BAYKO Product Details - 1939 to 1941
"NEW SERIES"

BAYKO parts were still made using BAKELITE and scarab powders - urea formaldehyde - but, by this time, plastic technology had advanced, enabling cheap, reliable, mass production of accurate colours to be moulded with greater precision.

This heralds a major period of change for BAYKO - indeed these sets bore the legend 'New Series' - unfortunately, as with so many things, the war severely disrupted this momentum.

Earlier parts were superseded but still available, individually, throughout this period : -

► Left & Right Steps

► Platforms

► Large Bases

► Full Corner Bricks

Despite these reductions, the new range of parts was now significantly broader than earlier in the 1930s, and the range of possible models was much greater.

End Bricks - replacing Full Corner Bricks.

Long Bricks and Large Windows.

Small Roofs were renamed Medium Roofs and a new Small Roof was introduced.

Straight Steps replaced the Left and Right hand Steps and Platforms.

Also significant was the switch from large brown Bases to a new, smaller size, initially available in mottled green.

Windows were the [now] more familiar 4-pane "cruciform" style rather than the 8-pane 'Georgian' style.

Wall Capping was no longer included - or was it? They weren't listed on the parts lists but were shown on demonstration models shown in the Set #6 instructions and I believe 6 of each were included in that set only.

They were also mentioned as being included in 'Games and Toys' in September 1939 and visible in the 'Toy Trader' of the same date.

I've seen, and had reports of, a few sets now, and it looks pretty certain that they were included.

Click here for further info from 'Games and Toys'.

BAYKO was now available in sets #1 to #6 with conversion sets #1C to #5C also available. E.g. a #4C set converts a #4 set into a #5 set.

The red and white Bricks, red Roofs and pale green Windows and Doors colour scheme was maintained.

However, any set could be ordered in the 'Oak' bricks, white windows, mottled green roof format, until the war and these parts were also available separately.

During this period, most sets were sold in Red boxes, but there are examples of sets in Blue boxes...

...this was true regularly during the 1930s and 1940s, but I've no idea why.

BAYKO production ceased around the end of 1941 as the factory refocused on supporting the war effort.

These were the first standard sets to include Curved Bricks and Curved Windows and so this is probably the date when an information slip warning children to use them carefully and to locate the Rods correctly, was included with BAYKO sets...

It's easy to refer to material shortages around the war as an assumed trigger for something which happened...

...here, at least, is documentary proof that Plimpton did have to adjust the product to take account of material shortages.

This label was stuck over page 3 of a 'New Series' set manual and clearly states that replacement Small and Medium Floors were included instead.

By the look of this slip [right], which is almost identical to the label above, Plimpton slipped it into some, at least, of their sets just before the war finally put an end to BAYKO production.

The label would only work for full sets, so the slip must have been used for conversion sets as there was no manual to stick a label in!

There was also a brief flirtation with Hollow Rods, around 1940, as a response to raw material shortages...

There are 4 main versions of the 'New Series' manual...

There was also a set of model plan cards...

You may want to know more about the full range of BAYKO manuals, if so...