Category:Dinky Builder

Toy Brands and Manufacturers
Dinky Builder
1934 -

1935: catalogue image [image info]

1935: Dinky Builder advert in Meccano Magazine [image info]

1936: advert on the inside cover of Meccano Magazine [image info]

1938: Dinky Builder, Meccano Magazine [image info]

1949: Dinky Builder leaflet [image info]

Dinky Builder advert, 1958: "The house that Jack and Jill built" [image info]

Dinky Builder was Meccano Ltd.'s attempt to produce a different type of construction toy to Meccano, that wouldn't need nuts or bolts or spanners.

Where Meccano had always been targeted at boys, with an emphasis on replicating real-world engineering constructions such as bridges and cranes, Dinky Builder was intended to be a simpler and more general-purpose construction toy that could be used to create "play pieces" of very simple houses and push-along cars that didn't have to be faithful to the construction methods of the originals.

For Dinky Builder, the company chose to stay with metal, and produced sets of metal plates with castellated curved edges that could be interlocked and locked together with metal push-rods.

Dinky Builder marketing made a point of being aimed at both boys and girls, and typically featured a picture of a boy and a girl playing together.

Outfits

In 1935, Meccano Ltd were advertising three sets: No. 0, No. 1 and No. 2, and an expansion accessory pack, "A", all available in two color schemes, red and green, and a lighter version, pink and light green. By 1936 there was an additional outfit, No. 3, but no further additional parts.

When the system was relaunched in the 1950s, the colours had changed to yellow and blue.

Dinky Builder Parts

501 ... Large Square

502 ... Large Square with Windows

506 ... Small Square

511 ... Oblong

512 ... Oblong with door and window

516 ... Large triangle

521 ... Small triangle

526 ... Wheel

536 ... Split Rod, 1"

539 ... Split Rod, 2 1/4"

542 ... Split Rod, 3 1/2"

545 ... Split Rod, 4 7/8"

551 ... Hank of Cord

553 ... Dismantling Tool

Book of Instructions

1935 promotional text:

Meccano Dinky Builder Outfits

A delightful Hobby for Boys and Girls

This is one of the most fascinating building systems ever devised for young children to play with . The beautifully enamelled parts enable boys or girls to build very real-looking Coaches, Aeroplane hangars, Garages, Towers, Bridges, Wheel Toys, Windmills – hundreds of toys, each one a real strong plaything.

There are three outfits in the series, each of which is supplied in two colour combinations – bright red and emerald green; salmon pink and light green.

No.0 Dinky Builder Outfit

This is an excellent Outfit, containing a good assortment of Dinky Builder parts, including two road wheels, with which a splendid range of models can be built. The Instruction Folder included gives examples of 40 models. Price 2/6

No.1 Dinky Builder Outfit

This splendid outfit contains a varied selection of parts, including two trees on die-cast stands that lend the correct atmosphere to models of farm buildings, churches, etc. A further attraction is a set of four road wheels for constructing miniature wheel toys. The Instruction Folder shows a total of 70 fine models that any boy or girl can build. Price 4/11

No.2 Dinky Builder Outfit

The parts in this fine outfit enable all the No.0 and No.1 Outfits models to be built, and also make possible the construction of seven groups of realistic miniature model furniture. Full instructions for building the complete range of models are given in the Instruction Folder. Price 7/11

Dinky Builder "A"

The Dinky Builder "A" packet contains a useful assortment of Dinky Builder parts. Boys and girls who own No. 0 , No. 1 or No. 2 Outfits should supplement them by purchasing one or more of these packets, which will increase the scope and enable bigger and better models to be built. Price 1/-