

The script refers to "Red and Oak Arches"...

...instead of "Green and Oak Arches".

This may seem a strange title - if you think so, read on!

Below is a direct quote from an article which appeared in the September, 1956 edition of 'British Toys', a [then] new magazine for the British and European toy trade : -

The question has to be - what model?

BAYKO hadn't been seen at a British Industries Fair [B.I.F.] since 1951, as the attendance lists published in 'Games and Toys' and 'Toy Trader' both testify.

I'm afraid, if there ever was a BAYKO model of the Empire State Building, I can find no other trace of it - until Leo's magnificent effort getting on for 50 years later!

There were certainly models of the Empire State Building in other construction toy systems, such as LOTT'S BRICKS, so perhaps the writer got confused with one of those.

If you know more about BAYKO's Empire State Building, then I'd love to hear from you...

The Brick shown here [right] looks, at first glance, like any other 1950s BAYKO Brick...

...but look again!!!

The simulated brick course shown on the right of the Brick is clearly substantially smaller than its counterpart on the left...

..."so what?" you may be tempted to ask!

The obvious explanation is that the 'Brick-Face' surface of the mould probably wasn't slid quite far enough into position...

...but that won't do - this surface would have to be removed vertically away from the brick [or the Brick from it!] or the mould would snag on the 'mortar channels'.

If the 'Brick-Face' moulding had somehow been rotated through 180 degrees, this was apparently predicted, so why not prevent it rather than mould an elongated 'mortar channel' just in case?

If you can help with an explanation then I'd love to hear from you...

...please click here to
email me with your ideas.

Another one that's difficult to explain!

If you look at the label [left] from the lid of pre-war set #23, you'll see that the set contained 12 Pillars - click on the image to show a larger version which is much easier to read.

I could just tell you that the entry for Pillars is wrong and that there were, in fact, 36...

...but that doesn't really do justice to the facts!

Prior to the launch of the 20s series sets in 1938, the only size of BAYKO Pillars was 3-Brick.

The 20s series sets launched the 1-Brick Pillar, which was actually unique to these sets.

For some reason - perhaps linked to a last minute decision to switch from 3-Brick to 1-Brick Pillars - the printed contents were measured in terms of the equivalent number of 3-Brick Pillars!!!

There's now some more information on the 1-Brick Pillar anomaly [below]...

There is no doubt that the way that the different sizes of BAYKO Floors were named definitely escaped the attentions of the consistency police...

...but this one is particularly difficult to explain.

The image [right] is the set #6 contents list from the earliest version of the relevant manual.

It shows a strange Floor, not mentioned anywhere else...

..."Large Floor Divided (3 sections)".

The Large Floor was 15 x 23 holes and I can only assume that the "Divided" version comprised one Small Floor [15x11] and two Extension pieces [15x6] which add up to the same area.

If you look closely at the four Side Bricks [left] you will see that the stubby bit - to use a technical term - of the two lower examples, has an extra vertical piece of simulated brick joint.

A few people have spotted this anomaly over the years, David Poole and Bob Burgess to name but two, so I can't claim authorship of this one.

However, thanks to eagle-eyed Robin Throp, I can identify the chronology.

If you look at the drawing of a Side Brick in every BAYKO manual in which they appear, every single one has the extra vertical line in place.

I therefore think that we can safely conclude that these are the original version, with the omission effectively a slight simplification [cheapening!] of the new mould(s).

Click anywhere on the image to see a larger version if you're having trouble spotting the extra line.

Where a business has the same operation carried out at several points, e.g. multiple moulds such as here, it is regarded as good practice to be able to identify the individual sources, to manage any quality issues which may arise.

MECCANO took this to heart - but only, as far as I know, when producing the smallest size of Roof Ends, i.e. size 'A'.

It's not easy to see - click on the image [right] to see a larger version - but the rears of the eight Roof Ends 'A' bear the numbers 1 to 8 and are shown increasing as you rotate clockwise from the top one.

The case for doing it is unarguable...

...but the case for not doing it anywhere else?

This has to rate among the strangest BAYKO cock-ups of all time - and that's no mean claim! - let's see if you agree.

Side Bricks were introduced in 1950, together with the Side Windows. The Side Windows were 'handed', i.e. had left and right hand versions, the Side Bricks were not, despite what you read next.

Side Bricks and Windows were available for export right from the start, a Flemish language Parts Price List, produced in Belgium, in February 1950 confirms this.

So what brainstorm, two years later, lead someone to create phantom, handed Side Bricks, complete with spurious, though logical, reference codes "39R" and "39L", for the right-handed and left-handed versions, respectively?

Proof-reading and general vetting of any market related literature is normally taken extremely seriously, so it's more than a little surprising to see such a creative cock-up - not just a typo this time!

If you want to find out more about this particular document...

If you read the small print, you may notice that, somewhat unusually, this Price List was printed in "Angleterre" perhaps this incident helped Plimpton to accept their linguistic limitations!

Thanks to Chris Boutal for spotting this little gem.

Oh all right then, I admit it's a silly heading...

...not for the first time.

However, the silly situation behind this was entirely Plimpton's own work, nothing to do with me.

Just take a look at the two models shown here...

...the "Terrace House" [right]...

...the "House with Sunshine Roof" [left, below].

Both show the same strange feature...

Presumably the management and employees of Plimpton, in 1954, did know where they worked, and how to get there, but they might have been excused if they got a little confused - and goodness knows how Postman Pat coped!!!

If you look [above] at the four consecutive manuals, [in terms of the specified date code], you'll see that the address for the company oscillated over the period - from Liverpool 3 to Liverpool 1, then back to Liverpool 3, then finally to Liverpool 1 again.

Firstly, there can be no question that Plimpton did move premises during 1954, from 15, Gibraltar Row, Liverpool 3 to Tabley Street, Liverpool 1.

There are three possibilities as to where the above confusion comes from : -

The date code(s) of the sets #0 to #4 manual and/or the set #3X manual are wrong.

The order for either the set #3X manual, or the sets #0 to #4 manual, was actually placed well ahead of the other manual, before the final date for the move was confirmed.

The address quoted on either the set #3X manual or the sets #0 to #4 manual is wrong.

My money is on the latter explanation, with the set #3X manual as prime suspect. The other three manuals have the address printed, up front, actually on the front cover, but, on the set #3X manual, the address is much lower key - much more easily overlooked in other words - in relatively small print, on the back cover. I suspect that the necessary amendment to the previous issue was missed - the printers were probably never even told.