N Gauge Forum

In my thread of "Four Firsts", it has developed into a reminiscences topic.

Bealman got me thinking and things are going completely off topic, no bad thing but lets bring it back here?

"When I was a boy"  I was fortunate to be fanatical about Tri-ang trains, all my pocket money was spent before I got it and then I would indulge my fantasies for those lovely Red boxes!

Apart from the wrong locomotive and the wrong coaches, I was lucky to have:-

The Grand Victorian Suspension Bridge.  (Cannot remember how long it was but it was at least a mile!)
I think it was R254 the electric turntable.  (Only went round 90 degrees, made one heck of a noise but it was the centre point of Crewe!)
A Britannia Locomotive with Magnadhesion.  (It was a retirement present made with extras by Rovex as their employees left.  It included Brass rails, whistles and various other bits that were non-standard!)

A CKD kit (Completely Knocked Down) of the Elektra with twin working overhead pantographs in a fantastic Green livery + Magnadhesion.

Super 4 track to which everything extra could be clipped, catenaries, signals, level crossings, you name it and it attached to the track!

Come on lads and lassies, what do you remember from 50 years and more ago?

Regards, Peter.

Quote from: petercharlesfagg on November 09, 2014, 12:41:40 PM

Come on lads and lassies, what do you remember from 50 years and more ago?

Regards, Peter.

Starting school and not being able to play with 'my' train set "in case I broke it". I couldn't tell you what sort it was, I can just about remember that everything was LMS as that was my father's favorite colour  ::)

I too had a triang layout. It was a figure of 8 and lived in our fitted out loft in Redcar. My elder brother used to buy me some rolling stock most weeks and I had quite a bit by the time my younger brother started destroying it. I only had one loco, a prairie in British Railways black, but my prize possession was a working Royal Mail coach, complete with ejecting mailbags.

Quote from: petercharlesfagg on November 09, 2014, 12:41:40 PMCome on lads and lassies, what do you remember from 50 years and more ago?

Regards, Peter.

Make me feel like a youngster again, will you? :P I mean I can remember when TVs used to have just two knobs (on/off/volume and tuning) and phones were wired directly into the wall (and not everyone had one) and there were New Pence, from which I deduced there must have been Old Pence, and two-shilling pieces with a King on them, but any further back I'd need to borrow a tardis.

When I was 10 my aunts gave me a Hornby Dublo train set an oval of track with a cast metal duchess and two tin plate coaches, My younger brother was given a prairie with two coaches but his was the older three rail system . As both managed shops for a small local retailer who sold everything from paraffin to three piece suites I have no idea how long they had been in stock.I gave the Duchess to a friend 25 years ago after years of trouble free running but still have the coaches in my attic somewhere

I had a large  (running right around the loft) Hornby Dublo Three Rail layout with a real mixture of locomotives and stock.
From memory 8F 48158, Castle - Bristol Castle, Duchess-of Montrose, standard 2-6-4T, an A4 (can't remember which one), a Class 20 diesel, an eastern region 0-6-2T and several more which I have forgotten about.
Everything used to run like a dream but probably at break neck speeds.
Not at all sure what happened to everything though .

Visiting my Grandparents on a Sunday and sneaking round the corner to Norwood Yard, investigating the shed and steam locos and the Bulleid diesel shunters therein...

As a Tri-ang kiddy I also used to have the catenary and the 'Elektra' loco and used to love the fact you could run 2 locos - one from the track and one from the 'knitting'. Also had the operating Mailcoach which collected and fired out miniature mailbags :D
Wonder what happened to it all, although stuff used to mysteriously vanish in house moves :(

Big brother had the REAL Hornby (pre the Triang Hornby) 3 rail, with the N2 as in my avatar.

I also progressed to the loft where I had a layout laid on fibreboard fixed direct to the rafters so was basically at floor level,  I had a large double oval with a "GWR Branch line" that climbed a hill that was probably 1 in 12 , luckily Peco did STEEL railed track and Triang used the wonderful magnadhesion. Lord of the Isles and three clerestory coaches running alongside a Blue streamlined Duchess was not unusual, oh and the Scotsman (?) with the chuff chuff noise , a small piece of metal attached to the tender axle rubbing against a piece of sand paper.  Hi tech or what ?       To this day in the roof of my Mum's house is the inscription in chalk GWR/LMS/SR/LNER joint railway.....  Luckily by the time I was 16 I had discovered girls so it remained frozen in time until big brother removed it all and gave it to his grandson.

And then there was the experiment in 009 the Gurgle Wobble Railway I sold all that to my Doctor in return for 2 weeks sick leave,,,,  Oh I also swapped some matchbox cars for a Lone Star Electric set...so that's where the rot set in.

Well its YOUR FAULT PETER you started this nostalgia trip.

Jerry

Quote from: Malc on November 09, 2014, 01:12:24 PM
working Royal Mail coach, complete with ejecting mailbags.

Thanks Malc, I had forgotten that one, yes I had one also!

Quote from: Jerry Howlett on November 09, 2014, 04:57:08 PM
Well its YOUR FAULT PETER you started this nostalgia trip.
Jerry

My fault YES! Isn't it fun?

I had the Tri-ang "Night Sleeper" train set with a Princess class loco in maroon livery, 2 sleepers and a full brake. It's still around, in my Mum's loft.

We lived in Reading then and I used to visit Eames shop regularly just to drool over the big demonstration layout.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 09, 2014, 06:45:36 PM

We lived in Reading then and I used to visit Eames shop regularly just to drool over the big demonstration layout.

Best regards,
Joe

Eames !! I had a 50p an hour cleaning job at the Chippenham Model Railway Centre in 1972 ?.  They went bust and owed Eames ££££.s  When the Guys from Eames came for their goods I tried to hide a Triang Hornby Evening Star in my mop bucket but the b~~~ers found it, If only I had gone for the N Gauge then , I could have smuggled a complete train out in the Tea pot..

I'm telling you Peter this nostalgia is going to run....

Jerry

I understand that Eames eventually went the same way as the Chippenham Model Railway Centre - sad but maybe poetic justice ?

Best regards,


Joe

I must be getting old because I like these old days type threads, my first layout was a Honby Dublo Duchess of Atholl 3 rail set, I got it for Christmas when I was 12 years old, my Nan and Grandpa bought me an LNER tank loco to go with it and my Uncle built me a great station, that was the beginning of a lifetime hobby.

Going slightly of topic I was lucky enough to live near the Birmingham - Bristol main line and spent every spare minute trainspotting, I could not stand the thought of missing all those great trains passing while I was a school so armed with my LMS Ian Allan train ref, a notebook, my school lunch and a packet of five Woodbine fags I would wag school and log some great cops, ah they were the days.

I used to have a Hornby Dublo too, a A4 pacific I think ..... King. I also had lots of Corgi cars, do not know what happened to them. What a sickner when I saw some go for a fortune on the TV program Flog It last week. I kept thinking I had that one...and that one....and.....

Chris, I'm sure those prices were for mint, never played with condition.

Were yours in that state ?

Best regards,


Joe

I too had Triang kit.  It started with an American looking blue diesel and two blue coaches one with a panorama roof.  (I later discovered it was intended as an Australian style train which they were aiming at the export market). Next followed an electric version of the loco in green and some years later a catenery set which allowed two locos on one line as mentioned in an earlier post.  I also had the Royal Mail coach and had a number of the military vehicles which were on the market for a while.  One was a helicopter on a flat wagon which launched when the train passed a trigger attached to the track,  always assuming the chopper was wound up first. There was also a Wild West steam loco complete with cow catcher and wide chimney which I think was called Davey Crockett and a matching coach.  As well as these exotic items there was also a motley collection British stock, 3F, B12 (which was a knockdown kit) class 37, various coaches in various liveries and freight wagons etc etc.

The original set had series 3 track and additions were super 4. In the end I had a double track oval with a couple of loops and some sidings on roughly 8'x4'.  All dismantled in the mid 70s and sold off. 

Robert.

First trainset was a clockwork tin-plate O-gauge set with steel rails that was set up under the dining room table when I was allowed to use that space (not very often  :( ).  That was subsequently replaced about 1961 by a simple loop of Trix Twin (3-rail OO-Gauge) handed down by an uncle.  This included a Flying Scotsman (green BR livery), but was "recovered" almost immediately by a cousin who had taken over the bulk of my uncle's extensive layout  :'( .

Following this fiasco, I subsequently bought for myself with Christmas money a Triang HO/OO set (RS.38 Snow Rescue Train) at the Model Shop in Teddington.  That one had a snowplow, 0-4-0 shunter, ambulance car and (working) helicopter car.  I expanded it to a double track with one siding, and added two 0-6-0 steam engines, some LMS carriages, some goods vans and the ubiquitous Royal Mail coach.  This also lived on the floor, so reliability was dubious at best, and eventually was retired to the attic when I went off to boarding school along with some Minic Motorways stuff.  When we cleared out my parents' home after they died, I found the Triang stuff in the attic covered in about a centimeter of dust. Nostalgia set in and I could not see it go to the dump with all the rest of their stuff, so packed it up and put it in my luggage and flew it to the US in 2006.  It is still in the packing, and may stay there for a while if not indefinitely (not much market for Triang over here  :dunce: and the rail-space is dedicated to N).

I had the Hornby Hymek and 37 when they first came out and the Hornby R900 series controllers, prior to that I was using a controller that sat on 2 huge blue ever ready batteries and I could only play with my trains when my parents could afford to buy me those batteries.
I had all the Dinky Space 1999 and Thunderbird stuff and huge yellow Tonker dumper trucks and now its all gone, as someone else said on here, this stuff sells for a fortune but only cost around £2.99 to buy in the good old days.

I remember my parents playing a TV controller game called Blip, then it was Atari, then Sinclair, Commadore, Grandstand e.t.c and now we can now send photos to each other via mobile phone,

Fishing tackle was a tree branch for a rod, cork for the float, cotton for the line, plasticine for weights and a bent pin for the hook.

Dinner was what ever my Grandfathers Ferrets caught on the day.

Mark

I was lucky - my Dad used to travel a lot for his job and he'd go out of his way to get quadruple Green Shield stamps when buying petrol.

Thay paid for my fishing tackle and a lot of our toys!

Best regards,


Joe

Hornby OO with lots of bits. I think my dad got as much fun out of it as I did, and he used to always buy extra bits for Xmas, so I had a turntable, Winston Churchill with "real smoke" and lots of other bits. Also had a Minic car set, which was 1:72 for those who don't know, so it fitted in well with the trains. There lots of pieces you could get so you could join them together, like a car transporter with load and off load ramps, also level crossing and similar. My favourite loco was my first, a little black Jinty. Great stuff! Cheers, Bill.

Ah....Green Shield Stamps.
I can remember those getting out of hand and being given absolutely reams of them when you filled up with petrol.
Great days !

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 09, 2014, 09:03:53 PM
I was lucky - my Dad used to travel a lot for his job and he'd go out of his way to get quadruple Green Shield stamps when buying petrol.

Thay paid for my fishing tackle and a lot of our toys!

Best regards,


Joe

I Still have a Green Shield stamp encased in a resin keyring fob. Maybe I should cash it in for a Merc or Bentley

Mark

What about pennies on the line?
We used to do that all the time.
I used to have a penny that had been run over by the Cornish Riviera Express (on Westbury Cut Off line) about 6 times.
I do wonder whatever happened to that penny.

Quote from: port perran on November 09, 2014, 09:24:34 PM
What about pennies on the line?
We used to do that all the time.
I used to have a penny that had been run over by the Cornish Riviera Express (on Westbury Cut Off line) about 6 times.
I do wonder whatever happened to that penny.

We used to do pennies on the line, lost most of them until Dad brought home double sided tape - modern miracle, just had to scrape it off the track then.
Also remember being shown a calculator that was a wonder, put in some numbers and it added subtracted and everything, all worked by batteries.
I was a deprived cild some may say depraved but then ... Only ever allowed to drool outside Eames shop never permitted inside.

Ah memories .... Dream on.

Quote from: port perran on November 09, 2014, 09:24:34 PM
What about pennies on the line?
We used to do that all the time.
I used to have a penny that had been run over by the Cornish Riviera Express (on Westbury Cut Off line) about 6 times.
I do wonder whatever happened to that penny.

Christmas 1981. After years of having to share things with my brother, who broke every toy that I ever had, I received my very first locomotive that was all mine. A Farish 08. The following Christmas and birthdays saw the addition to my fleet of a 47 then a 37 and the original two power-car HST set.

Last night after reading this thread I had all these old machines running on my layout. They all still get regular use but last night was an early 1980's memory.

The other thought that this thread brought to mind is how many people will be doing something similar over 30 years later with modern models? The above farish locos did not require any tinkering to get them going and the only 'major' surgery has been a change of brushes. I compare this with various tinkering and returns of modern both steam and diesel and think of my latest failure, a Dapol 22 that despite being a couple of years old  might have been run for only about 5 hours.

Sadly this state of affairs is common to all scales of model railways. My Bachman 57xx required a new motor after around 6 years of not particularly heavy use, but at least my Hornby pannier and Hornby/Dapol terriers are of the easily maintained (in fact yet to break) open frame design that should still be working many years from now.
Happy modelling
Elmo

Quote from: longbridge on November 09, 2014, 07:49:04 PM
I must be getting old because I like these old days type threads, my first layout was a Honby Dublo Duchess of Atholl 3 rail set, I got it for Christmas when I was 12 years old, my Nan and Grandpa bought me an LNER tank loco to go with it and my Uncle built me a great station, that was the beginning of a lifetime hobby.

Going slightly of topic I was lucky enough to live near the Birmingham - Bristol main line and spent every spare minute trainspotting, I could not stand the thought of missing all those great trains passing while I was a school so armed with my LMS Ian Allan train ref, a notebook, my school lunch and a packet of five Woodbine fags I would wag school and log some great cops, ah they were the days.

Tut, Tut, Tut, not going to school , naughty boy! 

Woodbines, YAY! I used to sneak off to the woods with mates to share the experience.

Never did understand why it was always me who was stood guard duty and missed out on a smoke!!!

Trainspotting was not my interest but it was good just to sit on a footbridge and watch,with a bottle of Tizer whilst discussing deeper subjects such as girls?

Quote from: port perran on November 09, 2014, 09:24:34 PM
What about pennies on the line?
We used to do that all the time.
I used to have a penny that had been run over by the Cornish Riviera Express (on Westbury Cut Off line) about 6 times.
I do wonder whatever happened to that penny.

I remarked in another thread about doing just the same!

Thinking about it later in life it is amazing that we weren't hurt sometimes.

The locomotive would go over the coins and some of them would shoot out sideways into the scrub where we were hiding and embed themselves in the tree trunks.  Not even a sheath knife could dislodge them, perhaps they are still there?

What fun memories are?  Peter.

I dread to think what H & S would have to say about some of the locations I got into in pursuit of trainspotting :goggleeyes:
Yep - my mate and I used to buy 5 Park Drive (he bought them 'cause he was taller than me) and then smoke them with gloves on so we didn't get nicotine stained fingers ::)
My first pushbike was my granddad's old 3 speed shonker with what seemed to me to be gorilla bent handlebars and painted silver wheels to cover the rust. I bought a combination lock for it when I started going to grammar school. Emerged from school one afternoon to find someone had nicked the lock and left the bloody pushbike :'(

I remember when the first you'd hear about a new loco from Grafar (Graham Farish went trendy for a while...) was seeing an advert in Railway Modeller when the model was available in the shops!!!

It then took 21 Saturdays of gardening for an old lady to pay for a Black 5 :) I still have it and guess it would run straight out of its box today.

Pocket money days = 100% disposable income! lol

Best regards
Michael

For me it was system 6 track initially then super 4 (as I acquired my Grandfathers layout when they moved to a small retirement home and he dabbled in N and other things)

But I started with a Tri-ang Hornby E3001 and a 2-6-2 tank from the same range that kept eating bushes and shorting. I spent a year saving for a Hymek.

My other hobbies as a kid were fishing and stamp collecting.

For fishing tackle, "mecca" was Turners in Whitley Street (I think) Reading.

For stamps it was Woolworths. Hard to believe that they used to have an entire department devoted to stamps. They had packets according to various themes, including "Red on the Map" for former British colonies.

Woolworths was also the place to go for Airfix kits. My pocket money was just enough to buy one Series 1 kit per week (about 2 bob).

Happy days - or were they ?


Joe

When I first got a Triang train set I didn't have a mains power unit , my dad fixed up something
to run it off a large battery, possibly a lead acid accumulator. Then later I was given a mains
transformer in a sort of mottled steel enamelled casing.

About the same time one of my pals had an uncle who came into a lot of money
and bought him a stack of Triang transcontinental stuff , colourful locos,boxcars,
gondolas, cabooses and a passenger tourist cars with observation domes.

Needless to say I wasn't a bit jealous, happy with an 0-6-0 tank ,2- 3 wagons and a guards van.
(believe that if you like)

I started off with Lone Star Locos of the push along kind, I still have quite a bit left that managed to survive lots of house moves and the journey to Africa.

When I was six I had my tonsils out and was given a Playcraft H0 clockwork trainset for being brave. I also had Matchbox and Corgi cars, if only I'd looked after them and kept the boxes. The first thing we used to do was chuck the boxes out.

We used to play for hours in our dusty back garden in Zambia with Corgi cars. Lego and Britains farm animals.

I bought some Hornby Dublo recently, I never had it as a child but it is very inexpensive here, still runs and something about it appeals to me.

Veronica.

Quote from: petercharlesfagg on November 09, 2014, 12:41:40 PM
In my thread of "Four Firsts", it has developed into a reminiscences topic.

.......................Come on lads and lassies, what do you remember from 50 years and more ago?

Regards, Peter.

I'm staying out of this one as I was 'only' 50 in August of this year. This may be why I don't remember much/anything. I was still in my pram!

I might be a bit underage on this thread ;), but this thread got me thinking and dragging up some old memories I'd forgotten that I'd forgotten about. Which is a pleasurable process in many ways.

My first trainset was a clockwork steam locomotive. I'd totally forgotten about this until very recently; as far as I can reconstruct I must have received it for my 3rd birthday (or possibly the Christmas just before; my birthday is just long enough after Christmas for two rounds of presents  8) ) in 1976. I don't recall much about it, thogh details keep popping up if I don't think too hard. It was a tank engine, very probably 0-4-0, black with white lining and probably a single number (possibly 2 or 5). I don't recall what rolling stock it came with, if any; I'm pretty sure it came with a circle of track. Possibly it was from Hornby, but more likely from Lima; I don't remember having any Hornby track until the 1980s. Locomotive and any other stock vanished at a fairly early stage. I can kind of see images of the stock flashing on the edge of memory, no doubt it will come back.

Evidently I was enthusiastic about this little clockwork train, and for the next Christmas-or-birthday I got a Lima HO-gauge Class 33 (BR blue of course) with a set of wagons. My father nailed the track to a large piece of chipboard, which I remember discovering before I should have known about it - it was leaning up against the wall and I distincly recall seeing the rails. And I think my parents came up with a white lie that my father was making it for someone in the neighbourhood. I don't really recall much about the layout itself, it was probably an oval with a single siding. It did come with a Duette controller. Not long thereafter we moved across the country to a slightly bigger house, and my father (who is not really into trains) went to the trouble of creating a more permanent layout which consisted an L-shaped board with two overlapping ovals, one elevated. There was a link between them which - not to want to sound ungrateful - was a horrendous botch job - a 90 degree curve transitioning between levels executed using only two points and two 30 degree curves of not too generous a radius.

At some point I also received a 2nd trainset, also Lima, consisting of a 0-4-0 steam locomotive and three coaches in what was evidently supposed to be "Southern Railways" livery, but apart from being green there was no resemblance to anything that ever ran on the SR - loco and coaches were definitely based on some continental prototype. The coaches are most primitive - plastic shells with no interior decoration, not even any "glass".

A bit later - 1978 or 1979 - I received yet another trainset, the best one yet - a Mainline OO standard class 4MT 4-6-0 and three crimson'n'cream MK1s. The 4MT tragically took a fall from the aforementioned connecting curve, though it must have been pretty robust as the only damage was a broken cab window support and it continued to run for many years.

Not too long after that there was another move, and this time I ended up with the layout on a 6x4 board hinged over my bed. I got enough extra track to make a three-loop layout from the Hornby Trackplans book, around which point I was on my own as far as construction went. Unfortunately being hinged up against the wall was not conducive to any kind of scenery construction; I think it languished with only occasional use until around the time I got a bunkbed, started trainspotting (Birmingham New Street was a 30-minute train ride away) and was trusted with power tools, which caused me to attempt an over-ambitious layout which went right around the room, with hinged sections. Also I spend too much of my meager earnings from newspaper delivery on locomotives, and never really got it beyond the baseboard stage. Another house move and shifting interests around the age of 15 put an end to any railway ambitions, though I've hung on to most of the rolling stock through multiple moves in three different countries.

And then 25 years later (or about 3 months ago), after finally settling down I purchase more-or-less accidentally a single Japanese N-gauge car and realise I have enough space for a reasonably sized layout, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Footnote: I saw a Farish 5MT on offer at Hattons, so was going to order it and a couple of cream/crimson MK1s to pick up from my parent's house when I visit the UK last month; my father ended up ordering on my behalf, and when I mentioned that it was "replacing" the Mainline OO set which I still had, he was pleased I still had it so I ended up with an early Christmas present.

I remember having a hornby Dublo train set with one point and could my dad get it to run on the slip could he hec and all I had was a train set that went round in circles, some one told him how to sort it out but he said sod that, then one day when I wanted to play with it, the train set had disappeared my dad told me he gave it to my Uncle, that was my train set not his.  :veryangry:

Every night I got home from school I had to go to the co-op and give the number for divi, hated the Co-op also had to play out after my tea and could not go in until I was shouted in, I could not have any posters on the wall in my bedroom the  fact is  I was not allowed to breathe, there was a sign in the house and it said little boys should be seen and not heard.

I always enjoyed watching the Steam Trains, they were massive giants puffing out steam it was a brilliant site, I would like to say they were the best days of my life but I would be fibbing, the best days of my life are now and truth be had about things I am more happier now than then.

Why was life so strict, I do respect everyone now where I do think some young people now do not respect there elders, like one young man said to me respect has to be earned, yikes I said come back in time and then you would respect your elders or get your back side kicked.

So where a lot of you had plenty of happiness when young I had to go home and say nothing and do what I was told or I got the wrath.

enough said cos my story is just starting.

Quote from: Trainfish on November 10, 2014, 02:34:17 PM

Quote from: petercharlesfagg on November 09, 2014, 12:41:40 PM
In my thread of "Four Firsts", it has developed into a reminiscences topic.

.......................Come on lads and lassies, what do you remember from 50 years and more ago?

Regards, Peter.

I'm staying out of this one as I was 'only' 50 in August of this year. This may be why I don't remember much/anything. I was still in my pram!

railfish, I like your moniker  :beers:

Quote from: railsquid on November 10, 2014, 03:37:15 PM

Quote from: Trainfish on November 10, 2014, 02:34:17 PM

Quote from: petercharlesfagg on November 09, 2014, 12:41:40 PM
In my thread of "Four Firsts", it has developed into a reminiscences topic.

.......................Come on lads and lassies, what do you remember from 50 years and more ago?

Regards, Peter.

I'm staying out of this one as I was 'only' 50 in August of this year. This may be why I don't remember much/anything. I was still in my pram!

railfish, I like your moniker  :beers:

Spoilsports!  :P

Quote from: Geoff on November 10, 2014, 03:31:34 PM

Every night I got home from school I had to go to the co-op and give the number for divi, hated the Co-op also

Can you still remember the Co-op divi number ?

Best regards,


Joe

To Geoff, I'm glad you are making up for lost time. We have a notice we stick up on our club layout when we go to exhibitions that reads " It's never too late to have a happy childhood"  it's very true, that's what all of us are doing in a way.

:NGaugersRule:

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 10, 2014, 06:10:08 PM

Quote from: Geoff on November 10, 2014, 03:31:34 PM

Every night I got home from school I had to go to the co-op and give the number for divi, hated the Co-op also

Can you still remember the Co-op divi number ?

Best regards,


Joe

4007 it was drummed into me  ;)

Quote from: Geoff on November 10, 2014, 03:31:34 PM
I would like to say they were the best days of my life but I would be fibbing, the best days of my life are now and truth be had about things I am more happier now than then.

I'm with you there Geoff. Although I allow myself to wallow in nostalgia I'm much happier now than when I was a kid. Train sets, stamp collecting and Airfix models are fine but nothing beats the freedom to be who you want to be and do what you want to do (within the limits of the law and your finances).

Best regards,


Joe

My Dad worked on a farm my Mum was always in and out of Hospital so they didn't have a lot of money ,My sister and I ended up in a Childrens home in Banbury.
Imagine how excited I was when we went home for Christmas and Opened a big box to discover a Triang train set and my relations had all bought extra track and two points , after the holiday I was allowed to take the set to the home and as I was the oldest boy I used to play trains after the others had gone to bed.
We kept our own toys in drawers in a huge cupboard and one day one of the other kids opened my drawer and broke nearly all of the track .
Mr & Mrs Moore then bought me a new set of track even bigger than the old set .I was then given a key to the office and kept it in there,every birthday , Christmas and sometimes when Mum & Dad visited I had more little gifts a wagon or a bit of track I remember Mr &  Mrs Moore gave me a little yellow Shunter with a light on the front I also had the mail set from all the family one Christmas. When I left the home at age 16 I went home went to work and built a big layout in my bedroom I slept underneath it . Gave up railways for the usual hobby that we men go for .Then just got a bargain N gauge railway and my wife helped me personalise it we only lived in a maisonette so the layout  was in our bedroom .Inow have a 20ft x8ft layout in a shed at the bottom of the garden Val now has no interest in it at all but she does let me have new Locos  when I want something special so I don't do to bad .And she now goes to Hemel Hempstead skiing with my son and daughter while I run my railway.
Enough of my rambling but some happy memories.
Bob

Quote from: Geoff on November 10, 2014, 03:31:34 PM

Every night I got home from school I had to go to the co-op and give the number for divi, hated the Co-op also

Can you still remember the Co-op divi number ?

Best regards,


Joe
[/quote]

4007 it was drummed into me  ;)
[/quote]

Ours was 8079.

Going back to railways, the truth is that we're much better off today compared with the Tri-ang era as far as availability of rolling stock goes. What Tri-ang steam locos were available in the "good old days" ? For the LMS there was the Jinty, the Princess, and a 3F. For the GWR there was a big prairie and later a Hall. For the LNER a B12, then later Flying Scotsman. For the Southern a Battle of Britain, an L1 then later an M7.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 11, 2014, 12:25:00 PM

Quote from: Geoff on November 10, 2014, 03:31:34 PM

Every night I got home from school I had to go to the co-op and give the number for divi, hated the Co-op also

Can you still remember the Co-op divi number ?

Best regards,


Joe

4007 it was drummed into me  ;)
[/quote]

Ours was 8079.

Going back to railways, the truth is that we're much better off today compared with the Tri-ang era as far as availability of rolling stock goes. What Tri-ang steam locos were available in the "good old days" ? For the LMS there was the Jinty, the Princess, and a 3F. For the GWR there was a big prairie and later a Hall. For the LNER a B12, then later Flying Scotsman. For the Southern a Battle of Britain, an L1 then later an M7.

Best regards,


Joe
[/quote]

The Tri-ang era, I can never remember which loco I had I think it was LMS but what I do remember is the controller it had a big rotary knob which went round in clicks, a bit prehistoric with today's controllers, one of the lads in the street had one of them clockwork engines and track it was much bigger than the 00 track, I bet that is worth a few bob today, I use to go to the station and take the numbers down of all the steam trains, trying to think what it cost for a platform ticket but it was only about a penny in old money and if I was lucky the driver would let me get up on the foot plate, wow grimy days do you think it was good that Steam Engines disappeared the way they did?

Another thing I remember seeing my first Deltic that was one beast as well the driver let off the horns when pulling away I will never forget that, also remember the first diesel DMU coming to the station there was a write up in the paper and there was quite a few people went to see it, never did like it steam engines were so on another planet they were magic just listen to this 62 year old fart chat.

If it's not a stupid question, what's a divi number?  :confused2:

Quote from: railsquid on November 11, 2014, 01:10:02 PM
If it's not a stupid question, what's a divi number?  :confused2:

Back in the 50's 60's and very early 70's if you had a Co-operative shop in your town you were allocated a dividend number and through the year your divi would tot up and at the end of year you would end up with free food, it came in handy at Christmas when folks would not have money to spend on luxury foods.

The Co-op still does divi, albeit with a swipe card instead of a divi number. Pay out is sometime this month.

First of I will start with when I was a little un not boy, my first experience of model railways was my big brothers Tri-ang Silver and red Trans-continental set with I believe to be series 2 track (the grey stuff) which I started to show some interest in my big brother being 10 years my senior let me play with it and when he started work  he started to buy more stuff and we ended up out in the shed with quite a big layout with lots of track with electric points and I remember us having a Britannia,a Jinty, a Princess, a Dock shunter, a class 31? and a Electra with  overhead cables. This is where the model railway bug started it was my big brother Micheal's fault and as we all know once infected you suffer for life.

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 10, 2014, 06:10:08 PM

Quote from: Geoff on November 10, 2014, 03:31:34 PM

Every night I got home from school I had to go to the co-op and give the number for divi, hated the Co-op also

Can you still remember the Co-op divi number ?

Best regards,


Joe

1127 West Cornwall - circa 1956/7!

I had a Hornby oval; grey click-together track with 2 coaches and a loco - no idea what. I think it was battery powered.

We moved around quite a lot as dad was in the services. I don't remember it after leaving Northern Ireland for the West Country in 1956.

Dave G

Quote from: Geoff on November 11, 2014, 12:54:21 PM
For the LMS there was the Jinty, the Princess, and a 3F. For the GWR there was a big prairie and later a Hall.

Splitting hairs, but the Triang "GWR" Prairie was 82002 a BR loco.  I know because I envied a friend of mine who had a GWR Prairie swapped it for 100 of my matchbox toys for it. All I had and a collection going back to the early 60's no boxes though.  A few days/ weeks / moments later I realised it was just the Airfix prairie with a cut up Princess chassis wedged into the body. The fact that I had a 4-6-2 prairie should have given me the clue...

Incidently my Jinty caused so much interference that the neighbours across the street (100 yards away) complained about the interference on their TV. A guy from the GPO appeared at our door with some fancy gear probably valves and made of Bakelite he plugged it all in put on his headphones and WINCED!!!   The official advice was NOT to run the Jinty during TV hours!!!

Jerry

Ah Triang, it wasn't very pretty but plenty of people collect it these days, much of it still runs like a Swiss Watch, the only N gauge locos that stood the test of time was Minitrix, IMO both were a credit to their respective manufacturers they were built to last unlike some of the trash we get these days.

My first layout was a Hornby Triang 0-4-0, two opens and a toad brake.  I moved from there and was given by my brother 4-6-2 Pacific 6201 Princess Elizabeth which got repainted BR Green.  I also was given 70013 Oliver Cromwell and eventually Mallard. 

At some point I moved to modern traction and bought a few Lima Locos.  I aquired others but they got sold to fund N Gauge.

All that remain are here (sorry about the quality of the photo)

(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/36/thumb_18491.JPG) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=18491)

It has been a long day but my final attack for the evening with all this modern technological stuff.  I had a Tri-ang RECORD !. It was a 45 (thats a black plastic round thing that old people put on things called record players).  It had a mixture of train noises as well as station announcements.  Don't think it ever made it into the charts though.  My failing memory thinks the cover was black white and red with a few trains pictured including a Brush A1A-A1A or a class 31 for the young uns.    Goodnight   Maa.

Jerry

You mean this one Jerry?

http://www.45cat.com/image/022/thumb/railway-rhythm-steam-locomotive-shunting-triang-railways-t.jpg (http://www.45cat.com/imageview/1176CE2F6716D972)

:goggleeyes:

I can remember going shopping with my mother accompanied by my little sister in the pram and stopping at the model railway shop which had a layout in the window. You could make the train go round by putting a penny in the slot.

I can also remember watching very grubby Q1 locos shunting at Feltham. After that we moved to Hayling Island which was even better because they had Terriers and two coach trains going across Langston bridge.

I had Hornby tinplate 0 gauge clockwork at first. Then Lone Star 000 push along (which became N gauge.... yeah!).

Then I built a Kitmaster blue Deltic and bought a Triang guards van from the shop which is not there anymore (Bealman spur-of-the-moment UK adventure).

That was to give hints to me muther & fattha wot I wanted for Christmas 1962. I did not have any track, but the rails of the sliding doors on me mutha's sideboard were exactly 00 gauge!

That little van got pushed back and forwards heaps in the space of a foot or so, with a backscene of me Dad's beer glasses, but when I put the Deltic on with it there wasn't much room for movement!

Quote from: Trainfish on November 11, 2014, 10:55:22 PM
You mean this one Jerry?

(http://www.45cat.com/image/022/thumb/railway-rhythm-steam-locomotive-shunting-triang-railways-t.jpg) (http://www.45cat.com/imageview/1176CE2F6716D972)

:goggleeyes:

That is scary !!!! to remember it so vividly...

Talking about records I had several Argo transacord ones including Trains in Trouble, This is York, Gresley Pacifics and N7 on the Jazz

What I most remember of 50 years ago, was coming home from school and finding the toy cupboard had been emptied. Gone were my 3 rail Hornby Dublo, 2 rail Triang, Scalectrix, Dinky toys and some old fishing gear. All taken to the second hand shop for about £10. I was fuming, but could see their point , as rarely used as nowhere to set them up at that time, so gathering dust in the cupboard.

Hello

Here's my second N Gauge layout when I was a teenager in the late 70s early 80s.

(http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/gallery/36/thumb_18573.jpg) (http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view;id=18573)

All the buildings were scratch-built in plasticard. The only house at the front is my Nan and Grandad's house. I still have this, the controller (a Minitrol) and all the rolling stock.

The backscene is pasted onto my bedroom wall :)

Best regards
Michael

I remember Kiel Kraft kits.Days spent building a model aircraft which lasted an afternoon if lucky. Some powered with Jetex.

I well remember spending literally hours on end at what we called "Black Bridge" watching what seemed like an endless variety of late steam and early(ish) diesel types. 
And it always seemed to be hot and sunny !
Common were panniers, praries, Collett 0-6-0s, Halls, Castles, Counties, Manors, 43XX 2-6-0s, 28xx 2-8-0s, 72xx 2-8-0Ts on long coal trains, various standard types, the odd Black 5,  hymeks, warships and westerns (occasionally), Class 47s, 08s, various dmus and others.  Even a B1 one day !
Variety was the spice of life in those days.
Later, in 67/68 particularly we witnessed the sad sight of various steam classes (including SR pacifics and standards) hauling rows of (usually) 3 or  4 dead and decaying steam locos from the store locations at Salisbury, Weymouth and Westbury to their demise in the South wales Scrapyards.

Our house used to back onto the  railway between Brentwood and Shenfield. As a lad I and my pal who lived just up (or down railwaywise) the road used to run down the garden jump over the fence and look down into the cutting whenever we heard something. The number of times one of us said it's only a footballer! If only we knew then :hmmm:

Scrumping apples from the orchard down the road, my Lone Star 000 trainset-my first , Family car was a Ford Popular sit up and beg and dads company car was a Ford Esquire or equivalent estate.
6d a week pocket money which was spent on BlackJacks and Fruit Salad at 4 for 1d.
Level crossings were either manual or big wheel  operated.

From the 'underside'...

For me 'trains' were things that were travelled-on during school holidays to visit a divorced parent, so there was little glamour attached to them, especially as they invariably had large, black and (very) scary locomotives on the front end.  To a small child they were very unfriendly, and to be avoided.  Planes (in all sizes, shapes and forms) were the thing...

However, when I  was about 8 years old, (and as a Christmas present), a train-mad step-uncle 'donated' a well-used Hornby clockwork set, a circle  of track, and a red 0-4-0T  to me.  This was later followed by some type-unrecalled tinplate carriages, a level crossing and a semaphore signal.  All very interesting, but as I could never get the loco to stay on the track, ultimately very frustrating and a bit pointless (I know, unintentional pun).  I eventually lost interest  (and, probably, the key) and have no idea where the trains eventually went to.

Curiously, I didn't see my first actual model railway layout  until I was about 12 years old, when a school  acquaintance took me to see one that his neighbour was constructing.  I don't recall much about it, except that it had lots of hills and was American-themed.  I had no idea that such things existed, but even after such 'exposure' to the hobby never had any interest in creating anything like it for myself.   Aircraft still ruled (and would continue to do so for quite a few years after).  There was absolutely no way that I was EVER going to 'PLAY with toy trains'....

Thanks to my good lady wife, my model railway 'conversion' came many years later...

It was all really rather a long time ago; thanks for asking.

Quote from: Oldman on November 14, 2014, 08:54:16 PM

6d a week pocket money which was spent on BlackJacks and Fruit Salad at 4 for 1d.

Chewy filling removers !!!

Quote from: Jerry Howlett on November 14, 2014, 09:46:56 PM

Quote from: Oldman on November 14, 2014, 08:54:16 PM

6d a week pocket money which was spent on BlackJacks and Fruit Salad at 4 for 1d.

Chewy filling removers !!!

Never had fillings then. Now only got 5 teeth of my own. ::)

Quote from: steve836 on November 14, 2014, 07:40:25 PM
I remember Kiel Kraft kits.Days spent building a model aircraft which lasted an afternoon if lucky. Some powered with Jetex.

Geez... I'd forgotten about them! I had a couple with Jetex motors with the fuel tablets and ignition fuses which lit up like fireworks. I believe Gerry Anderson bought like zillions of 'em for the machines in Thunderbirds.

Good grief, B'man now you've started something...

Kiel Kraft aircraft, along with Airsail and Modelair kits if you were an Australasian kid (and could afford them), and well as Merit , Revell and Airfix 'planes and Eagle warship kits.  For those who were so-inclined there were  'Eagle', 'Hotspur', 'Lion', 'Dandy', 'Beano' and all the rest of the 'comics' for all ages, comics which we all loved and 'devoured', every week.  Meccano (and Meccano Magazine), Airfix Magazine, and, of course 'War Comics' (which we all eagerly read as they reinforced our view of the 'Empire (dying though it was, although we didn't know it), 'Look and Learn' (must be educated) and, of course, the Annuals, which were always Christmas presents...

And these were only the mags' we got from 'Home'.  There were the American ones as well; especially the comics, with those adverts of impossibly shaped and oh so desirable bikes and accessories (to say nothing of 'Sea Monkees' and other 'odd' things), and even a mysterious sort of 'cake' called 'Hostess Twinkies' (how little we knew...).

All of the above definitely shaped our world view, with at times hilarious consequences when we ventured out into the 'real' world ('nuff said).

As I said, B-man, look what you've started...

Aint 'rose coloured glasses' wonderful...?

Next?

I used to get most of those comics and still have most of the Meccano mags from 1959 up to it's demise in 1967.

Did anyone ever buy those "X-RaySpecs" that looked so good in the adverts in the back of those Superman comics?

No.... and why were you so interested  :D

They had suction blackhead removers too on the same page... yurgh!  :sick2:

I grew up in Luton and was interested in railways at an early age - the only toy train I had was a clockwork
  4-4-0 green engine I can't remember the make but I'm pretty sure it was not Hornby - I was very envious of several of my friends who had electric train sets - why was I envious? because we did not have mains electricity in our house - everything was gas - we eventually were connected to electric but I can't remember the date- imagine the excitement when we had our first tele and an  electric record player  - I also remember playing  in the Air Raid shelter in the garden - when we had air raid warnings which were fairly frequent in Luton my granddad always refused to use the shelter - he said he preferred to stay in bed and hope for the best!!!!  - interesting memories

There were adverts for Hawkins Bazaar where you could get all sorts of interesting gizmos for pocket money prices. Imagine my surprise when I went to Chester last year and found that it was still going!

We're not talking that page in DC comics anymore, then? I was quite enjoyin' that!

Quote from: Bealman on November 15, 2014, 10:53:25 AM
We're not talking that page in DC comics anymore, then? I was quite enjoyin' that!

So you did buy the x-Ray specs then?  :D

As a four year old, Xmas 1938 a Hornby clockwork 0-4-0T in Southern Maunsell green with a load of goods wagons, followed the next year by Hornby electric (20VAC) Flying Scotsman and 2 coaches (except it had a 4-4-2 chassis as did the Hornby SR Lord Nelson and some others) Also during the war years I got quite a bit of Meccano.

Trainspotting started when I started Grammar school, we used to go on an earlier bus than necesary to sit on a wall just east of Poole Highstreet crossing to watch the 8.16 (7.30 ex Weymouth) on its way to Waterloo, usually a Nelson or Arthur, occasionally a Schools, often squashing coins as it progressed, from 1945 my classroom was on the south side of the school looking out over the4 school sports field to the line a few hundred yards further east, I had a window seat and an Ian Alan ABC in my desk. I also used to travel from Bournemouth West to Waterloo and then on the tube on my own from about age 9 or 10 to visit relatives, from age 11 when visiting there I would be given a few bob each day and armed with Ian Alan ABCs would go to the main line termini. Can you imagine parents these days allowing that?

Fishing was both river in the Dorset Stour, and sea in Poole harbour. I still have a couple of rods from those years inherited from my father (in dire need of restoration!)

Many nights during the war years spent in an air raid shelter buried at the end of the back garden with parents and neighbours from 6 surrounding bungalows - all the dads got together and dug this huge hole then built up brick walls, steps down and a reinforced concrete roof.

After the war dad built a greenhouse on top and used the shelter to store pots and other gardening bits.

Quote from: Malc on November 15, 2014, 10:33:00 AM
There were adverts for Hawkins Bazaar where you could get all sorts of interesting gizmos for pocket money prices. Imagine my surprise when I went to Chester last year and found that it was still going!

I remember the adverts in 'Victor' etc. for the Bridgenorth Stamp Company, who would send you postage stamps "on approval" - you kept those you wanted and returned the rest with a postal order for those you kept.

I wonder whether the Bridgenorth Stamp Co. has survived into the Internet era ?

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 15, 2014, 09:15:27 PM

Quote from: Malc on November 15, 2014, 10:33:00 AM
There were adverts for Hawkins Bazaar where you could get all sorts of interesting gizmos for pocket money prices. Imagine my surprise when I went to Chester last year and found that it was still going!

I remember the adverts in 'Victor' etc. for the Bridgenorth Stamp Company, who would send you postage stamps "on approval" - you kept those you wanted and returned the rest with a postal order for those you kept.

I wonder whether the Bridgenorth Stamp Co. has survived into the Internet era ?

Best regards,


Joe

Unfortunately not...

https://www.duedil.com/company/00554848/bridgnorth-stamp-company-limited (https://www.duedil.com/company/00554848/bridgnorth-stamp-company-limited)

I suppose another thing I remember when I was a boy was my Dad buying me the Eagle Comic, I always used to look forward to reading Dan Dare and the Mekon that little bloke that used to float around on that thing that looked like half an Easter Egg, I wanted the Dandy or the Beano but no it had to be the Eagle  ???

 I liked the Eagle,Dan Dare (Pilot of the future) was always fighting the Treens,
led by the Mekon who you mentioned, with a head like a big green light bulb.
The centre of the Eagle usually had a large cutaway drawing of a technical nature
showing a plane or ship,can't remember if there were locos.

I also remember the mail order ads , usually in the Saturday newspapers selling
new unissued officers' greatcoats and 8 x 20 binoculars.Also the ads in the comics
for black face soap, stink bombs and wallets which made money disappear.

And don't forget John Bull printing outfits !

I liked the Eagle too. In fact I have an Eagle annual with awesome technical data on the Dan Dare space fleet equipment.

And Geez, I had a John Bull printing outfit! I'd totally forgotten about that, and I'm starting to think I hate this thread....  :D ;)

With the exception of my Hornby set my most valuable and favourite item was my Fag Card collection, its amazing how some of the information tha I read on the back of Fag Cards helped me in later life.

Do any of you lads still have Fag Cards ?.

My other treasures were my Marbles, home made Bow and Arrow and Conkers it didnt take much to amuse me in those wonderful days, I would not trade my childhood for anything.

Yeah... it always pays to look after your marbles.... and yer conkers, for that matter  :D

Quote from: Bealman on November 16, 2014, 08:42:45 AM
Yeah... it always pays to look after your marbles.... and yer conkers, for that matter  :D

:searchingsign:   :smiley-laughing:

I had The Lion for quite some time.

Don't know when I swapped that for The Eagle. Probably for Dan Dare that also had a series on Radio Luxembourg that I was allowed to listen to before going to bed.

http://www.vintageradioworld.co.uk/radio_serials.htm (http://www.vintageradioworld.co.uk/radio_serials.htm)

Reception wasn't always that good over in pre-TV Northern Ireland but was a highlight I remember well.

Dave G

Quote from: Agrippa on November 16, 2014, 07:46:10 AM
I liked the Eagle,
.Also the ads in the comics
for black face soap, stink bombs and wallets which made money disappear.

And don't forget John Bull printing outfits !

I liked the Eagle too. You could also get "snowstorm" pellets and little exploding devises Which I used to hide in my mum's cigarettes. always good for a laugh!
I too remember radio Luxembourg, we used to listen to it in bed at school (under the bedclothes in case a prefect came round) on home made crystal radios. Radio Lux. was the only broadcast pop music (this was before Radio Caroline and the others whose names have slipped my memory, mainly 'cause I've lost my marbles) and we had to constantly move the "cats whisker" to retune.
It's amazing the memories that come back when bounced off others like this.

The Eagle was after my time, I started with the Beano & Dandy and moved up to the Hotspur and Wizard plus for a time the Rover. Meccano mag also featured.

When I left School in 1949 I cycled from Poole to Acton in London, 104 miles, took me 7 hours 20 going and over 8 hours into a headwind on the homeward run a few days later.

I was still on a bike when in the mid 1950s I was posted to RAF Stoke Heath near Market Drayton, the camp consisted of a number of small sites spread over about 3 miles, three  domestic sites, each a group of huts, a Naafi and Cookhouse, and various working sites of two or three hangars plus a headquarters
an education centre, and married quarters, so we all got RAF issue push bikes; for a few months they closed our site's cookhouse and Naafi for refurb, so we had to cycle 3 miles to another site for breakfast, from there 2 miles to  our work site, more miles for lunch and tea finally 3 miles back to the huts.

The A41 ran through the middle of the area, two transport cafes thereon did a roaring trade at breakfast time, and also provided a good place to start hitch hiking home for the weekend.

Gave credence to the saying "If yer can't take a joke yer shouldn't have joined!"

 

remember the outside netty ? (thank god for inside loo's !) ,
and if it was a wet night you could gaurantee the newspaper would be damp - thats if your dad has'nt used it all - worse still in the winter month's with frost about  !
our mode of transport was man & dad on the tandem with us lot enjoying (?) the ride in the side car, then later in early50's saw a Flying Wheel added - happy times .

Quote from: Dorsetmike on November 16, 2014, 12:12:49 PM
of a number of small sites spread over about 3 miles, three  domestic sites, each a group of huts, a Naafi and Cookhouse, and various working sites of two or three hatheyngars plus a headquarters
an education centre, and married quarters, so we all got RAF issue push bikes;

Did they have wings and propellors ?

Yours facetiously,


Joe

I remember visiting my relatives who lived on a farm in South Devon. There was no mains drainage and no cess pit. The outside loo was a box with a hole in it. I always dreaded using it, just in case something came out and grabbed me!

Quote from: Malc on November 16, 2014, 09:28:27 PM
I remember visiting my relatives who lived on a farm in South Devon. There was no mains drainage and no cess pit. The outside loo was a box with a hole in it. I always dreaded using it, just in case something came out and grabbed me!

I have similar memories of visiting my father's cousin who farmed just outside Harrogate. There was a similar arrangement there with the dunny in a corner of the garden well away from the house so that access could be gained to the rear for 'emptying'.

I think this topic is going towards  " Before I went to school in me bare feet each morning, I did
a 12 hour shift in the mine with only a dead rat for me breakfast on Xmas Day "

Happy times!  :D

Agrippa: You mean to say that you actually GOT a rat for breakfast AND on Christmas day to boot (but not with it) ; some people seem to have had all the luck..  You lucky lad, you... :angel:  :angel:

(Just saying...)

Three consecutive years stocking fillers:
[smg id=18717 type=preview align=center width=400]
Dan Dare data sheets! I like that caterpillar track thingy that could be interchanged between vehicles, as at the bottom of the page:
[smg id=18719 type=preview align=center width=400]
And at the the time they were still thinking that NASA was going to use NOVA to get to the moon!
[smg id=18718 type=preview align=center width=400]
EEEK.

The model railway layout at Hamleys in Regent Street that ran all around the stairway gallery on the 2nd (or 3rd) floors. (or was it Selfridges at Christmas).

My Hornby 'Working' tin-plate Royal Mail coach and searching for those little lead mail bags. (not today 'Elf n Safety').

Fishing for tadpoles in the Round Pond, and Vane Steering yachts on same.

Our Mirror Dinghy sail Number 3457.

I think we all owe Petercharlesfagg a huge  :thankyousign: for starting this thread it is realy good to go back in time and I've been going over a lot of memories in my head not all railway things but general things ,I keep coming up with things and telling my family about them. I remember that a friend I met on one of my visits home gave me some fags he brought back from Germany and he smuggled them to my house in the headlight of his bike we then went down in the valley to have a smoke on the pretence of sailing a model boat in the floods He done me a big favour because the fags made me sick for a week and I've never smoked a fag again just think of the money he saved me.
Anyway a huge  :thankyousign: to Peter .
Bob

 :laughabovepost: :laughabovepost: :laughabovepost:

I remember the layout at Hamleys. Hamleys was heaven to a small child. It seemed a much smaller shop when I went there years later. I think they only sell Hornby at very inflated prices now.

When I went there again in the 70s they had Graham Farish and I bought a Black 5, two coaches and a length of flexitrack. That was the start of modelling in N.

I also remember the beautiful model yachts on the Round Pond and going train spotting at Paddington station with my father.

Moving to Africa was a bit of a culture shock at the age of eight because I loved living in London.

We lived in a prefab 1947 to 1959 close to the rail and coal yard at Westbourne Park (London W11) plenty of coal for our stove, and on the No7 bus route.

Remember riding one of the last London Trams, my mum was a clippie. (you youngsters work that one out!).

Yes and  :thankyousign: :thankyousign: to Peter. This is good for the brain and the soul!

Plastic toys in cereal packets.
Submarines and divers you put baking powder into, put them in Tizer bottles and they used to go up and down as you tightened/released the stopper :D
Red plastic models of the Guards Band etc.
Footie on the local recreation ground with jumpers for goalposts. Roll the ball through dog poo and then get your mate to head it :-X (Passing nod to Ron the Manager, there)
Getting a right rollicking from my Mum for firing a peashooter at passers by from an upstairs window (I was a deadly shot - always aimed for bare legs >:D)
Collecting really gruesome pics of the American Civil War from bubble gum packs :sick2:
When I was very young evidently I used to make mud pies and Mum always wondered where I got the water from :laugh:

Quote from: newportnobby on November 17, 2014, 10:43:33 AM

When I was very young evidently I used to make mud pies and Mum always wondered where I got the water from :laugh:

Same place as those guys at the traffic lights who jump out to 'clean' your windscreen then scowl at you in expectation of a quid!

School uniform, including the cap which we had to wear from the moment you left home until you arrived at school for register, and then all the way home until you reached your front door.
It seemed that here was always a prefect on the bus to report you.
My trip was between Paddington to Hammersmith by the No.7 bus. (yes the same route my mum was a clippie on). 

I used to love the toy dept. at Gamages, and remember hahing a car system which consisted of bendy wires, a bit like curtain wires without the plastic coating, and tin plate point and crossing sections  which the wires attached to. The wind-up cars would run along the track.
I also remember the bus nos. round where I lived. No. 11 from Liverpool St. to Holborn (where Gamages and that boring shop without a toy dept. Selfridges were), no. 38A (diesel) or 581 (trolly) from town to my house.
Strange how I can remember bus nos. from 60 years ago but can't remember the reg. no. of my last car.

The only school uniform we had was a cap and tie. These were purchased when you were 11 and were ceremonially burnt when you entered the 6th form. You never bought another cap and the rules didn't say it had to be worn, so it was usually stuffed in a pocket. We got a new headmaster one day and he decided all pupils should wear the school cap, so there were all these 6ft tall boys wearing caps that fitted an eleven year old. They looked so ridiculous, he rescinded the order.

Ah - school days - do you remember the names of the 1st girls you went out with and where you used to take them.

When at primary school it was a girl called Rhona who once spent most of the day with at a local Church Fete in Chorley.

At Grammar school it was a girl in another class called Pat Meades who at weekends used to cycle with to Worden Park in Leyland (Newportnobby will know that place).

In the last year at Grammar school cycled to Mungrisdale in Cumbria for my Summer holdays with a classmate, working each day on his Uncle's farm to pay for our keep, and met a girl there from Manchester called Sandra Shaw who spent most of my free time with.

Didn't then have anymore girlfriends still started work.

Quote from: steve836 on November 17, 2014, 11:52:24 AM
...................... that boring shop without a toy dept. Selfridges, ......................

I only went there once and was disappointed that they didn't.






















They didn't sell fridges at all!

Quote from: Tdm on November 17, 2014, 12:00:44 PM
Ah - school days - do you remember the names of the 1st girls you went out with and where you used to take them.

When at primary school it was a girl called Rhona who once spent most of the day with at a local Church Fete in Chorley.

At Grammar school it was a girl in another class called Pat Meades who at weekends used to cycle with to Worden Park in Leyland (Newportnobby will know that place).

In the last year at Grammar school cycled to Mungrisdale in Cumbria for my Summer holdays with a classmate, working each day on his Uncle's farm to pay for our keep, and met a girl there from Manchester called Sandra Shaw who spent most of my free time with.

Didn't then have anymore girlfriends still started work.

I went out with Sarah Duncan much to her brother Ian's disgust as he was in my class and she was a year younger, maybe 2. I think I was 13 at the time. Not sure I actually took her anywhere but we used to hold hands a lot. Then at 15 I wanted to go out with Janet Brown but there was no way I could do that with my name being John. Janet and John just wasn't going to happen although someone did write a book or 2 about us.

Quote from: Trainfish on November 17, 2014, 12:35:59 PM

Quote from: steve836 on November 17, 2014, 11:52:24 AM
...................... that boring shop without a toy dept. Selfridges, ......................

I only went there once and was disappointed that they didn't.


I got taken there regularly by my mum who liked the place, I could never understand why! She used to buy clothes and other boring stuff.





















They didn't sell fridges at all!

Quote from: steve836 on November 17, 2014, 11:52:24 AM
I also remember the bus nos. round where I lived. No. 11 from Liverpool St.

And close to the Houndsditch Warehouse, an Aladins cave where you could buy a bike for 10 bob down and half a crown a week.

QuoteStrange how I can remember bus nos. from 60 years ago but can't remember the reg. no. of my last car.

Probably because mobility scooters don't need number plates. (No offence meant). :smiley-laughing:

Quote from: Malc on November 17, 2014, 11:57:41 AM
The only school uniform we had was a cap and tie. These were purchased when you were 11 and were ceremonially burnt when you entered the 6th form.

Mine went over Hammersmith bridge at the end of fifth year as we changed from Green blazers to Black (and no cap) on entering sixth form.

Anyone hurt?  :doh:

Quote from: Malc on November 17, 2014, 11:57:41 AM
The only school uniform we had was a cap and tie.

OMG! That evinces a scary image :goggleeyes:

We had to wear a school cap in the 1st year of the Grammar so, naturally, when visiting the boys toilets anyone from the years above would snatch the cap off your head and throw it in the urinal :'(

Quote from: Tdm on November 17, 2014, 12:00:44 PM
Ah - school days - do you remember the names of the 1st girls you went out with and where you used to take them.

Laura Youlton was her name. I was 13 and had nothing else to wear other than school uniform. Took her trainspotting to Bletchley station......................wonder why she dumped me ???

My dad has shares in Brylcreme in those days. We had it delivered in tanker loads, so by the time we burned our school caps, they went up like napalm.

Quote from: colpatben on November 17, 2014, 11:04:20 AM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 17, 2014, 10:43:33 AM

When I was very young evidently I used to make mud pies and Mum always wondered where I got the water from :laugh:

Same place as those guys at the traffic lights who jump out to 'clean' your windscreen then scowl at you in expectation of a quid!

I found that an 'accidentally-on-purpose' activation of the windscreen wipers tended to dissuade the dead bug rearrangers at traffic lights...

Quote from: newportnobby on November 17, 2014, 02:24:26 PM

Quote from: Malc on November 17, 2014, 11:57:41 AM
The only school uniform we had was a cap and tie.

OMG! That evinces a scary image :goggleeyes:


We had caps in winter and boaters in summer, a nice little earner, you could sell one to American tourists for a fiver, then nip round to the school outfitters and get a new one for £2.10s 0d

They were long and wide, the ties. Coming from the North East, we had it hard.

Quote from: Malc on November 17, 2014, 06:23:28 PM
They were long and wide, the ties. Coming from the North East, we had it hard.

I say! Steady on!
Family forum and all that, Malc :telloff:

I went to grammar school in the NE too, and talking about hard, they'd always put me in goal 'cos I was so bad, and it was hell diving for the ball and landing on the permafrost ground in January.

Quote from: silly moo on November 17, 2014, 09:17:05 AM
Moving to Africa was a bit of a culture shock at the age of eight because I loved living in London.

The culture shock was worse for me - we moved from Reading (Berkshire) to Tamworth (Staffordshire).

Best regards,


Joe

I used to go to Turves Green Secondary Modern school, like Malc a Cap and Tie was our uniform, talk about culture shock  :goggleeyes: we moved to Australia in 1957, I was just 13,
I was sent to one of the worst schools in Melbourne, so many different nationalities and languages to contend with, sadly any English boys (pommy Bs) were at the bottom of the pecking order, it was pure hell, anyhow myself and another English mate got into trouble and thankfully got expelled.

Quote from: longbridge on November 16, 2014, 08:19:33 AM
Do any of you lads still have Fag Cards ?.

Not fag cards but PG Tips cards. I had a great collection - "Transport through the ages", "Wildlife in Danger" etc. - but I swapped them all for a load of Superman comics.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 17, 2014, 09:19:38 PM

Quote from: silly moo on November 17, 2014, 09:17:05 AM
Moving to Africa was a bit of a culture shock at the age of eight because I loved living in London.

The culture shock was worse for me - we moved from Reading (Berkshire) to Tamworth (Staffordshire).

Best regards,


Joe

At age 7 we moved from Welwyn Garden City to Londonderry. A totally different world and language. Then at 9 years old we moved again. This time to west Cornwall.

I'm amazed I got any education at all - some say I didn't!  :dunce:

Dave G

How about your first Saturday job?

When my stepfather stopped driving buses, yes the same route No.7 that my mum was a clippie on, he drove a paraffin delivery lorry of 1000 gallons capacity and his round was Ladbroke Grove to Westbourne Grove (London W11), and at age 11-12 I was a Saturday boy at 10 shilling a day plus tips.
Paraffin at that time 1955-1960, was the principle heating and cooking fuel for many families in West London.
The work was not at all pleasant. You collected the one, two or five gallon empty cans from the doorstep and filled then from the lorry nozzles, when the paraffin splashed on your bare hands and trouser legs it evaporated and you got very cold. You returned the filled and now heavy cans to the customer for payment.

A piece of social history from the 1950s.

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 17, 2014, 10:03:08 PM

Quote from: longbridge on November 16, 2014, 08:19:33 AM
Do any of you lads still have Fag Cards ?.

Not fag cards but PG Tips cards. I had a great collection - "Transport through the ages", "Wildlife in Danger" etc. - but I swapped them all for a load of Superman comics.

Best regards,
Joe

I had some good collections of PG cards inc Trees of Britain, British Birds, Butterflies of Britain and others which I can't remember.
Do you remember those Esso coins with all the England 1966 World Cup players on ?

Quote from: port perran on November 18, 2014, 08:38:11 AM

Do you remember those Esso coins with all the England 1966 World Cup players on ?

Yes! My dad was a VRC Maintenance Engineer so had to drive all over the place - he collected for us enough coins to make 2 sets up, bar a second Geoff Hurst, which I managed to get by swapping one of the many Bobby Moore coins we had with friend. I don't know where the sets are now but I know he didn't get rid of them - they should be worth a mint now...

Quote from: daveg on November 18, 2014, 08:27:58 AM

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 17, 2014, 09:19:38 PM

Quote from: silly moo on November 17, 2014, 09:17:05 AM
Moving to Africa was a bit of a culture shock at the age of eight because I loved living in London.

Did -laughing:


The culture shock was worse for me - we moved from Reading (Berkshire) to Tamworth (Staffordshire).

Best regards,


Joe

At age 7 we moved from Welwyn Garden City to Londonderry. A totally different world and language. Then at 9 years old we moved again. This time to west Cornwall.

I'm amazed I got any education at all - some say I didn't!  :dunce:

Dave G

I didn't say that.  :smiley-laughing:

Amazing the stuff that's coming up on this thread. We'll be hearing Deep Purple soon!

And yes, I remember those coins, but I question if they would be worth a mint.

Oh, I dunno ... I'd offer a Polo for a set ... and no, not the car or game  ::)

Ya know what? I've been in Australia for so long, and even with two trips back there in less than 12 months, I REALLY had to think about that!

Polo! Mints!

Over here they're a shirt!  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Bealman on November 18, 2014, 08:44:40 AM

Amazing the stuff that's coming up on this thread. We'll be hearing Deep Purple soon!

Bealman,

Well funny you should mention Deep Purple, because my claim to fame is that my dad used to work with Jon Lords dad, Reg, and my dad used to bring home white label Deep Purple albums for us to listen too, which Reg had given him. The albums would just be in the inner white sleeve with a hand written label in the centre, which would just say ' Deep Purple Album # (whatever it was)'.

Unfortunately he had to take them back, otherwise we'd have been sitting on a fortune  :'( :'( :'( :'(  Also I was too young at the time to appreciate their music, which I absolutely do now I'm older and more wiser  ;) ;)

I met Jon quite a few times when I used to 'help' my Dad at work during the school holidays, he'd turn up in his Rolls Royce to take his dad for lunch. Obviously Reg didn't have to work, but he just enjoyed it.

RIP Jon Lord 1941-2012.

Regards

Neal.

Because my Mum was in and out of Hospital as I said before my sister and I ended up in a Childrens home in Banbury but we did go home for a month or two every so often I counted up all the schools I went to 9 schools in total so I never wore a school uniform and I was always picked on by the other kids and in those days there wasn't a real national curriculum so some things I learnt two or three times others I didn't do at all for instance what are Logarithms not a clue,that's my excuse for being so thick .one thing I do remember was winning 10 shillings at one school. in science we had one term learning about things at home and the teacher asked us how a two way switch worked  ie when you go up stairs and turn the light on then off at the top  but you can the turn it on again at the bottom of the stairs again . I went back to the home got some scrap paper and I worked it out then went to Woolworth at the weekend bought a packet of those brass paper clips and a bulb and bulb holder and a battery with the contacts on the top made a wall and steps out of cardboard and made a demo to show how it worked the teacher was so impressed that I had to go to the Headmaster and then show the whole school in assembly . My model was then put on display in a case in reception for ages . By the way I was only 8 years old at the time . Can you imagine kids today going into town at that age on their own  it wouldn't be safe .I was also trusted to go to town and pick up the staff wages from the bank some weeks ,in those days people were paid weekly in cash . I'll stop now before I bore everyone to tears.
Bob

Quote from: Calnefoxile on November 18, 2014, 09:21:12 AM

Quote from: Bealman on November 18, 2014, 08:44:40 AM

Amazing the stuff that's coming up on this thread. We'll be hearing Deep Purple soon!

Bealman,

Well funny you should mention Deep Purple, because my claim to fame is that my dad used to work with Jon Lords dad, Reg, and my dad used to bring home white label Deep Purple albums for us to listen too, which Reg had given him. The albums would just be in the inner white sleeve with a hand written label in the centre, which would just say ' Deep Purple Album # (whatever it was)'.

Unfortunately he had to take them back, otherwise we'd have been sitting on a fortune  :'( :'( :'( :'(  Also I was too young at the time to appreciate their music, which I absolutely do now I'm older and more wiser  ;) ;)

I met Jon quite a few times when I used to 'help' my Dad at work during the school holidays, he'd turn up in his Rolls Royce to take his dad for lunch. Obviously Reg didn't have to work, but he just enjoyed it.

RIP Jon Lord 1941-2012.

Regards

Neal.

Amazing! How close are our brushes with fame, eh. However, I'm just as skint as ever!  :uneasy:

Toys in cereal packets and PG Tips cards reminds me of the plastic car kits given away by Jet petrol stations.

I believe they were quite accurate 4mm models.

Best regards
Michael

Remember the frozen Jubbly?  A tetrahedral delight of frozen orange juice. Tear a corner off and away you go.

Quote from: Bealman on November 18, 2014, 09:07:33 AM
Ya know what? I've been in Australia for so long, and even with two trips back there in less than 12 months, I REALLY had to think about that!

Polo! Mints!

Over here they're a shirt!  :thumbsup:

Yes its a funny old world, as Bob Hope remarked" England & America are two countries divided by a common language". It seems the same applies to Oz. By the way I hear you buy Durex by the roll out there! :sorrysign:

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 10:45:38 AM

Quote from: Bealman on November 18, 2014, 09:07:33 AM
Ya know what? I've been in Australia for so long, and even with two trips back there in less than 12 months, I REALLY had to think about that!

Polo! Mints!

Over here they're a shirt!  :thumbsup:

Yes its a funny old world, as Bob Hope remarked" England & America are two countries divided by a common language". It seems the same applies to Oz. By the way I hear you buy Durex by the roll out there! :sorrysign:

Yes and they call Penguins (the biscuit) Tim Tams and dunk them in their hot tea/coffee.  :drool:

I reckon my parents must have been tightwads as I never di get to go on a school trip :(
We seemed to constantly move house between Wolverton and Northampton and, each time, it was either just before a trip or we got to the next house just after one :'(
It also didn't help that the relevant schools were on different exam boards so when we moved to Wolverton I was top of the class (until everyone else caught up) and when in Northampton I had so much catching up to do. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it :-[ :P

What a great thread (thanks Peter) :thumbsup:

I'm just wondering which of us old farts will get brain fade and repeat something that's already been posted. I could well be in the running for this :laugh:.

Sadly missed - Royal Scot biscuits, Railway Roundabout (I have the DVD boxed set), the Penny tray (with Flying Saucers, Shrimps, liquorice, Black Jacks etc), Sherbet Dib Dabs, kayli, 5 Boys chocolate bars, Aztec bars and other teeth rotting substances.

Hope I am not repeating anything, but when I was at school the Saturday morning treat for me and my school mates was to go to the "pictures" (we had 3 cinemas in Chorley), and watch the latest episode of Flash Gordon on the back row of the picture house that we nick-named the "Bug House" (I won't elaborate).

On a Saturday night it was tune in to Jack Jackson on our Cossor radio to listen to all the latest Top Twenty hits (was it Radio Luxemboug or Radio Caroline - I can't remember), and then save up the following week to buy one I liked as a big plastic 78rpm disk which I would play on my Dansette record player. By the way I paid for my records by having a weekend job potatoe picking on a nearby farm.

My transport was a Raleigh "Blue Streak" bike (named after the Rocket) with 10 derailier gears which I thought was the bees knees, and went all over in as well as using it to go to school.

Was still at school when I first started drinking beer (although under age). It was at a Saturday night dance during the interval when we would sneak out to a nearby off license and buy bottles of Youngers No. 3 which we quickly gulped down before heading back to the dance. At the dance if there were no decent looking girls we used to have a competition seeing which of me and my mates would dance with the ugliest girl there.

This thread is bringing back lots of old memories.

Quote from: newportnobby on November 18, 2014, 11:17:41 AM
What a great thread (thanks Peter) :thumbsup:

I'm just wondering which of us old farts will get brain fade and repeat something that's already been posted. I could well be in the running for this :laugh:.

Sadly missed - Royal Scot biscuits, Railway Roundabout (I have the DVD boxed set), the Penny tray (with Flying Saucers, Shrimps, liquorice, Black Jacks etc), Sherbet Dib Dabs, kayli, 5 Boys chocolate bars, Aztec bars and other teeth rotting substances.

I could equally well be a contender for brain fade
I miss Magic roundabout (so totally un-PC) and proper gobstoppers which used to be about the size of a golf ball and changed colour.
Does anyone else remember a sweet,I forget the name, which had three arms like a propeller and came on a loop of string so you could make it twirl round ,
and when you got fed-up you ate it. Also how about sweet cigarettes.

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 11:42:53 AM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 18, 2014, 11:17:41 AM
What a great thread (thanks Peter) :thumbsup:

I'm just wondering which of us old farts will get brain fade and repeat something that's already been posted. I could well be in the running for this :laugh:.

Sadly missed - Royal Scot biscuits, Railway Roundabout (I have the DVD boxed set), the Penny tray (with Flying Saucers, Shrimps, liquorice, Black Jacks etc), Sherbet Dib Dabs, kayli, 5 Boys chocolate bars, Aztec bars and other teeth rotting substances.

I could equally well be a contender for brain fade
I miss Magic roundabout (so totally un-PC) and proper gobstoppers which used to be about the size of a golf ball and changed colour.
Does anyone else remember a sweet,I forget the name, which had three arms like a propeller and came on a loop of string so you could make it twirl round ,
and when you got fed-up you ate it. Also how about sweet cigarettes.

Most of the treats mentioned above you can still get on a stall at the large "Bygone Times" wharehouse in Chorley just by the Chorley exit on the M61. When visiting Chorley I usually make a point of popping in there (it's free) to stock up on a few things not normally available to buy now - it's well worth a visit there are hundreds of stalls/shops inside selling old stuff, even model railway items.

They have a website which is :- http://bygonetimes.co.uk/ (http://bygonetimes.co.uk/)  if you want to take a look.

They have at least 2 outlets - the biggest one being the one by the M61 which I have mentioned, and another not far away in Eccleston on the outskirts of Chorley.

Are these the toys that came from Jet petrol stations?

http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw=cereal+toys&_from=R40%7CR40%7CR40&_osacat=19077&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR7.TRC2.A0.H0.XR%26L+cereal+toys+&_nkw=R%26L+cereal+toys+&_sacat=19077 (http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_odkw=cereal+toys&_from=R40%7CR40%7CR40&_osacat=19077&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR7.TRC2.A0.H0.XR%26L+cereal+toys+&_nkw=R%26L+cereal+toys+&_sacat=19077)

We used to get the coloured kits in Kellogg's Cornflakes boxes when we lived in Zambia. I found a large collection quite recently in the "free to a good home" box at one of the local clubs. They were made by a company named R&L. They are rather nice kits, I even have some in the original cellophane wrappers.

They seem to be quite collectable in Australia.

Just remembered cut-out masks on the back of boxes of cornflakes, or has somebody said that already?

Dave G

Don't think its been said, and Weetabix used to have cut-out lorry kits on the back of theirs.

Talking of food. What happened to Five Boys Chocolate bars ?

Acid Drop Spangles  :sick2: and aniseed balls!

PCF, you are a *bad* influence! Stirring up all these memories  ;)

Enjoying every one of 'em  :wave:

Dave G

This topic is such fun  :claphappy:

Never mind cut out masks, my father made me a cut out Spitfire that came off the back of a cereal box.  :P

Talking of boxes, when I was at  junior school we did "box modelling" which was making things out of cardboard boxes brought from home, we made quite good models out of toilet rolls,cereal boxes etc coated with lashings of poster paint, my parents helped me make a paddle steamer.

Quote from: silly moo on November 18, 2014, 02:38:50 PM
This topic is such fun  :claphappy:

Never mind cut out masks, my father made me a cut out Spitfire that came off the back of a cereal box.  :P

Talking of boxes, when I was at  junior school we did "box modelling" which was making things out of cardboard boxes brought from home, we made quite good models out of toilet rolls,cereal boxes etc coated with lashings of poster paint, my parents helped me make a paddle steamer.

Sounds like a Blue Peter Project !
Whatever did happen to Val Singleton & Christopher Trace ??

On a slightly more serious note, has anyone thought of writing down their memories for their children? You might think that you have lead an uneventful life but the world is changing so rapidly and we lived in such a different era that our experiences would (hopefully) be interesting to our children.

I have thought about writing down my life story so far but the only problem is that it hasn't all been happy so it would be quite an emotional experience. I hope I don't get run over by a bus before I get round to it.

Ah! the good old days when Black Jacks were 4 for a old penny.

Quote from: Ditape on November 18, 2014, 03:05:13 PM
Ah! the good old days when Black Jacks were 4 for a old penny.

And chips were 3d a bag,4d for a large one.
As an aside, a few years ago my mum sent me to get fish and chips for us both and gave me 50p. I looked at it and said "Queen Victoria's dead you know" Mum said "Yes dear I know" Sarcasm was wasted on her.

I remember chips at that price. We used to ask for scraps as well. The bits of batter that floated off the fish as they were frying. All fried in lard. Fish was a bob. When I stared drinking in the 60s, you could get a pint of exhibition for 1s 9d at the local club. A good night out with fish and chips on the way home for 10 bob. Plus you got to read yesterday's news for free.

Don't remember price of beer bu remember when I had a motor bike petrol was 6s9d per gallon!

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 04:11:08 PM
Don't remember price of beer bu remember when I had a motor bike petrol was 6s9d per gallon!

I remember paying 3s9d for 2* petrol  :( Those where the days :thumbsup:

Roger

Quote from: port perran on November 18, 2014, 02:13:49 PM
Talking of food. What happened to Five Boys Chocolate bars ?

It was produced, I believe, at the Frys Keynsham plant from 1902 to 1976, Martin.

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 04:11:08 PM
Don't remember price of beer but remember when I had a motor bike petrol was 6s9d per gallon!

I still have my yellow and green ration book for petrol :-[

Quote from: newportnobby on November 18, 2014, 04:27:10 PM

I still have my yellow and green ration book for petrol :-[

Was that the one from 1945?  :whiteflag:

Getting 5 Woodbines from the machine outside the village cobblers, on the way to scouts.

Can't remember how much they were but it was half the weekly 'subs' (5th Camborne troup- still have me beret) , which seemed fair to me!

Dave G

Quote from: newportnobby on November 18, 2014, 04:27:10 PM


It was produced, I believe, at the Frys Keynsham plant from 1902 to 1976, Martin.

!

Who was that chap on, I think, Radio Luxembourg who advertised that he had a system for the pools--- he came from" Keynsham nr.Bristol Spelt---- "

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 06:31:24 PM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 18, 2014, 04:27:10 PM


It was produced, I believe, at the Frys Keynsham plant from 1902 to 1976, Martin.

!

Who was that chap on, I think, Radio Luxembourg who advertised that he had a system for the pools--- he came from" Keynsham nr.Bristol Spelt---- "

Horace Batchelor was the man

I use to listen to Radio Luxembourg under the covers in bed and his name was always popping up

QuoteAt the dance if there were no decent looking girls we used to have a competition seeing which of me and my mates would dance with the ugliest girl there.

In the RAF those outings were known as Grimmies, all put 5/- in the kitty and whoever finished up with the grimmest bird won, I recall one evening when one of the lads was given his prize he was surprised when the girl twigged and said "you won a grimmy?"  to which, being a bit sloshed, he replied "yes" to which she replied "Snap, so have I" evidently the local nurses hostel did the same; the two of them became a couple for some months.

That Horace Batchelor was a big swindle, he'd have a massive large permutation and send out different blocks  of it to different punters so usually at least one or two would get a win and he'd take his percentage.

Quote from: austinbob on November 18, 2014, 06:34:09 PM

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 06:31:24 PM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 18, 2014, 04:27:10 PM


It was produced, I believe, at the Frys Keynsham plant from 1902 to 1976, Martin.

!

Who was that chap on, I think, Radio Luxembourg who advertised that he had a system for the pools--- he came from" Keynsham nr.Bristol Spelt---- "

Horace Batchelor was the man

I use to listen to Radio Luxembourg under the covers in bed and his name was always popping up

Thats the fellow!
We used to do the same at school.

Quote from: Dorsetmike on November 18, 2014, 06:41:11 PM
That Horace Batchelor was a big swindle, he'd have a massive large permutation and send out different blocks  of it to different punters so usually at least one or two would get a win and he'd take his percentage.

Hi Mike

I must admit, listening to all the music under the covers was my priority. Horace Batchelor was a serious interruption to my music. I didn't understand what Pools were at the time - I just wished he would go away. Sounds like anyone who invested in his pools scam felt the same way!!

As the saying goes , the past is a foreign country.

In the small ads in the papers there were always ads for trusses and Charles Atlas
with a jessie getting sand kicked in his face by a big bully, until he took up a
bodybuilding course and turned the tables on the bully and got the girl.

I also remember a teach yourself ballroom dancing course to do in your
own home. It was like a roll of wallpaper with footprints on it showing
where to put your feet for certain dances.

BTW , I think Horace Batchelor is one of the band in "The Intro and the Outro" by
the Bonzos.

Quote from: Agrippa on November 18, 2014, 07:00:06 PM
As the saying goes , the past is a foreign country.

In the small ads in the papers there were always ads for trusses and Charles Atlas
with a jessie getting sand kicked in his face by a big bully, until he took up a
bodybuilding course and turned the tables on the bully and got the girl.

I also remember a teach yourself ballroom dancing course to do in your
own home. It was like a roll of wallpaper with footprints on it showing
where to put your feet for certain dances.

BTW , I think Horace Batchelor is one of the band in "The Intro and the Outro" by
the Bonzos.

I think you're right about Horace Batchelor in that band - https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/3108578136/ (https://www.flickr.com/photos/brizzlebornandbred/3108578136/)

Quote from: austinbob on November 18, 2014, 06:49:08 PM

Quote from: Dorsetmike on November 18, 2014, 06:41:11 PM
That Horace Batchelor was a big swindle, he'd have a massive large permutation and send out different blocks  of it to different punters so usually at least one or two would get a win and he'd take his percentage.

Hi Mike

I must admit, listening to all the music under the covers was my priority. Horace Batchelor was a serious interruption to my music. I didn't understand what Pools were at the time - I just wished he would go away. Sounds like anyone who invested in his pools scam felt the same way!!

He had much the same effect on me! I always thought it must be some sort of scam -- If his system was that good why didn't he just do the pools himself!

One thing I really miss is a bag of Smiths Crisps with the little bag of salt, here in Australia we never got the little bag of salt and they call Crisps "Potato Chips", they put so much salt on them that they are a Cardiologists nightmare so I don't eat them these days.

I used to look forward to a Sunday outing with the family and a stop at the pub in Worcester for a packet of Crisps and a bottle of Pop.

How about the music? My all time favourite is "Stranger on the Shore" by Akka Bilk - Lousy soap but great tune. One of my favourite artists still is Tom Lehrer

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 08:04:47 PM
How about the music? My all time favourite is "Stranger on the Shore" by Akka Bilk - Lousy soap but great tune. One of my favourite artists still is Tom Lehrer

First 2 records I ever bought were 78s, "Diana" by Paul Anka, and "Last Train to San Fernando" by Johnny Duncan and the Blue Grass boys, and the 1st LP was one I won by having a letter published in "Disc" magazine and it was the 1st Everly Brothers LP.

Used to like instrumentals in those days and bought and still have several Johnny & the Hurricanes 45s and Duane Eddy 45s. Still got a couple of EPs too which might be worth something now - the Beatles "Magical Mystery Tour" and "Shadows to the Fore".

Also still got quite a number of LPs including a couple of Led Zeppelin ones, and quite a few Beatles, as well as Bob Dylan's "Free Wheelin" etc.

Quote from: longbridge on November 18, 2014, 07:25:13 PM
One thing I really miss is a bag of Smiths Crisps with the little bag of salt, here in Australia we never got the little bag of salt and they call Crisps "Potato Chips", they put so much salt on them that they are a Cardiologists nightmare so I don't eat them these days.

I used to look forward to a Sunday outing with the family and a stop at the pub in Worcester for a packet of Crisps and a bottle of Pop.

I learnt very quickly never to buy those crisps at the cinema. You couldn't see the blue bag in the dark and usually ended up with 1 very chewy salty 'crisp'  :doh:

Quote from: Tdm on November 18, 2014, 11:41:07 AM
Was still at school when I first started drinking beer (although under age). It was at a Saturday night dance during the interval when we would sneak out to a nearby off license and buy bottles of Youngers No. 3 which we quickly gulped down before heading back to the dance.

Me and my mates started drinking beer at the Tamworth Football Club Social Club disco nights on Wednesdays and Fridays. The entry-level drink was "Macky & Vimto", and as we didn't have much money the trick was to make 3 pints last all night. If you didn't like beer there was rum & black. The thing to avoid at all costs was girls who drank brandy & Babycham - that could wipe out a whole night's beer money in one go.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: newportnobby on November 17, 2014, 10:43:33 AM
Collecting really gruesome pics of the American Civil War from bubble gum packs :sick2:

I  still remember the taste of that bubble gum. You used to get facsimile confederate banknotes in the packet too. The other bubble gum cards we used to collect were the 'Man from Uncle' ones. The backs were printed with parts of a giant jigsaw. Never did finish that jigsaw !

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 18, 2014, 09:46:35 PM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 17, 2014, 10:43:33 AM
Collecting really gruesome pics of the American Civil War from bubble gum packs :sick2:

I  still remember the taste of that bubble gum. You used to get facsimile confederate banknotes in the packet too. The other bubble gum cards we used to collect were the 'Man from Uncle' ones. The backs were printed with parts of a giant jigsaw. Never did finish that jigsaw !

Best regards,


Joe

Ah yes - black & white pics of Napoleon Solo and Ilya Kuryakin.
I also collected all the Beatles signed cards but, again, they mysteriously vanished in a house move :veryangry:

Them wos the days weren't they (and we were somewhat younger too..)

One word which might jog some  memories: 'Telstar' (no, not Ford's product; the first comms. satellite), and the tune forever associated with it?

Which leads nicely into the matter of cereal packet toys; specifically the 'space craft' series which were in Kornies (I think)  packets, and also the clip together flexible open plastic squares which could be used to make all manner of things...

And, especially for (the former, now possibly 'reformed' ) proto-anarchists in our midst,  who can remember (and complete) a certain phrase which began 'I am not a number...?

Patrick McGoohan's 'The Prisoner'; was VERY influential and it is STILL one of my personal favourites.

The phrase is still very, very relevant (possibly even more so than when it was first uttered).

One of the things I hated as a kid at school in England in the sixties was "games". We had to play rugby and football in winter (from September to April for those overseas) and cricket in summer. The "teachers" used to let the two best kids pick teams, which involved them choosing the best players one by one until only the duffers were left. I was one of the duffers, and I have to say that this was the most humiliating experience in my life. Since then I have always hated sport. I wonder if this system of picking teams was something that was taught in teacher training college, or whether one individual sadist invented it ?

Best regards,


Joe

Talking collectors cards, I had the complete set of Mars Attacks! cards... until me old man came home from the pub one afternoon and decided they were too violent, and threw them on the fire. Never did forgive the old so & so for that. Probably worth a bob now.

Joe

Been there, experienced that, with the same end result as yourself.  Sadly, and despite all the modern talk about 'equality' in schools and that 'everyone is friends with everyone else at school', rest assured that the process still exists, and that the 'duffers' are still being humiliated...

Some things don't seem to change.

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 18, 2014, 10:09:16 PM
One of the things I hated as a kid at school in England in the sixties was "games". We had to play rugby and football in winter (from September to April for those overseas) and cricket in summer. The "teachers" used to let the two best kids pick teams, which involved them choosing the best players one by one until only the duffers were left. I was one of the duffers, and I have to say that this was the most humiliating experience in my life. Since then I have always hated sport. I wonder if this system of picking teams was something that was taught in teacher training college, or whether one individual sadist invented it ?

Ah yes, fun times (albeit in the 80s). I very quickly stopped giving a damn and spent all of my time wandering around the bits of the pitch furthest away from whatever ball-type object was the focus of excitement. I have some stunningly low marks on my report cards. OTOH I did get the best GCSE results in my year (hah, showing my age here) and they were very miffed that I chose to go to a 6th form college elsewhere which did not share their ambition of trying to emulate a public school.

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 18, 2014, 10:09:16 PM
One of the things I hated as a kid at school in England in the sixties was "games". We had to play rugby and football in winter (from September to April for those overseas) and cricket in summer. The "teachers" used to let the two best kids pick teams, which involved them choosing the best players one by one until only the duffers were left. I was one of the duffers, and I have to say that this was the most humiliating experience in my life. Since then I have always hated sport. I wonder if this system of picking teams was something that was taught in teacher training college, or whether one individual sadist invented it ?
Joe

I like the quote marks Joe! Pretty certain the games teachers were the ones who failed teacher training...

Those immortal words "do we have to have him on our team"

I too hate sport and any form of exercise!

Best regards
Michael

I got plenty of practice forging my mam's signature on excused games notes.

Quote from: Malc on November 18, 2014, 03:56:08 PM
I remember chips at that price. We used to ask for scraps as well. The bits of batter that floated off the fish as they were frying. All fried in lard. Fish was a bob. When I stared drinking in the 60s, you could get a pint of exhibition for 1s 9d at the local club. A good night out with fish and chips on the way home for 10 bob. Plus you got to read yesterday's news for free.

I must have started drinking around the same time as you, Malc - my first pint was 1/9, too. It was Exhibition!

Mind you, me first schooner when I arrived in Australia in 1974 was 32 cents as opposed to the $5.10 I paid in a local pub yesterday.

I'm another one who hated sport as a child. I had and still have very bad hand eye co-ordination later discovered to be due to poor eyesight. I always hated gym class because we seemed to have really sadistic gym teachers.

I wasn't very good at maths and science either, I wish I'd paid more attention to electricity in science class, it would have been useful for model railways.

The only thing I was remotely good at was drawing and painting which comes in handy for scenery.

Quote from: railsquid on November 18, 2014, 10:43:55 PM
I very quickly stopped giving a damn and spent all of my time wandering around the bits of the pitch furthest away from whatever ball-type object was the focus of excitement.

Ah yes, a technique I also perfected :D

QuoteI did get the best GCSE results in my year (hah, showing my age here)

Showing a LACK of age I'd say, GCSEs hadn't been invented when I took my 'O' levels ;) Maths teacher refused to talk to me for the last 8 months of school once she found out I wasn't staying on to 6th Form - one of her three star pupils ;D


Paul

Quote from: Sprintex on November 19, 2014, 06:12:09 AM

QuoteI did get the best GCSE results in my year (hah, showing my age here)

Showing a LACK of age I'd say, GCSEs hadn't been invented when I took my 'O' levels ;)

Literally showing my age... I was an early adopter.

Quote from: Sprintex on November 19, 2014, 06:12:09 AM

Maths teacher refused to talk to me for the last 8 months of school once she found out I wasn't staying on to 6th Form - one of her three star pupils ;D

Such a let-down ;)

I blatantly ignored most of the academic/career advice I was given, such as "don't bother continuing with German, your marks aren't very good", which is how I ended up living in Germany for 15 years  :D

Similar case to Tim Martin who was told by his teacher that he would "never succeed in business". When he later founded a company that now has 920 pubs to its name he named it after that teacher to prove a point - JD Wetherspoon :D


Paul

Yeah, I think that is one of the awesomemost and funny stories to come out of Pommyland and a franchise that I took great delight in visiting on me last couple of adventures.  :thumbsup:

Quote from: port perran on November 18, 2014, 02:43:51 PM
Sounds like a Blue Peter Project !
Whatever did happen to Val Singleton & Christopher Trace ??

What about 'Six-Five Special'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Five_Special (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Five_Special)
Sounds railway related (well loosely).
All together now, sing along with me.

Regarding duffers One school I went to started teaching ballroom dancing .
They got round the problem of boys like me with three left feet by boys in one room girls in another then giving the boys a numbered tag ,the girls were also given a numbered tag , you then went into the hall one by one and you had to dance with the girl with the same number. No swapping allowed but I got one or two half crowns if I'd been paired with one of the best girls, I think the girls must have been richer than the boys, they paid me to go with someone else
Bob

Quote from: colpatben on November 19, 2014, 07:50:46 AM

Quote from: port perran on November 18, 2014, 02:43:51 PM
Sounds like a Blue Peter Project !
Whatever did happen to Val Singleton & Christopher Trace ??

What about 'Six-Five Special'
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Five_Special (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six-Five_Special)
Sounds railway related (well loosely).
All together now, sing along with me.

I remember the opening sequence showed trains

Also what about Juke Box Jury

Quote from: steve836 on November 19, 2014, 08:57:47 AM


I remember the opening sequence showed trains

Also what about Juke Box Jury

'Oi'll give it Foive' (I'll give it Five)

Attributed by many as from Juke Box Jury but in fact from 'Thank Your Luck Stars'

http://www.foive.co.uk/ (http://www.foive.co.uk/)

Check out the photo gallery, (I'll give it ten).

Quote from: steve836 on November 18, 2014, 08:04:47 PM
How about the music? My all time favourite is "Stranger on the Shore" by Akka Bilk - Lousy soap but great tune. One of my favourite artists still is Tom Lehrer

Ah, the magic of Tom Lehrer. I have his splendid album.

'Poisoning Pigeons in the Park' and 'The Irish Ballad' are especially good.

Also Paddy Roberts, just a bit earlier perhaps, with a more gentle approach to human frailties with his  'Ballad of Bethnal Green'.

R.I.P. Acker, who left us very recently. Remember him introducing his Paramount band as the Paralytic Jazz Band!

Dave G

I played footie and cricket for the school but hated rugger. There was an element of sadism in that, even in the depths of winter with snow on the playing fields, one team wore strip and the others were known as 'skins' i.e. they were shirtless :worried:
We had an open air swimming pool and, after complaints from parents, they finally built a housing for it but still the pool was unheated :cold:

I was another of the sports and gym haters, the original 8 stone weakling.

As for final exams, in my day it was the school certificate, usually set and administered by, Oxford or Cambridge.

I well remember school PT teachers, the most useless set of  (choose your own expletives)
you could come across, they couldn't motivate a dog to put its leg against a tree.

I had one called Wee  Daddy Hart who looked like a small version of Kojak, he would
make you do dangerous movements on wall bars and vaulting horses, always saying
"I'd show you myself if it wasn't for this arm" , which he'd broken about 40 years before.

Quote from: joe cassidy on November 18, 2014, 10:09:16 PM
One of the things I hated as a kid at school in England in the sixties was "games". We had to play rugby and football in winter (from September to April for those overseas) and cricket in summer. The "teachers" used to let the two best kids pick teams, which involved them choosing the best players one by one until only the duffers were left. I was one of the duffers, and I have to say that this was the most humiliating experience in my life. Since then I have always hated sport. I wonder if this system of picking teams was something that was taught in teacher training college, or whether one individual sadist invented it ?

Best regards,


Joe

Just like myself!

If possible I would skive off games just to miss the humiliation of not being picked for anything!

I was lucky in the latter years of schooling to attend a private school and there were always too many for the games, instead I enjoyed putting down the White lines and sitting in the warm whilst the others ran around the field!  I did have to do cross country but I never got further than the school boundary, I sat in a warm hay barn until the others started coming back!

Its a little like corporal punishment,  my school life was one punishment after another and the cane turned me into a real anti-social, people and establishment hater , ready to kill a cop at first sight!!                If you believe that you'll believe anything!!!

Peter.

Quote from: newportnobby on November 19, 2014, 09:51:02 AM
I played footie and cricket for the school but hated rugger. There was an element of sadism in that, even in the depths of winter with snow on the playing fields, one team wore strip and the others were known as 'skins' i.e. they were shirtless :worried:
We had an open air swimming pool and, after complaints from parents, they finally built a housing for it but still the pool was unheated :cold:

Just the same as my last school, a private school, "Cannock House".  The open air swimming pool was the real open flail your skin off affair!  I bunked off more lessons in the pool than I can remember!

Peter.

I to used to hate school sports/games periods,I was always the short fat kid no one wanted on their team (not surprising as I was useless at field sports) I used to do anything to get out of doing it then I discovered cross country it turned out to be a unsupervised walk in the New Forest ;) OK the real runners used to take about 45 mins where as I and few others took about 1 & 1/2 hours but the games teachers did not seem to mind :thumbsup:.

Quote from: petercharlesfagg on November 19, 2014, 02:20:43 PM

Its a little like corporal punishment,  my school life was one punishment after another and the cane turned me into a real anti-social, people and establishment hater , ready to kill a cop at first sight!!                If you believe that you'll believe anything!!!

Peter.

I held the school record for the number of strokes of the cane. It was usually bad luck, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, being late or just messing about in class. We had a maths teacher who could throw the wooden backed board rubber with unerring accuracy, until he knocked poor Elliot out cold.

I think I'm in the minority here.
I loved sports - especially football and athletics (where I represented Wiltshire Schools in the 10,000 metres at the Southern England Championships).
We too played skins against shirts at football sometimes (regardless of the weather).
I well remember our sports teacher who loved you if you were good and ignored you if you were useless.
We had a 1st X1 game one winter and one lad (our star centre forward no less)asked if he might wear gloves. The sports master (Joe Colin - Bless him) looked incredulous (even though it was about -10).
His reply was "Of Course Sonny - No worries". We all though Joe had gone soft!
Next week, however,  when the team sheet went up on the board our star striker was unbelievably named in goal ! When questioned about  this, Joe Colin simply replied "I thought you wanted to wear gloves sonny - here's your chance".

Funny thing was, my family was/is keen orienteers, and many a Sunday was spent flailing about some sodden bramble-infested wood or sheep'n'bracken-filled moor, and I did actually win a silver medal in a national championship once by some freaky chance. But anything involving balls and teams, no thanks. I think I kept the medal thing quiet because the school would have tried to garner some sporting credos from it, even thought it was nothing to do with them.

Anyway the school in question has long since been demolished to make way for houses, so I guess I win  :D

Ah ' Double PE'! Horrors!

I was and still am hopeless at kicking a ball or catching one for that matter.

I did do a bit of running but wasn't any good at it really. Cross country was a genuine nightmare despite our teacher declaring he had two speeds: 'Dead Slow and Stop'.

Me and my asthmatic form chum used to walk most of the way.

Dave G

Judging by the above most of us disliked 'Outdoor Sports', that's probably why we now model N gauge indoors.

Can't find an appropriate 'smiley' we need more, maybe couch potatoes! et al.

:offtopicsign:??

Quote from: petercharlesfagg on November 19, 2014, 02:23:51 PM

Quote from: newportnobby on November 19, 2014, 09:51:02 AM
I played footie and cricket for the school but hated rugger. There was an element of sadism in that, even in the depths of winter with snow on the playing fields, one team wore strip and the others were known as 'skins' i.e. they were shirtless :worried:
We had an open air swimming pool and, after complaints from parents, they finally built a housing for it but still the pool was unheated :cold:

Just the same as my last school, a private school, "Cannock House".  The open air swimming pool was the real open flail your skin off affair!  I bunked off more lessons in the pool than I can remember!

Peter.

Trouble is as soon as you'd dried yourself/got dressed/warmed up some wag would nick your trunks and throw them back in the pool :whistle: :angel:

As couch potatoes have been mentioned I would like to mention couch potatoes are healthier than sports men/women I have proof of this, when I was a senior CPO in Nuclear Repair at Faslane we did a survey over 12 months and the sporty types had more than 10 times the time off on the sick than us couch potatoes. :)

Peter mentioned the Cross Country runs at school, myself and a few mates used to love that race, it used to give us a chance to saunter around the circuit totally undetected and have a fag or two, one of us used to limp back to school helped by the others, we used to call it the twisted ankle trick and it worked every time.

Quote from: Komata on November 18, 2014, 10:07:10 PM
Patrick McGoohan's 'The Prisoner'; was VERY influential and it is STILL one of my personal favourites.

I found the Yank remake extremely poor ...

Thanks Mike; I wasn't aware that a remake had been done (attempted?) , although the fact that it  was  the American's who did so doesn't surprise me.  As with many of their 'remakes' it could never have been as good.  For some odd reason, and try as they will. the American 'movie / TV' industry has never been able to reproduce the nuances and subtleties that  are inherent in British 'Theatre' and theatrical tradition'.  It's a certain 'something' that has never travelled intact across the North Atlantic.  Theatre in the  'White Dominions' of the former Empire have it, the Americans' don't.  Very, very odd.

And no, I won't be looking for the 'remake'...

Thanks again.

This has been a very interesting thread, but what really are the abiding memories of when we were young, and ones that we will never forget?

For me it was :-

1. Looking out of my bedroom window and seeing German WW2 bombers trying
    to destroy the place where I lived.
2. Watching "Rock around the Clock" at the Cinema and dancing in the aisles,
3. First kiss with a young girl I thought would be mine for ever more,
4. Being intoxicated by drinking youngers No. 3 and Australian white wine in
     Yates Wine Lodge,
5. My first car purchase – a green Morris Minivan,
6. Driving an Austin A40 all the way to the Costa Brava and back.
7. Meeting the girl I knew I would eventually marry after a bomb scare in our
     local pub.

I could add more, but that would only make this post boring.

As a  :bump: to this thread I've just watched the repeat of the 2010 programme 'Top 100 Toys'.
Model railways (in the shape of Hornby 00) came 17th just above Airfix (19th) but sadly far behind Scalextric which came 8th. Meccano was 16th.
For anyone interested the top 3 were, in reverse order:-

3. Dungeons & Dragons
2.Monopoly
1. Lego

1 & 2 are fine with me but 3 is far too modern.
I had Lego from a very small boy.
Who remembers the Lego Blueprint leaflets that you used to be able to buy ?

I didn't have Lego, but my kid brother did, so I got to play with it. I had Betta Builder, where you slotted steel rods into a baseboard and slid pieces in between to make walls. Houses were all you could really build, so I got fed up with it pretty quickly and went back to Meccano.

I had Lego and I bought an illumination brick (clear 8 stud brick with bulb in it to work from 1.5V battery). The Sunday afternoon after the FA Cup final, me dad was watching the replay as he'd missed it live as he was at work. I was in another room, which was newly wallpapered, mucking about with me new light.

It was in old flat above a shop (it's long gone now, as documented in my latest adventure on the forum), and it had a power point in the middle of the newly papered wall.

I decided I'd get a brighter light if I used that, so I plugged the brick in, let it hang down against the new wallpaper, and switched on.

The resulting explosion blew me across the room, put a scorched crater in the new wallpaper, but worst of all, blacked out the FA Cup replay.

The explosion was nowt compared to me fatha's reaction.

Quote from: Malc on December 13, 2014, 11:11:01 PM
I had Betta Builder, where you slotted steel rods into a baseboard and slid pieces in between to make walls. Houses were all you could really build, so I got fed up with it pretty quickly and went back to Meccano.

Facinating !
Substitute kid sister for kid bro. and that was sortof my experience !

I had 3-rail Dublo and Meccano, she had that building stuff that predated Lego ( and dolls and things huh! ) and as you say, not a lot could be done with it once a few buldings, factories engine sheds (she wasnt too impressed with them !) etc had been built I went back to my toys.

However, after a few years (ahem!) a little while ago I went looking for what it might have been and the closest I could come up with was Bayko building system, or maybe Bayko Builder

Are we in similar ball-park or were there lots of variants ?
Bayko has a feel to it for me cos it was of the bakalite era ??

and the rods soon went rusty and I dont think Mum&Dad were too keen on it cos we were always building much bigger/better houses than the 30's semi we had ( many more play-rooms of course ! )

Seasons greetings etc.

Does anyone else remember the 'cast your own walls etc.' packs that were popular in the 1960's?  They were marketed under several titles ('Linka' was the one most readily available locally)  and used a form of casting powder which was mixed with water and poured into flexible moulds where the plaster was allowed to set.  With that done, the resulting plaster 'bits' (which came in a variety of shapes) were used to create walls and (eventually) buildings.  The cast 'plaster' walls could be interlocked and used to make a variety of structures.  Great fun, until the plaster ran out, and then it was discovered that no replacements were being  imported, while simultaneously, one's parents were expressing their 'displeasure' at the way quantities of  casting powder was appearing in various locations within the house; and then setting...

It was great fun while it lasted, and oddly, I still have the moulds...

And then there was 'Dippity Glass'....

I remember the Linka type of material , though never used it, presumably a
messy business. Don't recall Dippity Glass, some sort of liquid glazing material?

One thing I remember well was the Meccano Magazine, which covered
Hornby, Dinky and Meccano. There were usually readers' photos of their
Meccano structures, huge Ferris wheels and cranes.Each month the mag
would have a project , often quite complex , like building a 4 speed gearbox.

If like me you only had the basic struts , plates and pulleys you were
not able to indulge in such sophisticated engineering.

And don't forget the trunnions. That's a great word. " I'll have half a
pound of trunnions to go with my Number 1 Meccano set. "

It's a matter of opinion said the man with a wooden leg.  :D

There's no escape from these whiskery old gags,,,,

I had Bayco (metal rods into baseplates with holes, and slot in windows, doors and wall units.

Also Minibrix which was like an early version of Lego, but I recall the bricks were rubbery.

Phil

Quote from: PhilD on December 14, 2014, 07:06:16 AM
I had Bayco (metal rods into baseplates with holes, and slot in windows, doors and wall units.

Also Minibrix which was like an early version of Lego, but I recall the bricks were rubbery.

Phil

Oh I remember Bayco I did ask for Lego but hey it kept me quiet .

Reading the previous posts, the mists are clearing. My kid brother had Betta Builder, which was a precursor to Lego. I had the Bayco system. The lad over the road had the one where you mixed stuff with water and poured into moulds. Neither his nor mine lasted very long. He ran out of mix, I ran out of enthusiasm. Next Christmas I got a 4 colour biro and a Spirograph.

Yeah, the mist is clearing. That stuff you had to pour.... I know it was advertised in Meccano mag... was it "Pyruma modelling clay" or something?  :confused2:

Yours truly,

Intrigued.

Weren't Spirographs so cool at the time, though. Me uncle brought one over from the States for me cousin the Christmas they appeared and I almost killed the little fella for it.

Just as well I didn't.... he put me up for a couple of nights on me trip back there in May  :uneasy:

I always thought Spirographs were great toys, although my Mum hated it due to the pin holes in her table where you secured the paper :doh:
My cousin had the Minibrix system whilst I had Lego and Meccano (I built a cable car that went from floor to picture rail height :))

Yeah, all the holes. But all of this has just reminded me of something... obviously nothing to do with the half a dozen beers I had earlier in the evening....

I'm mixing up Sirograph with Etch-a-Sketch. You know, that red tv thing with the two grey knobs.  :uneasy:

Had an Etch-a-Sketch too, George.
Couldn't draw diagonals to save my life but I did manage writing.
Eventually the unit split and all the iron filings (or whatever they were) leaked out :doh:

The other educational toys at that time were the Mamod steam engines (traction engines etc.) and the Philips Electronic Engineer kits.

I was happy with my train set and Airfix models, so didn't have either of those.

Best regards,


Joe

Another thought (and I don't think anyone's mentioned one yet) - did anyone else have a 'Superball'
Hours of fun making it spin back & forth, and it used to bounce incredibly high. We used to live next to a crossroads and I'd bounce the ball from one end house wall to another across the road until the neighbour complained of all the 'thudding' noise >:D

Quote from: newportnobby on December 14, 2014, 12:10:16 PM
Another thought (and I don't think anyone's mentioned one yet) - did anyone else have a 'Superball'
Hours of fun making it spin back & forth, and it used to bounce incredibly high. We used to live next to a crossroads and I'd bounce the ball from one end house wall to another across the road until the neighbour complained of all the 'thudding' noise >:D

Yes I has some and they could be dangerous.   We used to bounce them from the top of the multi-storey car park onto the pathway below to see how high it would bounce.  Great fun.

Bayko builder or whatever, is lighting the old rememberance wick.  The stuff was made out of Bakelite and I must have had someone's hand me downs , 2 elder sisters had boyfriends who would try to "buy in" with gifts for the kid brother. Net result was I had lots of the sticky up metal rods bricks and windows for a small house but the pre- built red roof for a mansion. I think I returned to good old Lego pretty quickly and my dreams of the building trade were scuppered.

On the subject of Airfix kits how many of you "terminated" their model planes with a banger wedged into the fuselage ?  My few remaining matchbox toys after the great prairie scandal became crash victims in the jaws of the vice in the garden shed.

Is it time to go back to my room now nurse ?

Quote from: Bealman on December 14, 2014, 11:53:04 AM
Yeah, all the holes. But all of this has just reminded me of something... obviously nothing to do with the half a dozen beers I had earlier in the evening....

I'm mixing up Sirograph with Etch-a-Sketch. You know, that red tv thing with the two grey knobs.  :uneasy:

Funny you should say that as when you posted about spirograph I pictured an etch-a-sketch too even though I had a spirograph.

Talking of bricks (well someone was) can you still get sticklebricks? I had Meccano, set 4M with an electric motor (plus other smaller sets) and I remember I made a steam roller once when I lived in Hong Kong. My brother had shaker maker and made hundreds of ruddy wombles which took over the house!

Spirographs were still around when I was a young'un, so end of the 70's. And I used to envy friends with Etch-a-Sketches.

As for Airfix kits.
Many of mine were destroyed by airgun pellets fired at the planes (on the lawn) from the bedroom window.

Re etch a sketch hope this link works,

http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/allah_sulu/659446/12800/12800_original.jpg (http://ic.pics.livejournal.com/allah_sulu/659446/12800/12800_original.jpg)

Jerry

I launched some of my airfix kits using A Jettex jet motor. You put in a solid pellet and a coil of fuse into a metal holder and lit it. It burnt for about 10 seconds and propelled the models up a plank of wood, set at an angle by using  a pile of bricks under one end. Just like Fireball XL5.

All the above posts bring back cool memories.  I had a Phillips electronic kit and I think we all must have had superballs! Did I really say that?  :uneasy:

Quote from: Bealman on December 14, 2014, 07:54:25 PM
I think we all must have had superballs! Did I really say that?  :uneasy:

Yes, you did :telloff:

Quote from: newportnobby on December 14, 2014, 08:44:02 PM

Quote from: Bealman on December 14, 2014, 07:54:25 PM
I think we all must have had superballs! Did I really say that?  :uneasy:

Yes, you did :telloff:

Ahh.. but that was a long time ago. They've probably lost a bit of their bounce by now!!

Most of the old toys & games posted about in this thread you can find glossy pictures of in a book my daughter bought me for my birthday a couple of years ago. it's titled "The 50s & 60s The Best of Times" by Alison Pressley and published by Michael O'Mara Books Ltd of London. Very well presented and colourful book that will bring back lots of memories and I recommend it.

Below is a scan of the front cover.

(http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/oo231/Tdmak/Model%20Railway/BookCover001.jpg) (http://s379.photobucket.com/user/Tdmak/media/Model%20Railway/BookCover001.jpg.html)

Can you still get Spangles? I used to love those.

Quote from: austinbob on December 14, 2014, 09:08:34 PM
Can you still get Spangles? I used to love those.

Name the flavours Bob there was a dark red one I use to like but cannot remember the flavours.

I don't remember all the flavours but blackcurrant was the one that did it for me. Same for fruit pastels and wine gums.

Opal Fruits used to make my mouth water.

Best regards,


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 14, 2014, 09:59:35 PM
Opal Fruits used to make my mouth water.

Best regards,


Joe

Can you still get those? I think they changed the name many years ago but I can't remember what the new name was and if they still can be found.

A couple of pages taken from the book I referred to earlier - The Dansette was similar to the one I used to play my records on, but which one of you out there was it showing off in the black & white photo?  :)

(http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/oo231/Tdmak/Model%20Railway/BookPage2001.jpg) (http://s379.photobucket.com/user/Tdmak/media/Model%20Railway/BookPage2001.jpg.html)

(http://i379.photobucket.com/albums/oo231/Tdmak/Sundry%20and%20Miscellaneous/BookPage001.jpg) (http://s379.photobucket.com/user/Tdmak/media/Sundry%20and%20Miscellaneous/BookPage001.jpg.html)

Quote from: austinbob on December 14, 2014, 10:01:31 PM

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 14, 2014, 09:59:35 PM
Opal Fruits used to make my mouth water.

Best regards,


Joe

Can you still get those? I think they changed the name many years ago but I can't remember what the new name was and if they still can be found.

I remember now - they changed the name to Starburst. Don't know if you can still get them?

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 14, 2014, 12:06:37 PM
The other educational toys at that time were the Mamod steam engines (traction engines etc.) and the Philips Electronic Engineer kits.

I was happy with my train set and Airfix models, so didn't have either of those.

Best regards,


Joe
My mamod traction is still in the shed.   :thumbsup: Had the meths out last week
And had it running on the bench.   8)

I too had a Mamod steam engine as a boy. I had strict instructions not to use it on the polished dining room table. Unfortunately, while disobeying parental orders, I managed to drop some maths onto the table and it caught fire. My dad was not best pleased and made me French Polish it after I had had a good hiding!

Quote from: Malc on December 14, 2014, 11:52:29 PM
.............. after I had had a good hiding!

And whatever happened to those? Never did me any harm  :-[

When I were a lad  , for Xmas me parents bought me a pair of pit
boots so I could start the 3 am  shift properly equipped.
They also gave me a raw potato for me lunch. I were reet spoiled
in them days .....but things were hard , many a time I missed me
copy of The Tatler....

Quote from: austinbob on December 14, 2014, 10:39:47 PM

Quote from: austinbob on December 14, 2014, 10:01:31 PM

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 14, 2014, 09:59:35 PM
Opal Fruits used to make my mouth water.

Best regards,


Joe

Can you still get those? I think they changed the name many years ago but I can't remember what the new name was and if they still can be found.

I remember now - they changed the name to Starburst. Don't know if you can still get them?

Still available, Bob, and still advertised on the telly :thumbsup:

Dunno why you got into so much trouble for spilling your maths on the table, Malc... sounds like you were just doing your homework!  :D ;)

George

Maybe he dropped the maths because he was drinking the meths. Serves him right then  :no:

My Mamod never burnt anything, but I did burn my bedroom carpet with a soldering iron.

This was before a power drill slipped and tore a strip out of the carpet!

Merry Christmas
Michael

I remember my first Cricket Bat I had to use Linseed Oil on the bat before I was allowed to use it.
I remember the first ball I received it hit me on the elbow and did it hurt.
I remember the telling off I got for letting it hit me, the teacher told me I need to move fast when a ball comes at you at 60 mph I never saw the thing, I soon took to football that ball never hurt me.

Seeing the Mamod incident mentioned reminded me of something I saw years ago
on Opportunity Knocks with the cheesey Hughie Green, shown live I think.
The contestants usually had a friend to introduce them and one old geezer brought
along a live steam engine which he set off moving across the table. Hughie Green
thought it would fall off so grabbed it, but he must have got hold of the boiler
or other red hot section and burnt his hand. The Effin and Blindin from Hughie was
not suitable for an early evening show.

Quote from: Agrippa on December 15, 2014, 12:10:28 AM
When I were a lad  , for Xmas me parents bought me a pair of pit
boots so I could start the 3 am  shift properly equipped.
They also gave me a raw potato for me lunch. I were reet spoiled
in them days .....but things were hard , many a time I missed me
copy of The Tatler....

You think you had it hard? When I were a little'un we only had three Yorkshiremen in our four Yorkshiremen sketches, but we got by.

That's nothing, we were so poor our servants had to go without their Xmas dinner....

Quote from: Agrippa on December 15, 2014, 01:51:05 PM
That's nothing, we were so poor our servants had to go without their Xmas dinner....

We were so poor our servants were our Christmas dinner.

 :laughabovepost: :laughabovepost: :laughabovepost:

So far no one has mentioned Action Man.

I asked Santa for Action Man.

I got - Tommy Gun  :(

I always assumed that Santa was a bit hard up that year and Tommy Gun was cheaper.

In spite of my initial disappointment I came to appreciate TG because he was British, and so had British uniforms (including the Guards dress uniform) and weapons (FN rifle and Sterling sub-machine gun).

My Mum knitted a jumper for him (green of course).

I remember I had a "Commando" set that included a blow-up rubber dinghy and a Carl Gustav rocket launcher that fired a grappling hook.

Happy days !


Joe

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 16, 2014, 07:15:24 PM

In spite of my initial disappointment I came to appreciate TG because he was British, and so had British uniforms (including the Guards dress uniform) and weapons (FN rifle and Sterling sub-machine gun).

Sorry, Joe, but the FN rifle is Belgian made as far as I know.

Quote from: newportnobby on December 16, 2014, 09:41:15 PM

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 16, 2014, 07:15:24 PM

In spite of my initial disappointment I came to appreciate TG because he was British, and so had British uniforms (including the Guards dress uniform) and weapons (FN rifle and Sterling sub-machine gun).

Sorry, Joe, but the FN rifle is Belgian made as far as I know.

Correct! Both Action Man and Tommy Gun  both had 7.62 SLRs, well my four Action Man and one talking Action Man Commander did, as well as an array of other weapons,"toys" and uniforms/outfits. I think my Mum still has them hidden away somewhere, not good for a 59 yr old  :-[

Does anyone remember the 'Viewmaster' stereoscopes (and their reels) ; especially those made of a brown plastic / bakelite material?  Magic!  They are still available it seems, although the titles have changed with time.

Quote from: Komata on December 16, 2014, 10:11:46 PM
Does anyone remember the 'Viewmaster' stereoscopes (and their reels) ; especially those made of a brown plastic / bakelite material?  Magic!  They are still available it seems, although the titles have changed with time.

i remember them well I tried one at the local camera shop and loved it and every time I went past the shop I would stop and dream of owning one but unfortunately no one took the hint.

I had a red? one but it didn't have a wheel just a cardboard strip with 2 pictures that you viewed through the plastic gizmo do dah. I DO remember that one of the pictures I had was of the Blue Pullman.... The nearest I think I will ever get to owning one !!!

Oh and SPANGLES who remembers the Old English ones ?  A black packet I think.


Jerry

Quote from: Jerry Howlett on December 18, 2014, 03:57:12 PM
I had a red? one but it didn't have a wheel just a cardboard strip with 2 pictures that you viewed through the plastic gizmo do dah. I DO remember that one of the pictures I had was of the Blue Pullman.... The nearest I think I will ever get to owning one !!!

Oh and SPANGLES who remembers the Old English ones ?  A black packet I think.


Jerry

I think the 'stereo' viewer that Jerry is referring to came free with cereal packets as did the cardboard strip with 2 pics. I seem to remember mainly pics of animals such as elephants, goats, wallabies, giraffes and the like :hmmm:

Quote from: joe cassidy on December 16, 2014, 07:15:24 PM
So far no one has mentioned Action Man.

When I was young we were poor and didn't get much for Xmas, one year
I was given an empty box, the label said "Action Man Deserter".

Do you remember Bazooka Joe bubble gum? I seem to remember it came with a bit of a still from a motion picture film. Usually cut across the middle.

Quote from: Agrippa on December 18, 2014, 05:07:09 PM
I was given an empty box,

:)

When I was young we were so poor that my Dublo train set did not come with a platform, I had to use an empty cardboard box !

This thought was triggered by P-D's review of the Seaside Excursion set that comes from Farish  with no platform.
I agree with him that it should be -1 point for that, I mean boys ( and honorary boys (hiya girls !) *) of all ages expect a platform in a passenger set :) do they not ? :)

EDIT I mean
* boys of both sexes and all ages

that's better :) !! :)

When I was young I remember Harold McMillan saying "we never had it so good", so I took him at his word and started really enjoying myself. You know I think he was right as things have never been quite the same since.

My first venture into model railways was when I bought a 3-rail "Duchess of Montrose" train set which ran on a track laid out on the Living Room floor.

Around the same time I had a Meccano set and a Mammoth steam engine and several Dinky toys which would be worth a fortune now if I had kept them.

I also owned an Air Rifle that I used to shoot at bottles & cans on our garden fence with, and wore winkle picture shoes and drainpipe trousers with a fleck spotted black shirt and accompanying white tie when I went out dancing at a nearby Dance Hall.

Spangles, Sherbert dips, and liquorish sticks were popular sweet treats, and I used to read Eagle comics and Wizzard magazines (wasn't the hero a man called Wilson in those), but on a Saturday morning it was always a visit to the local Cinema to watch the latest episode of "Flash Gordon".

Before I learned to drive my mode of transport was a Raleigh "Blue Streak" bycycle with 10 derailier gears, and my fathers car was a Ford Popular saloon with just 3 forward gears.

A little later on at the Pub I would drink pints of beer followed by Rum and Black (currant)
chasers, and most of the places I went to had either a Juke Box in them, or an up and coming Rock Group performing on a Weekend.

A ten bob note was all the money you needed for a good night out, and would buy you several pints of beer, a packet of crisps, and 10 woodbines.

For once a politician got it right in my opinion and told the truth, and we really were living in good times (as far as I was concerned anyway).

Quote from: Tdm on December 19, 2014, 12:25:05 AM
When I was young I remember Harold McMillan saying "we never had it so good",

Yep, I remember that as well but dont forget that it led to the patrician class annointing Sir Alec as the next 'leader' (when Harold got the frit) up with which the public would not put.
Led directly to Wilson and Callahan and just look at the mess they made !

I think we may get Moded if we carry on with this !

Quote
3-rail "Duchess of Montrose" train set which ran on a track laid out on the Living Room floor.

I remember it well, still have it in the attic

QuoteMammoth steam engine

Nice one, a  DNA clone needed there, oh I see, you mean a Mammod ! :)

Yep, let's not start getting political.... stick with Bazooka Joe bubble gum. At least I remember that.  :)

Quote from: Bealman on December 19, 2014, 01:27:22 AM
Yep, let's not start getting political
,,,
gum.

Agreed,
although I often wonder if forums had a 'sand box' where willing adults could go on the basis that they 'could not be offended' only that they 'could chose to be offended' may have merit ? !

Anyway, yes, gum, uck!! Now ther shoud be a law if ever I saw one !

Yeah.... even though I remember that bubble gum, something else I remember is that it was horrible!!  :thumbsup:

Quote from: Bealman on December 19, 2014, 02:05:25 AM
that it was horrible!!

Moi aussi !
One of those rebellions of youf ? When one realises that the cause is not worth it.

But you neatly side-stepped my proposition of how (in this world) one must needs avoid _giving_ offence.
Whereas I propose one can only take offence > sand box ahoy  :)

Can understand the rationale having a sand-box which would imply that 'anything goes' for members that choose to post there. My view is that we are a family friendly forum and that the sand-box could end up containing stuff that we would not want children to read :o

So a sand-box would have to be a separate group with access granted on request. The issues here are the effort involved in both setting it up and monitoring it to see that it did not get out of hand - e.g. so that it did not contain really obnoxious or unsafe material.

I think if you want political debate or adult only jokes or are looking for a 'verbal punch-up' then it is probably best to post this sort of stuff on other forums as our main focus is model railways.

Quote from: Pengi on December 19, 2014, 07:17:32 AM
Can understand the rationale having a sand-box which would imply that 'anything goes' for members that choose to post there. My view is that we are a family friendly forum and that the sand-box could end up containing stuff that we would not want children to read :o

So a sand-box would have to be a separate group with access granted on request. The issues here are the effort involved in both setting it up and monitoring it to see that it did not get out of hand - e.g. so that it did not contain really obnoxious or unsafe material.

I think if you want political debate or adult only jokes or are looking for a 'verbal punch-up' then it is probably best to post this sort of stuff on other forums as our main focus is model railways.

Well said, Pengi, spot on in my opinion.

Gerry

I agree with Pengi and GerryB while it's nice to have a variety of posts on the Forum we must keep it mainly N gauge modelling there are plenty of other Forums out there for politics and other topics .
And I might as well say a
          MERRY CHRISTMAS and a HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL
                         :NGF:
Bob

Quote from: Pengi on December 19, 2014, 07:17:32 AM
sand-box could end up containing stuff that we would not want children to read :o

Good point !
I'll go stand on the naughty step :)

Drifting away from trains as usual..............

If you're a cat owner sand box would contain more than rants....

Quote from: MalcolmAL on December 19, 2014, 10:59:56 AM
I'll go stand on the naughty step :)

Ummm, hang on a mo., why am I standing on this naughty step ?  :dunce:
It was not I that raised Harold McM and his politics !!!! :laugh: It was  Tdm leading me astray  :laughabovepost: :hmmm:
>> steps down

Seasons greetings etc. :)

Quote from: MalcolmAL on December 19, 2014, 11:28:26 AM

Quote from: MalcolmAL on December 19, 2014, 10:59:56 AM
I'll go stand on the naughty step :)

Ummm, hang on a mo., why am I standing on this naughty step ?  :dunce:
It was not I that raised Harold McM and his politics !!!! :laugh: It was  Tdm leading me astray  :laughabovepost: :hmmm:
>> steps down
Seasons greetings etc. :)

So it's all my fault is it  :) - my post did include reference to my first train set, so it wasn't fully off topic was it?  8), and it is Xmas when we should all be nice to each other, even if things sometimes drift off on a tangent, particularly after imbibing of a little (well a lot) of the Xmas Spirit. Feliz Navidad  :beers:

Quote from: newportnobby on December 18, 2014, 04:39:06 PM

Quote from: Jerry Howlett on December 18, 2014, 03:57:12 PM
I had a red? one but it didn't have a wheel just a cardboard strip with 2 pictures that you viewed through the plastic gizmo do dah. I DO remember that one of the pictures I had was of the Blue Pullman.... The nearest I think I will ever get to owning one !!!

Oh and SPANGLES who remembers the Old English ones ?  A black packet I think.


Jerry

I think the 'stereo' viewer that Jerry is referring to came free with cereal packets as did the cardboard strip with 2 pics. I seem to remember mainly pics of animals such as elephants, goats, wallabies, giraffes and the like :hmmm:

That figures Mick. We were not exactly the richest of folks, I remember my bedroom wall covered in animal heads (Stop it) from the cut out backs of cereal packets.  Even my brothers 00 train set was bolstered by the free Kitmaster Diesel shunter (In later years it would have been an 08) that came from Kellogs or similar, we must have been force fed breakfast because I am sure he got a restaurant car and a BCK.

Looks like we were cut from pretty much the same cloth, Jerry.
If it hadn't been for giveaways in cereal packets I don't think I'd have had any toys :(

we was all kids once! , but been a teenager in the late 50's often felt the leather glove's around the lughole from the local bobby , but once we got the motorbikes/scooters e could run rings around him on his franny barett- it been a twin , group of us would keep him talking whilst the other would loosen a plug lead  :D