BAYKO Nerd's Corner

WELCOME!!

I don't know whether you accept the label of 'BAYKO Nerd', or if you were just attracted by the name - either way, you are welcome!

For the record, I cannot deny myself full 'BAYKO Nerd' status!

This page contains, in no particular order, both quirky and pure anorak items - I hope you enjoy them.

Please click here if you can add to this section's contents.

We'll start with this simple one : -
The picture shows page 16 of the August 1951 set #3X manual on which there is an easily identifiable typesetting error - Side Window Red...		...should, of course, have read Side Brick Red. The correction label, added either by Plimpton or by the printer, can clearly be seen in the bottom left corner.
It's quite endearing that Plimpton thought it necessary to insert the correction - shame about the error! Rather surprisingly, although this type setting error had clearly been identified, it was repeated in the next edition of the set #3X manual which was date coded October 1951.

Crazy Paving : -

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... ...click here for the evidence. I actually, somewhat carelessly, thought they had 17 mouldings, but, thanks to Bob Burgess's eagle eye, I now know better!!!

This one just gets deeper and deeper into nerd territory... ...oddly, MECCANO reverted to 12 variants at the death. The pieces concerned [left] are olive-beige [which hasn't shown well in the photo]. I've laid them out to match their earlier equivalents. Why MECCANO should do this is beyond me... ...why go to the expense, no matter how small, of converting a 16-item moulding to a 12-item one? Thanks to Bob Burgess for the eagle eyes and stamina needed to unearth this nerdiest of BAYKO facts.

Crazy Paving in the BAYKO Manuals : -

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!

Now for a quick quiz : -
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.			Set #15 contains : - only 1 size 'D' Roof & 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.
Even stranger is the case of the missing Roof Ends : -
Set #14 contained all these Roof Ends -			- Set #15 didn't!!!
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!!!
Click here for more information on MECCANO era set contents.

And on a not entirely unrelated matter : -
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.
Pre-production set #15.	Set #15 literature.
Letter from MECCANO.	Dormer Unit [+ Dormer Window].
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.

Opening or Garage Doors : -
These were introduced from June 1st, 1959 - quite surprising given the state of the BAYKO business at the time and just how imminent the MECCANO take-over was.
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"... ...WRONG - conversion set #2X shouldn't contain any... ...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. Click here for more info on the Garage Doors launch.

Where did the post-war #5 set go? : -
		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... ...click here for more thoughts. 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. Click here for more on this leaflet. 143 mm x 224 mm = 5.65 x 8.8 inches

Whatever happened to the post-war Red Steps? : -
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.
I like it when there's no answer - don't you?

Left-handed End Bricks : -
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.
Part way through the 1950s this differentiation was dropped - and most modellers never noticed!

...and on a not entirely unrelated subject...

Are you an "Upper" or a "Downer"? : -
	So - you've decided you want to take advantage of the left handed End Bricks... ...or just want to be build with all the bricks the same way up... ...but which way up? Are you an "Upper"... ...or... ...are you a "Downer"? Me? - I used to be an "Upper", but now I'm a "Couldn't-Give-a-Tosser"!!!
An "Upper's" perspective! The top row with 2 full bricks!		A"Downer's" perspective! The bottom row with 2 full bricks!
Thanks to Gary Birch for this particularly excellent suggestion for Nerd's Corner!!!

...and on another not entirely unrelated subject...

Full Corner Bricks - the Brick Layer's Perspective : -
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.		The right hand image shows you can do this with an End Brick and a Brick... ...but the pre-war Full Corner Brick [left hand image] shows the moulding error - both faces start with full bricks... ...wrong!!!
I'm grateful to Bob Burgess for this insight.

Early small Bases : -
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.
Early example - a post-war base.	Later example - a MECCANO era base.
This difference is only really significant to distinguish between grey Bases from the 1940s and the 1960s and between the green Bases from the 1940s and those from the 1950s - though, in this case, I don't know the exact timing of the change.

Curved Bricks : -
I'm afraid that I don't know the date of this small slip.
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.
It just goes to show that I'm not the only one who dives in without "wasting time" reading the instructions!
76 mm x 51 mm = 3 x 2 inches
The two images below are shown courtesy of Angus Jones.
	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 Click here to see the 1946 Leaflet. ► Standard Set #0 to #3 manual Click here to see the Set #0 to #3 Manual. I favour the earlier Leaflet which has several diagrams on page 4... ...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!

Christmas Club : -
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.
MECCANO TOY CLUB Card - outside	MECCANO TOY CLUB Card - inside
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.
152 mm x 114 mm = 6 x 4.5 inches
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!!!
204 mm x 254 mm = 8 x 10 inches

The Mystery of the MECCANO Era Roof Sizes!
To me, this one is just strange... ...every other BAYKO part measurement I know of is quoted either in terms of the number of holes they include or, in the case of Rods or Pillars, in terms of their height / length measured in Bricks... ...here, however, the roof sizes are clearly given with their dimensions in inches... ...so why the sudden switch on these 2 price lists?
MECCANO Era Price List - November, 1962	MECCANO Era Price List - August, 1963
Just for the record : -
► B142 Roof A 4½" x 1¾" x 7/ 32" 114 x 44 x 5.6 mm ► B144 Roof B 5¼" x 2⅛" x 7/ 32" 133 x 54 x 5.6 mm ► B146 Roof C 6" x 2⅝" x 7/ 32" 152 x 67 x 5.6 mm ► B148 Roof D 9" x 3½" x 7/ 32" 229 x 80 x 5.6 mm
I'm sure you feel better for knowing that - I know I do!!!

Errors in Conversion Set Contents in Pre-war Manuals - 1935 to 1938 : -
I can't explain exactly what caused this repeated mental aberration on the part of Plimpton, so I simply list the errors for your information and enjoyment... ...I've excluded those related to changes in set contents.
Conversion Set #	Part Description	Earlier Manual Contents	Correct Contents	Later Manual Contents
1A	Red Bricks	14	11	14
3A	Half Bricks	12	11	12
4A	Red Bricks	26	25	26
	Half Bricks	5	4	5
	Turret Floor	2	1	1

Typo in the Earlier Version of the Pre-war 'New Series' Manuals - 1939 to 1940 : -
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! Click here to see the full manual.

Set 15 Leaflets Date Coding : -
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.
Model 1 with corporate details.	Model 2 with printer's codes.
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!!! The corporate details appear on : - Models - 1, 3, 6, 7, 9, 12. The printer's codes appear on : - Models - 2, 4, 5, 8, 10, 11. Well, I did warn you that this was the most nerdish yet!!!

MECCANO Era BAYKO Set Reference Codes : -

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! Click here to find out more about these codes. You also get the MECCANO era BAYKO retail pack codes free, gratis and for nothing!!!

BAYKO - "bricks in half lengths" : -

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!!! Click here to find out more about this. For the record, I presume the reference was to Long Bricks which are 1½ bricks long!

"Confused Trade Brochure" : -
	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. Click here for further information.

"Confused Flier" : -
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. Click here for further information.

Plimpton's Very First Typo!!!
	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 : - "LARGE BUNALOW WITH GARAGE" This typo was first noticed by Brian Tunstill. Click here to see the full manual.

Premature Use of White Windows.

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. Click here to see the full manual.

This Will Definitely Give You the Pip!

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.

MECCANO - 'Make Do and Mend' - Window Moulds

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.

A New Look at Bases.

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.

'MECCANO Magazine' Caught Cheating!

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... ...click here for the full 'Architect' article.

Straight Turrets (Long) - Moulding Variations

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've now checked the other three turret styles, and the results are set out below. Thanks to Robin Throp for loaning the two pieces for the photograph.

Square Turrets - Moulding Variations

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.

Straight Turrets (Short) - Moulding Variations

Here the differences are much more subtle : - The letter "B" in the part number "23B" moulding is slightly lower on the part at the right hand side of the image. Also, the whole number on the right hand moulding is located slightly farther left than it's counterpart. 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.

Curved Turrets - Moulding Variations

This little section is for completeness... ...I'm afraid I can find no such variability in the mouldings for Curved Turrets... ...sorry!

Wall Capping - Drill or Moulding Pin?

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.

Post-War Manual - Corner Ties Anomaly
	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? Click here to see the early manual. Click here to see the later manual.
I am drawn to the conclusion that this must have been the very first version of the 20 page, post-war manual, which was very soon corrected. This probably means that the 16-page manual was restricted mainly to export and smaller sets and that this version was closely linked to the set #2 launch - what do you think... ...please click here to email me your thoughts.

Ornamental Additions Sets - Manual Error

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". Click here for more on this manual.

Whatever Happened to the BAYKO Empire State Building?

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 : - In fact, as the wonderful model of New York's Empire State Building shown at the last B.I.F. contained no less than 18,000 "Bayco" standard parts and was 8ft. 6in. in height, we are tempted to say that the system has no limitations whatsoever! Click here for the full article. 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... ...please click here to email me. Click here for more on BAYKO Supermodels.

Unusual Brick Courses

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.

Confusion in the Pre-War 20s Series Set Contents - Pillars

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]... ...click here to jump to the new info.

A Floor by Any Other Name...

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. Click here for more info on BAYKO Floors.

Side Bricks - Mould Variations
	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.
If you know any more about this, or want to offer an alternative hypothesis... ...please click here to email me your thoughts.

MECCANO Era Roof End 'A' - Mould Numbers

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?

The Case of the Phantom Side Bricks

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. Click here for the 1950, Flemish Language, Parts Price List. 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... ...please click on this link to the 1952 French Language List. 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.

Left Out in the Cold!

We know that several Plimpton era parts were dropped by MECCANO following the takeover, but there was a slightly more curious omission on the part of Mr. MECCANO. Crazy Paving and 15 x 5 hole Floors were both maintained on the list of available BAYKO spare parts... ...but they were never included in any MECCANO era BAYKO sets! I've no idea why this should have happened, or what logic was used to drive the decision, but, if you've got any ideas, I'd love to hear from you... ...click here to email me. Apart from rare colour variations like white Turrets, these are the only two examples I can recall of any BAYKO parts not being included in sets, though, for the record, both these parts were included in Plimpton era sets.

When is a Pillar Not a Pillar? When it's a 1-Brick Pillar!

Oh all right, I admit it's a silly title, but the management of 1-Brick Pillars, by Plimpton, was scarcely rational! 1-Brick Pillars came only in the 20s series sets, and they were managed strangely... ...the contents were listed as 3-Brick Pillar equivalent, e.g. set #21 held 24 x 1-Brick Pillars, listed as 8 Pillars. There's now evidence that this anomaly extended to the spare parts market as well. I recently bought a collection with several of the small boxes used to supply pre-war spare parts to retailers. One box [left] contained 18 x 1-Brick Pillars and 3 x 3-Brick Pillars. The lid describes the content as "white pillars, 6 for 1/-"... ...not proof, but strongly suggestive that the box initially held 18 x 1-Brick Pillars. Click here for more info on 20s series sets.

The Case of the Anaemic Canopy
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... ...white Canopies.
	I suppose you could just about argue that they have depicted a grey Canopy, which, along with the grey Steps and Crazy Paving, are all depicted as white! This isn't the only example of nonexistent parts finding their way into the manuals, but it's slightly more surprising that the 'error' here was so long lived... ...it first appeared in the six page BAYKO leaflet, issued in 1948, and then continued on the inside back cover of every example of both sets # 0 to 3 and sets # 0 to 4 manuals, right up to the MECCANO takeover late in 1959.

Where did the MECCANO Era Grey Canopy Come From?... ...and the 1-Brick Square Windows?
You've probably looked at this MECCANO Flier several times - but not as carefully as Chris Boutal! If you slide your mouse over the image [right] you'll see a larger image of the model bungalow in the upper right hand corner. Just take a look at the Canopy which is shown outside the side door of the bungalow - it's clearly Grey. Plimpton did briefly manufacture Grey Canopies around fourteen years earlier, but, as far as I know, MECCANO never did... ...they may have considered it when planning the flier... ...but they stuck, throughout, to their standard red.
	If you didn't spot the first error which Chris Boutal identified, then you almost certainly won't have spotted the second one either! If you slide your mouse over the image [left] you'll see a larger image showing the second model bungalow from the right hand side centre. Just take a look at the garden wall of the property and you'll see that it contains two rather strange, 1-brick square, MECCANO era style windows. These too were never manufactured, indeed, until Brian Salter's BAYKO 2000 range appeared, there had never been any windows in this size.

Tut Tut Turrets!
No, you're not imagining it, the Square Turret [above left] really is labelled as a "Long Turret", and the Long Turret [above right] is similarly incorrectly labelled "Square Turret"!!! In the manual for sets #0 to #3, printed in October, 1950, 4th issue, page 34, which showed the [then] newer, more glamorous parts, was updated to include four new parts, Small Chimney, Opening Window and the Gate and Matching Balustrade. Unfortunately, in doing so, the typesetter didn't know his turret from his elbow and managed to switch two of the labels around. The error was quickly corrected, but not before it had been repeated in the February, 1951 version of the sets #0 to #3 manual, 5th issue. Click on either of the two images [above] to see an image of the full page. Click here to see the October, 1950 sets #0 to #3 manual. Click here for the main Instruction Manuals Navigation Page.

Where's the BAYKO Factory Gone?
Sets #0 to #3 Manual - April, 1954 Address - Liverpool 3	Set #4 Manual - August, 1954 Address - Liverpool 1
Set #3X Manual - September, 1954 Address - Liverpool 3	Sets #0 to #3 Manual - January, 1955 Address - Liverpool 1
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.

The Case[ment?] of the Curved Windows

Once, and, as far as I can tell, only once, do Curved Windows appear in any of the model plans produced for BAYKO by either Plimpton or MECCANO... ...I'm not talking about the drawings of the models... ...I'm talking about the plans. Pretty well every time Curved Bricks are used, there are Curved Windows on the same Rod, and vice versa. As both were introduced in 1938, there are plenty of models in plenty of manuals... ...so why was the Curved Window drawn on only one plan - and even then in only two of the six possible locations? Curved Bricks may simply have been drawn in preference to Curved Windows because they were easier to draw! That clearly doesn't tell us why they did it just this one time - and I'm afraid I'm completely lost for an explanation! For the record, I've cheated slightly - the same Clubhouse model plan actually appears in two 1950s manuals : - ► On page 19 of the set #3X manual. ► On page 53 of the sets #0 to #4 manual.

I've coloured the Curved Bricks in Red and the Curved Windows in Green - click on the plan for more detail.

What Price a BAYKO Manual?
This is a strange one - March, 1949 saw the introduction of the first issue of what became the standard set #0 to #3 manual for the following ten years. As you can see, there is a distinct difference between the above front covers, first noted by Chris Boutal, yet both are from the same issue - one version [left, above] has no price, and one version [above, right] is priced at 1/6 [7½p]! I'm struggling to find an explanation for this one, but the most likely one is that the order for these manuals was called off from the printer in two or more batches, with the correction being made to the second, or later batches. I think this is much more likely than the price, which remained stable for some years, having been removed at some stage. A possible alternative explanation, which I don't favour, is that the manuals included in BAYKO sets didn't need to be priced, but those for retail sale did, so two different versions were produced. To me this is a non starter, as surely nobody would be daft enough to introduce such an unnecessary complication into their supply chain, for no identifiable gain. Click on either of the two images [above] to see larger images. If you want to know more about the March, 1949 sets #0 to #3 manual... ...click here to see the complete BAYKO manual. Just for the record, there is a small piece of supporting evidence that these covers are both kosher... ... the word "INSTRUCTIONS" over the top of the pricing space is, uniquely, in yellow, not the normal white.

Ramping up the Differences!!!
Oh all right, I admit it's another silly title, but I hope you'll find Chris Boutal's latest spot interesting. This one's quite simple, the earlier Ramp [above, left] has a simple, unreinforced corner. In contrast, the later Ramp [above, right] has a modest piece of extra plastic as a reinforcement to help strengthen the corner. This must have been deemed a success, because almost all Ramps have this modification, which was also retained throughout the MECCANO era.

Déja Vu - All Over Again - or - The Rubber Band Bounces Back!!!
	Chris Boutal reminded me about this - then I got started! The models shown in these images are basically the same. The issue is that the model has an unsupported 2-Brick Rod between the two Large Windows, above the open porch. This Rod needs to be held in place somehow... ...the recommended method is to use a Rubber Band. Initially [above, left] there was no mention of Rubber Bands. When the first sets #0 to #4 manual appeared, in August, 1954, [left] this omission was rectified. The sets #0 to #3 manual caught up in January, 1957 [above, right]. When MECCANO relaunched BAYKO, their first manual [below, left] they again dropped the Rubber Band... ...but they reinstated it in February, 1961 [below, right].
It's difficult to understand the mindsets that led to these inconsistencies, but I'm afraid it doesn't speak well for the corporate quality standards, or their view of the importance of the BAYKO building public! Click on any of the five images above to see a larger image of the manual pages.

Bricking it! - or - How MECCANO Cheated Even More Than Plimpton!
	The Yacht Club Boat House is a BAYKO model built from... ...Plimpton era set #2 [left, right hand model]... ...MECCANO era set #13 [below, left, left hand model]. The model needs all the Bricks available, i.e. 24 red and 21 white, having already replaced 6 white Bricks with Half Bricks. However, ideally, the model would use 20 red, the remaining 4 being substituted for what would, logically, be white ones. Plimpton did this with a red Brick at the right hand side of the wall round the upper terrace and probably another on the opposite side - which isn't actually visible. They also used one at the top back corner on the visible side and probably the equivalent on the opposite side, which, again, can't be seen. MECCANO didn't really think this through at all... ...having changed the angle of the drawing, they failed to recognise the need to make the Brick on the left hand side of the upper terrace wall a red one, so the walls don't match. They also replaced the Plimpton red Brick in the top back corner with a white one. This means they'd have to loose 3 more red Bricks 'out of sight' at the rear or far side of the model, which can't be done in a logical, symmetrical way. Thanks to Chris Boutal for this super piece of nerdism!

Plimpton Goes Green - Well Sort Of!
	Yet again we're into the silly season as far as titles are concerned... ...but that's nothing to the actual detail itself. If you look closely at the image [left] of page 16 of the January, 1957 sets #0 to #3 manual, you may just notice something a little strange. The title of the right hand model - "Double-Storey House" - is printed in green rather than the usual black. I can think of no logical explanation, or even an illogical one, so, for once, I'll keep quiet... ...except to say that the anomaly was 'corrected' in the next issue, the 19th. Click anywhere on the image to see a larger version.
At first I thought that was that, then I began preparing the 20th issue... ...if you look [right] at the title of the right hand model, you'll see that the printing gremlins are at it again! For some reason more than half of the title line has very clearly slipped to an angle of 10 degrees or so... ...click anywhere on the image to see a larger version... ...I can only assume this to be a legacy of the original green shift, or rather, of the subsequently fix. Sadly it's another example of poor 1960s printing standards - nobody who actually checked this could have failed to see it.

Confusion Surrounding the Introduction of Plimpton's Last New Parts
'MECCANO Magazine' between May and August 1958 carried BAYKO adverts, each carrying a flash saying "Attractive new parts now available from your dealer". Unfortunately, Plimpton never specified what they were... ...however, we know from a letter to retailers, that the Opening or Garage Doors emerged in mid 1959, with the T.V. Aerial [plus matching Chimney] and Ramp as the only other candidates. Quantities of these parts which have come down to us support the premise that they were available for eighteen months rather than just six. The new parts - excluding the Chimney, never identified as a distinct item - weren't mentioned in set contents lists until August [right] and September [below] 1959, when new sets #0 to #3 and sets #0 to #4 manuals, respectively, were introduced.
	Both mentioned the three parts in the sets #0 to #3 contents list, but only the Opening Doors in the conversion sets contents list. Sets #3X and #4 were correctly catered for in the set contents list [left]. From this we know that sets #0, #1, #2, #3 and #4 all included one Aerial, though, confusingly, so did set #3X, meaning that those who reached set #4 via the accumulation route got an extra one! By comparison Ramps were far more consistent, with one in sets #2, #3 and #3X and two in set #4. It should therefore be safe to assume that set #1X also included one. Opening Doors opted for confusion again. The set contents lists say there was one in sets #1X, #2, #3 and #3X and two in set #4. So where's the confusion? A separate communication to retailers clearly states that there was also one in set #2X!!!

Trial by Ones Piers!
Thanks to Andrew Twynham for launching me on this one. You don't often get four for the price of one - but you do here! ► Firstly, the tower on the model [above, left] is topped with two Bay Window Covers, leaving a gap. Why not use the set #4 Pinnacle Platform? My only answer is that, having used lots of red Half and Curved Bricks, the red topping was thought to look better. However, alternatively, this could just be a legacy of the non-inclusion of the Pinnacle Platform in the early set #3X, in 1951. ► Secondly, the model clearly uses 4 red Half Bricks on the visible side of the tower, so why does the parts list [above, right] only admit to 3? ► Thirdly, if you look closely at the upside down Curved Window at the lower left side of the tower, [left, below] you will see that it has been incorrectly drawn - the cross piece [transom?] has not been drawn. ► Finally, why is the red ink always missing from the top left hand corner of the Arch? [below, right]

Roof Ends Red?

This is definitely a strange one, not just because the part doesn't exist, but also because nobody ever seems to have noticed! If you look at the Roof End above the garage doors on the model [right] you can see that it is the same colour as the Arch, Curved Bricks and Bay Window Cover - i.e. Red. This is the only example I've found of this colour anomaly, and it is difficult to explain. MECCANO clearly demonstrated that coloured Roof Ends can be effective, but Plimpton, from the 1946 Patent Application onwards, never played with anything but white... ...except here... ...and, in case you hadn't noticed, this is a photograph!

...but that's Another Storey!

As I've said before, and may well do again, I'm not normally interested in spelling mistakes... ...but repeating the same error is more noteworthy... ...even if it is just twice... ...but on the same page! The manual page here [left] is page 4 of the often poorly printed manual for the special series of sets #20 to #23. In this case, the poor quality control extended to the script. The two models we are interested in here are in opposite corners of the page : - ► Upper left hand model - "Single-Story House with Look-out". ► Lower right hand model - "Double-story House". I think it's reasonable, given two identical errors on the same page, to assume that, rather than chance error, we're dealing with a shared inability to spell 'storey', possibly involving three people : - ► The original copy writer. ► The type setter. ► The proof reader.

The Case of the Coarse Course

This is nice and easy to describe, though not to spot... ...thanks to Gary Birch for his vigilance! Looking at the model you will see that there is only a single course of red brickwork around the bottom of the model... ...but the parts list for the model is for two red courses... ...and the set only has parts for the double red brickwork! Another example of the disconnect between the marketing and operational sides of the business - why didn't they actually use a set to build the model?

Fowl Treatment

I really do not understand this one at all... ...why go to the trouble of doing the work involved? If you look at the Poultry House model in the bottom right hand corner of page 5 of the first post-war manual [left] you can see that the Windows have been blacked out. I can understand that chickens couldn't be allowed to flout war-time blackout regulations... ...but surely this constitutes fowl treatment! Click anywhere on the image to see the Poultry House in more detail.

Bags of Typing Errors

I'm afraid I don't think I'll ever grow out of my love of bad puns - but sorry for the title. Those of us used to sets from the 1950s and '60s will be familiar with the boxes of accessories - Rods, Ties, Base Links, etc - included in all sets. By contrast, pre-war sets, oddly apart from set #4, don't appear to have had these. That makes it difficult to be categorical as to exactly why these cloth bags [right] were introduced. During the early post-war years, austerity was the name of the game and even the most basic raw materials were in short supply, and that includes cardboard. My belief is that, because post-war austerity sets had no internal partitioning, Plimpton needed something to stop the small metal parts rattling around loose in the box... ...cloth bags were their chosen solution... ...cardboard for boxes was in short supply. Whatever the reason, in this particular case, Plimpton managed to make a typesetting error with the specified quantity of 3-Brick Rods... ...they've marked the contents as 42... ...instead of 36. Just for the record, there are all sorts of variations on the bag theme, including unprinted versions and bags with the printing at ninety degrees to the orientation shown. Thanks to Chris Boutal for noticing this, and for the photo.

A Precedent for Everything or an Argument Against Going Green

I don't know whether to laugh or cry about this - you judge! The earliest Windows were green in name only, but from 1938 on, they were truly green, making this by far the most common colour, particularly the standard post-war shade. As a result, standard green Windows are worth a few pence. In complete contrast, white Windows are rare, with white versions of the post-war standard, cruciform windows being particularly rare, worth 100 times their green equivalent. So why am I telling you what you probably already know? Well, I've just sorted through a job lot of BAYKO I acquired a while ago, including the six Windows shown here [left]. The Windows have been sprayed to change their colour. Thankfully the painter didn't prime them properly, so we can now clearly see his handywork... ...as he sprayed his white Windows green!!!

Below here are links to related info : -

Click on any of the links below for related information.
Nerds Questions and Answers		Geeks Corner
BAYKO Rods		Hollow Rods
Tie Bars	Floors	Glazing
Screwdrivers		Launch of the Garage Doors
"Confused Brochure"		"Confused Leaflet"
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	Latest update - May 17, 2013