BAYKO Parts Price Lists

Arguably this document is, at least in part, a Flier, but justifies its inclusion in this section as well by also containing the earliest published Parts Price List that I've seen outside the BAYKO manuals.

Sets prices are at the top of the reverse side…

…with standard spare parts prices lower down.

To view a correctly orientated version of the front of this document, just click the image [above, left].

This Price Card shows the entire range of spare parts and sets available following the launch of the 'New Series' BAYKO sets in 1939. The 'New Series' period ran to around 1941 before the war needs overtook BAYKO. Based on the Set Prices quoted, I believe this card dates from 1940. There are several points of interest in the Parts Price List [top of section] : -

The wide range of [now] rare white parts which were available, including all three styles of Window, all four styles of Turret and the Bay Window Cover.

'Oak' Domes, which are extremely rare, are mentioned - but not Red ones! If you look [below] at the 1945 Price Post Card, you will see that this omission was continued…

'Oak' Pinnacle Roofs and Platforms, both of which are extremely rare, are not mentioned at all, though they certainly exist.

'Oak' Turrets are mentioned, in all four styles, though I only know of one Long Turret.

The Small Roof is, like its two larger cousins, stated as being available in Green - alas I have never seen one!

There are two further points of interest on the Sets Price List [above] which was on the back of the card : -

The similarity of prices between the 'New Series' sets and the earlier sets - compare those here with the first BAYKO Price List at the top of the page…

The fact that the Conversion Sets for the earlier style sets are still available, presumably as a service to existing owners, is interesting. This, perhaps, set the precedent which MECCANO followed some twenty years later after they too fundamentally change the product.

It is interesting to compare this Price Card, and of course its prices, with the one immediately below, which is around a year later.

There is one final, slightly confusing detail. The card actually has what certainly looks like a contemporary hand written comment “War Prices” on the Sets Prices side - I have cleaned this off the image shown. This makes no sense at all as the card below is certainly more relevant to war time, not least because the newly introduced Purchase Tax is included.

This is a later version, from 1941, of the earlier 'New Series' Price Card [above], and the differences are interesting. The right hand column of the Parts Prices [top of section] includes two new entries : -

Small Floors [9 x 13 holes] - we know from elsewhere that these were introduced just before the war as part of Plimpton's response to the metal shortage and high prices which lead them to replace Tie Bars.

Medium Floors [11 x 15] - this is slightly confusing as observation tells us that these were introduced in the early days, probably 1935. I therefore suspect that this was simply the correction of an initial omission from the earlier card, though that doesn't entirely explain the presence of Floors [23 x 15] in the list, these having been dropped, from sets at least, in 1935.

All the [then] standard Bricks have increased in price compared with the earlier version. We tend to think that 'price point' is a relatively modern marketing concept, yet the way that the increase has been implemented maintained the price, but reduced the number you got for your money.

The Set Price List has three points of interest : -

The conversion sets for the old series sets are still available.

The prices of all sets, and conversion sets of both series, have gone up substantially.

This Set Price List, for the first time, includes Purchase Tax [here charged at around 22.5%] which the budget introduced on April 6th, 1940.

BAYKO slowly but surely was unwinding itself from the second world war and Plimpton's war work.

The range of parts is based entirely on the pre-war 'New series' range and includes many of the more ornamental colours we all cherish, though the 'oak' and orange parts have gone…

…oddly though, the Domes are still only shown as only being available in White.

Notice that it doesn't include the Flat Roofs which were a key post-war innovation…

…nor does it include any of the pre 'New Series' parts.

You may also have noticed that the Steps are recorded as being red, which, as far as I am aware, never materialised - only grey Steps were produced after the war, or were they…

Chris Reeve owns a delivery note, dated October 17th, 1945 which specifically lists Straight Steps (red) as part of the dispatched order…

Also significant is the fact that there is no mention of ½-Brick Rods which were available almost immediately after the war, in sets.

Perhaps the most significant contents of the script is the statement, just below the Rods Price List, and repeated below the main Parts Price List, “Complete sets available Shortly”, which, vague as it is, is the only printed indication I've come across, thus far, as to when full scale BAYKO production resumed after the second world war.

This leaflet, shown courtesy of Peter Crook, represents the first post-war venture back into the familiar mix of set and parts prices on the same sheet. Peter owns one of these with a 1948 British Industries Fair sticker on it which nicely confirms the date for us, and places it fairly early in the year - the leaflet itself is undated. I'm please to say I've now acquired a copy of this leaflet.

In many ways this leaflet is most interesting for what is missing from the parts list. While the Turrets, Domes and Pinnacles are still there, though we know from elsewhere that availability was intermittent, the range of new parts featured on the leaflet [below] are conspicuously absent here.

Continuing a theme developed earlier [above] there is still no direct reference to Red Domes being available.

There is also a pricing detail worthy of note, compared with the postcard [above] - the Bay Window Roof has gone up by 50% to 3d [1.25p]!!!

I debated quite a long time with myself as to exactly where I should put this parts price list in this run of post-war Parts Price Lists. I settled on here, early 1949, for four main reasons : -

Its larger size and use of coloured paper point to its being an early, 'posh' post-war Parts Price List, an example of improved availability of such material as austerity slackened its grip.

There is a very careless error on the document [explanation below] which has been corrected in later documents.

We know from elsewhere that the increase in the range of 'Supplementary Parts' began in 1949.

There's another rather strange clue in that the Corner Bricks are only offered in White [possibly creating a range of 'fencing' with the Balustrades and Wall Bricks], Red not being offered until the April, 1949 Parts Price List [below].

I'm pretty confident that this is the right sequence, though it is feasible that this document was prepared for Christmas, 1948.

So what was the error I referred to above? Well, if you look at the front of the document, [left, above] specifically at the “Price List of “BAYKO” Supplementary Parts (Not Contained in Standard Sets No. 0, 1, 2 and 3)”, the bottom half of the list includes the four different Turret pieces.

Now turn over, as it were, and look at the rear of the document [right, above]. If you now look at the “Price List of BAYKO Separate Parts (Contained in Standard Sets)” you will see, just below half way down, that the four different Turret pieces are displayed there as well! Slide your mouse over the two images to highlight the 'Turret Trauma'.

An interesting point, if you exclude the 20s series sets, in which they were launched, none of the Turret pieces were ever included in any of the standard BAYKO sets.

For the record, there is actually a second anomaly. Domes are also mentioned twice- -just below the Turrets on side one, where both red and white availability is specified, and at the bottom of the list on side two, where no colour is specified.

I like this document, not just for its rarity, but because in it you can see the germ of the format which morphed into BAYKO's international standard Parts Price List that then served until Christmas, 1952.

This is also the first Parts Price List I've found so far which includes the ½-Brick Rods.

This is the first of only two documents [to date] in which the wording on 'longer' rods has been changed to the rather clunky phrase, “Larger Lengths of Rods Can be Supplied to Order”.

One final, rather strange detail, for some reason, no less that three times in total, Plimpton found it necessary to intimidate poor little Johnnie, or Jenny, into obeying the instruction, “When ordering Spare Parts state Colour required and Reference No.”

This document continues the segregated 'Supplementary Parts' section, but with the 'Turret error' on the previous document [above] now corrected.

This Parts Price List is printed on a not particularly good quality, off white, matt finish paper - and not very accurately. I have had to do quite a bit of work to tidy and straighten these images. Was this, perhaps, indicative of the speed with which the 'Turret error' was corrected, with quality being sacrificed in the hurry‽

Continuing a theme developed earlier [above] there is finally a reference to Red Domes being available.

This is one for the 'cock-up versus conspiracy' argument. According to the supplementary parts list on bottom half of the front of the sheet [left, above] Corner Bricks were still only available in White!

This is the last document in which the wording on 'longer' rods has been changed to the rather clunky phrase, “Larger Lengths of Rods Can be Supplied to Order”.

Finally, this is the last parts price list to refer to the Bay Window Cover as the “Bay Window Roof”.

The above document, dated April, 1949, is the earliest example I have of what, for a while, became a standard format for both domestic and export markets : -

Sets and supplementary parts prices on one side…

…and standard spare parts prices on the other.

The Price List below is dated only a month after this one, and yet the prices are significantly different. I think the difference is due to a change in the purchase tax rates catching Plimpton by surprise.

This is the first Parts Price List I've found so far which specifically mentions Red Corner Bricks.

This is the first parts price list to refer to the “Bay Window Cover” by that name.

The launch of this document, with its significantly enhanced range of parts, is quite well synchronised with the first post-war adverts in 'MECCANO Magazine', and 'Toy Trader', a leading publication for the toy trade. It strongly suggests that Plimpton were beginning to throw off the shackles of post-war austerity and rationing…

The above document, printer's coded February, 1950, is the next to follow the format : -

Sets and supplementary parts prices on one side…

…and standard spare parts prices on the other.

The above document, printer's coded May, 1950, is the next to follow the format : -

Sets and supplementary parts prices on one side…

…and standard spare parts prices on the other.

This is the first parts price list to mention the Side Windows and Bricks; the Opening Window; the Small Chimney; and the Gate and Matching Balustrade.

If you examine the parts prices, you will notice that they have taken a major price hit, while set priced remain unchanged - is this indicative of the significance of spare parts in the overall profit generation strategy?

The above document, printer coded April, 1951, again follows the familiar format : -

Sets and supplementary parts prices on one side…

…and standard spare parts prices on the other.

The set price list [left, above] contains the first reference to set #3X that I've found.

The set prices have now caught up with the parts prices in that there is a significant price hit on them - is this indicative of the significance of spare parts in the overall profit generation strategy?

This document carries the administrative ID code, Ref 2. There is a related BAYKO Flier, ID code, Ref 1, which carries exactly the same date code and has several style points in common, so this is a good reference point for comparing the two types of document…

The above document, printer coded October, 1951, yet again follows the by now tried and tested format : -

Sets and supplementary parts prices on one side…

…and standard spare parts prices on the other.

This is the first spare parts price list to mention the “3X Instruction Booklet”.

The above document, printer coded December, 1951, yet again follows the by now tried and tested format : -

Sets and supplementary parts prices on one side…

…and standard spare parts prices on the other.

The set price list contains the earliest mention of the availability of set #4 that I've found, though I suspect that the print date here is a little ahead of the actual release date and that the generally accepted date of February, 1952 still holds good.

The above document, printer's coded May, 1952, yet again follows the format : -

Sets and supplementary parts prices on one side…

…and standard spare parts prices on the other.

One notable point of interest here is that this is the last parts price list to offer from 9-Brick up to 12-Brick Rods as standard, subsequent lists stop at 8-Brick.

A smaller detail is that the [then] new manual is now referred to as “No. 4 Instruction Booklet”.

Although not particularly exciting, one significant detail of this Parts Price List is that the order in which the parts are listed is the traditional one, which doesn't really have a logical explanation other than tradition.

Dating this is comparatively easy given that the BAYKO set prices quoted, according to 'MECCANO Magazine', held good for eleven months in 1952, missing only January.

The Parts Price List, no longer subdivided between parts from standard sets and the so called 'supplementary parts', includes all the parts introduced early in the 1950s, but none of the later ones.

In a nutshell, here we have the seeds of BAYKO's demise, in that, apart from prices, nothing of any significance changed for the next six and a half years.

The main change here, a very welcome one, is a small drop in the prices quoted for BAYKO's sets #2, #3 and #4 together with conversion sets #1X and 2X.

The Parts Price List is still in the traditional order.

This is the last of this format to have the more intensely coloured version of the BAYKO logo.

Dating this is again comparatively easy given that the BAYKO set prices quoted, according to 'MECCANO Magazine', held good for just five months in early 1953, specifically January to May.

Thanks to Peter Bayless for these images.

The relatively short duration of these set prices, according to 'MECCANO Magazine', enables me to tie down the date quite accurately to June, 1953 through to January, 1955.

Yet again the change here reflects a BAYKO set price reduction, this time across the board.

Again there is no printer's coding to help narrow down the date of this particular version - not that it would help. There are examples of, otherwise, identical documents which do, have a code, but, the code has no date information.

This is the first of this format to have the less intensely coloured version of the BAYKO logo.

Thanks to Peter Bayless for these images.

If I'm completely honest, I find this version somewhat embarrassing. I thought I'd completed all the versions of this document a while ago - until I came across this one on eBay. Still, at least I was alert enough to spot it - this time! If you know of any other glaring omissions of documents you've got that I'm not displaying, then I'd love to hear from you…

There are two key changes here : -

The main change, a very welcome one, is a small drop in the prices quoted for BAYKO sets #2, #3 and #4 together with conversion sets #1X, 2X and #3X.

Secondly the Plimpton address has been made 'deliberately vague'. Logically this must be connected to the move to new premises which took place in September, 1955.

This is the last version of this type of parts price lists to have the parts listed in the traditional order.

Dating this is not too tricky - this time!

The prices for sets quoted here held good from February, 1955 until the end of 1958. Also, the parts list doesn't include the T.V. Aerial [introduced in mid 1958]. However, the key, I believe, is the address issue - they changed factories in September, 1955 - hence the dating of 1955 to early 1956.

There are two key changes here : -

The Parts Price List has been reorganised into more or less alphabetical order, e.g. Arches and Balustrades are now shown above Bases.

The address on the rear, while not fully admitting to their having moved to Tabley Street, now mentions “Liverpool 1” for the first time.

Dating this is slightly tricky at the moment.

The Plimpton company address is quoted as Liverpool 1 - they moved there in September, 1955 - but the document immediately above is 'deliberately vague' in its address, suggesting it was used to cover the transition.

The prices for sets quoted here held good from February, 1955 until the end of 1958. However, the parts list doesn't include the T.V. Aerial [introduced in mid 1958], hence the suggested dating of 1956 to 1958.

There are three noteworthy changes here : -

This is the first inclusion of the T.V. Aerial at the top of the Spare Parts Price List.

The Ramps are also included for the first time.

This is also the first inclusion of the three Accessory Packs - A, B and C.

Dating this Parts Price List is relatively easy!

The prices for sets quoted here held good from February, 1955 until the end of 1958. However, the inclusion of the T.V. Aerial and Ramps [introduced in mid 1958], suggest late 1958. The Plimpton company address, Liverpool 1 [they had moved there in September, 1955] also fits.

This is a surprisingly rare document, and is an overprinted version of the same Parts Price List as the document immediately below…

…which may, or may not, exist without the overprints.

The 'MECCANO Magazine' of February, 1959, uniquely, carries an advert with the same prices as those shown here. There can't have been too many of these in circulation as the prices reverted in the following month's issue.

Apart from the set price changes, which affected every set, there are no other changes to the previous document.

The overprint itself is in green ink, a little darker than that used for the rest of the document.

Not without a little confusion en route, Plimpton changed the prices of BAYKO sets in early 1959, eventually, to those shown here. Like the document [above], this is an overprinted version of price list E997…

…which may, or may not, exist without the overprints.

However, I am confident that the prices which were on the document before it was overprinted are the same as those shown on the previous version, from 1958. [above] This is reinforced by the fact that there is no mention of the Garage or Opening Doors in the main printed list, but Ramps are included.

Unlike the parts price list above, this one is overprinted in black ink.

As well as the set price changes, which affected every set, the front of the leaflet also includes the overprinted announcement : -

This overprinted version of the Parts Price List must have been introduced around June 1st, 1959, the launch date of the Garage or Opening Doors, as well as the date the set price increases were registered in 'MECCANO Magazine'.

Just for completeness, though I believe its timing is part of Plimpton's confusion at the time, there is a retailers card, dated April 6th, 1959, which quotes the same prices, suggesting a slightly earlier date for the prices, though not, I believe, for this document.

This particular version of the BAYKO parts price list must clearly date from the second half of 1959 as it mentions the Garage [or Opening] Doors, which were only introduced in the middle of that year…

…as well as the 3 different BAYKO Accessory Packs.

The fact that this is a completely new version rather than an overprint [above] strongly suggests that this is the later item. It is, I believe, the last of this particular line, probably dating from around October, 1959 and, almost certainly, surviving into early 1960, following the MECCANO takeover. This is the last version of this format of Parts Price Lists.

Back to a much simpler format with this much more utilitarian document from MECCANO - a BAYKO price list.

Surprisingly, given the date, this leaflet shows both BAYKO sets and the full range of spare parts from the Plimpton era.

There are several items on the list where there is no price quoted, and the young collectors are advised to, “Ask your Dealer for price”. Slightly confusingly the affected parts include both those that survived into the full MECCANO era, and those which didn't - indeed, the same is true of those where a price is quoted, so it's difficult to spot a logical reason for this.

This BAYKO price list is dated as May, 1960.

This all seems to suggest that MECCANO's flirtation with Plimpton era product was more structured than previously thought…

…though there are several parts [and all the sets] which have no marked prices, so they may not have been available.

Sadly there are no MECCANO part numbers for the Plimpton era parts which MECCANO dropped when they restructured BAYKO.

This Price List should be viewed in contrast to those below, which are identical in style, but, of course, they contain details of MECCANO's own production.

Thanks to Mick Burgess for this one.

The above document, printer's coded July, 1961, is deliberately shown out of date order as it is so different from the other documents with Spare Parts prices, allowing me to show them in an uninterrupted run.

You could put together a strong case that this is really a Flier, aimed at the non-BAYKO-set owner, particularly with its emphasis on the on-going play value of completed buildings, however, given that it includes the prices of all the MECCANO era BAYKO spare parts, it seems appropriate to include it here as well.

Either way, in Spare Parts Price List terms, this is the first to use the full pounds, shillings and pence format for the sets, continuing the precedent set by the document below.

Here MECCANO is repeating the price list format from above, but this time with the more predictable MECCANO era BAYKO sets and parts.

This shows the prices for both BAYKO sets and the original range of MECCANO era spare parts as, they applied shortly after BAYKO's relaunch.

This BAYKO price list is dated as February, 1961.

This Price List should be viewed in contrast to the one below, just six months later…

…you'll notice that the prices had already gone up!

This particular MECCANO BAYKO parts price list does not feature the dimensions of the four Roof sizes - most of the others [below] do, though I've never fully understood why.

This is the first Spare Parts Price List to use the full pounds, shillings and pence format for the sets, rather than just shillings and pence, setting a precedent for all future documents.

Thanks to Neil Baldry for this one.

Again the same price list format as above, indeed, with the same prices…

…though it's worth comparing them with the list below, just three months later…

…guess which way they changed!

For some strange reason, this particular version of the leaflet is 6mm [= 0.24 inches] longer than its stablemates!

This, again, shows the prices for both BAYKO sets and the original range of MECCANO era spare parts as they applied still less than a year after BAYKO's relaunch.

This BAYKO price list is dated as May 1st, 1961.

One of the more unusual features of this price list is that it still does not include details of the actual dimensions of the 4 different sizes of Roof pieces, which all subsequent versions do.

This Price List should be viewed in contrast to the one below, after the launch of the new parts…

…you'll notice that the prices had gone up again!

One minor detail, the printer's code includes the phrase “(3rd P.)” which I can only assume means this is the third print run.

Again the same price list format as above, but, alas, not the same prices…

…guess which way they've changed!!!

This, again, shows the prices for both BAYKO sets and the original range of MECCANO era spare parts as they applied still less than a year after BAYKO's relaunch.

This BAYKO price list is dated as August 1st, 1961.

One of the more unusual features of this price list is the inclusion of details of the actual dimensions of the 4 different sizes of Roof pieces…

…apart from the similar price lists below, I can't bring to mind any other example in BAYKO's history where dimensions are given in inches…

…every other example I can think of uses the number of holes or, in the case of Rods and Pillars, how many Bricks match their length / height.

This Price List should be viewed in contrast to the one below, after the launch of the new parts…

…you'll notice that the prices had gone up again!

One minor detail, the printer's code includes the phrase “(4th P.)” which I can only assume means this is the fourth print run.

Again the simpler format with this MECCANO era BAYKO price list.

This shows the prices for both BAYKO sets and the final range of spare parts as they applied at the end of BAYKO's life. Sadly there has been a significant increase in both the sets and spare parts prices.

The printer's code dates this BAYKO price list as April, 1962, matching the date at the top. It also includes “3rd P”, which is slightly confusing, given the previous two versions above.

Clearly the most noteworthy point here is the first mention of set # 15 and conversion set #14C - and, of course, the range of new parts…

…though we appear to be a little premature as the sets weren't actually launched until August, 1962.

The use of actual dimensions for the four BAYKO Roof sizes is in evidence again.

A further point of interest is the comment at the top of the leaflet : -

This flier, apart from the changed date, print coded June, 1962 in this case, is almost identical to the one above. The prices quote are identical.

The printers code also includes “4th P”, which continues the confusion as to exactly what this means.

It maintains the comment, at the top of the leaflet : -

Strangely, the prices haven't actually changed!

There is, however, one interesting addition, which appears to give us an accurate date for the launch of the MECCANO era BAYKO Retail Packs : -

This date is further confirmed by a MECCANO general products order form, also dated June, 1962…

They still took the trouble to include, in inches rather than Brick-equivalent, the BAYKO Roof dimensions.

Yet again the pricing information is the same as the two fliers above…

…no price increases!

The reference to the MECCANO era BAYKO retail packs is still there…

The earlier reference to withdrawal of Purchase Tax Surcharge has been replaced by…

…the exception, I'm pretty certain, only refers to the manuals and leaflets, which were exempt - as indeed they would be today from the dreaded V.A.T.!

The Roof dimensions are still there.

I find this very strange…

…unless I've missed something, the contents of this list, including all the prices, are identical to the one above, which is 9 months older…

…but if you look at the type-setting, it is significantly different in a number of ways - it's no wonder MECCANO were having profit problems.

The printer's code dates this BAYKO price list as August, 1963…

…I can't be absolutely certain, but this may well be the last of the BAYKO fliers as the product came off the market early in 1964.

Either way, it comes pretty close to being BAYKO's swan song…

…if you know any different and can help with information on a later flier or price list, them I'd love to hear from you.

…perhaps you can explain why the BAYKO Roof measurements are still included!

The dating here is simple - it says 1965 in the top left hand corner! The month comes from the date code in the bottom left hand corner.

I think this document quite nicely supports the theory that, between 1964 and 1967, MECCANO really adopted a minimum spend policy for BAYKO…

…this document is certainly never going to impress!

I strongly suspect that this document was only really intended for use by the retailer, rather than be handed out to the customers, but, as I can't prove it, I thought I'd best include it in this section.

Nevertheless, the full post-1962 range of MECCANO era BAYKO parts is still arrayed in all its glory.

Still, don't complain - still no price increases.

Oddly, the Roof dimensions have even made it this far!