Jennings Galaxy

[pennywise]

Hi guys ive just bought a couple of machines one a silver Jubilee nut n muddle machine with jackpot window very clean fot 200 and a Jennings Galaxy which ive not seen yet so bought blind for 200, never seen the Galaxy for sale so im just wanting to know if ive shot myself in the foot or got a good deal at the 200 price. Im also after the Aristocrat Kingsway long front badge off the deci king machine if anyone can point me in the right direction would be a great help many thanks again guys.

[badpenny]

Post photos as soon as you can, don't delay, time is of the essence ……
We've only just got used to decimalisation and now we have to contend with something called Brexit!

BP

[pennywise]

Yeah getting delivery Friday. Hope it's not a pile of rubbish, so will get some pics of them and another 72 days of Brexit and no one will be any the wiser.

[pennywise]

So this is what I've got after buying blind, which is never a good thing, but even I think I've not got a bad deal here. On first looking, I see a spring off near the top mech. Not pulled the handle - yet need to sort this spring first, but overall looks original, apart from the lighting, but I can polish the chrome up no probs. This is on one shilling or 5np. The Silver Jubilee with jackpot window looks all original with another nice label inside and on 6d, and no lights inside. Lights or no lights???? Anything I should know on the Jennings would be good as I've never worked on one of these. Many thanks.

[coppinpr]

The Galaxy is not the most sought after Jennings for sure but has to be a bargain at £200. They sometimes had florescent award card and a neon/black light tube to show it off.

[pennywise]

Cool - as long as I haven't lost money, make a nice change, so will get a black light tube and see if I have the florescent card. Might be a keeper this time. Clean up starts tomorrow.

[coppinpr]

You should be able to tell by just looking. The colours look a little sickly.

[brigham]

Is the Galaxy the same as a Governor Mk.2?

[pennywise]

You should be able to tell by just looking. The colours look a little sickly.

Colours defo look sickly, so looking good for a black light to be installed. Just need to work out where the spring has come off of before I pull the handle - don't want to jam it up if I can help it.

[coppinpr]

Is the Galaxy the same as a Governor Mk.2?

I think the answer to that is "yes and no" or "almost, but not quite". The first Mk2s came out in 1967 with 'Governor Mk2' written on the front top and no escalator showing. They seem to have tried to retain the lit panels on the lower casing because they had been such a selling point of the old Governor, but it didn't work on the more modern case. Even so, the first Galaxies soon came out in exactly the same case but with the escalator showing. Not long after they not so much removed the lit panels as hid them away; they are still there but the light is blocked out other than the small symbols art work.

Early Mk2

Early Mk2

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Early Galaxy made for the Crystal Bay club

Early Galaxy made for the Crystal Bay club

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I always think it's interesting that machines from this era often make the view area look like a TV screen. Sega, Jennings and many of the re-cased German machines in the UK have this look. After all, TV was king by then, as was anything space related, like the word 'Galaxy'.

Launch flyer for the early Galaxy

Launch flyer for the early Galaxy

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The Galaxy as it was made in general production

The Galaxy as it was made in general production

sales_Jennings_Galaxy.jpg (22.37 KiB) Viewed 5674 times

[pennywise]

The Galaxy is not the most sought after Jennings for sure but has to be a bargain at £200. They sometimes had florescent award card and a neon/black light tube to show it off.

So i couldnt find a f6 t4 black light bulb, smallest was f6 t5 so i had to cut into the casting to make it slightly bigger and WOW you were right coppinpr, talk about glow even the reels pop out, cant wait to start building it back up again.

[dutchboy]

Wow that looks nice pennywise! Such a shame it’s a keeper for you, otherwise you could have send it this way over that bit of water.

[malcymal]

The Silver Jubilee is a very reliable machine. I've got one identical and it's interesting to see the factory engineer's label as I've got one in mine too; mine is blue also. I shall go see what serial number mine is. On some small detail, the diamonds on the right with the fruit symbols in should start at the bottom with a cherry then orange, then plum, then bell, then escalate to the melon/bar. You have a grape on there which is not actually on the reels.

This machine did not come with lights fitted, however if you want to illuminate the reels and the 'Jubilee' wording at the top you can locate a simple light at the head of machine inside; the rear casing can be easily drilled through for mains cable. I've got one of these in mine, just search for White Switched Pygmy E14 SES Fitting LPGWS2M. You could also consider a simple LED light setup too. I went for the pygmy purely as it's very old tech and I thought it more inline with something from 1963. I just flick on the mains at the wall and it lights up a treat, no earthing to worry about.

p.s. It is likely, if you take off the payout tray, you will find a lot of 6d coins sitting underneath resting against the wooden casing; I think the securing bolts are underneath the base. I found around 50 under mine and a lot were pre 1945 silver content. I shall find a photo of mine illuminated and get the serial number details too when I get home. Malc

[coppinpr]

If you take off the payout tray, you will find a lot of 6d coins sitting underneath resting against the wooden casing

Me too - over 200.

[malcymal]

If you find yourself with 40 pre 1945 sixpences and you don't want them, take them to a silver scrapper; I got 100 quid for £1.00 old money, so 40 X 6d = 240 old pence which is a pound. I had a mix of half crowns, shillings, sixpences. Explaining this in case you aren't an old fart like me and weren't bought up with predecimal.

[pennywise]

Wow that looks nice pennywise! Such a shame it’s a keeper for you, otherwise you could have send it this way over that bit of water.

Yea dutchboy, I think I might be keeping this one for a while anyway, unless someone offers me silly money for it. Will put a picture up when I've rebuilt it...

Malcymal, I've got two Jubilees, one with jackpot front and one without. Just bought two T5 lamps which I might install in both, but I need to tear them down first and get them powdercoated, same colour of course, then going to wrap the front right grid in chrome and paint black in between, then hopefully sell one so I can crack on with an Aristocrat I have.

[pennywise]

Can anyone give me a clue what to look for on the Esculator i think its called, you pull the handle the reels go round but where the chain is at the top it doesnt rotate round and move the coins along like it should and its the first Jennings ive done so hope the pics help, cant see owt missing might be just a spring, ideas from anyone would be great thanks.

[pennywise]

Can anyone give me a clue what to look for on the Esculator i think its called, you pull the handle the reels go round but where the chain is at the top it doesnt rotate round and move the coins along like it should and its the first Jennings ive done so hope the pics help, cant see owt missing might be just a spring, ideas from anyone would be great thanks.

[radiochrissie]

I would remove and clean the escalator of all grease then reassemble it with a very small application of thin oil on all the moving parts. It is surprising how old grease can stop parts moving fully. Basically, thoroughly clean everything and oil sparingly.

[coppinpr]

Radio is, of course, spot on; dirt and grease are usually 95% responsible. The parts that usually get jammed up most are the two cam risers at each end of the escalator. These need to rise up during the cycle so the drive for the escalator can slide back ready to move the escalator next time without allowing the chain to retreat. They come apart quite easily, if a little fiddly.
So you're saying the machine doesn't work at all? Which it shouldn't with the escalator not moving, unless there is a coin stopped right in front of the coin detector pin.