The Eiffel Tower
Built by Richard Marsden in January 2026
This is Meccano Maker System model 15305, dating from about 2015. I saw this set on eBay just before my birthday and persuaded my wife to use her considerable bidding skills to win it for me. It looked as if the previous owner had given up on the model almost immediately; the parts bags had all been opened but the parts themselves were like new, not marked, tarnished or distorted.
I would have to describe the instructions as fussy. They progressed almost part by part, even though all four sides of the model are essentially the same. The diagrams weren’t too clear either. In the end I was skipping forward several pages and building towards that point. Having said that, the model was challenging and I really enjoyed building it. I think the result is as accurate as it can be for a model of its size; the extra holes in the Maker System parts give a good impression of the intricate construction of the real thing. The lights are fun, but my suggestion that we put it up instead of the Christmas tree was firmly rejected.
The Eiffel Tower is often likened to a Meccano set, even though it predates Meccano by about twelve years. Rumour says that it was delivered to its site by the Seine in a large flat cardboard box, with the parts strung onto card and the rivets in an enamel tin box, an idea later taken up by Frank Hornby. There was also, it is alleged, and an instruction book describing four other designs that could be assembled with the same parts, leading to some discussion over which one to choose!