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Part 50: Slide piece

50	Slide piece, originally Eye piece / Eye piece with boss	1907	-	2	2	2	N°9	See below for part number changes

The parts

For such a straightforward part, this has had a bit of a collection of part numbers. Originally, the eye piece was part number 51 (part 50 at the time was the large perforated stand in the HMSD). There was a slight design issue in that the part was only big enough to fit on the smaller strips, as they were the only ones thin enough.

In 1923, the part was opened up to fit on the thicker, longer strips. You can see in the photograph to the left the narrower original part and the later wider part. When this was done, the part number was changed to part 50.

The eye piece gained a boss in 1928, and another new number. Part 50a is the "eye piece with boss", although the new part 50a replaced part 50 in all outfits. In 1928 also, the boss was drilled to take a lateral axle but remained as part 50a. The part (shown in the photo at the top) remained identical for the next fifty years.

In 1945, the part didn't change, but the part number was changed back to part 50 and renamed "Slide piece".

A new slide piece was launched with the Meccanoids outfits in 1979. This was a completely different design, with a plastic slide and a brass pummel. Strangely, the lateral hole was omitted in this part causing much irritation among the builders – suddenly lots of models couldn't be made with the newly designed part! Some Meccanoids outfits (perhaps earlier ones?) come with a slide piece that looks very like the normal type, but still has no lateral hole. The picture to the left shows both of these Meccanoids parts, which can't be used in the same places as the standard slide pieces.

Chronological variations

Well I think we have most of the variations pretty well covered in the paragraph above! However, there was initially an issue in that the bosses were not lined up in any specific direction (like all Meccano bosses).  It was soon realised that it was critical in which direction the lateral hole pointed relative to the slot for the strip.  Later versions are all lined up, as per the example at the top of the page.

Variations and oddities

None known

Dealer spare parts boxes

The photo to the right shows a spare parts box containing six slide pieces, with yellow label that could indicate any time from 1954 to the mid-60's.  Brass and other non-coloured parts continued into the light red/green period with the same yellow labels as before, and rarer parts were still contained in these boxes into the beginning of the silver/yellow/black period (1964-69).

Individual part numbers

Part numbers for the parts on this page are as follows:    Unique part numbers
For identification, each variation has been given a suffix to the main Meccano part number. These suffixes consist of a two-character code for the colour, and if there are many variations, a further number and sometimes letter code to identify each variation. See the bottom of the 'Parts' page for further details.

You don't need to worry what the codes are, just click on any one for a photograph.

The button above turns on and off the display of DMS numbers (where they are known). The DMS (Development of the Meccano System, Hauton and Hindemarsh) published in 1972 and added to in 75 and 82, suggested part numbers for every variation of every Meccano part. These numbers aren't perfect, but they are recognised and also referenced in the EMP (Encyclopedia of Meccano Parts, Don Blakeborough).

Description	from	50
Eye piece, brass, part 51	07	.br1
Eye piece, brass, wider slot, part 50	23	.br2
Eye piece with boss, brass, part 50a	28	.br3
With lateral hole in boss, renumbered 50 in 1945	29	.br
Zinc plated	73	.zn
Brass, without lateral hole (Meccanoids)	79	.br4
Black plastic slide, brass pummel, no lateral hole	79	.bk
		ALL

Please send us pictures of missing parts! Hints and tips for pictures
Take a picture of the part in very good light, preferably on a plain yellow background, without a flash but with a tripod.
Ideally, trim the picture to about 150 pixels per inch of the Meccano part (unless the part is particularly big or small), save it as a reasonably good quality jpg file with a filename of exactly the part number, for example 19b.ni1.jpg, and email it to us by clicking on 'Contact us' at the top of the page. Thanks!

• A greyed-out box shows that no part exists for that colour combination.
• Part number codes with a green background have an attached picture of the part, just click once on the code to show a photograph of that part in a separate window.
• Parts marked "†" were temporary or economy parts, or existed only within specific themed outfits. The previous part continued throughout or afterwards.

Further information

Michel LHOMME      (at 5:04am, Sun 27th Jun, 21)

The first part N°50 was the "Large Perforated Stand" (Scientific) in the HSMD outfits. (List of additional parts 1913)

Michael Hewitt      (at 9:35am, Sat 16th Dec, 17)

Yes, I have at least one Slide Piece with the lateral hole misaligned to the strip slot.

NP      (at 7:49am, Tue 1st Jan, 13)

The eye-piece also seems to have been produced in nickel-plated steel.

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