Welcome to -
‘ABOUT’ the “BAYKO Man” Website

Hi, I'm Pete Bradley, A.K.A. “The BAYKO Man” and I'd like to welcome you to the ‘ABOUT’ page of the baykoman.com website [the world's biggest and brightest BAYKO website]. I hope you find this page and the entire, almost 500 page, site useful, interesting and enjoyable. I've used a W.C. - or BOG Standard - format for this page - just look at [almost] all the section titles to see what I mean!
WHAT?
This site is dedicated to anything and everything related to BAYKO Building Sets. They were originally known as BAYKO Light Constructional Sets, which was basically a harmless pun on the name BAKELITE, the [then] up to the minute, in deed fashionable, plastic material from which the early BAYKO parts were made.
My Cathedral model, on display at Merstham
BAYKO was the world's first [and finest!] plastic construction toy. FACT ! ! !
Copy of a BAYKO 'with compliments' slip from the second half of the 1950s
BAYKO was produced in Liverpool throughout its life, bang in the middle third of the 20th century - i.e. between 1933 and 1967 - though its active marketing programme was slightly more restricted - i.e. between 1934 and 1964.
The website aims to be light hearted and fun, without sacrificing either accuracy or thoroughness - there are even some unashamedly nerdy bits for you to enjoy!!!
The site is built in several sections that are reflected in the yellow links panel. [left]
I've adopted “The Flaming Baykoman” animation [below] as the site logo [the flames were done for me] - I can't think what inspired its title!
WHO?
Warning!!! - Please be careful, and try not to get too over excited by the glories of these two stunning photos of your genial website host!!!
Picture of me as a child - including early evidence of my addiction to ice cream!
My name is Pete Bradley.
Picture of me in<br>my BAYKO jumper.
Born 1950, Blackburn, Lancashire, U.K.
Now live in Congleton, Cheshire, U.K. - I've obviously got posh!
Played with computers since 1967 - I might even get it right some day!
Married for more than 32 years.
Divorced - but open to offers!
Addicted to BAYKO since 1956 - there's no known cure!
Support Blackburn Rovers and Lancashire County Cricket Club - frustratingly!
Often obsessive lover of armchair archeology, birds, bridge, cinema, comedians, cricket, curry, food, football, ice cream, islands, model railways, puzzles, Rugby [League before Union], stately homes, Swarkestone Bridge, Transporter Bridges [and other architectural or engineering eccentricities], theatre [but definitely not musicals], travel, wild life and more curry - and even more ice cream!
Visitor of sports grounds - all 92 English Football League, all top three Rugby League divisions, all Rugby Union Premiership, and all County Cricket Grounds. Would you believe it, I'm even a world record holder‽
Proud member of the BAYKO Collectors Club - why don't you join us‽
I'm also virtually always available for : -
'Childhood' / 'Heritage' / 'Model' / 'Toy' / 'Train' exhibitions, Heritage Centres, Museums or Toyfair displays, etc.
Talks to Buffs, Church Societies, Collectors Clubs, Historical Societies, Inner Wheel, Libraries, Masons, Mosque Societies, Mothers Unions, Museums, Probus, Rotary, Round Table, Schools, Scouts etc., Soroptimists, Synagogue Societies, U.3.A., W.I., etc.
4th plinths, b'nai mitzvah [other coming of age ceremonies are available], BRIT awards, ceilidhean, celebrity weddings, christenings [other naming ceremonies are available], coffee mornings*, Coronations, corroborees, covid-compliant office Christmas parties[], cruises, Cup Finals, Eisteddfodau, funerals, Golden Weddings, Golf majors, Investitures, jamborees, Jubilees, Lord Mayor's Shows, M.O.B.O. awards, Nobel Prize awards, Olympic opening / closing ceremonies, Oscars, Presidential inaugurations, Preston Guilds, Soap awards, stag / hen parties, state openings of parliament, Superbowls, Tony awards, weddings, World Cup Finals, yacht parties, Zoos…
 
 
For social clubs, there is a FEE of EITHER £1,000,000 to myself, OR £40 to a local charity of the club's choice!
 
*n.b. - Sorry, but not at cats' homes or stables - I'm violently allergic to cats and horses!
 
As my fellow bridge players might say - No Trumps.
Freeola Logo, my ISP and web host
WHERE?
Freeola Logo, my ISP and web host
My I.S.P. [Internet Service Provider] and [free!!!] Web Host is FREEOLA, who have provided me with a reasonably priced, friendly, helpful and reliable service from the very beginning, and with whom I continue to be extremely satisfied…
…their uptime percentage record is spectacular.
 
WHEN?
friday 13th scaredy cat
Calendar page image
The baykoman.com website was launched in 1999 - if I remember correctly…
…and it certainly won't stop growing, or being improved and updated…
…until I do!!!
For Copyright purposes, as well as fulfilling part of the general site communication policy, the top line of the 'Copyright section' [displayed, in orange, immediately below “The Flaming Baykoman” site logo, at the bottom of each and every page] shows the date on which that page was most recently updated.
This is an automatic function, which updates every time the page is saved…
…but let's be realistic, with nearly 500 pages, that ain't going to be every day!
HOW?
Perhaps I should have gone with the French question “Comment?” [= “How?”] in order to fully comply with the W.C. theme‽
Mainly through the use of DREAMWEAVER, PHOTOSHOP and FIREWORKS software. There are also a few other clever bits of software thrown in [bought or copied!] including the occasional bit of Javascript, a computer programming language which I, personally, do not speak!
Inverted Question Mark
One useful regular feature lets you click on most images, launching a larger version of that image, or occasionally a relevant BAYKO-related extract, in a separate window which self-closes after two minutes, if you don't choose to do it sooner.
Question Mark
Every image on the site [in line with standard web protocol] has an ‘Alt’ text [= ALTernative text], to support text-only browsers - for the visually impaired, etc.
Slide your mouse over any image or hyperlink - a ‘Tool Tip’ will appear, explaining relevant information. Some images will also change, either to highlight BAYKO information, or to provide a demonstration, e.g. how a BAYKO Flier is folded.
To help you navigate around the site, there's both a site map and an internal site search engine, powered by ZOOM Software - yes, I found them first!
There are more specific details on the site's various software systems and standards, which I've adopted, on the Geeks Corner page in the Nerds Corner Section!
I am, as Terry Jones, in the 'Life of Brian' script, almost put it, "a very naughty [e-]boy" - I've used both Frames and html Tables throughout, both of which the e-snobs thoroughly denigrate [who cares‽]…
…they're easier to use, particularly for beginners, and they work…
 
 
…and I'll certainly back my page loading times against most…
…don't tell me that's not important - tell the surfers, I dare you!
Carrot!
CARROT?
Carrot!
All information provided, identified, or simply suggested, by someone other than me, is always [gratefully!] given full attribution, alongside that information, on the site.
Club!
CLUB?
Club!
You can't have too much of a good thing - and the BAYKO Collectors Club is an extremely good thing! If you're interested in BAYKO, or, indeed, any other construction toy, you'll be made very welcome. Why not bring along one of your latest projects and/or some of your more recent acquisitions, and tell us about them - in other words show them off - we're a very receptive audience!
Cock
COCK-UPS?
Cock
I was married for far too many decades to labour under the misapprehension that any mere mortal male can be perfect, and modesty forbids…
Even the best run websites aren't immune to the dreaded cock-up!!! Should you find any of the, doubtless, many errors and omissions, or, equally, should you disagree with anything I've said, then I'd be very grateful if you'd email me to let me know, so that [A.S.A.P.] I can make the appropriate corrections, changes or additions…
For the record, in the age old battle for credibility, I favour the cock-up theory of life, definitely NOT the conspiracy theories - any pathetic one of them.
CONTACT
CONTACT?
CONTACT
There are “Contact Me” links on every single page of the website, and also at the bottom of the green section of the control panel. [left]. Please, I encourage you to feel free to contact me, with new information and suggestions or for clarification, help or advice with a BAYKO-related issue, or just for a good old natter…
CONFIGURATION?
Immediately below is a much simplified schematic of the baykoman.com Configuration and file structure.
BAYKOMAN.com Site Configuration Schematic


The 'Flaming BAYKOMAN' site logo

Latest update - August 9, 2022
The BAYKO name and Logo are the Registered Trade Mark of Transport of Delight.
© COPYRIGHT - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
WEBMASTER - PETE BRADLEY.