Peter Simper machines

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phantom
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by phantom »

phantom wrote:Does anyone know of the significance of the RAF F4 Phantom and Westland Wessex helicopter on the front?
Operator Bell wrote:Ah, don't let the Navy hear you say that. It's a Fleet Air Arm Phantom. 'Course, young people of today would automatically assume it's RAF because Britain doesn't have any through-decks.

I would take a wild guess that this model with this artwork was intended for a Naval Officers' club somewhere.
I guess the picture on the front with a title saying 'Royal Navy Phantom takes off from HMS Ark Royal' should have given me a clue!
glittering-prize67
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by glittering-prize67 »

Some pics of my Peter Simper if interested. I've done some work to this and it works spot on. They were great machines. I've put a close up of the unit that controls the payout percentage.
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peter simper 003.jpg
peter simper 002.jpg
peter simper 001.jpg
malcymal
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by malcymal »

I've seen many Peter Simper machines in my time, most had quite gaudy odd graphics on the front that wouldn't look out of a place on my grandmother's wall. I saw one for sale in Portsmouth that had a massive 50p jackpot in tokens for £145 which had a belly glass image that looked like something out of a church, strange indeed. My dad was a policeman in the 70's and helped run the emergency services social club bar whereby funds to buy and sell cheap beer came from Peter Simper club machines, bar billiards and making money from the snooker table lights (metered). From memory, they pretty much fitted any graphic they liked in the front and when I was taken along as a young lad, every month seemed to have a different image; it was certainly not a different machine so maybe the imagery was as simple as swapping a picture in a frame? Dad (RIP) always had an uncanny knack of knowing when to play the machine with me, probably knowing a bit more about the compensator meter and I remember many times us taking home a brown paper bag full to brimming with 5 pence coins which were promptly invested in Dinky Cars.
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operator bell
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by operator bell »

The most idiosyncratic thing about PS machines, to me anyway, was the way you had to push down and hold the operating handle before you could select the holds (that would be machines with the rocking handle on the front). Then the game played when you released it. If you were a bit hasty or your hand slipped, you could miss the hold, as happened to me once. I had two PS's I was about to hold and someone bumped me from behind making me let go the handle, so I missed the hold and the third one came in. He was bigger than me, or I might have committed murder. Fortunately, the regulator did its job and the jackpot showed up on its own five plays later.
malcymal
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by malcymal »

Fascinating story Operator Bell. The rocking start handle was cool. Didn't the PS hold buttons light up in green, blue or red lights too?
I also remember these types of starting handles on the ACE machines of the same era, in a way, their imagery quite similar with the large display images, such as Monte Carlo, Concorde etc.
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ace3.jpg
glittering-prize67
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by glittering-prize67 »

The holds and nudges on mine are green, but it has a feature where an amber light flashes and when pressed it auto holds and pays again. The amber light will only flash on a win.
martinpegrum
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by martinpegrum »

It is with fond memories that I write to you all. I used to be a "Peter Simper" engineer. We worked in Milk Street, Bath and I mainly covered the South West Area. Let me start with a few people that of course Mr Peter Simper Senior a genuine gentleman, and his wife. In my days he had a Ferrari. Peter Simper Junior his son, ran 'round in a Lotus Cortina.

Please may I ask if any of my old colleagues wish to get in touch, Please feel free to come into my facebook KickingDonkey Eagle. I enjoyed my life working for Peter Simpers. I will list people that I knew and then the Fruit Machines and Juke Boxes I worked with. Chris Powell, a great guy and his wife Maureen; Bud Holly, workshop Manager; Roger Gately, sales; Reg Thorn, research and development; two carpenters; store man Roy... other engineers; John Cowley; Joaby- Dave Powell.; Ann Haris. Peter Simper senior's secretary used to live next door to me at 17 Kenningtoon Road, Lower Weston. I lived at number 18! Johnny....?.. a collector; Ian .... young lad from Foxcombe Rd; I remember Billy Goodchild, customer, had many arcades throughout the South West.

Machines: Jennings One Arm Bandits, Bally Gold Award club machines, Rowe AMI Juke Boxes, the little Cadet, many pin-tables. I had a natural aptitude with fault diagnoses and repairs. I loved the job. I have had a good life since, and retired from a company that I founded called Alert Systems, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. I was founder member and Technical Director. A local businessman, Terry Brake, joined me and pushed the company forward. I live in a beautiful area in the Philippines now, retired, I am 65. It is always hot here and always fiestas and parties. Please feel free to contact me, sincerely.....Martin Pegrum
glittering-prize67
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by glittering-prize67 »

This Chris Powell - is he anything to do with Powell's Automatics, restoring old bandits and putting some on new themes?
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operator bell
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by operator bell »

Thanks for sharing, Martin! This thread is turning into best collection of PS memorabilia on the whole Interwebs.
martinpegrum wrote:It is with fond memories that I write to you all. I used to be a "Peter Simper" engineer.
robtroi
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Peter Simper's Riverside

Post by robtroi »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Hi!
This is a picture of my Peter Simper Fruit machine called Riverside
Riverside.jpg


And a picture of the Peter Simper Headquarters in Bath.
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moonriver
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Re: Peter Simper's Riverside

Post by moonriver »

Not everyone's cup of tea, but a rare machine I should think.
tritech
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by tritech »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

I too have fond memories of working at Peter Simper. I was on my OE at the time, 1978 I think.
I was the New Zealander working in the store room. I remember painting the white wire in the various colours for the factory.
Fond memories of a great bunch of people. I was presented with a bottle of Logan whisky when I left which we drank at my oldest child 21st some 28 years later.
!!YIPPEE!!
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arrgee
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by arrgee »

What a pity that there are (probably) no BMCo employees left to tell workers tales, or other well known makers employees such as Bryans, R & W etc. This of course is one of the problems of not documenting information early enough for future generations who may be interested in the hobby. It has, and probably always will have, a certain air of secrecy, mystique and mystery about these old machines.
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slotalot
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by slotalot »

-/00\- Yep, totally agree with you, it needs to be recorded before it is too late.... !TAPTAP! !READ! !!PHOTO!!
woody2
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by woody2 »

glittering-prize67 wrote:This Chris Powell - is he anything to do with Powell's Automatics, restoring old bandits and putting some on new themes?
Chris Powell has the arcade in St Ives I think. !PUZZLED!
jonesthegarage
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by jonesthegarage »

Arrgee wrote:What a pity that there are (probably) no BMCo employees left to tell workers tales, or other well known makers employees such as Bryans, R & W etc. This of course is one of the problems of not documenting information early enough for future generations who may be interested in the hobby. It has, and probably always will have, a certain air of secrecy, mystique and mystery about these old machines.
If you know where they were based it might be worth contacting the local newspaper. They are always looking for stories with a slant that will generate interest with their readers and who knows what response it may turn up.
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badpenny
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by badpenny »

An excellent suggestion! It's how the authorities caught up with me the last time! !!SUICIDAL!!
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slotalot
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by slotalot »

Jonesthegarage wrote: If you know where they were based it might be worth contacting the local newspaper. They are always looking for stories with a slant that will generate interest with their readers and who knows what response it may turn up.
I have tried this a few times with newspapers & libraries etc. when looking for information. Unfortunately, they only tend to become interested when a fee of some kind is offered :!?!: I have found very few who are willing to help for nothing. When I researched the Whales family a few years ago it cost me over £400 by the time I had finished, and I lost count of the man hours involved. !!SUICIDAL!!
Would I do it again??? Yes all the time because the history is as important as the wooden boxes we all cherish.... !!THUMBSX2!!
Talking of History?? HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! that's another year gone.
!PARTY!
pennymachines
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by pennymachines »

slotalot wrote:...the history is as important as the wooden boxes we all cherish....
Point well made. I'm surprised how some collectors' interest in the 'wooden boxes' doesn't extend beyond acquiring them and what they're worth.
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coppinpr
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Re: Peter Simper

Post by coppinpr »

Arrgee wrote:This of course is one of the problems of not documenting information early enough for future generations who may be interested in the hobby, it has, and probably always will have a certain air of secrecy, mystique and mystery.
It's always the same with subjects like ours - back in the day no one thought anyone would be interested in years to come. If you had told them people would collect the machines and write books about the industry they would have laughed. Especially with the amusement machine industry, the general public have always shunned those involved, wrongly assuming them to all be crooks and conmen, spivs at best. My recollection of those my father knew in south London is of a tight knit group of well dressed, slightly flashy people whose friends came from the same industry. They had money but were not generally accepted as "the right types" by the public when in fact it was some of the operators and those who frequented their clubs and sites who gave the industry its bad name, not the machine makers.
A party at Ruffler & Walker to launch their venture with (I think) Bal-Ami jukeboxes
A party at Ruffler & Walker to launch their venture with (I think) Bal-Ami jukeboxes

Fifth from the left is one of my father's best friends. As a very small boy I remember that whenever he came to our house he always had the prettiest of girls in tow. Looks like he did it again at this party.
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