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MECCANO SETS
1970-2010 |
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Until
1970, Meccano UK and Meccano France used different colour schemes. In the UK, it was
already blue-yellow-zinc, but in France it was blue-gold-red.
In 1970 important
changes take place, giving birth to what might be called the Modern Meccano
Period.
The UK and French productions are rationalized, using the same colour
scheme (blue-yellow-zinc), and offering the same entirely new range of sets. It
should be said, though, that there were differences on the shades of blue and
(mainly) yellow, and that all the sets 1 to 8 were "promoted" to the
next number, being the old set number 9 dropped altogether. In other words, a new
set number 5 was basically an old set number 4...
In 1981, following the collapse
of Meccano owners, Airfix, all the production is shifted to Calais, France.
Close to 400 new Meccano sets were introduced since then.
From the point of view of the Meccano range of products, four differently characterized periods can be identified on the
1970 to 2010 time span.
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1970 -
1981 (UK)
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 To
the core of the range, consisting mainly of Sets 1 to 10, two Clock Kit sets are
added in 1972. These were soon to be followed by five new Theme Sets, the
Multikits. In 1978 all sets 1 to 8 are phased-out and a new range of sets 1 to 5
is introduced.
In November of 1979 the legendary Binns Road factory is closed.
Production in
the UK continues, albeit at a low level, in Airfix facilities. A new
series of One Model Sets, the Action Packs is introduced in 1981.
Still in the
same year, Airfix collapses, and all the Meccano production is shifted to
France.
Set lists for this period are being completed, and will be made available for download as soon as ready.
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1970 -
1985 (France) NEW (Dec
2011)
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 From
1970 to 1981, the French range consists mainly of Sets 2 to 10, identical to the 1970-1977 UK
ones, complemented by Meccakit sets, similar in concept to the UK Multikits, but
different from these.
After
the transfer of all production to France, in 1981, sets 2 to 10 remain unchanged
(but available only to the French market). The Meccakits are dropped.
New sets are introduced for the UK market. Most of them were already in the development stage at Binns Road, prior to its closure, in 1979.
One
list is available for download. It includes all the Sets of the period,
organized on three different categories: Standard (progressive) Sets, Theme
Sets and Ancillary Sets & Products. Within each category, the Sets are
organized by Series.
To
download the list click on the picture at the right.
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1986 - 1998
UPDATED
(Dec
2011)
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 Following Meccano takeover by
Mark Rebibo in 1985, the whole range is reassessed.
Some changes take place already from 1986 to 1988, but it is from 1989 onwards that major developments start to show up.
With the phasing out of the No.10 set, in 1992, the old range becomes history.
New Series are introduced. Yet, the core of the range still consists of progressive sets, now numbered 1 to 6.
One
list is available for download. It includes all the Sets of the period,
organized on three different categories: Standard (progressive) Sets, Theme
Sets and Ancillary Sets & Products. Within each category, the Sets are
organized by Series.
To
download the list click on the picture at the right.
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1998 -
2010 UPDATED
(Dec
2011)
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 In 1998 the progressive sets concept is abandoned. From then on, the range consists mainly of
Theme Series, complemented by Special Edition sets.
Two different
set lists are available for
download. Including all the sets released during the period, one of the lists is organized by set number, the other by Series.
There
is a third list, organized by Series, including only the 26 new sets
introduced in 2010.
To download the lists click on the picture at the right.
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