FORGOTTEN MECCANO
A world famous item from the days gone-by are the
MECCANO sets. It was truly a gem, giving hours and hours of bliss to youngsters.
They were beautifully made assemble yourself toy sets, with parts in steel plate, painted green and red. The screws were made of brass,
wheels with rubber tyres etc, etc. You could make hundreds of mechanical things
from the diagrams supplied or from your imagination. Since they had wheels,
winches, pulleys, cranks etc., they worked like the real things, giving no end of
enjoyment. We used to show our made items to all adults with pride, and discuss new ideas with friends at school. Later on just dismantle and make something new. No wastage !!
The sets were numbered 0 (smallest having less parts)
to 9 (having maximum variety of parts). There were in-between sets numbered
with an A to upgrade to a higher level (example - number 2A added to 2 made
your set equal to number 3, and so on for each number)
In those days these sets were imported from England and available in stores across India . Receiving
a set was the ultimate delight of us youngsters. And then we pestered our
parents for the next higher number or the upgrade number.
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Meccano parts, courtsy - Steve Hughes |
I believe the company has changed hands and the item is made under a different name in some other country. In
It is quite possible that playing with a MECCANO set produced more
engineers up to the 1960’s. With its disappearance, maybe the urge to become an
engineer also became less. Calculators and computers now motivate the youth to
become something else.
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Meccano 6,7,8. courtsy David Duggleby |
The time spent with MECCANO and the memories associated with it are something which only a person who has been a fellow user can understand.
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Meccano no 3, courtsy - David Dougleby |
yes, i remember it. the quality of this toy was superb..it is not available these days.Meccano is and always will be a 'creative' toy..
ReplyDeletehere kids have 'mechano'...but finding its parts is verrry difficult...some must be in dustbin...some here ..some there...
You are right that MECCANO encouraged many to become Engineers.Today calculators and computers motivate youth to 'have an easy life'..
Truly said Sir. It was a gem for us youngsters.
DeleteYes, I remember, long back,in my childhood, there was one MECCANO set in our house.Green and red pieces,different types of tools and parts ,made of very good steel...all in a big cardboard box.My brother, writer of this blog used to create different things, which showed his Mechanical skills.
ReplyDeleteNow MECCANO comes , but mostly made of plastic,or may be of steel ones too.Sadly, today children find Computersand other gadgets more interesting, hence MECCANO losing its popularity.
Sad...Kids now not showing much interest in Engineering skills.
Yes Manju, Meccano company sold out and the new owner (in Canada) make it with new thoughts. But the original gave millions of children pure delight.
DeleteVery true Lal Saheb,we during our childhood used to get thrilled with MECCANO on being able to erect imaginary objects.These days such inspirational toys are far to find.With the advent of computer and promotion of artificial intelligence young minds are leaning towards alien objects and loosing existential creativity.Perhaps, this is the reason majority of Engineers from prestigious IITs & Nits are opting for Indian Administrative Sevices,financial,cosultancy,management sectors.Shere waste of national resources and talent.Wish parents show right direction and arrest the drain.K B Mathur
ReplyDeleteTruly said Mathur saheb. The toys available now are more into war games, fighting etc. The creativity produced with Meccano is no more.
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