HISTORY OF BAYKO
BAYKO is a construction toy based on plastic and metal components. It can be used for building
houses, churches and also railway buildings for train layouts. Originally intended as a child's toy, it now has a world
wide group of grown up enthusiasts.
BAYKO was invented
by CHARLES PLIMPTON who wanted to pioneer the use of BAKELITE plastic for the building of models. His system was based
on positioning plastic bricks, windows and doors between metal rods which had been inserted into rows of holes in a plastic
base structure. Floors were inserted, based on paper/phenolic resin industrial laminate material. Plastic roofs
completed the structure.
Because
of the colour limitations of BAKELITE, the original pre-war BAYKO sets had parts that were brown and various shades of dark
green, together with cream coloured parts produced using aminoplastic thermosetting moulding compounds. Subsequent resin
development by BAKELITE LTD and also by BRITISH INDUSTRIAL PLASTICS LTD provided moulding materials with paler colours such
as red, orange and lighter green.
CHARLES PLIMPTON
is thought to have developed the concept of BAYKO after studying a Dutch system, MOBACO, which involved cardboard parts inserted
between wooden vertical posts positioned into a cardboard base. PLIMPTON is also likely to have been influenced by the
French system, BATISS, which had wooden parts supported by metal rods inserted into a compacted resin bonded paper composite
base. It is interesting to note that the spacings between the rows of holes in the BATISS bases are similar to those
in BAYKO bases but the BATISS metal rods were of slightly greater diameter than BAYKO rods.
PLIMPTON patented BAYKO in 1933 and rushed out his first construction sets for Christmas
1934. He called the toy BAYKO LIGHT CONSTRUCTIONAL SETS, the words "BAYKO LIGHT" being a pun on the word "BAKELITE"
which had been registered by the Belgian chemist DR LEO HENDRICK BAEKELAND, who had invented BAKELITE in 1907.
The original BAYKO sets ranged from Set 1 to Set 5 with Converting
Sets 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A. In 1935 a Set 6 was introduced, originally with mottled "oak" brown bricks and white
windows and doors, and later in 1938 with red and white bricks and green windows and doors.
A series of "Ornamental Additions Sets" A, B and C was also introduced in 1935,
to be followed in 1936 by Sets 20, 21, 22 and 23 which featured orange parts and curved parts. In later pre-war sets,
the brown parts were replaced by red parts and Set 5A was introduced.
In 1939, just before the Second World War, PLIMPTON replaced his original series of BAYKO sets with his "New
Series" of Sets 1 to 6, with Converting Sets 1C, 2C, 3C, 4C and 5C. The New Series contained various modified parts,
including smaller bases, and developed the use of curved bricks and curved windows which had been introduced in Sets 20 to
23.
Production of BAYKO was halted during the war
in 1942 but resumed in 1946. The post war sets ranged initially from Set 0 to Set 2, with Converting Sets 0X and 1X.
Sets 2X and 3 were introduced in 1947. In 1949 and 1950 some new parts were marketed and these were included in Sets
3X and 4 which were introduced in 1951. The new parts offered greater scope in designing the model buildings.
This series of sets is referred to as "post war Plimpton Bayko" to distinguish it from the subsequently marketed
"Meccano Bayko".
CHARLES PLIMPTON died in
December 1948. During the post war period the models still tended to be based on designs from the 1930s and were gradually
becoming somewhat dated. However there were some modernisations in 1957 and 1958 such as the introduction of transparent
glazing material and TV aerials. New technology was also introduced with the manufacture of some parts by injection
moulding using the thermoplastic material polystyrene.
An attempt at modernisation came in 1960 when MECCANO purchased the PLIMPTON ENGINEERING CO business. Thermoset
plastic parts were completely replaced by polystyrene and this allowed lighter colours to be introduced such as
pale green, yellow and bright red. However, following the MECCANO takeover, the changes in manufacturing
operations, the closure of Plimpton's factory, transfer of production to the MECCANO factory, product re-design and re-tooling
led to a shortage of BAYKO availability in the shops. This came at a time when LEGO was becoming more established.
MECCANO attempted to modernise the design of the model buildings and they introduced much needed new parts. Unfortunately
there was only a limited amount of marketing and advertising support for BAYKO at that time.
MECCANO BAYKO was initially in Sets 11, 12, 13 and 14 which were the equivalent of PLIMPTON
BAYKO Sets 0 to 4. The MECCANO BAYKO Converting Sets were 11C, 12C and 13C. All of these sets were launched in
December 1960. Set 15 was introduced in 1962, corresponding to PLIMPTON BAYKO Set 4, and with Converting Set 14C being used
to upgrade from Set 14. Sets 14C and 15 contained some interesting new parts such as dormer windows.
However it was all too late and by 1963 competition from LEGO and AIRFIX building sets
was becoming more intense. Instead of promoting BAYKO against LEGO, MECCANO appear to have focussed on developing CLIKI
which was similar to LEGO but more complicated to build with. Advertising of BAYKO had been discontinued in 1963 and
CLIKI was launched in 1964. Production of BAYKO finally ended in 1967. The CLIKI system was also discontinued
having only lasted a few years.
BAYKO 75
In
May 2009 there was a BAYKO EXHIBITION held in Merstham in Surrey to celebrate 75 years since CHARLES PLIMPTON developed
his BAYKO LIGHT CONSTRUCTION SETS. Exhibits included giant models
of a 32 ft Seaside Pier, a 9 ft x 4 ft Cathedral, models of Buckingham Palace and the Houses of Parliament and a Skyscraper.
There was also a comprehensive display of BAYKO boxed sets from the 1930s to the 1950s.
More information about BAYKO can be obtained from:
www.baykoman.com
