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The table that follows is pure conjecture, informed by a few references to old books and adverts.

I am not sure if even these few fixed points are accurate - I believe that there are occasional errors in documents, and the fact that a motor is not mentioned in an advert is no guarantee that it was not being manufactured at that point, though I have taken this to be the case.

I have also arbitrarily decided to pick a new year for each 'change' - it is more likely that several changes took place in the same year.

Nevertheless, this list is offered as a guess. It may prompt someone who actually knows something to correct it...?
Taycol Model Marine Electric Motors
Taycol Manufacturing Timeline

A guess at a possible history...
Date

What might have happened

Reason/Evidence/Justification..

1947

Star introduced

Company probably started shortly after the war? Star is very 1940s technology...

1949

Comet introduced

Comet is an advance on the Star - generally better build quality – looks a bit later, and obviously introduces the paxolin/brass spacer design which all the later motors use.

1951

Geared Comet introduced


The 'Gearbox Accessory' may also come from this era – maybe there was a need for more powerful motors as the electric takeover from steam started. It is pretty rare...

1954

Marine introduced - has a drum commutator and is specified as 6 Volt

Taycol now covers the big market. I guess at 1954 (maybe early 1955) for the Marine because it is very rare, existed in 57 and did not in 60. So it was probably only made for a few years. I assume 4 here. The gearbox accessory was probably dropped about now.

1955

Torpedo introduced

Taycol now covers the medium market. The Torpedo is advertised as 'New' in the December 1955 'Model Maker'.

1956

Target introduced

Probably quite late in 1956, so did not make it into the 1957 MAP Handbook?

1957

SuperMarine introduced - advertised in April 1957 'Model Maker'.

Range mentioned in 1957 MAP Handbook

Star
Comet (with geared varients)
Torpedo (Torpedo is described as 'Taycols newest')
Marine

I assume the Target was created a few years before the matching 'reverse-winding' Asteroid – otherwise why make two similar motors?

1958


Marine withdrawn

Taycol's large motor is now 9-12 volt and has a plate commutator

At some point between 1957 and 1960 the 'Marine' name changed to 'SuperMarine'. I guess this marks the change from a drum to a plate commutator.

I don't know why the drum commutator 'Marine' was dropped – the plate may have been easier to make? There are regular questions about the voltages these motors are designed for – as far as I can see there was no change in the wiring gauge, and voltages were a matter of advice based on experience. Unless someone has different evidence...?

1959

Reverse switch 'Special' series (Asteroid, Meteor, Supermarine Special) introduced

The move to a separate reversing coil was probably market driven, but the company continued to make the older motors as well. I guess that they used the designator 'Special' to indicate the addition of a reversing coils if they kept the original motor name. This must have created inefficiencies in manufacture, warehousing and supply. It is obviously a major direction change, and I wish I knew something about the reason behind it...

1960

Geared Comet withdrawn

Range mentioned in 1960 KK Handbook:

Comet
Target
Asteroid
Torpedo
Meteor
SuperMarine
SuperMarine Special

Note that old 'Marine'-type drum commutator shown in drawings of the Supermarine. I am pretty sure that this is a mistake due to the use of old art-work, since the motor name has changed, but this is just a guess...

1961


Range mentioned in 1961 KK Handbook:

Star
Comet
Target
Asteroid
Torpedo
Meteor
SuperMarine
SuperMarine Special

I would have guessed that the Star had been withdrawn before 1960, and that its inclusion here might be a mistake...

1962

Standard introduced

My father bought me a boat with a Standard motor about this time – I actually thought it was 1960 – depending on KK Handbook publication dates it could just have been...

1963

Double Special introduced

There are quite a few Double Specials around, so I guess they were introduced early in the 60s rather than later. This may have been a high point for Taycol – 10 different motors being manufactured? Alternatively the Star and Comet went before the Double and Standard were introduced, but I like to imagine a busy factory...

1964

Star and Comet withdrawn

Strong competition in the small motor sector from Japanese motors at much lower prices must have forced withdrawal of these older motors. I would have guesed that they went in the late 50s, and was surprised to see them still advertised in 61. Maybe that was another mistake...?

1966

Asteroid withdrawn

Asteroid also rare, though not so much as Marine. I assume 7-8 years of manufacture.

1970

Torpedo withdrawn

A pure guess. It went sometime between 61 and 72, and I think it's more common than an Asteroid. This gives it 14 years of manufacture...

1971

SuperMarine Special withdrawn

It went sometime between 61 and 72. The SuperMarine Special is not rare, but certainly uncommon – I assume 12 years of manufacture.

1972


Range mentioned in 1972 KK Handbook:

Target
Meteor
Standard
SuperMarine
Double Special

1974

Target withdrawn

By now the small size market must have been overwhelmingly Japanese – I assume the Target went closer to 72 than 79...

1979


Range mentioned in 1979 KK Handbook:

Meteor
Standard
SuperMarine
Double Special

By now the range is entirely medium to large, and the model industry is diminishing. I guess the company has not got many years left. Taylor and Collis must be 65 years old or over by now.

1982

Company closes?


I suspect, given how common the surviving examples are now, that the Meteor and the SuperMarine had the longest manufacturing runs...


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