Keeney's Pony Derby

[daveslot]

I just aquired this. Does anybody know what the copper star does - shows 3 stars on award section? What's the meaning of trophy entry? When was the machine made?

[jonesthegarage]

I'm sure some of these clever slot blokes will correct me if I'm wrong but don't read too much into the "trophy entry" bit. I think it will just be part of the branding, in lots of minor levels of many sports the reward is a trophy rather than a large silver cup, and the competitors in that section would be called the trophy entry. I can only imagine that if these words on the screen have a function then it might mean a mystery award or something like that if they remain flashing after play or if they remain lit when normally off, but I strongly suspect it is just part of the "name".

[daveslot]

I can't find any info on this anywhere on google - seems it doesn't exist.
Has anybody seen one or any info?

[grabber]

The payout cup is the same as Brenco machines.

[operator bell]

I've never seen one of those. If it were not for that logo on the glass I'd identify it as a Games, not a Keeney, from the coin entry, the buttons, the payout cup and the general style. It would probably be from the 1957 to 1960 period.

Is it in working order? I'm guessing you drop a coin and then select a horse. Is the Copper Star selectable? How does it indicate whether a selection comes in first, second or third? Many questions here. A good hi-res pic of the innards would probably help me deduce some of the answers.

[daveslot]

Definitely Keeney's, found plaque with serial no. and date 1964.
It's in working order - you can select a horse but not copper star. Horses light and odds flash round, then the odds stop on 1st, 2nd, 3rd, then horse finishes and pays out if selected.

[treefrog]

Dave, how have you found room for this beast....? Looks great - I just would struggle to squeeze it in.

[operator bell]

If it was made in 1964, I'm going to double down on my Games, Inc identification. It's freakishly similar to a Games inside, down to the coin slide and meters, and as I mentioned above the external hardware is Games, not Keeney. I would guess that Keeney acquired an old design from Games, which by 1964 was producing exclusively flashers with projection displays and was in deep financial trouble. In the USA at that time no patents were granted for gambling machines, which the Patent Office declared to be "not useful", so Games' invention of the projection flasher was unprotected and Keeney was eating Games' lunch. In the beginning Games was started by an Evans employee - Clarence Schuyler - who had designed a lot of horse racing games for Evans, so it makes sense that they would have a game like this in the portfolio.

The interesting question is how a machine with one reel of ten horses and 20 stops on the wiper could get the odds up. My guess is the answer lies in this device. It's a one way stepping switch with about 50 positions, a hell of a lot of patch wiring, and not a lot of external wires going to it. It will step once every game and presumably changes the odds of stopping on the various horses. I predict that somewhere on this switch, you will find at least one position that switches in a Copper Star payout.

[ballybingo]

A few months ago I bought this machine from Elephant House auction as I already have a number of Keeney machines from the 1960's era (http://www.ballybingo.co.uk ).

It was clear that the jackpot had been disabled, the payout amounts scraped off and replaced by stars, the Trophy Entry lamps and Copper Stars head had been wired to be illuminated permanently and other switches disconnected or points opened so that they could not make a circuit. These changes would have been made due to changes in the gaming laws that outlawed high payout machines in public places.

I wanted to return "Pony Derby" to its original state but finding any information such as a manual or schematic has proved impossible so I had to resolve the changes for myself by re-connecting and changing some wiring and adjusting switch blades.

I have some knowledge of "Penny Derby" which was also made at the same time but in a tabletop format and playing on one old penny so I knew that the Trophy Entry feature lights on a random basis. This only left me to determine what the payouts should be as it sounds a bell a number of times to alert staff of a winner and the bonus payout meters are in 25 coin increments which makes 1st place 150, 2nd 100 and 3rd 50. The wins would be paid out by the staff.

It is now back on 6d play and as I make new repro backglasses for pinballs and bingos, I am currently producing a new one for it showing the Copper Star odds.

At the time of its importation J H Keeney was one of the major players in the British gaming world but some of their machines didn't catch on so this one is quite rare so if anyone has any info or flyers for it I am willing to pay a fair price for them.

[aristomatic]

as I make new repro backglasses for pinballs and bingos

cue avalanche of incoming pm's......

[ballybingo]

The Pony Derby is now working as it did originally and has a reproduction backglass.

[pennymachines]

Well done for championing this unusual game. Not many would have gone to such lengths to bring it back to its original form, especially with so little information available.

[clubconsoles]

Yes, I agree with pennymachines, well done on that BallyBingo.
Would love to see a video or even see it in person as you are not far from me!
I have just brought a Mills 4 Bells back from the dead, primitive electrics from 1940 are not the most forgiving. I have found most of the shorts and must have cleared Maplins out of 5 amp fuses.
Still, the wife is happy as never tripped the electrics in the house once and fire brigade have yet to be called!
I find it amazing that in the late '30s Mills Novelty where doing there utmost to make the mechanical machines as quiet as a desert night, and yet they brought this to the club market in 1940 and its noisy as a freight train!

[cait001]

IMG_0519b.jpg

The Pony Derby is now working as it did originally and has a reproduction backglass.

You still around ballybingo?
Your machine + photos inspired me to create entries for 2 machines that will deepen this mystery.

~1965 Pony Derby - ポニーダービー [import] by Keeney & さとみ (Satomi — Samy)
https://earlyarcadesjapan.blogspot.com/ ... atomi.html

1960s ポニーダービー (Pony Derby) by さとみ (Satomi) 0.jpg (54.42 KiB) Viewed 1062 times

~1969 Pony Derby - ニューポニーダービー (New Pony Derby) by 昭和娯楽物産 (Showa entertainment products) & 日本遊園設備 (Japanese amusement park equipment)
https://earlyarcadesjapan.blogspot.com/ ... showa.html

New Pony Derby - ニューポニーダービー by さとみ (Satomi) 1.jpg (41.94 KiB) Viewed 1062 times

If anyone has any further information or observations I am hoping to discover more.
Does anyone have Mar-Matic advertisements from 1964 and 1965? I would like to see them even if they list Pony Derby or not, but ESPECIALLY if they list Pony Derby.

[ballybingo]

The black and white picture of a Pony Derby was sold here in the UK as a Penny Derby. I know of two that still exist, one of which I created a new backglass for.
If interested I can supply some pictures if you email me chris@ballybingo.co.uk