Editing Meccano (section)

== Popularity and influence ==
[[file:Meccano Centennial Poster.jpg|thumb|Meccano Centennial poster and sticker issued in 2001 to celebrate one hundred years of Meccano, showing the Meccano [[block-setting crane]] with a portrait of [[Frank Hornby]], Meccano's inventor]]
[[file:Pierre Bastien-6.jpg|thumb|Pierre Bastien with his instruments made from Meccano]]
[[file:Manchester Bolton %26 Bury Canal Meccano Bridge during construction.jpg|thumb|Footbridge over the [[Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal]]  at [[Nob End]], made of 10:1 scale Meccano]]
[[file:Meccano liver bird 4.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Liver bird]] sculpted to resemble Meccano at Liverpool Shopping Park, on the site of the former Meccano factory on Binns Road]]

Frank Hornby launched the Meccano Guild in 1919, to encourage boys of all ages—as well as early clubs—to become part of a central organisation, which oversaw club formation, and set guidelines for club proceedings. The ''[[Meccano Magazine]]'' was used as a means to keep Guild clubs informed of each other's activities (as well as encourage the sales of Meccano).

The International Society of Meccanomen was founded in 1989 in England, nine years after the Liverpool factory closed. This organisation is considered the modern replacement of the Guild system and now has some 600 members in over 30 countries.

Today, over one hundred years since its inception, there are thousands of Meccano enthusiasts worldwide, many clubs and hundreds of websites covering Meccano history, model building instructions and nostalgia. Individuals and companies worldwide still manufacture parts, some long out of production. There are annual Meccano exhibitions around the world, notably in [[France]] (at a different venue around May each year) and at [[Skegness]] in England (around July every year). Many notable shows also take place in [[South Africa]], [[Australia]] and [[New Zealand]] each year, to name a few.

Publications devoted fully or in part to Meccano included ''[[Meccano Magazine]]'' from 1916 to 1981, and numerous Special Model Leaflets aimed at serious enthusiasts, on how to construct very large, complex models and machines. Some models use many more parts than an entire Set 10. The original large models from the 1930s model leaflets are called the Meccano Super Models, often popular at Meccano and other [[model engineering]] exhibitions and sometimes used as nostalgic showpieces by retailers. Modern dedicated publications include: ''[[Constructor Quarterly]]'', ''The International Meccanoman'' and the ''ModelPlans'' series of instructions. These feature large model instructions and ideas for enthusiasts. There are also a myriad of club-generated periodicals, featuring Meccano content and keeping enthusiasts in touch.

The careers many people chose were influenced by their experience and knowledge gained from using the product.<ref name="careers">{{cite web|url=http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1996/kroto-autobio.html|access-date=17 July 2007|title=Harry Kroto Nobel Prize autobiography}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cultureshock.org.uk/stories/the-meccano-magazine.html/|access-date=5 January 2010|title=Meccano Magazine story|work=Culture Shock}}</ref>

Meccano is mentioned in the first chapter of [[Graham Greene]]'s novel ''[[The Power and the Glory]]''.<ref name=PowerGlory>{{cite book |last=Greene |first=Graham |author-link=Graham Greene |title=The Power and the Glory |publisher=Penguin Classics |year=2003 |orig-year=1940 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GaW9BjrXSakC&q=meccano&pg=PA12 |page=12 |isbn=0-14-243730-1}}</ref> It also mentioned at some length in [[J. J. Connington]]'s 1928 detective novel, ''[[Nemesis at Raynham Parva]]'' (U.S. title, ''Grim Vengeance'', 1929).<ref name="Connington2012">{{cite book|author=Connington, J. J.|title=Nemesis at Raynham Parva|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XZTQew1fzE0C&pg=PT202|date=30 November 2012|publisher=Orion|isbn=978-1-4719-0600-8}}</ref>

[[Pierre Bastien]] is a French musical artist who has created a large collection of [[kinetic art|kinetic]] [[experimental musical instrument]]s constructed with Meccano.

In [[Sydney]], Australia an overhead gantry with directional signs and traffic lights erected in 1962 is named the [[Meccano Set]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20161020105232/http://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/sydney-west/meccano-set/ Consultation on the future of the Meccano Set] [[Roads & Maritime Services]]</ref><ref>[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/south-west/meccano-set-future-on-hold/news-story/b747f56e849488930b3772b04fdb761e Meccano set future on hold] ''[[Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|Daily Telegraph]]'' 9 June 2015</ref>

[[Arthur C. Clarke]] mentions his childhood fascination with Meccano and his return to it as an adult in his 1989 memoir, ''Astounding Days: A Science Fictional Autobiography''.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Clarke |first=Arthur C. |title=Astounding Days: A Science Fictional Autobiography |publisher=[[Bantam Books]]|year=1989 |isbn=0-553-34822-1 |edition=2nd |location=New York, NY |pages=132–135 |language=English}}</ref>

On 6 April 2013 a new {{convert|6.4|m|ft|abbr=on}} footbridge was opened at Nob End, Little Lever, Bolton, Manchester over the Bolton and Bury Canal. It is made of Meccano parts, including bolts and nuts, accurately scaled up by ten times.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-22051441 Meccano-style bridge opens in Bolton] ''[[BBC News]]'' 6 April 2013</ref>

Meccano is the centrepiece of the Mentoring Using Meccano program of [[School Volunteer Program ACT]]. Volunteers use Meccano to mentor bright primary school students who need help in improving their communication or social skills, which builds students' self-esteem.