Skill Addas & unidentified bandits

[13rebel]

Following on from Mr PM's article 'Mass Observation', does anyone know anything about 'Skill Addas' machines?

[treefrog]

One sold at the Elephant in 2015 for around £800..... Lotta dosh for a rough looking basic machine based on the spinning disc concept, but I guess rare...

[treefrog]

I would like to know what the so called bandits were in PM’s Blackpool thread... They are odd looking and seem to have a large single wheel with cards on... Any clues?

[13rebel]

Thanks TF, certainly that one you posted looks disappointing for £800.

[JC]

We sold one of these at Coventry quite a few years ago, which had been restored by Harold English. If I recall correctly, it was bought by someone not a million miles away from this site .
I have a vague idea that these machines are a little more complex than just a spinning disc, although looking at the above picture I'm not entirely sure how .

And yes, I was also intrigued by the single reel bandits - there doesn't appear to be much in the way of mechanism in there. The rod that comes down from the top of the machine appears to be some kind of linkage for a skill stop, but I can't see much else.

[pennymachines]

I found it surprising that of the few gambling machines photographed there should be a row of three Skill Addas and a longer row of some strange British bandit that none of us have seen before. They look purpose built, rather than revamped American bandits, and as JC notes, have prominent skill control buttons. Their single drums seem to have numerous positions and it's also odd that the backs are removed from some.

I've only ever seen three Brecknell, Munro & Rogers Skill Addas for sale (one with cigarette payout). As JC remembers, I bought the (green) one Harold worked on. I think the photos were taken in '37 or '38, so the Skill Adda must still have been 'the latest novelty' (Patent No. GB430669 granted in 1935).

The game introduced two innovations. Firstly, in a contrived sense it could claim to be a game of skill, because unless the player uses the skill button she/he will lose every time. Insert a penny, pull the handle and, as you release it, the disk spins. If you wait until it stops, it will invariably do so on a zero. If you press the button, your odds improve, ergo, it's skill! The aim is stop it on 60 to immediately win 3D. However, if you hit 10, 20 or 30, that number appears on the dial above and stays there. You can then opt to insert another penny and try to increase your score. As soon as you reach 60 or more, the game pays off 3D and zeros the counter.

[brigham]

Like the Challenger, it doubtless gave small boys hours of entertainment watching for a 'grown-up' to walk away from a machine ready to pay out!

[pennymachines]

A win on the Bradley Challenger required another push down on the coin entry lever to release the payout, offering freebies to sharp-eyed kids. However, the Skill Adda paid automatically as soon as a winning score was attained, but if the game was left with 50 on the dial it would be hard to resist staking a penny (or more) on it.

[13rebel]

Thanks Mr.PM for the information on the Skill Addas - I rather like the game concept now (ergo skill! ) and the green one looks more attractive. I would imagine it had quite a complicated mechanism.

[pennymachines]

Its intricacies can be seen in the patent drawings. The payout mechanism is quite simple, as it only has one payout (of 3 pennies). Typical of BMR, it's heavy and very solidly constructed, but it's surprisingly accessible: the whole mechanism swings around on a central pivot.

[dickywink]

Post copied from Arcade Photographs - Site Admin.

Hi All ...
Saw this photo on the History of Blackpool FB page today ...
a Great photo from 1942... but wondering what those slots are? Anyone have any ideas?

all the best ... Dicky

[brigham]

Not unlike the Blackpool machines seen earlier...
A local product, perhaps.