British Automatic Coin Machines surveyed in 1935 & 1938

[pennymachines]

Fifty three weekly instalments of Wonders of World Engineering were published in the UK from the 2nd of March 1937 to the 1st of March 1938. The penultimate magazine included this great little piece on Automatic Coin Machines.

The same publisher produced Railway Wonders of the World, in 50 weekly instalments from the 1st of February 1935 to the 10th of January 1936, fortunately also available online. In May 1935 it included an article about Ticket and Change Machines - Mechanical Aids that Speed-up Travel.

[pennymachines]

Something curious I noticed in the image and description of the Ahrens Steer-A-Car:

The “Steer-a-Car” comprises rollers on which moves a waved band that represents a winding road, strips of metal marking the sides of the road. The model of a motor car guided by a metal cross-piece is controlled by a steering wheel fixed to the machine. When the mechanism is started the road travels, and the operator tries to manipulate the miniature car in such a way that it does not touch the sides of the road.

This is different from the version I've seen (left of picture) which used a rotating rigid drum, with a scene painted behind it, as was used on many later car steering games. The one described, as can be seen in the picture (right), simulates the road with a long, presumably canvas belt, running over rollers.