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Parts 89-90a: Curved strips

In the table below, the notes show the number of each part required to make a circle.  The circle diameter referred to is the distance between holes (i.e. the centres of the strips).

89	Curved strip, 5½''	1919	-	6	6	12	N°9	12 make 20'' diameter
89a	Curved strip, stepped, 3''	1928	-	0	0	6	N°10	4 make 3½'' diameter
89b	Curved strip, stepped, 4''	1931	-		0	8	N°9	8 make 9'' diameter
90	Curved strip, 2½''	1916	-	16	16	12	N°6	8 make 5'' diameter
90a	Curved strip, stepped, 2½''	1924	-	6	10	8	N°0	4 make 3'' diameter

The parts

Frank Hornby seems to have been fixated on cranes as a particular favourite model, and perhaps as a result of this there were no curved parts in the Meccano system for a very long time.  The first one, part 90, was introduced during WW1.  Of course, these strips would have required a specific press tool rather than being produced from pre-cut steel strip as the longer perforated strips were, so they were admittedly more complex to make.

Slowly, other strips were produced (starting with the 5½'' curved strip in 1919).  In 1924 the new stepped curved strip part 90a was produced, with a much smaller radius and stepped ends to allow the parts to be bolted together into a flat circle.  Subsequent longer and larger radius parts had to wait until the late 20's, and were only supplied in the largest outfits so are relatively unusual.

The curved stepped strip part 90a was supplied in almost all post-war outfits and is thus by far the most common curve – one of the most common of all Meccano parts.

Some of the strips have carefully designed properties.  The 5½'' strip part number 89 has a radius of 10'', and can be used to reinforce a ring of part 54 (flanged sector plates).

Part	Spacing between holes	Distance between end holes	Number of holes in complete circle	Radius of complete circle	Angle between each hole
89	0.5''		124 125 128	9.868'' 9.932'' 10.186''	2.90° 2.88° 2.81°
89a	Varies	Early: <2.5'' Later: 2.5''	16	Early: 1.750'' Later: 1.768''	Varies
89b	0.505''	3.444''	56	4.5''	6.43°
90	0.491''	1.914''	32	2.5''	11.25°
90a	0.5''	2''	16	1.414''	Varies

Chronological variations

Most of these parts have not changed since their introduction, with the exception of part 89a.  The early parts had short slotted holes (top example in the picture), but it was soon noticed that there was no half-inch spacing available in the part.  The slotted holes were extended early in the dark green period (lower example in the picture), such that they extend to half an inch from the end holes.

This would appear to be a very early change, as the part was only introduced in the Meccano Magazine of May 1928 and yet the photograph shows the longer slotted holes.  The announcement also shows the four-flanged plate part 52, which we know was available several months before this, perhaps dating part 89a to the very end of 1927.

Variations and oddities

But it gets stranger than this.  Ed has sent us a very odd part 89a (of which he has six), pictured right, which is appears to be a dark green part that has been rather badly overpainted a lighter green.  However, it is an early-style part 89a with short slotted holes, stamped Meccano Made in England, a post-war stamping.  The close up at the bottom of the picture (with enhanced contrast) shows this.  How on earth do we explain it?

If this is indeed a part from 1928, as indicated by the short slots, then it predates any other known example of this stamping (in the pulley blocks) by at least four years.

To the left is shown a set of iridescent curved strips, courtesy of William Irwin.  These have been much discussed, and it is thought that they are most likely model room parts or experimental parts with this finish.  The known outfit 10's from 1979 do not have these iridescent curved strips.

Dealer spare parts boxes

Here are a range of curved strips in dealer spare parts boxes dating from the 1950's.

Thanks to William for this collection.

The light yellow label shows a pre-1958 part in medium green, the light green label shows a later part in light green.  Note that the parts 89b are in a hugely oversized box.

And here are a set of pre-war parts with the red-over-yellow label.  These 3'' curved stepped strips are believed to be gold painted.

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	89	89a	89b	90	90a
Nickel plated ²	16	.ni	.ni	.ni	.ni	.ni
Pea green	26	.pg			.pg	.pg
Dark green (short slotted holes)	28		.dg1
Dark green	27	.dg	.dg	.dg	.dg	.dg
Medium green	33	.mg1	.mg1	.mg1	.mg1	.mg1
Gold	34	.go	.go	.go	.go	.go
Matt olive green (Mechanised Army) †	39-41					.ma
Medium green (post-war stamping)	45	.mg	.mg	.mg	.mg	.mg
Light green	58	.lg	.lg	.lg	.lg	.lg
Silver painted	64	.si	.si	.si	.si	.si
Zinc plated	66	.zn	.zn	.zn	.zn	.zn
Yellow (Highway/Crane kits) †	73		.ye
Dark blue	78	.db	.db	.db	.db	.db
Dark yellow (Highway/Crane kits) †¹	78		.dy		.dy
		ALL	ALL	ALL	ALL	ALL

Notes:
¹   Part 89a is supplied in the dark yellow Crane and Highway Construction Sets of 1978/79, but part 90 shouldn't exist in dark yellow. This is most likely a model room part or display model special.
²   Parts 89a and 89b didn't appear in nickel plate, being introduced in 1928 and 1931 respectively. However, outfits and parts could be special-ordered in a nickel finish up to 1941, and for this reason there are a tiny number of nickel plated ones. Presumably there also exist long-hole versions of part 89a, have you seen one?

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: 9.  This is page 1 of 2.   

Rebecca murphy      (at 7:23pm, Thu 11th Feb, 21)

Do you have the curved piece with 21 holes?

NP      (at 6:00pm, Sun 5th Jan, 20)

The 'Meccano Made In England' stamp was used on many of the parts exported to America in the late 1920s. We know that most of the common parts were being made locally (i.e. in the US) by then, however it would appear that the more unusual parts needed for the larger sets were UK sourced and many carried the MMIE marking.

Adzeneth      (at 3:42am, Fri 22nd Apr, 16)

The text states that the part 90a was introduced in 1924, yet the table seems to indicate that a nickel part was available from 1916 onwards. In contrast, the August 1926 Meccano Magazine p511 states that the part 90a will be introduced shortly.

Jeremy Jordan      (at 2:26pm, Mon 12th Jan, 15)

I have #89, some with MECCANO stamped only once instead of twice per your photo and some w/o any stamping at all; all appear Nickel Plated.

Antoni Gual      (at 2:00pm, Mon 20th May, 13)

The part 89b is now produced by Meccano France without the steps. I have some of them zinc finish and stamped Meccano©(N)

Nils      (at 4:36pm, Sat 3rd Jul, 10)

Binns road models have been photographed with yellow 48a and 90a so yes these parts do exist but they haven't been updated onto the site yet I guess

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