# Toys of Yesteryear



## Northerner (Feb 16, 2019)

Anyone know what this is? Did you make one?  Do kids still make them?


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## Matt Cycle (Feb 16, 2019)

It's a tank.  We made those - late 1970's.  Problem was always getting hold of a cotton reel off my Mum (and cutting the notches in it) and a piece of candle wax.  I can't imagine kids nowadays making them.


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## nonethewiser (Feb 16, 2019)

We made them using mums old thread bobbin, a simple toy and easy to make.

Found memories of making bogies, old pram wheels, plank of wood, nut and bolt, nails and some rope, many a happy day building one and looking for hills to race down.


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## SB2015 (Feb 16, 2019)

We had a series of go carts made by my brothers, all called Ebeneezer.  
We rode these round the block endlessly, taking out various obstacles in our way.


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## silentsquirrel (Feb 16, 2019)

Probably died out when cotton reels became plastic rather than wood?


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## Northerner (Feb 16, 2019)

silentsquirrel said:


> Probably died out when cotton reels became plastic rather than wood?


Perhaps they'll make a comeback, given the current trend for replacing plastics with more planet-friendly stuff  Mind you, it's probably like those ancient gold artefacts now - a lost art! 

Does anyone remember the little steam boat you could make for the bath? Can't find a picture, but it was basically a hollow eggshell (little hole at one end, pinprick hole at the other, blow the contents out to hollow) mounted on a piece of balsa wood above a small piece of candle. You half-filled the egg with water, lit the candle n the piece of wood, then placed the egg above the candle flame. The water would boil and be expelled through the larger hole in the egg, driving it forward  Simple pleasures as a child! 

I also had an excellent buggy, which had pram wheels at the front by some big, wide rubber wheels at the back - I used to take it to the top of our road and ride down it repeatedly for hours!


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## trophywench (Feb 16, 2019)

We had a tank or two, but never a buggy.  There again we were girls LOL  Our street was flat but the street that formed a crossroads halfway along was a hill and since we used to get in terrible trouble when we free wheeled around the corner back into our street cos there was a high wall around the garden on the corner, hence no-one could see you coming - I wouldn't have though buggies would have gone down too well!


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## Andy HB (Feb 16, 2019)

I always loved playing with my big brother's chemistry set. One experiment involved making hydrochloric acid gas! There were lots of other great things to play with! I once got my hands on a carbon rod which does great things when you attach a battery and create a circuit through two bits of carbon rod with their tips almost touching. You get a bright arc light. Amazing that I still have my sight and can breathe!


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## mikeyB (Feb 16, 2019)

It’s amazing we never got arrested, the things we got up to. Making cannons out of copper tubing, a penny banger and steel ball ammunition. Great for breaking windows in abandoned buildings. And we still have all our fingers, more by luck than judgement,


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## HOBIE (Feb 16, 2019)

I still own my Scalaletrix  &27 cars inc a working D type & Vanwall. Tr7 & Minis . The track is so big I used to get volt drop on it, It made me a sparkie


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## Northerner (Feb 16, 2019)

Andy HB said:


> I always loved playing with my big brother's chemistry set. One experiment involved making hydrochloric acid gas! There were lots of other great things to play with! I once got my hands on a carbon rod which does great things when you attach a battery and create a circuit through two bits of carbon rod with their tips almost touching. You get a bright arc light. Amazing that I still have my sight and can breathe!


I had a chemistry set when I was about 12 and did all sorts of things that you probably couldn't do today. I looked at getting one for my grand-nephew, but the contents seemed so limited I didn't bother. I remember mixing hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite (both easily obtainable from the chemists) which gave off pure oxygen - then putting a match to it  I remember buying 'water glass' (sodium silicate), also from the chemists and growing crystal gardens in jam jars using it - bet they don't even sell it any more. Mum was quite happy for me to sit in my room cooking things up over a methylated spirit burner!  I'm still here!


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## Robin (Feb 16, 2019)

The trend when I was at junior school was for people to bring the mercury that came with their chemistry sets and we’d all sit around playing with it.
You could throw it on the floor, and it would shatter into tiny pieces, then collect it up and roll it round the palm of your hand as a liquid.


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## mikeyB (Feb 16, 2019)

I spent a lot of time building Meccano cranes and lorries with steering. That’s when I wasn’t gluing together countless Airfix models, all the planes being suspended from the ceiling with thread sellotaped to the ceiling. All meticulously painted, of course.


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## trophywench (Feb 16, 2019)

Gordon Bennett - the most hazardous thing we were ever allowed to touch was a sparkler on Bonfire night, followed by making plaster of Paris models - cos that got hot …..

Mind you - mom's sewing machine was metal through and through, a Singer treadle machine that dad had had converted to electricity after my sis was born so she'd have some clothes to wear! and at one stage we both said we got pins and needles in our fingers off the 'bed' where you feed material under the foot.  Turned out some wires had become frayed and oops!  - the 'bed' was live!  Mother's hands being tougher, hadn't detected the problem so it was just as well we found it before it ramped up the voltage.


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## Drummer (Feb 17, 2019)

I had access to the old Singer treadle machine - had been my dad's mothers, bought at sixpence a week on the never-never. I had to mend the old leather drive belt before I could use it though.

We made the tanks, and also put panel pins in the end of the cotton reels and made cords out of leftover bits of knitting yarn.


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## nonethewiser (Feb 17, 2019)

mikeyB said:


> I spent a lot of time building Meccano cranes and lorries with steering. That’s when I wasn’t gluing together countless Airfix models, all the planes being suspended from the ceiling with thread sellotaped to the ceiling. All meticulously painted, of course.



Had a dozen or more hanging from the bedroom ceiling, favourite model was the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.

Great memories, how nice it would be to go back to your childhood days if only for one day


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## zuludog (Feb 17, 2019)

I made the cotton bobbin tank, and the steamboat, both as mentioned by Northener
But for the steamboat instead of an eggshell I used an aluminium cigar tube that had been shortened

From an early age I made the plastic kits; Airfix being the best known, though there was also Frog, Revell, Aurora, Lindberg, and probably others I've forgotten. Mostly aeroplanes, but also tanks & ships
I've kept up that hobby and still make them. In fact I recently estimated that at my present rate of construction my stash of unmade kits would keep me going till 2087

I made the carts, with my Dad's help, from old pram wheels - almost certainly my old pram & push chair

Then there were Dinky toys, chemistry sets, bows & arrows, Meccano,and I think every kid in the village had a knife; but I never took to train sets or Scalextric


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## Northerner (Feb 17, 2019)

We could never afford Scalextric, but I had a Matchbox Motorway instead  It couldn't possibly work as shown, with all those vehicles, as the motor wasn't powerful enough. Just had two cars and raced them!


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## Eddy Edson (Feb 17, 2019)

nonethewiser said:


> Had a dozen or more hanging from the bedroom ceiling, favourite model was the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
> 
> Great memories, how nice it would be to go back to your childhood days if only for one day



Mine always ended up looking like crap   But I loved aeroplanes! My dream was always to somehow get enough money to buy the gigantic 1:72 B-36 kit, but that never happened.

Another dream was to somehow get enough money to buy William Green's encyclopedic "Warplanes of the Third Reich". As an adult, I bought a copy on E-Bay, only to have it stolen (along with $2.78 in change) by a home-invading machete-wielding junkie.  Bastard!


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## C&E Guy (Feb 17, 2019)

Hornby train set, 'Hot Wheels', Lego. Airfix soldiers and Matchbox cars for me.

I remember saving for weeks to get a long bit of track. Had it in the house for a few minutes before my dad trod on it and bent it out of shape.


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## eggyg (Feb 17, 2019)

We made the tanks but as a houseful of girls my dad never got to make a cart or buggy or what we called a bogie, from Silver Cross pram wheels. Mr Eggy often reminisces about his bogies, he is one of 6 boys so had a few and lived on a hill, apparently in the 60s only one lucky householder had a car on their street so traffic wasn’t an issue. Unfortunately for him with 3 daughters and the exorbitant cost of a Silver Cross pram he never got to make one as an adult! I personally think kids of today would be interested but as parents/ grandparents it’s us that think they maybe wouldn’t be. I know my grandson would, better have a check in my ancient and very little used sewing box and see if I do have a wooden cotton spool.


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## Flower (Feb 17, 2019)

We used to have to do this knitting thing with cotton bobbins, just girls in our house apart from my Dad! I'd rather have made a matchstick tank - still my Sindy doll had some special scarves 

We did have a cart adapted from a small wooden wheelbarrow but my sister was always the driver as she's older. I had to be the conductor selling tickets which were a few old receipts. Don't think it's affected me at all


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## trophywench (Feb 18, 2019)

Cotton reel knitting known as 'French' knitting in our house - no idea whatsoever why!


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## Robin (Feb 18, 2019)

trophywench said:


> Cotton reel knitting known as 'French' knitting in our house - no idea whatsoever why!


We called it 'corking' I’ve no idea why, either!


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## SB2015 (Feb 18, 2019)

We also called it French Knitting, and it is just a very small version of a basic sock knitting frame.  They would be very small socks, but just think of it enlarged with a lot more pins.


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## silentsquirrel (Feb 18, 2019)

We called it French knitting as well (why French?  No idea!  Why French cricket?) and the commercial version of the cotton reel was called a Knitting Nancy.

Despite being a girl, I also had Sopwith Camels and Fokker tri-planes etc etc suspended from my bedroom ceiling - drawing pins rather than sellotape to secure the thread.  No interest in making ships, just the aircraft.  Heavily into Biggles at the time!  Loved the James May programme a few years ago when he got a team of kids to make a full size Airfix Spitfire.


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## Northerner (Feb 19, 2019)

I remember having to leave the room on occasions after being overcome by the smell of the glue when making my model aircraft!  Can kids even buy that glue nowadays? I remember a time when 'glue-sniffing' became a dangerous addiction


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## trophywench (Feb 19, 2019)

I loved the smell of Evo Stik, but only for so long LOL

Hated it in the Winter cos you always had to open doors and windows till it dissipated didn't you? - am thinking of when the tops of kitchen cupboards had to be covered in it, mainly here.  That always seemed to take place on a freezing cold windy day in deepest winter !


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## Northerner (Feb 19, 2019)

trophywench said:


> I loved the smell of Evo Stik, but only for so long LOL
> 
> Hated it in the Winter cos you always had to open doors and windows till it dissipated didn't you? - am thinking of when the tops of kitchen cupboards had to be covered in it, mainly here.  That always seemed to take place on a freezing cold windy day in deepest winter !


For the model planes it was 'polystyrene cement' which turned all stringy if you weren't careful, dried very quickly, but not quite superglue (I shudder to imagine what might have occurred had that been available when I was young!  ) What always confused me about polystyrene cement was that if you squeezed some onto a piece of polystyrene, the polystyrene would shrink away to nothing!  Evo-Stik was that white rubbery stuff wasn't it?


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## trophywench (Feb 19, 2019)

Nah - about the same colour and consistency as clear honey.  You spread it very thinly on both surfaces and it instantly and permanently adhered on contact.

The white rubbery stuff was Copydex !


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## Northerner (Feb 19, 2019)

trophywench said:


> Nah - about the same colour and consistency as clear honey.  You spread it very thinly on both surfaces and it instantly and permanently adhered on contact.
> 
> The white rubbery stuff was Copydex !


Ah yes!


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## nonethewiser (Feb 20, 2019)

Back when toys were made to last, was made up to recieve it one Christmas


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## Northerner (Feb 20, 2019)

nonethewiser said:


> Back when toys were made to last, was made up to recieve it one Christmas


Bet you tried to break it!


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## Matt Cycle (Feb 20, 2019)

Had one of these as a child.  Filled the tank with water and there was a container with a handle you filled with methylated spirits, lit it and placed under the boiler.  Once up to pressure and you had steam, off you go.  The whistle worked and everything.  Probably considered highly dangerous now.


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## Northerner (Feb 20, 2019)

Matt Cycle said:


> Had one of these as a child.  Filled the tank with water and there was a container with a handle you filled with methylated spirits, lit it and placed under the boiler.  Once up to pressure and you had steam, off you go.  The whistle worked and everything.  Probably considered highly dangerous now.


Ooh, you lucky boy!   Beats my egg-based steamboat!  They still sell them, but very expensive - £166!


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## trophywench (Feb 20, 2019)

Well they always did cost several arms and legs so I don't think £166 is all that bad really!


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## Eddy Edson (Feb 20, 2019)

Matt Cycle said:


> Had one of these as a child.  Filled the tank with water and there was a container with a handle you filled with methylated spirits, lit it and placed under the boiler.  Once up to pressure and you had steam, off you go.  The whistle worked and everything.  Probably considered highly dangerous now.



Extreme envy! I always wanted one of those as a kid.

Hmmm. I still want one.


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## Matt Cycle (Feb 20, 2019)

Northerner said:


> Ooh, you lucky boy!   Beats my egg-based steamboat!  They still sell them, but very expensive - £166!





trophywench said:


> Well they always did cost several arms and legs so I don't think £166 is all that bad really!





Eddy Edson said:


> Extreme envy! I always wanted one of those as a kid.
> 
> Hmmm. I still want one.



My brother had a static one on a plinth and one similar to the photo as well.  They cost more than standard toys but from recollection were not excessively priced (otherwise my parents wouldn't have been able to afford them).  I'm not sure what equivalent prices would be but I think £166 now is a huge leap from what they cost in the late 1970's.  They were sold more as collectors models rather than 'toys'. I can't remember Redgates (huge toy shop in Sheffield) selling them and I think mine came from Beatties.  They also worked with some sort of solid fuel tablets that burned but it was cheaper to use meths.  Alas, I sold mine late 80's/early 90's though I think my brother still has his.


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## trophywench (Feb 20, 2019)

Well we wouldn't have got one anyway I don't suppose being girls LOL

Incidentally, the price of the traction engine in the photo from you Matt, is currently £180.90 according to Mamod's website. (and they still sell the solid fuel tablets too! - did they smell any less than meths?)


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## nonethewiser (Feb 20, 2019)

Northerner said:


> Bet you tried to break it!



Stood on it thinking the wheels would buckle but never did, they really were tough toys for tough boys.


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## Seabreeze (Feb 20, 2019)

Loved this game, just for setting it up and setting it off!  
always wanted Meccano and never had it, was given dolls - they're all very well but what do they do?! It's not like they're useful like Action Man or Meccano!


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## Seabreeze (Feb 20, 2019)

I loved my bicycle, crossbar boys bike.
Independence!
Loved turning it upside down and oiling the chain, playing mechanics.
No gears, just pedal power and brakes!


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## Seabreeze (Feb 20, 2019)

Tin trays! Old bits of lino.
We'd go walking through the fields and country out the back and make dens in hedgerows.
Then find bits of things to slide down grass banks - great fun.
Getting into bother with my mum for my white socks turning black with dirt!
Taking socks off and seeing the lacey pattern on my legs in dirt!
Scrumping the odd apple or trying not to get blackberry juice on clothes!


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## Seabreeze (Feb 20, 2019)

Used to love setting these things off.
Wait for it......


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## Seabreeze (Feb 20, 2019)

A CARDBOARD BOX!

It was everything!  Aeroplane, delivery truck, bus, boat, magic carpet, raft, space rocket....
it was the best thing ever! 

Failing that, a dining chair laid on its back might suffice. 

or a couple of chairs and a table cloth to make a den!


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## Andy HB (Feb 20, 2019)

Northerner said:


> I had a chemistry set when I was about 12 and did all sorts of things that you probably couldn't do today. I looked at getting one for my grand-nephew, but the contents seemed so limited I didn't bother. I remember mixing hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite (both easily obtainable from the chemists) which gave off pure oxygen - then putting a match to it  I remember buying 'water glass' (sodium silicate), also from the chemists and growing crystal gardens in jam jars using it - bet they don't even sell it any more. Mum was quite happy for me to sit in my room cooking things up over a methylated spirit burner!  I'm still here!



Sooooooooo! You've been doing a little 'cooking'? (Sorry, have just finished watching Breaking Bad on DVD!).


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## trophywench (Feb 20, 2019)

Clothes horse, hinges uppermost on the yard outside the back door, with an old thin rug draped over it and we were camping.  Must have been the closest my mother ever got to a campsite anyway!  She certainly didn't think much of it when I went with my boyfriend and a (proper) tent, camping in Cornwall - fortunately we went with his work colleague and his wife otherwise I doubt if she'd have allowed me out of the door!

Brilliant, hot, holiday.


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## mikeyB (Feb 25, 2019)

One of my favourite old toys was Philips Electronic Engineer, with which you could make all sorts of useful stuff like a transistor radio. I once made an off plan amplifier to wire into the speaker of our black Bakelite phone, so you could switch to speaker mode - and did the reverse on the microphone so I could play my latest records to my mates down the phone in hifi sound. Totally illegal, of course.

You could still do all that up the introduction of the awful Trimphone in the sixties. You can’t unscrew any phones now. Nor can you make calls from a locked dial phone, since they modernised the exchanges, you could still do that in the seventies.


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