There are currently 2 people viewing this thread.
These 93 comments are related to the topic:
things we did as kids in the 70s
things we did as kids in the 70s
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 93
|
By:
Wrapping a two-shilling piece (florin) in tape to fool old vending machines into treating it as a 50p piece is a classic bit of vintage British schoolyard lore.
While the two-shilling piece and the 50p piece were worth vastly different amounts after decimalisation, they shared a crucial physical trait: they were almost exactly the same diameter (28.5 mm). Why People Did It Old mechanical vending machines from the 1970s and 1980s did not use advanced electronic sensors. Instead, they relied on basic physical properties to validate money: 1. Diameter: A drop-slot or sizing cradle checked if the coin was the right width. Because the two-shilling coin and the 50p coin matched in diameter, a pre-decimal florin would clear the 50p size check perfectly. 2. Shape and Thickness: The main barrier was that a two-shilling piece was perfectly round, whereas a 50p piece is a seven-sided equilateral curve (a Reuleaux heptagon). The machine’s internal balance mechanisms or tracks expected the distinct "rolling" rhythm and thickness profile of the 7-sided 50p. By strategically wrapping cellotape, electrical tape, or foil around the edges of a two-shilling piece, people attempted to mask its smooth round edge, slightly altering its thickness and weight distribution. When dropped into a less-precise mechanical mechanism, the taped coin would trick the mechanical rocker or weight balance into registering it as a genuine 50p piece, allowing the user to get a drink and pocket the change. Used to do this quite regular, it would work occasionally on cigarette or change machines. Wrapping insulation tape around 7x.  |
|
By:
There’s a saying in horse racing that not everyone who goes racing is a thief or vagabond but all thieves and vagabonds go racing.
I’m beginning to wonder if that saying could be used about this forum. |
|
By:
JIMNAST
lots of weekend school football now done by local clubs,my grandsons local REDCAR ATHLETIC ive noticed that at age 12+ they do lot of events to raise £ for a football tour to spain and play at equivalent spanish clubs, the senior REDCAR ATHLETIC team are now in tier 7 for 1st time top of the lg and unbeaten in 40 lg games coming up nearly a yr unbeaten, i go watch if their at home and BORO away or home in midweek,good watch, all these team/football centre,s are now partly funded by EPL £ |
|
By:
was telling the mrs the other day another nice little earner when the pubs all had OFFIES on the side was to get round the back nick a crate of newcy brown and take it back to another offy down the rd, i think from memory you used to get 5 bob for the crate with all the bottles,think it was a dozen bottles,another nice little earner
|
|
By:
jimnast
There’s a saying in horse racing that not everyone who goes racing is a thief or vagabond but all thieves and vagabonds go racing. I’m beginning to wonder if that saying could be used about this forum.  We have a nerve to call jockeys |
|
By:
That’s good to hear about the young lads still playing and doing the tours 1st time ,the bottles we would nick and then take back were the things that squirted soda out they were the Crown Jewels of getting deposits back
|
|
By:
Remember blokes openly hanging around our playground area, and even actually offering sweets to kids! It wasn't just a myth!
|
|
By:
of course, in those days, not a parent in sight!
|
|
By:
This topic reminds me of that song by Cher. Ironically that was also from the 70s...
"Gypsies, tramps and thieves You'll find 'em all on the Horse Racing Forum" |
|
By:
|
|
By:
kids these days never lived
bedrooms playing games wrapped in cotton wool |
|
By:
Parenting in the 70s was completely easy - they just didn't bother to do it!
|
|
By:
Nowadays it's 24/7 job
|
|
By:
Letting of stink bombs in the classroom
|