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Part 126/a: Trunnions

126	Trunnion	1921	-	4	4	8	N°00	Announced May 1921
126a	Flat Trunnion	1921	-	8	8	12	N°0	Announced Sept 1921

Trunnion and Flat Trunnion in 1950s green

The parts

Another exceptionally common and quite simple part, the trunnion and flat trunnion are included in almost every single Meccano outfit, the trunnion even in the tiny outfit 00 of 1955-60.  The parts were introduced in 1921, with the trunnion announced in the May 1921 edition of the Meccano Magazine, and the flat trunnion just a few months later in the September issue.

Coincidentally, the trunnion was also mentioned in the March 1921 suggestions section (along with the reverse angle bracket), although it is mentioned there as being "in process of manufacture" rather than "already added to our list of parts".  We could perhaps draw from this a suggestion that the trunnion was available after the reverse angle bracket (part 124) but before the flat trunnion.

Although the flat trunnion was included in every outfit from 1922 onwards, the trunnion was originally only supplied in the very largest outfit 7 of 1922.  It was included in the outfit 6 from 1924, but wasn't brought down to the very smallest outfits until 1928, after which it became a very common part.  For this reason, the trunnion is quite rare in nickel plate and pea-red finishes.

Interestingly, the definition of the word 'trunnion' is of a pin or pivot, especially a pair of such pivots allowing something like a cannon to pivot.  In truth, these Meccano parts are mounts on which trunnions can be attached (either bolts or pivot bolts or even an axle), but the parts themselves are not trunnions.  However, such was the power of Meccano, a large number of people now refer to any side mounting plates or brackets as trunnions.

Chronological variations

One of those rare absolutely consistent parts from its introduction in 1921 through to the end of production, it does however have the honour of being one of the most varied in colour schemes, certainly if you include the many colours that the flat trunnion has been produced in since 1979.  We may have difficulty getting pictures of all of them!

The only change to the trunnion was the odd variation (along with many other parts) where the irregularly shaped holes were omitted in the Mechanised Army parts of 1939-41.

Variations and oddities

None known, as yet.

Dealer spare parts boxes

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	126	126a
Nickel plated	21	.ni	.ni
Early red (pea-red)	26	.re1	.re1
Dark green	27	.dg	.dg
Medium green (pre-war stamping)	33	.mg1	.mg1
Gold	34	.go	.go
Red	37	.re	.re
Matt olive green †	39-41	.ma
Medium green (post-war stamping)	45	.mg	.mg
Light green	58	.lg	.lg
Yellow	64	.ye	.ye
Olive green (Army Multikit) †	73	.am	.am
Dark yellow	78	.dy	.dy
White †	79-85	.wh	.wh
French blue	82-97	.fb	.fb
French yellow †	85	.fy	.fy
Dark grey † (Space warrior/Interceptor)	93-96	.gy	.gy
Red (Starter/Dynamic sets)	94-99	.re2	.re2
Red (Evolution/Collection sets)	96-99	.re2a	.re2a
Yellow (Evolution/Collection sets)	96-99	.ye2
Light orange † (Mission Universe)	97-99		.or1
Zinc plated	98	.zn	.zn
Black	98	.bk	.bk
Black crackle † (Anniversary set)	98		.bk1
Matt black † (Roto truck)	98		.bk2
Electric blue † (Survivor car)	98	.bl1	.bl1
Dark red † (Centennial blocksetter)	98	.dr1
Fluorescent green † (2 model helicopter)	00-04		.gr1
Green crackle † (2 model helicopter)	05		.gr2
Orange † (7 model helicopter)	00		.or
Sand yellow † (King Ghidorah)	06		.ye3
Dark red † (Vintage set)	07		.dr1
		ALL	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

Total number of messages on this page: 11.  This is page 1 of 2.   

bob t      (at 10:53am, Fri 21st May, 21)

Paul, Parts are not available for sale here, but I have spoken to a friend in Aus who may be able to help you.

Paul      (at 5:03am, Fri 21st May, 21)

Do you sell these parts? I'm after 4 of the 126A trunnions Pls paul@nancarrow.com.au

David Dalton      (at 1:54pm, Sat 9th Jul, 16)

I have discovered a trunnion stamped D.R.G.M.781395 in my collection. A search of the forum gives some mentions of this but were many parts stamped thus? I will send a photo into my album.

Michael Conduit      (at 2:26pm, Fri 10th Sep, 10)

I have 2off part 126a flat trunions in red (not repainted), both stamped 'Meccano' and without the triangular holes could do a photo

Anthony Els      (at 11:22pm, Tue 5th Jan, 10)

I have 126ma Trunnions as Ed mentions (without the triangular holes). They are painted in glossy medium green and stamped "Meccano Made in England". The Trunnions also seem to be a thicker steel than normal. The only two anomalous parts in an otherwise normal 1940s collection; the sets seems to have been brought over from the UK from what the seller mentioned, via Rhodesia. It is possible that the two parts were acquired in the colony, as part of a small add-on set.

Ed Barclay      (at 3:56am, Sun 1st Nov, 09)

I have seen some Trunnions, 126ma, in post-war medium, green. Possibly yet another fob-off in Colonial sets. Sadly I don't have any or even pictures.

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