Binns Road closes the gates for the last time.

I often think of this, the factory in Binns Road is closed in 1979. I seem to remember Mike Richardson and some others managed to get into the factory and tried to retrieve items being dumped into skips.Anybody got any of these stories to share,any members part of that group trying to rescue items from the factory ? What was left in the factory ? Such a shame nothing remains of the Meccano Factory

Hi Finja, A book will be launched next week at Sandown park. It was writen by the late Mike Richardson and Michael Driver. I think that it will answer your question. The Dinky Toys Encyclopaedia contains a full chapter about the Binns Road factory with many pictures.

Thank you DinkyCollect, sounds like I may have the answer soon?Can it be ordered via post and for how much ? I feel it may be one to put on the Christmas list.

Binns Road might have closed in November 1979,
but the place still attracts thousands of tourists who are drawn to this ' holy ' site.Well,
that might not be exactly correct,
but the place did attract one Dinky Toys enthusiast who travelled all the way
from
Australia to England,
and then dragged his reluctant family to Binns Road.Here is that intrepid traveller,
holding his 192 De Soto Fireflite that he brought back with him to its birthplace ! The 192 is probably one of the very few Dinky Toys to have made the return trip to Liverpool.It is also definitely the world ' s most travelled Dinky Toy as since that first visit to Binns Road on 14 August 2005,
it has accompanied its owner on travels to Ireland,
Denmark,
Sweden,
Finland,
Russia,
Belarus,
Poland,
Germany,
Greece,
Jordan,
Israel,
Turkey,
The Philippines,
and Singapore five times
and a further three times back to the south of England - all as the owner ' s good luck charm ! [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 08141126a_800x735.jpg [/img] In case you missed the De Soto ! ! [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 08141128___Copy___Copy -20140808.jpg [/img]

So have you worked out how many miles that Dinky De Soto has ' on the clock ' ?:
)

Yikes ! I have just completed calculating the distance we have flown together with my little good luck charm 192 De Soto since 2005
and it works out to be 260,
669kms
or 161,
972 miles,
based on my flight log.Actually it is more likely a little further as we have come into Heathrow on five occasions with each involving a few circuits before landing.:
) Now I am afraid not to pack it each time we fly ! :ohmy: Well,
that is its air miles travelled,
but not included are the ground mileage ! That is going to take a little longer to calculate as I never thought to record all our numerous tour coach ' s odometer reading at the start
and the end of each tour ! Then there was a four day Aegean cruise...! But I am still afraid not to travel,
including flying,
motoring,
sailing without that little Dinky Toy ! ! ! One big LOL ! !:
)

Hi Bruce,
You ' ve made me ashamed of myself.I only live 150 miles
or so away,
and I ' ve never been to Binns Rd.Pilgrimage ahoy ! Chris Warr.

A true Dinkymaniac should make a pilgrimage to Liverpool once in his lifetime indeed ! Being also a Beatle maniac
and a shipping history maniac,
Liverpool has been my destination several times in the early 2000s.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 1 -20140810.jpg [/img] Binns Road will be a disappointment if your expectations are too high,
because it really takes some imagination
and thorough map reading -
or nowadays using GPS - in order to find the sacred place of the factory (
which has completely vanished,
even no memorial
or whatsoever
).[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 2 -20140810.jpg [/img] Nevertheless,
I had a lot to do in the city centre,
visiting the nice museums
and doing some research in the Meccano Archives
and in the William Brown Library.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 3 -20140810.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 4 -20140810.jpg [/img] I dug up quite some nice stuff relating to the factory,
the site
and Meccano / Dinky Toys history in general.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 5 -20140810.jpg [/img] For a non - British citizen the Mersey Tunnel was an intriguing event too.I like these historical master pieces of technique
and architecture very much.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 6 -20140810.jpg [/img] A thrilling confrontation with the 1956 catalogue front cover ! [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 7 -20140810.jpg [/img]
And my search for the no.255 Dinky Toys Mersey Tunnel Police Van brought me to some officers of the Mersey Tunnel Police,
who were very helpful by sending me the documentation ands other photographic information I wanted to my home address afterwards.A contemporary Mersey Tunnel Police Van above.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 9a.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 9b.jpg [/img] On the basis of some of their information I immediately reconstructed some versions of the MTPV
after
returning home.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / 10.jpg [/img] At an antiques market in the Liverpool St.George

Jan I loved the photo taken of the entrance into the Mersey Tunnel
and comparing it with the June 1956 catalogue.Great stuff ! I wish we had more time in Liverpool,
but we were on our way to Carlisle
and then Inverness
and finally to meet a ferry at Scrabster going to The Orkneys.Next time.....if I can convince the better half that we really have to
go
back to Liverpool ! Kind regards Bruce

Continuing with what I posted earlier,
here are some more pictures of what was in place beside Binns Road in 2005.Unfortunately,
the favourite watering hole for many a Meccano employee,
The Railway Hotel has changed its role
and is now The Lyndan Guesthouse,
but according to their website is still a family - run pub - inn.[img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / IMG_2025_640x480.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / IMG_2032_640x480.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / IMG_2027_640x480.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / IMG_2026_640x480.jpg [/img] The ' Private Road ' that provided the entrance to the Works Offices
and the Administration block was located
where
the roundabout can be seen in the far distance.Bruce (150) August 2014

Jan & Bruce -- Great photos and info on our beloved Binns Rd. area and what is left of it. So sad that someone did not take the time to document the area better before it was demolished. Did Mike and Sue Richardson make any attempt to document the site via photos when they visited and found some relics there? And Jan, great job you did showing the catalog and then the photo of the tunnel entrance...so nice and Dinky did capture it well on the cover. Terry

At work assembling the 281 ' Pathe News ' Camera Car at Binns Road,
April 1967.The model was released in June,
so work was in full steam two months before building up sufficient stock to be distributed to the Meccano agents as well as being shipped around the world.Note the presence of several quite attractive young ladies ! [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / DAY3B9RW_719x416.jpg [/img] [img] / images / sites / default / files / old - forum - images / OA5D1PZ0.jpg [/img]