Meccano Manuals
1916-1921
Downloads of Meccano Manuals
This page contains downloads of all the manuals published between 1916 and 1921 that I can find. For convenience they are split into separate years. Click on the thumbnail to download the required edition in pdf format. It also shows known editions that I don't currently have. Scans of these would be appreciated.
Confirmation of those print codes in red is also required (Scans of these manuals would also be appreciated). Also scans of of any other editions, especially other overseas/colonial editions would be gratefully received.
Note - The numbers in green are the reference numbers from the list of USA Meccano manuals produced by Kendrick Bisset. See Kendick Bisset's website on Meccano in the United States.
Information on copyright dates etc. is available for many of the American manuals on the USA © Info page.
WARNING
Some of these manuals feature content that contains outdated attitudes and ideas of a racist nature. Such ideas were wrong at the time and are wrong now. However not to include them would be to deny that they ever existed. This would also be wrong. For this reason all manual content has been included.
1916 - Liverpool
1916
A 1916 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. English Edition. Price of outfit 0 is 3/9. Scans of the manual are awaited.
Note - It is likely that there are more editions of the No.160 outfit 0 manual. Info required on any additional versions of these manuals.
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1916 - Colonial
A 1916 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. Colonial Edition. Scans of the manual are awaited.
1916 - Canada
A 1916 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. Canadian Edition. Scans of the manual are awaited.
1916 - USA
1917 - Liverpool
1917
A 1916 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. English Edition. Price of outfit 0 is 4/6. Scans of the manual are awaited.
1917
No.16 Book 1 (1917) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6) English Edition (2). Manual price 1/3. Model 325 on page 130. Price of outfit No.0 : 3/9. With revised prices sticker dated Jan 1 1917
1917 - USA
1917
USA (17.5)
A USA 1917 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. Stamped "See revised prices". Stuck in insert with 1917 revised prices
1917
USA (17.2)
A USA 1917 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. Pages 17/18 removed. Price list on rear page says revised Jan 1917
1917
USA (17.6)
A USA No.16 Book 1 (1917) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 6. As ref 16.1 but with revised prices insert dated Jan 1917. Does not mention outfit 00. Parts list pages 4/5 stamped 'See revised price list page 135'. New page 135/6 stuck in, in place of existing page.
1917
USA (17.1)
A USA No.16 Book 1 (1917) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 6. As ref 16.1 but with pages 135/6 replaced with new page showing prices revised Jan 1917. Mentions outfit 00. Parts list pages 4/5 stamped 'See revised price list page 135'. New page 135/6 stuck in, in place of existing page.
1918 - Liverpool
2/18/25 (Eng)
A 1918 (No.18A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 2/18/25(Eng).
Some have revised prices sticker dated July 10 1918
11/18/25 (Eng)
A 1918 (No.18A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 11/18/25(Eng).
11/18/50 (Eng)
A 1918 (No.18A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 11/18/50(Eng).
Some have a revised prices sticker dated Feb 17 1919
1918
No.16 Book 1 (1918) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6) English Edition (5). Manual price 1/3. Model 323 on page 130. Price No.0 : 4/6. Some have revised prices sticker dated Mar 1 1918
1918
No.16 Book 1 (1918) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6) English Edition (6). Manual price over-sticker 1/6, Model 323 on page 130, Price No.0 : 5/0, Some have revised prices dated July 10 1918
1918 - USA
1919 - Liverpool
119/50 (Eng)
A 1919 (No.19A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. With separate parts list at front Print Code 119/50(Eng).
119/50 (Eng)
A 1919 (No.19A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 119/50(Eng).
With separate parts list at rear. Some have revised prices sticker dated Feb 17 1919
4/19/50 (Eng)
A 1919 (No.19A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 4/19/50(Eng).
Some have revised prices sticker dated Feb 17 1919
719/100 (Eng)
A 1919 (No.19A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 719/100(Eng).
819/250 (Eng)
A 1919 (No.19A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 819/250(Eng).
319/10 (Eng)
No.19 Book 1 (1919) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6). Print Code 319/10(Eng).
619/10 (Eng)
No.19 Book 1 (1919) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6) Print Code 619/10(Eng).
819/15 (Eng)
No.19 Book 1 (1919) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6). Print Code 819/15(Eng).
Note - Two versions of the 119/50(Eng) Outfit 1-3 manual are known - One with the list of separate Meccano parts at the beginning like the earlier manuals and the other with the list at the end like the later manuals.
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1919 - (Canada)
A 1919 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. Canada Edition. with 719/5 price list
sticker for Canada
1919 - (Canada)
A 1919 (No.19A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. As per print code 819/250(Eng) above but with undated illustrated parts price list for Canada. (Could be late 1919 or early 1920)
1920 - Liverpool
1220/50 (Eng)
A 1920 (No.200) instruction manual for outfit 0. Print Code 1220/50(Eng).
Not sure if this manual exists so confirmation and scans would be appreciated
220/50 (Eng)
A 1920 (No.20A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 220/50(Eng).
420/50 (Eng)
A 1920 (No.20A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 420/50(Eng).
1020/10 (Eng)
A 1920 (No.20A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 1020/10(Eng).
Not sure if this manual exists so confirmation and scans would be appreciated
1120/100 (Eng)
A 1920 (No.20A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 1120/100(Eng).
119/10 (Eng)
No.20 Book 1 (1920) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6). Print Code 119/10(Eng).
No.20 label pasted on lower part of front cover
720/20 (Eng)
No.20 Book 1 (1920) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6). Print Code 720/20(Eng).
Note - The No.20 manual with the label stuck over the bottom panel and the 119/10 print code clearly has a misprinted print code, as the contents - in particularly the list of separate Meccano parts - match with an expected print date of 1/20. The print code should almost certainly have read 120/10.
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1920 - USA
1920
USA (20.5)
A USA 1920 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. Liverpool address, set prices page 3
1920
USA (20.2)
A USA No.16A Book 1 Special (1920) instruction manual for outfits 1 and 2.
Note - The No.16A Book 1 Special manual covering outfits 1 & 2. Although it says copyright 1916 on the front cover, it includes parts up to 112 and mentions the Inventor's Accessory B outfit. This therefore dates it to around 1920. Does a 1916 version exist?
1921 - Liverpool
1021/15 (Eng)
A 1921 (No.210) instruction manual for outfit 0. Print Code 1021/15(Eng).
Not sure if this manual exists so confirmation and scans would be appreciated
521/100 (Eng)
A 1921 (No.21A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 521/100(Eng).
1021/40 (Eng)
A 1921 (No.21A) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 1021/40(Eng).
1021/10 (Eng)
No.21 Book 1 (1921) instruction manual for outfits (1 to 6). Print Code 1021/10(Eng).
Note - A manual exists - unfortunately without covers - that appears to be identical to the 521/100 Book A with the exception of the number of patents on page 1. Patents 103,370 and 2,085/11 are omitted. Is this manual just a varient of the 5/21 manual - affecting a small part of the print run, or is it a currently unknown edition?
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1921 - USA
1921
USA (21.3)
A USA 1921 (No.160) instruction manual for outfit 0. Print code 621/10. As ref 20.5 except page inserted after page 6. Additional parts
1922 - Liverpool
1922 - USA
USA (22.5)
A USA 1922 (No.21) instruction manual for outfits 1 to 3. Print Code 3-21/80.
Paste in page 57
with 1922 prices
and Elizabeth address
1922
USA (22.1)
A USA No.18 Book 2 (1922) instruction manual. As per ref 20.4. Also paste in 1922 prices and Elizabeth address
Scans of this manual are awaited
1923 - USA
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