Philips "ME" mechanic experiment kits

ME 1200, German, English and American (Norelco) versions

ME 1201; German, English, Dutch and American (Norelco) versions, plus inner box

ME 1250, box front and back

The mechanical kits are closely related to the electronic kits, and even contain electromechanical constructions requiring a contemporary EE kit.

The oldest series, corresponding to the EE 20 series of electronic kits consists mainly of the ME 1200 kit from 1965. Being packed in a sturdy wooden box, the survival rate of this kit is much larger than any other kit in the entire series, and it is today almost as commonly found as the most popular electronic kits. In combination with EE 8, four electromechanical models can be made; with EE 20 a further five:

Magnetic siren with earplug (EE 8)
Magnetic siren with dynamo, amplifier and loudspeaker (EE 20)
Steerable car with electronic turn indicator (EE 8)
Electric car that stops on dark roads (EE 8)
Electric car with automatically lit headlights (EE 8)
Light siren with amplifiers and two loudspeakers (EE 20)
Electronically braking car with brake light (EE 20)
Electric car that reduces speed and turns on headlights in the dark (EE 20)
Electric car that stops on a whistle signal (EE 20)

Like the EE 20 and early EE 1000 series of kits, the ME 1200 was sold under the Norelco brand in the US.

In 1966, several packets of additional or replacement parts were added to the series; 8 in blister packs:

ME 1800: 2 base boards
ME 1801: 132 tubes and springs
ME 1802: 10 wheels (not illustrated here)
ME 1803: 28 axles
ME 1804: 149 sockets, washers and springs
ME 1805: hoses and cables
ME 1806: electric motor
ME 1807: 150 pins

The remaining 11 came in boxes of 10 items each:

ME 1808: 10 pin pushers
ME 1809: 10 support rings
ME 1810: 10 support pipes
ME 1811: 10 clamping sleeve spanners
ME 1812: 10 pump chambers
ME 1813: 10 magnets
ME 1814: 10 echappments
ME 1815: 10 rubber stops
ME 1816: 10 flywheels
ME 1817: 10 large tires
ME 1818: 10 small tires

In 1967 the EE 1000 series of electronic kits replaced the EE 20 series, and ME1200 was replaced by the similar ME 1201 and the smaller ME 1250. These two kits can be used separately or in combination, ME 1201 also in combination with EE 1003 to make eleven electromechanical models:

Car with two-tone klaxon
Car with electronic direction indicators
Car that stops when moving on to a dark floor area
Car with automatically lighting head lamps
Light-activated siren
Car with stop light
Car that reduces speed in the dark and lights head-lamp automatically
Car that stops on dark floor area and starts again automatically
Level control
Adjustable maximum-setting switch
Obstacle light

The design is sufficiently similar to the older kit that the ME 1800 series of expansions also can be used with the new kits; ME 1807 was even required for three of the constructions requiring both ME 1201 and ME 1250. This and the other seven in blister packs as well as ME 1813 remained in the catalogs as part of the revised series.

The Mechanic and electronic kits could also be combined with the Philiform series; a LEGO Technic-like system which was introduced in 1968 and soon took over the position of the ME kits – and then itself disappeared.

Components and constructions

Part listings for ME 1200, ME 1201, ME 1250 and ME 1800–18
Constructions for ME 1250 and ME 1201 (with ME 1807 and EE 1003)

ME 1200 ME 1201 ME 1250 ME 1201/ME 1250

ME 1200, ME 1201 and ME 1250 manuals. The ME 1201 manual consists of large (50 by 70 cm) construction sheets. Both this and the ME 1250 manual are non-verbal, and contains only illustrations. A small multilingual leaflet accompanies these.

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Tor Gjerde <i@old.no>