Hello from Barry Island

Tell us a bit about yourself.
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barryisland
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Hello from Barry Island

Post by barryisland »

Hello
As I now write this I can see Barry Island a few miles away (a place of so much fun for me).
I have a lifelong interest in jukeboxes and anything coin operated so this site is a great find for me.
In the 60s and early 70s I remember the huge arcade under the water chute in Porthcawl where I lived, full of all the usual interesting things. Haunted house etc. As a teenager about 1973 I remember one local chap nearly died as he accidentally got shot by the live .22 guns in a part of the arcade, some game that one!
I am a coin op novice with just two machines, clown (posted) and running hare, and a few juke boxes.
My first juke box which I still have is a Bal-Ami super 40 De Luxe. Bought from the old mag Exchange and Mart in 1980.
The excitement of owning a real old jukebox was immeasurable, it still is.
I have enjoyed looking at the posts and no doubt will need some advice.
Thanks
BarryIsland
barryisland
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by barryisland »

Hi again and apologies
Having read through my post again, I did not live under the Water Chute as previously stated, the water chute was in my local fairground just a mile from home. Porthcawl was a great attraction in the 6os and 70s. We had miners fortnight, a two week holiday when the whole of the valleys came to the town to populate the caravan site which was the biggest in Europe at that time, about 5000 caravans. Gas powered caravan lighting, no running water and a toilet block a hundred yards away, all part of the fun. The fair is still going but the gloss has long gone.
BarryIsland
highfield
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by highfield »

Hi Barryisland
Your post brought back great memories. My caravan memories are the same as yours but a different location. Highfield caravan park near Clacton-on-Sea. Going to fetch water when we arrived, going to toilet block and best of all the penny arcade on site. As a twelve year old my best memory is hearing apache on the radio (only entertainment in the caravan) as my dad came through the door with my mum laughing because he had just won ‘the knobbly knees competition‘ what great memories :HaHa:
barryisland
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by barryisland »

Ah...so glad you enjoyed it. There's something special about a British seaside holiday - love it or hate it, memories last a lifetime.
pennymachines
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by pennymachines »

Thanks for joining us Barry from Barry and for giving us your 'origin story'. When I was living in Cardiff I used to visit the more genteel and low-key Penarth, with its already quaint, old-fashioned amusement arcade. I took a couple of trips from the Victorian pier to Ilfracombe on the Waverley paddle steamer and the Balmoral (both currently requiring expensive renovation) and swam in a bay near Barry where raw sewage was discharged... :sick: My lifelong obsession can also be traced to a caravan park with an impressive amusement arcade.

Please show us your Running Hare! !!PHOTO!!
barryisland
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by barryisland »

Hello
What a nice reception from members.
I will post the running hare in the discoveries section.
I am in Penarth most days and sometimes fish off the pier, transporting myself back to the 1950's when it was compulsory for all boys to fish off piers.
Penarth pier is a magnet to people. It really could have some attraction at the end, just seats now, but I guess the excitement of walking over water is the attraction. The "steamers" still call in the summer and the pier cafe has a great view over the channel to North Somerset.
Unfortunately the amusement arcade was gone when we moved here.
BarryIsland
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brigham
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by brigham »

An 'old slot machine' is a bit like 'an old car'.
Prices vary.
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arrgee
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by arrgee »

lodavyes wrote:I wonder how much an old slot machine costs at the moment?
For a run-of-the-mill Allwin, anything from £500 upwards in good working order but as brigham says, prices vary so much, depending upon what you are buying, condition of machine, maker, rarity etc, some can fetch £2k to £3k
roger
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Re: TRADITION AND RABBITS

Post by roger »


latest shoot hare.jpeg
latest shoot hare.jpeg (30.3 KiB) Viewed 2942 times

hi barryland and :WELCOME:
You hit on 2 subjects which have been on my mind for some time.
FIRSTLY.....hang on to that "Running Hare' as it is an exceptional machine, quite valuable, and lots of fun.
Would you please let us know how you came upon this gem ?
Some time ago I had one and enjoyed the skill required to hit the target, the "screech' emanating
from a tiny bellows, and the golden token dispensed to a winner.
Coinsidently, I had a prior posting seeking one of these original tokens. (no luck)

SECONDLY.......I have often questioned the wisdom of rebuilding Amusement Piers after relentless storms
and fires.
After reading up on the subject I think the answer comes down to one word, TRADITION
and the pride in challenging Mother Nature with British technology.

Perhaps some members will share their experiences on living in coastal communities and


Thru the years I've owned several "Running Hares" and another one has just crossed my path. I found it hard
to turn this one down until I looked in a mirror. ROGER
barryisland
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Re: Hello from Barry Island

Post by barryisland »

Hello Roger
Thats a lovely Running Hare you have there.
Mine came from Ireland, The same barn as the Saturn machine I posted a pic of today which is still in the barn.
It belonged to an Irish chap of some wealth who was known for buying and storing just about anything in his barns. Enamel signs, longcase clocks, even, what he told me was, the first Irish computer, It is as big as a room and still there. He could not turn anything down. Sadly he died some years ago.
20 years ago, my visit to get the R.H. was last minute, so then I had to do 50 miles in an hour to get the Rosslare ferry. Those Irish roads were just a blurrrr, made it.
Chasing around for things is always fun...
B.I.
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