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Sadly not me .didnt even occur to me to want to work in the amusement industry. I was playing the fruit machines and video games from the late 70s to the mid 80s but always wanted to be a train driver so that's what I became. It gave me a brilliant pension and free travel and a job I still enjoy today.

I have those Coin Slots, Is there anything especially you would like me to look for.

I worked for First Leisure Corp on Eastbourne Pier from 1986 to 1992 on and off and also 1 on-site company Davis CR Tubes in Eastbourne. Davis CR Tubes was a TV repair shop that also installed and ran the cable TV company in East Dean. The son got into amusement machines and I worked along side Big Mick and Dennis. Dennis had a 1980 Astra estate and that thing could swallow a FULL size video or 2 AWP no problem. He also thrashed the shit out of that thing and it actually died due to gearbox main bearing failure.....fucker howled the last few weeks until it was too noisy to drive in LOL. I drove one of the legendary Bedford CF vans, one of which was painted up as a space invader. Empty you would win a drag race from the lights every time....except in the wet. So much power, so little grip. One day I was having a shitty day, a low life had broken into several machines. It was the physical damage that pissed me off more than the money. Anyway, I was looking through Coin Slot and saw an ad for travel the world with a ship casino operation. I applied and 3 weeks later with shiny new passport in hand I was flying for the first time in my life to Miami to work for Oceanic Leisure onboard the Commodore Caribe1. BTW does anyone have a copy of Coin Slot from the late 80's with the ads in the back ?

I started work with Bell Fruit in 1974 when electro machines were in big production and spent most of my working life in the industry, all on the service/management side. Spent time with a couple of other companies up here in the North East including an operation started up here by C.T. Leisure Leicester. I feel privileged to have worked in the era of machines collected today as classics... Give it up when the PC controlled stuff came out. The machine with reels to me is the only true fruit machine, I also believe The A.W,P,(Amusement With Prize) machine died when all cash was introduced.

Not really in the industry as such, my dad and I built a lorry trailer arcade for the local touring fair, J Rowlands and sons! I was 17 at the time, and the addiction was real 😂 Probably spent more time playing the machines than helping my dad 👌

So here's a question coming back at y'all. How many of you were actually in the industry, just a thought that struck me. Oh by the way I am not a prolific writer even though I am trying to write a book, it's just I documented my life as I knew absolutely SFA about my dad and I felt it was sad so I jotted things down over the years which I am pulling on to make the gist of my ramblings. What am i going to do when JPM, Astra, Coin master and Gamesoft are over with! Good to banter with you guys!