Hot BAYKO News!!!

This is a new, experimental page, which I hope you will enjoy.

The intent here is to provide information on anything and everything that's happening in BAYKO, in the BAYKO Collectors Club or elsewhere...

...I hope you enjoy it and find it interesting.

By popular request, the BAYKO Collectors Club is now actively encouraging members to set up mini-meets, small local meetings, outside the normal meeting timetable. The aim is to expand our promotion of construction toys in general and of BAYKO in particular. Apart from the increase in the number of chances this will offer members to talk about their favourite subject, mini-meets will hopefully encourage and allow an increased geographical coverage.

Almost any venue can be suitable - and remember, the earliest B.C.C. meetings were actually held in a founder member's front room! However, please bear in mind that some members or visitors may have to travel a significant distance, so some basic facilities and refreshments [tea or coffee] should be considered.

The BAYKO Collectors Club will be happy to provide organisers with advertising both through this website and through 'BAYKO News', the B.C.C. magazine, so remember to allow plenty of time for the publicity.

If you feel you would like to arrange a mini-meet in your area, the B.C.C. would be happy to offer help and advice...

The BAYKO Collectors Club is planning another big one - BAYKO 75 - a major exhibition to celebrate the 75th birthday of the world's first and finest plastic construction toy, which is to be held in 2009!

This will be the 3rd major anniversary exhibition, following up on the success of the Diamond Jubilee Exhibition in Liverpool in 1994 and the 70th Birthday BAYKO Exhibition in Sandy in 2004.

Several venues are being considered, including a return visit to BAYKO's home turf, but details won't be published until they are finalised to avoid any risk of confusion.

2 years sounds a long way ahead, but, you can't have too much planning time when you are putting together a major exhibition like this.

Peter Wicker has volunteered his services as exhibition coordinator, doubtless with much invaluable support from Brenda and I'm sure we all wish him well in the role...

...even more important, I'm sure you will give him your full support.

I'm certainly looking forward to participating in another major triumph for the BAYKO Collectors Club - watch this space.

Remember you heard it here first...

...2 of Leo's famous mega-buildings have been sold...

...and what's more, they're coming home!

The magnificent Empire State Building [left] and the superb Speke Airport Building [right] are the models concerned...

...but why are they going home?

The models have been bought by The Museum of Liverpool Life, part of The National Museums, Liverpool which already held a number of BAYKO documents referred to elsewhere on the site.

They hope to have The Empire State Building on display in a couple of months.

Congratulations to Leo...

...and also, of course, to the Museum of Liverpool Life for their taste and foresight!!!

The photo [left] was taken at the Diamond Jubilee exhibition at Sandy in 2004, the other [right] in the museum store.