The sets featured large gears including a yellow 21 tooth gear, a blue 15 tooth gear and red 9 toothed gear. The white axles that were used were similar to the black axles of today's Technic sets. There were also red axle bushings that fit the end of a standard axle as well as the bottom post of a standard LEGO brick.
Technic beams had not yet been introduced, instead unique grey 2 x 4 blocks with holes in all three directions were used. These bricks had three top holes similar to a current 2x4 Technic plate, three side holes similar to a current 1x4 Technic beam and a single end to end hole similar to the hole of a 1x2 Technic beam. Obviously the holes crossed in the middle of the brick.
There was also a motor for the Gear Wheel sets. It is a blue motor that appears to be very similar to the motor used in battery powered train sets and in various Basic sets over the years.
If you have more information about the Gear Wheel sets I would like to hear from you. For example, when were the sets introduced? Their last year must of been either 1972 or 1973 since they are in the 1972 U.K. catalog, but not in the 1974 catalog.
Thanks are due to Huw Millington for providing the pictures scanned below.
The 1972 Gear Wheel Catalog Entry Mini Idea Book Front Cover Mini Idea Book Front Cover The Special Parts
Return to the Homepage