Meccano Factory Drawings

I am agree with you Jan ! I have two sons (and a girl) and no one are interested in Dinky Toys. They pass in front of my cabinets without any look to the toys. The question that is coming often is : what are we doing with all that when you will have left ? Same thing for all their friends : absolutely no interest for my Dinky Toys. In fact, I have to stop buying and start to sale ! euh !!....... it's not for to-morrow ! Richard

After my overhaul of the displays my Streamlined Tanker drawing had to make place for Dinky Toys. In the process of creating a new safe place for preservation I had the drawing lying on the table this morning with a very nice view against the light. I took my camera and took some shots, unveiling the multitude of corrections made in such a drawing. I cannot show them here in full detail, but I show them in order to underline the importance of the original drawings (and not just an image of them). One more or less overall view and two more detailed ones, of which I deliberately increased the contrast. A wealth of information, still to be discovered, trials, mistakes, corrections, adaptions - if only we had them all together, in hands, against the light. Yes, there should be a good public research archive and study room for all of them ... Kind regards, Jan

To complete the John's loaded sack drawing, published in the October Journal, here are the sacks loaded on a Leyland Comet. Cheers Richard

Dear Jan, With reference to your post dated 01 21 2013 above, could you please post the page on which the Austin van is designated with 32a and named Austin 'Service Van'. My 1954 USA catalog shows 470 Austin Van 'Shell BP'.Thanks and regards. Jacques.

About these factory drawings, I often read the word 'dieline' which should probably be 'die line'. Any way, what does this mean, I can not find it in my technical dictionary or the Harrap's or any other on the net. Thanks for helping an illeterate foreinger.

Hi Jacques, I have cropped two sheets (9 + 10) of the Index to Dinky Toy Job Lists, memo 20112 of 13 August 1961, and show the relevant details below. Although this list was compiled ca. 7 years after the renumbering operation, it still refers to the old, obsolete reference numbers. The Trojan Oxo 31d/453 happens to be the only one lacking the old number, whereas this van was hardly ever referred to as 453, because it was discontinued immediately after the renumbering. For the Austin and Bedford vans, however, it is obvious that the first issues (Shell-BP and Kodak) the respective (old) numbers 32a and 32c were attributed to. The other, later liveries had only new numbers. Which one was meant to become 32b???? Unfortunately, I exceptionally and stupidly did not make a foot note to that remark about the 1954 US catalogue occurrence of 32a and the name 'Service Van'. I hope I will find the source for that remark for you. I cannot have made that up. Perhaps it was not a regular catalogue, or a different issue, or possibly a general Meccano catalogue or a list for retailers only? I have no US 1954 Dinky Toys catalogue myself, so I cannot check. In my opinion dieline copies - often referred to as such in the Christie's catalogues of several auctions in the 1990s - are the blueprint-like copies that were distributed within the factory, among the various departments (see distribution list below). These contrary to the originals, drawn in Indian ink on especially prepared drawing fabric (of which by nature only one of each exists). Kind regards, Jan

Jacques (and Jan) When I was working in Papua New Guinea, at one time I was the Land and Building Officer for the Department of Agriculture. I was required to liaise with the Department of Lands in regard to land my department required. A survey was carried out, from which a proper plan was prepared. A copy of this plan was then sent to us. This copy was referred to as a dieline copy, similar only larger than a photocopy. During those days, the only 'photocopier' we had was an infrared copier, whose copies tended to fade especially if exposed to sunlight. We then progressed to a sort of white paper copier and then eventually to the fore-runner of today's copy machines. The dieline machine was large, almost huge in size as it had to copy large survey sheets. The plan copy, similar to tracing paper was inserted and then a copy was made of the drawing/plan. Anyway, that is a dieline copy machine from which dieline prints originated - which is what Meccano would have used. If need be I can contact some of my friends who were draughtsmen in the Department of Lands and they will be able to provide a far better explanation. Kind regards Bruce (150) 24 February 2016 #798

Bruce, Do you remember if the machine smelt of amonia ?

Hi all, On the thread for the Muir-Hill dumper is a request for some information about the drawings from the French factories. The Dinky toys Encyclopaedia has a link to all the 133 models French or English for which I have been able to find a drawing. Unfortunately the collectors who owns such drawings are not willing to scan and publish them. The reasons are : I have paid for them or they are fragile and may be damaged in the copier. We have had this discussion before on TMT.I know several collectors who own such drawings but there is no way to obtain a digital copy. These are the copies of drawings that Vincent Espinasse (l'Auto Jaune) is selling at a resonable price. Unfortunately, unlike the drawings from Liverpool, these do not mention any variations and there is almost no information to recover from them not even the parts list. What was the use of these drawings in the factory ? This lot of 18 drawings is available from unsafe link at the price of 40 .As far as I know, there are two types of drawings saved : the models drawings and the dies drawings. Some of these dies drawings like for the A.M.X. 13 body show that the die had two cavities.

The Renault Coca Cola truck and the Facel Vega would have been nice models, such a pity they did not reach the production stage. were there many other intended French models that were never made? - Kevin.

Jacques. Thanks for the information about the Meccano drawings and the way to buy copy drawings from Vincent Espinasse. Wow, what an extensive DT collection he has. I have seen several videos of it. Perhaps the biggest DT collection in the world? I had never heard of him. It looks like he just has a store and you can buy different models from him. It seems to be the largest model car store in France? Have you ever met him and seen his DT collection? Does he only have a French DT collection? I have seen he has a auto jaune blog. Jan Oldenhuis, 26-1-2018

44 models are known to have been planed at Bobigny and not issued. There may be more.106 models are known to have been planed in Liverpool and not issued. There may be more. The complete list is on the CD : home page, link 'Not issued'.