Another walk down Memory Lane (for some of us)

[Roy L S]

"Bettabuilder"

was that the one where you had a base plate with holes, fitted steel rods into it and then slotted blocks of bricks / windows / doors in to build houses ?

No, I know the one you mean, I saw it at a Train Collector's Society show years back, it wasn't Betta builder.

I had Bettabuilder at my Grandmother's as a child, it had lots of features like clip together roof tiles and windows, but no steel rods.

Roy

[Bealman]

You can replicate that with Arduino, a couple of potentiometers and a plug in screen, but it ain't the same! 

[martyn]

Bettabuilder was made by Airfix, and the 'bricks' were only one unit wide, as opposed to two bricks wide for Lego. It was mainly available in Woolworth's, as was Playcraft model railways. There were clear bricks; windows and doors were red, glazed, mouldings.

The rod building system was Bayko, or something similar. Saw it, but didn't have any.

There was also a Lego type building system with rubber bricks and roofs; can't now remember its name, but I was given a small amount as a child.

Martyn

[joe cassidy]

When I was a nipper Sunday started with "Junior Choice" on the radio

In the afternoon it was Jimmy Clitheroe and "the Navy Lark"

After Sunday dinner my dad listened to "Sing Something Simple" with the Adams Singers

The worst thing about Sunday was the religious programs on TV in the early evening

[rogerdB]

Yes, it's where Roger of Wrenton fame, cut his teeth!

Mine was Bayko, George.

I can remember Not having a TV, and the family gathered round the radio on Sunday mornings to listen to Forces favourites.

I remember having to visit friends to see the Coronation as we didn't have a TV. And that Sunday programme on the radio, 'Family Favourites', presented by Jean Metcalfe at the London end. I little realised that some years later I would actually work on the programme - Jean was a delight to work with. Maybe some old programme signature tunes will bring back memories. Try my page at http://www.orbem.co.uk/grams/grams_6.htm.

[joe cassidy]

I liked the music for "Zoo Time" on the telly

[The Q]

Yes, it's where Roger of Wrenton fame, cut his teeth!

Mine was Bayko, George.

I can remember Not having a TV, and the family gathered round the radio on Sunday mornings to listen to Forces favourites.

I remember having to visit friends to see the Coronation as we didn't have a TV. And that Sunday programme on the radio, 'Family Favourites', presented by Jean Metcalfe at the London end. I little realised that some years later I would actually work on the programme - Jean was a delight to work with. Maybe some old programme signature tunes will bring back memories. Try my page at http://www.orbem.co.uk/grams/grams_6.htm.

Family favourites was a renaming of forces favourites as the empire reduced and most of our servicemen came home.

And as for the Navy Lark.... Left hand down a bit!!

[joe cassidy]

I caught pneumonia just before Christmas in 1963 and was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading.

I enjoyed the Christmas atmosphere in the childrens' ward so much that I didn't want to go home when my parents came to collect me a few days later.

The staff really made an effort for the kids in hospital over Christmas.

[Newportnobby]

Me as a kid in the garden making mud pies and my Mum always wondering where I got the water from
Hhhhancock's Half Hour and the Goons (on the radio, of course). Flowerpot Men, Andy Pandy, Tales of the Riverbank on the telly.
Travelling round the country on cheap rail tickets (my Dad worked in Wolverton Railway Works) to do my trainspotting at an age where you just would not allow kids to nowadays
Later in life, Tiswas (Sally James ), Do not adjust your set, Magpie.
Top of the Pops where the audience were quite obviously dancing to something the act wasn't playing - Pans People . Kenny Everett Show (Hot Gossip )
Being able to listen to entire albums in booths at the local Co-op
@Bealman
I have these sampler vinyls:-
Nice enough to eat - Island
Bumpers - Island
El Pea - Island
Picnic - Harvest
Bombers - Polydor
The Age of Atlantic - Atlantic

[MinZaPint]

Another Bayko kid here and I had a lot of fun with Meccano not to mention Hornby Dublo 3 rail . Like RogerB we had to travel to watch the Coronation to my Dad's rich sister I wore my Cub Scout uniform and surprised the family by leaping to attention and saluting when the anthem was played. We grew up taking responsibility for our actions and accepting what the world threw at us, for me happy days. A lot of things have improved since those days but I can't help feeling we've lost a lot as well.
Cheers David

[guest311]

ahhh proper meccano ...

metal strips with rough edges, nuts and bolts you could swallow....

elf-n-safety would have a fit today 

and Meccano Magazine 

[rogerdB]

You can re-live the Meccano Magazine experience here:

http://meccano.magazines.free.fr/index.htm

[70000]

Whilst I had (and actually still have....) Betta-Builder, Lego and Meccano, I also had the construction toy which Philips used to manufacture for a short while - Philiform..
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philiform
Did anyone else on here have that?
A battery operated pseudo BR80 tank engine + flat wagon was part of the series, which ran on plastic track formed using individual sleepers and rails. Think it must have been about 35mm(ish) track gauge. (can check next time I venture up into the loft...)

[guest373]

Mamod steam engines (must be banned today)

Still available simple Google -other search engines are available, you can't blame Health and Efficiency-- oops Safety for everything.

Tony

[guest311]

Mamod steam engines...

yep, had one of them, and didn't blow it up 

Hornby 3-rail.... first loco I had was Duchess of Montrose, if only I'd kept it, would have been worth a bomb now, but so much got binned / given away when I 'grew up' and enlisted.

anyone remember Jouef model trains, super detailed compared to Horby and Triang of the time ?