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Part 24: Bush wheels and wheel discs

The odd name for this part makes more sense when one refers to the original MME description, "Bush for wheel".  This was intended as a central hub, around which a wheel could be constructed with strips for spokes and/or a cardboard disc. The word "for" was dropped by 1904, and the part was known as a Bush Wheel from then on.

24	Bush wheel, 8 holes	1901	-	5	8	4	N°0
24a	Wheel disc, 8 holes	1932	-	n/a	n/a	2	N°3	part 217a until 1945
24b	Bush wheel, 6 holes	1954	-	n/a	n/a	2	N°10
24c	Wheel disc, 6 holes	1954	-	n/a	n/a	2	N°5
518	1'' 6-hole bush wheel	1962	-	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

The parts

The bush wheel (top left) was included in the very earliest MME outfits.  In 1932, as part of the ill-fated budget X-series outfits, a small steel disc with eight holes (and one in the centre) was introduced.  This part was transferred across to Meccano as part number 217a.  Another part (219) was at that time named the wheel disc (later called the conical disc), but both of these were dropped and in 1945 the new part 24a Wheel Disc was introduced into outfits.  This part was identical to the bush wheel, but without the boss, and is shown top-right in this photo.

In 1954, the 6-hole bush wheel and wheel disc was introduced.  This allowed many more mechanisms to be built because of its 60° rotational symmetry, in particular it was useful for clocks and spur differentials.  These parts are shown in the lower half of the photo.

Part number 518 is also a 6-hole bush wheel but only 1'' overall diameter, nickel plated, and thicker than the others.  This part was introduced in the Electrikit and later in the equivalent 4EL outfit.  It subsequently gained a new use as one of the parts of the three-part road wheel p/n 187c, supplied in the 1978/79 outfits 3, 4, 5, and 10.  Thus it is also found in matt brass and iridescent finishes.

Chronological variations

Variations and oddities

None known

Dealer spare parts boxes

These pictures show a range of parts (24, 24b, and 24c) in post-war yellow spare parts boxes.  The boxes all contain product codes, dating them from at least 1954, but since the parts within are brass these labels remained unchanged right through the light red/green period, so they could easily be early 1960's parts.

To the right, a pair of instantly datable spare parts packs of parts 24 and 24a. The light green sticker with black dashed line marks these as blackened steel parts from the Korean War period (1951/52), due to the restrictions on the use of brass and nickel at that time.

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	24	24a	24b	24c	518
Cast brass, four holes, feather key	01	.mm
Cast brass, 4 normal and 4 large holes, feather key	04	.mm1
Cast brass, 4 normal and 4 large holes, tongue key	??	.mm1a
Bronzed steel two-part wheel, 4 holes	??	.mm4
Machined brass, eight standard holes, tongue key	11	.mm2
Disc 1/16'' thick, 1911 short boss, tongue key	12	.mm3
Disc 1/16'' thick, patent short boss, tongue key	12	.mm3a
Disc 1/16'' thick, 1911 full boss, tongue key	12	.mm3b
Disc 1/16'' thick, 1911 boss, single-tapped	12	.br1
Nickelled steel disc, 1911 boss, single-tapped	15	.ni
Nickelled thicker disc, patent boss †	??	.ni1
Brass thicker disc, patent boss	??	.br2a
Brass disc 1/16'' thick, patent boss	??	.br2
Brass disc 1¼'' diameter, patent boss	??	.br3
Steel disc, brass plated, recessed boss single tapped	??	.br3a
Brass disc, recessed boss single tapped	??	.br3b
Brass disc 18swg, 1 3/8'' dia, standard boss	20s	.br4
Brass disc 18swg, 1 3/8'' dia, boss double tapped	27	.br5
Steel disc 21swg, unpainted (X-series part X475)	32		.st
Steel face enamelled blue	34	.nb	.nb
Steel face enamelled red	37	.re	.re
Steel face enamelled red, painted over Mazac bush	40	.re1
Olive green, only two holes in face (Mech Army) †	39-41	.ma	.ma
Post-war brass face, standard boss double-tapped	45	.br	.br	.br	.br
Blackened steel face (Korean) †	51-52	.bs	.bs
Brass, 1 7/16'' diameter, edge not chamfered	60s	.br6	.br1	.br1	.br1
Nickel-plated steel disc, not chamfered	62		.ni		.ni	.ni
Zinc-plated steel disc, not chamfered	68		.zn		.zn	.zn
Black fibre insulated face, Electrikit part †	62	.xx		.xx
Brown fibre insulated face, 4EL part †	??	.xx1		.xx1
Steel with matt brass finish	71	.mb	.mb	.mb	.mb	.mb
Iridescent	79	.ir	.ir	.ir	.ir	.ir
		ALL	ALL	ALL	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: 24.  This is page 1 of 4.   

Brian Maunder      (at 1:56pm, Wed 21st Aug, 24)

Part 217a was not the same as part 24a, it was of smaller diameter. As far as I know part 217a was always red (the pre-war red).

James      (at 7:42am, Sun 14th Oct, 18)

These are "old style"bush wheels David and appear to be fairly common.

François LANECKI      (at 3:17pm, Sat 3rd Dec, 16)

I have 3 wheel discs 8 holes dark red diameter 1" and a quarter only, its appear also in French catalog 1951/52 as part number 217a.

David Barrett      (at 2:04am, Tue 24th Feb, 15)

I have recently been buying lots of "Meccano" on E-bay in an attempt to build up my collection. Of course this is a risky enterprise as there is a lot of repro and 2nd string parts in the wild. In an attempt to validate the parts I have I have come across the following part 24's which appear to have a raised boss on the wheel side as well as a standard boss on the other side. They are stamped Meccano three times equi-angular around the wheel close to the boss. Are these parts from some special kit or do they have a legitimate place in the parts archive.

Roger from Oxford      (at 7:49pm, Mon 7th Jul, 14)

I have 6 hole and 8 hole wheel discs from a 1950s set, diameter 1 and seven sixteenths inches; also bought separately RED 8 hole wheel discs stamped Meccano bought separately, which are only 1 and a QUARTER in diameter. I don’t think you mention the different diameters. Looking at a list of parts from the late 1930s, part 217a is shown as 1 and a quarter inches. The larger ones are called 1 and 3 eighths in 1950s manuals,whether 8 hole or 6 hole (and they are both the same diameter, definitely bigger than the red ones). I see some mention of this now in the "Individual part nos", but I don't think it has due prominence in your main account, because they seem quite different.

Andrew      (at 3:43pm, Thu 6th Jun, 13)

Thank you Richard

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