Probably most of Dundee's kids paid a visit to the Amusement Arcade in Shore Terrace in the 60's. It had the usual kind of stuff, slot machines, rides & shooting games, but the one I liked best was "Torpedo". You looked through a submarine periscope to view ships passing on the horizon. You then had to calculate when to fire the torpedo to hit the ships. It did take 2 or 3 seconds to travel through the water, so it was a bit hit and miss. The path of the torpedo lit up and when you did make contact, the whole consul flashed on & off along with the sound of the explosion. No computer screens then, these were in 3D depth.Photo by DC Thomson.Tints by GG.
Yep I remember Champion the Wonder horse. There used to be a small shop that sold doll house furniture as well.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad used to take us for a sarsaparilla. The shop was on the Hilltown then we would go down into the town to the arcade. Happy days!
'Elegy for Childhood'
ReplyDelete'In the old arcade,there was lemonade,roasting chickens and toys,and Champion,the wooden horse,gave rides for the girls and boys.'
www.ploughmanpoemforscotland.co.uk
Always remembered,the 'Crane - Machine', ate up your bus money and you never managed to grab the ciggies or the watch,anyway,they had been there about a million years!
Scotty.
My Mother Edith sold Barbecue Chickens in the Arcade for 20 years everybody new her ! ask your parents/grandparents. Champion the Wuuuuuuunder Horse can still sing it.ha ha and what about the penny slot machine next to the bike ! The Arcade for me was Magic. why do we not retain such Dundee History. Jumping on and off the Green buses before electric doors ah those were the days
ReplyDeleteSorry Guys this is not a picture of Champion the Wonder Horse. The colour is wrong. This horse played "hi ho tonto away" from the Lone Ranger.
ReplyDeleteIt would be good to see a picture of the real wonder horse a true Dundee legend.
My grandfather, David Durie, was caretaker in the arcade for many years. I spent many hours there as a young child. It was a real family atmosphere with the stall holders. At night when the arcade was closed and all the shutters down, papa would hose down the stone walkways. I would wander around, conscious that as a keen Dr Who fan, the Arcade held many of the Doctors foes around every corner !!! Colin Hynd with his brother Alex had the ammusements. I spent a lot of time playing the torpedo game. Colin was a good family friend and I'd be handed sixpence's. He got it all back of course. Many fond memories of here and the Green market that papa also looked after.
ReplyDeleteHe must remember our family the millers carpet and linoleum .office and sales area .just above champion the wonder horse
DeleteYou are partly correct. The horse known as "Champion" was in fact Silver from the Lone Ranger but the music which played within the machine was Champion the Wonder Horse. Hence the confusion. Generations of Dundonians knew the horse as Champion.
ReplyDeleteThe arcade was the first place I tasted Cheese and Onion Crisps after I'd been to the baths. It's also where I tasted chocolate covered 'Milkmaid Bar' for the first time. I can still 'hear' the Champion tune whenever I think of the Arcade!!!
ReplyDeleteRemember going there every Saturday morning great times
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the warm peanuts. The guy would scoop them into a paper bag, delicious. Champion the wonder horse and Dr Who's Dalek, what memories.
ReplyDeleteUsed to go in there after the swimming, get something to eat out of the cafe, and buy “broken rock”. Those were the days.
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