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The Next Generation

Wiredworm

Wiredworm

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10 Years
Joined
Apr 7, 2013
Messages
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Location
Grimsby
Took my daughter out for the day on Sunday. She's 12 and has only ever seen Pinball on a virtual platform (Pinball FX, Pinball FX2, Pinball Arcade).

As it was a nice day I figured we'd head up to the local seafront for an hour or two and have a bit of a wander around. I already knew of two really knackered Pins (an Elvis and Grand Prix) so I headed back to those again just out of curiosity to see if they'd actually done anything with them - nope still both knackered and the GP wasn't even running. Sad :-(

Further along I found a Bram Stokers Dracula which i'd not spotted before. It didn't look in the best of shape but I bunged a quid in just to see how bad it was. Despite it's shocking condition we both had a game on it and she really enjoyed it - so I think I might have someone who will be getting some playtime in on the R&B when it arrives.

Only downside was to see the tables up there in such bad condition - the BSD had a busted drop target which was causing the ball to flip up onto the playfield glass, resulting in a fairly nasty (and dangerous) sounding thwack. I wasn't entirely sure what was wrong with the slingshots - they weren't working and either needed re-rubbering or something - it didn't look like the rubbers were fitted properly. Oh, and add to the list a filthy playfield which meant it played really slowly, thus making it almost impossible to get up the ramps.

Seems operators don't want to let them go even if they're in really s***ty condition.

On a plus point though - my daughter is a fan of Pinball - which means another one on 'my' side when battling the missus. ;)
 
ronsplooter said:
A BSD in the wild!!!!! :eek: That's a rare sight indeed...where abouts was this?
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Up in North Lincolnshire - a place named Cleethorpes. It's in Pinformer, but the place name is mispelt as Cleethorps.

Any advice how I could loosen the operators death-like grip on it? Is it worth dropping them a line maybe? It's very rare to see the owners of these places actually on-site (at least from my experience) and the staff seem to want to do everything they can to make sure you don't get to them.
 
See if the operators number is written on the under side of the cab and give them a ring directly.
If they are making money from them, you would think they would fix the rubbers, what other nasties might exist under the playfield. :(
 
Well it would be interesting to know just how much play these tables get. The Grand Prix I found further along the sea front was switched off so must be making them precisely nothing right now. The Elvis next to it had both upper flippers inoperable so it wouldn't take much for people to realise it's totally unplayable - at best they might drop £1 in it (yes - £1 a game - ouch) before realising they can't actually complete many of the objectives.

Of course they maybe make a few pounds from people like me who drop money just to see how bad a condition the table is in.

I'll see if I can find an operator number on it the next time i'm up at the seafront. I don't have room for another table right now but a colleague of mine said he'd happily store it at his place. Have to admit i'd not asked about the BSD but when I asked at the place about the Elvis the staff there said the owner just wouldn't sell and that lots of other people had already asked.
 
Level it then
Click to expand...

Honestly dude, it's not worth the effort. They have the bloody sound switched off because it's a family pub and combined with the dirt slowing the game down it makes it no fun to play. I'd rather stay at home and play my games.......christ, I sound like a right grumpy hermit :)
 
ronsplooter said:
I haven't been to Cleethorpes since I was a kid :)
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Trust me, you're not missing much. :)

I think, like most seaside resorts, all of the decent Pins and Arcade machines have either been removed, are knackered or have been replaced with those stupid 'push 2p' machines.
 
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