Remember these.? All our yesterdays

[MarcusMcGuinness]

Ha!
Thanks for the video, Neil. Tbh, I still find the system a bit underwhelming. I think it was the only time I demonstrated "ungrateful-child" behaviour on Christmas Day.

Mac

[CitroJim]

Ha!
Thanks for the video, Neil. Tbh, I still find the system a bit underwhelming. I think it was the only time I demonstrated "ungrateful-child" behaviour on Christmas Day.

Mac

Oddly, I have absolutely no recall of Matchbox Motorway... Maybe because I have daughters and it was not around in my childhood... So therefore I cannot reasonably comment on whether or not you were an ungrateful child Mac

Underwhelming and disappointing Christmas presents could well make a topic all of its own nearer to the festive season... I'm sure we've all had them...

[NewcastleFalcon]

it was not around in my childhood...

Slap bang in the middle of your childhood Jim, 1960's just look at the box I wasn't aware of it either though.
If you didn't watch the vid, the motion is provided with literally a spring in the track rotated by the powerhouses, with the cars having a pin projecting down into one of the coils to provide the motion. I said it created quite a din so for those with only a few seconds to devote, this starts at the punch line, ie the cars whizzing round the track with the accompanying spring noise.



Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

and it was not around in my childhood...

There's more...One of the places on you visited on your recent saunter gets plenty of mentions in the world of toys, as a result of this museum which and has an excellent page on the Matchbox Motorway.

Mentions a feature I hadn't picked up on...

https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/ind ... x_Motorway

The new "MATCHBOX" Motorway is a completely new system of track, designed specially for all "MATCHBOX" models. Any "MATCHBOX" model can be motorised by simply fixing a special self adhesive guide pin to the bottom of the car. The pin is positioned in the track slot where it locates in a continuous, flexible spring which, with the cars attached, is driven round the Motorway by a fixed motor. Speed can be controlled by pressure applied to the hand speed controller.

The cheap plastic prongs were also available separately in accessory packs.

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

The Brighton model toy and model museums pages are a treasure trove of information on any slot racing product you can imagine. The most familiar of all Scalextric is here should those who have ever played with it wish to have a read and look at the pics. Just a page, not War and Peace, but interesting info for a reminisce.

https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/ind ... Scalextric

I liked this bit

The genius of Scalextric (and the reason why the brand became a national hit) was that it turned the worst aspects of the system - variation in car characteristics, awkward and difficult controls, and a tendency for the car to fly off the track if you went too fast - into features, difficulties that a player had to overcome when competing with another racer.

While a model train system with jerky speed controls that had a tendency to crash the train if you went too fast would be considered a failure, in the context of car racing, the constant threat of crashing simply added to the excitement and realism, and the difficulty of getting the car's speed just right using the crude controllers also added an element of skill to what might otherwise have been a fairly mundane game.

Neil

[CitroJim]

Slap bang in the middle of your childhood Jim, 1960's just look at the box I wasn't aware of it either though.

It never made it to Somerset!

Generally I don't watch videos, I'm no great fan of them and they're too time-consuming and in need of too much brain power to decode effectively... Additionally, I just don't have the necessary attention-span... I have the same issues with long posts - TL:DR very much applies...

I'd rather read short, snappy text and see still pictures... Sorry, YouTube is one aspect of modern life I just can't get on with...

[MattBLancs]

... Additionally, I just don't have the necessary attention-span... I have the same issues with long posts - TL:DR very much applies...

I'd rather read short, snappy text and see still pictures... Sorry, YouTube is one aspect of modern life I just can't get on with...

You do well with my long waffling then Jim!

[CitroJim]

... Additionally, I just don't have the necessary attention-span... I have the same issues with long posts - TL:DR very much applies...

I'd rather read short, snappy text and see still pictures... Sorry, YouTube is one aspect of modern life I just can't get on with...

You do well with my long waffling then Jim!

There's always delightful exceptions Matt

[MattBLancs]

Missed this till now, loads of old tins in my garage, mostly from my Grandad's and I suspect a good few predate me, will try and get some on here when get chance

Small nails

Ceramic tap monobloc type valves

Festive rawlplugs

Cable clips

Scrap metal

Related, old boxes:

Screws

Brufen

Cable clips

Washers

Bolts

Very old tin 1

Very old tin 2

Other old ones eluded me at moment!

[CitroJim]

Wow! What a collection

[MarcusMcGuinness]

Amazing! Well done, Matt.
All I can offer is this...

Own work

Mac

[Rp0thejester]

The only old tin I have is this

rare to find one without the word screw's written on, only joking

[MattBLancs]

Just remembered there's some more next door, couple with drill bits in.

Next time I'm in my Grandad's garage I'll see if I can get any more on camera, am sure there's many, many more in there!

[NewcastleFalcon]

after a bit of a spruce up

DSC_2652 by Stephen Lodge, on Flickr

Neil

[MarcusMcGuinness]

Blimey!