I expect every age is the 'golden age' for each generation, after all they know no better, but I think I did quite well. There were a lot of quality toys available at pocket-money prices. We quickly worked out the merits of tin-plate, die-cast and plastic materials, a useful life-skills training, the right material for the right job.
Something else that I had was independence. Just about every newsagent sold a range of decent toys and there were many newsagents within walking distance, (and of course I was allowed to walk!). I knew in advance what I might want to have, a few pennies would buy a catalogue or price list that could be eagerly studied and plans made!
I wasn't restricted to the newsagents either, a trip to the Post Office, a postal order, clipped coupon or short note and a few days later 'Master S' was the proud owner of a new purchase, (sometimes to the consternation of the parents!).
I'm sure many of my generation sent off for the 'Seebackroscope' or 'Throw Your Voice' instructions, complete with the dangerous looking 'swazzle' or that clear-plastic 'ten-in-one' device, (most of which were variations on magnifiers, plus a mirror and compass).
But then today's youngster just raises their voice above the noise of their computer game and says, "ALEXA! Buy me a ...", and it all goes on a parent's card?
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that radio would have been every young boys dream, I had a radio given to me at a very early age and now have this obsession with old vintage radios, I remember as a kid, my dad started his own business in a small shed in the garden and I used to sit for hours with him listening to the cricket commentary from far away from Australia, or radio five football night. I'd take radio over T. V any day of the week
Pistol packing Pete, the fastest gun in North Wales. Sure put that Milky Bar Kid in his place!you got the stance wrong.... draw cock it on way out put hand over chamber and fire.
doc holiday sawed his Barrel short.and had no front sight to catch on the draw
Those crystal sets were a good learning curve for boys and girls interested in radio, at the time, to actually go to a shop and bring home some components to build your own radio, then hear it working would have been wonderful. I still think radio is an amazing invention, to hear voices and music coming through airwaves and to be able to listen to it anywhere you like at anytimeBefore I could stretch to a transistor radio, as boy I made myself a crystal set from parts bought from a shop in town, whose name I can't remember. Having soldered the few components in accordance with a circuit drawing I had, and spread a thin wire around my bedroom ceiling to act as an aerial, I could twiddle with the little tuning device and sit up late at night listening to Radio Caroline and other stations on my little bakelite headphones. Does anybody else remember their crystal set?
see #344.....i built a lot from bits.Before I could stretch to a transistor radio, as boy I made myself a crystal set from parts bought from a shop in town, whose name I can't remember. Having soldered the few components in accordance with a circuit drawing I had, and spread a thin wire around my bedroom ceiling to act as an aerial, I could twiddle with the little tuning device and sit up late at night listening to Radio Caroline and other stations on my little bakelite headphones. Does anybody else remember their crystal set?
Picture rails, (remember them?) were good for that. I bought a box of single-core insulated cable from Civic in Sheldon for use as an aerial. It was possibly sold just for that purpose. I never saw cable like it elsewhere, the insulation was quite thick and it very strongly smelled of town gas..Having soldered the few components in accordance with a circuit drawing I had, and spread a thin wire around my bedroom ceiling to act as an aerial...
One of my favourite Christmas presents, mine was a bronze colour not the usual silver. Lovely photo
I had one for Xmas in the early 60s. I think my Dad bought it from The Army and Navy Store, the headphones looked military like with a black metal headband, Bakelite ear cups and khaki coloured wire which attached to two terminals on a wooden box with a speaker like grill on the front , though it emitted no sound! I couldn't understand how it could work, having no power supply and was even more confused when I took the back off to reveal a couple of soldered wires and what looked like a glass filament. The only connection to the box as I recall was a wire which was attached to a earthing rod outside in the garden? I think he bought them for my cousins too and later made one for himself, though this one was powered by a small battery, maybe this was an early attempt at making a transistor radio?Before I could stretch to a transistor radio, as boy I made myself a crystal set from parts bought from a shop in town, whose name I can't remember. Having soldered the few components in accordance with a circuit drawing I had, and spread a thin wire around my bedroom ceiling to act as an aerial, I could twiddle with the little tuning device and sit up late at night listening to Radio Caroline and other stations on my little bakelite headphones. Does anybody else remember their crystal set?
I wanted to respond to this but it was off thread so posted it onthat radio would have been every young boys dream, I had a radio given to me at a very early age and now have this obsession with old vintage radios, I remember as a kid, my dad started his own business in a small shed in the garden and I used to sit for hours with him listening to the cricket commentary from far away from Australia, or radio five football night. I'd take radio over T. V any day of the week
Very much so......It took me a while to get it working and my parents did not appreciate the wires around my bedroom. Every once in a while I would come home and they were gone! My mother had enough.....Before I could stretch to a transistor radio, as boy I made myself a crystal set from parts bought from a shop in town, whose name I can't remember. Having soldered the few components in accordance with a circuit drawing I had, and spread a thin wire around my bedroom ceiling to act as an aerial, I could twiddle with the little tuning device and sit up late at night listening to Radio Caroline and other stations on my little bakelite headphones. Does anybody else remember their crystal set?
i hid my very thin wires under the skirting board. and through the corner of the window to the outside.Very much so......It took me a while to get it working and my parents did not appreciate the wires around my bedroom. Every once in a while I would come home and they were gone! My mother had enough.....
have you got page 126?
Don't you mean page 126have you got page 26?
yesDon't you mean page 126