Slot / Rail Racing Mystery From 1950's
Discussion
A small mystery that I wonder whether the PH Bureau of Investigations might be able to get to the bottom of.
I know the main details - the below pictures come from the mid 1950's - probably between '55 and '60. My father built the track and the cars in his house in Perthshire and by all accounts many an enjoyable evening was spent with friends competing in "Grand Prix" races.
It is obviously pre-Scalextric and there is a potted history online of how diesel rail racing became electric and then transformed into slot car racing that we recognise today.
The mystery is where this fits into the history of slot racing and how did he build it? He was a model engineer all his life, in later years an O-Gauge rail builder and would turn his hand to rebuilding anything. Was this from drawings that were shared at the time? Were there kit parts for the track, the cars, the components?
It's all very obscure, but it has intrigued me for many years, so any insights would be gratefully received, as he told me almost nothing of it and all I have are these photographs.
I know the main details - the below pictures come from the mid 1950's - probably between '55 and '60. My father built the track and the cars in his house in Perthshire and by all accounts many an enjoyable evening was spent with friends competing in "Grand Prix" races.
It is obviously pre-Scalextric and there is a potted history online of how diesel rail racing became electric and then transformed into slot car racing that we recognise today.
The mystery is where this fits into the history of slot racing and how did he build it? He was a model engineer all his life, in later years an O-Gauge rail builder and would turn his hand to rebuilding anything. Was this from drawings that were shared at the time? Were there kit parts for the track, the cars, the components?
It's all very obscure, but it has intrigued me for many years, so any insights would be gratefully received, as he told me almost nothing of it and all I have are these photographs.
Nice stuff, and also nice photos.
I had to look up ''diesel rail racing' as I assumed the cars were electric. Nope, they have diesel engines like model aircraft!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8ZUZkCZ5E&ab...
Doesn't seem to be any way to control speed.
I had to look up ''diesel rail racing' as I assumed the cars were electric. Nope, they have diesel engines like model aircraft!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8ZUZkCZ5E&ab...
Doesn't seem to be any way to control speed.
".......as he told me almost nothing of it and all I have are these photographs."
Isn't it always the way !
That is really impressive, just how many hours were invested in it ! I'm afraid I have no knowledge of building such but was a member of a slot car club that had a similar sized circuit in the mid 60's.
The slot in your pics looks to a lot wider than I remember but it was 10 or so years later.
As mentioned above what a talent, thanks for sharing.
Isn't it always the way !
That is really impressive, just how many hours were invested in it ! I'm afraid I have no knowledge of building such but was a member of a slot car club that had a similar sized circuit in the mid 60's.
The slot in your pics looks to a lot wider than I remember but it was 10 or so years later.
As mentioned above what a talent, thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the nice comments. He was far more skilled with his hands than me.
From what I can see, this appears to be rails, not slots. I'm presuming one or both of them are electrified and obviously guide the cars. Searching online there appears to be reference to a Southport Layout at around this time which might be the basis this is copied from? And there is a company called Model Road Racing Ltd that appears to be pioneering this.
I found this website that suggests that Model Maker magazine might have inspired others including my father to make layouts and everything that goes with it. https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category...
From what I can see, this appears to be rails, not slots. I'm presuming one or both of them are electrified and obviously guide the cars. Searching online there appears to be reference to a Southport Layout at around this time which might be the basis this is copied from? And there is a company called Model Road Racing Ltd that appears to be pioneering this.
I found this website that suggests that Model Maker magazine might have inspired others including my father to make layouts and everything that goes with it. https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category...
Thanks OP, this is so interesting. One of the images shows a car body on the right and a chassis on the left. The image clearly shows two wires at the front of the chassis leading to what I assume is a guide and brushes. The most popular ones in the seventies were made by Riko.
https://picclick.co.uk/1-32-scale-Slot-Car-inline-...
https://picclick.co.uk/1-32-scale-Slot-Car-inline-...
Some folks on a slot racing forum, talking about chassis from the 60's.When I started secondary school in 1970, we had a slot car club. The track was made of laminated wood, flat sections which would be pieced together in minutes, with the grooves and copper tape for the guide tracks. I remember the tyre choices were huge.
https://www.slotforum.com/threads/riko.57652/
https://www.slotforum.com/threads/riko.57652/
I wonder if that track was 1/24 rather than 1/32 like scalextric/ Airfix mrrc cars. There were a few different companies doing 1/24 in the 60s such as revell, aurora, unique, strombacher etc. or they could even be scratch built cars using a brass chassis.
Amazing setup though, great photos!
Amazing setup though, great photos!
It is indeed an impressive set up and similar to one my friend and his Dad created in their huge loft in the late 1980's. That used proprietary slot cars (not Scalextric) and a multi-lane track with copper tape in the slots.
I suspect one or two of the cars were scratch built on your Dad's layout and there are two books from the 1940s/1950s that give some plans and details of these:
MINIATURE CAR CONSTRUCTION by Cyril Posthumus. - First published in 1949 by Percival Marshall & Co. Ltd. It covers scratch-building of models and tells you how to make wheels, tyres, the chassis, the body, fittings & then painting.
RACING CARS IN MINIATURE by Rex Hays. Hardcover – first published 1 Jan. 1951
Both books show racing cars that resemble those in the OP's photos and are still available from on-line dealers. You can also find some background information here:
https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category...
https://www.slotcarhistory.com/
I suspect one or two of the cars were scratch built on your Dad's layout and there are two books from the 1940s/1950s that give some plans and details of these:
MINIATURE CAR CONSTRUCTION by Cyril Posthumus. - First published in 1949 by Percival Marshall & Co. Ltd. It covers scratch-building of models and tells you how to make wheels, tyres, the chassis, the body, fittings & then painting.
RACING CARS IN MINIATURE by Rex Hays. Hardcover – first published 1 Jan. 1951
Both books show racing cars that resemble those in the OP's photos and are still available from on-line dealers. You can also find some background information here:
https://www.brightontoymuseum.co.uk/index/Category...
https://www.slotcarhistory.com/
Leithen said:
Thank you for the nice comments. He was far more skilled with his hands than me.
From what I can see, this appears to be rails, not slots. I'm presuming one or both of them are electrified and obviously guide the cars.
I should pay closer attention ! Briefly noticed what appeared to be differing height and assumed it was the pic.From what I can see, this appears to be rails, not slots. I'm presuming one or both of them are electrified and obviously guide the cars.
I think you're correct, a guide rail and the lower a power supply which I've seen an example of in some history details, I'd no idea of how early slot/rail model car racing started.
I know it's a new club but the originator (ex SCR Champ. !) appears to have a long history involving SCR going back to the 60's, it's in Dumfries and you never know your luck.
Might be worth getting in touch ? Bet he'd appreciate your pics. if nothing else.
https://www.slotforum.com/threads/new-club-in-dumf...
Yes, I’ve located the cars and the builders of three of them—and, incidentally, two of those builders are *very* distinguished figures.
You can't imagine the value of those photos. They were published in a magazine, and those specific cars are pure history.
You’ll notice that the photos of the four cars come from a specific event I’ve identified, which is distinct from the other photos.
To give you a better answer, I need to know who your father was.
He was clearly a pioneer—or knew the early pioneers—of the electric model car racing hobby (often referred to, somewhat inaccurately, as "slot racing" or even more inaccurately as "Scalextric").
You might not realize it, but your father could well have been famous among those early enthusiasts.
My next question concerns the photos of the track, which appear to have been taken in a basement.
Do you recognize that location and track? Could you tell me where it is?
Do you know specifically if it was the Southport MES club basement, or a basement owned by your father?
I can't tell if I'm looking at a practice replica of the original track or the original track itself.
And finally, could you name any of your father's friends who shared this hobby?
One last thing: do you know if your father worked or collaborated with a magazine, or if he provided his photos to one?
Or rather... I can confirm that three of those photos were published in a magazine.
You can't imagine the value of those photos. They were published in a magazine, and those specific cars are pure history.
You’ll notice that the photos of the four cars come from a specific event I’ve identified, which is distinct from the other photos.
To give you a better answer, I need to know who your father was.
He was clearly a pioneer—or knew the early pioneers—of the electric model car racing hobby (often referred to, somewhat inaccurately, as "slot racing" or even more inaccurately as "Scalextric").
You might not realize it, but your father could well have been famous among those early enthusiasts.
My next question concerns the photos of the track, which appear to have been taken in a basement.
Do you recognize that location and track? Could you tell me where it is?
Do you know specifically if it was the Southport MES club basement, or a basement owned by your father?
I can't tell if I'm looking at a practice replica of the original track or the original track itself.
And finally, could you name any of your father's friends who shared this hobby?
One last thing: do you know if your father worked or collaborated with a magazine, or if he provided his photos to one?
Or rather... I can confirm that three of those photos were published in a magazine.
Pechu said:
Yes, I ve located the cars and the builders of three of them and, incidentally, two of those builders are *very* distinguished figures.
You can't imagine the value of those photos. They were published in a magazine, and those specific cars are pure history.
You ll notice that the photos of the four cars come from a specific event I ve identified, which is distinct from the other photos.
To give you a better answer, I need to know who your father was.
He was clearly a pioneer or knew the early pioneers of the electric model car racing hobby (often referred to, somewhat inaccurately, as "slot racing" or even more inaccurately as "Scalextric").
You might not realize it, but your father could well have been famous among those early enthusiasts.
My next question concerns the photos of the track, which appear to have been taken in a basement.
Do you recognize that location and track? Could you tell me where it is?
Do you know specifically if it was the Southport MES club basement, or a basement owned by your father?
I can't tell if I'm looking at a practice replica of the original track or the original track itself.
And finally, could you name any of your father's friends who shared this hobby?
One last thing: do you know if your father worked or collaborated with a magazine, or if he provided his photos to one?
Or rather... I can confirm that three of those photos were published in a magazine.
Bot—or not?You can't imagine the value of those photos. They were published in a magazine, and those specific cars are pure history.
You ll notice that the photos of the four cars come from a specific event I ve identified, which is distinct from the other photos.
To give you a better answer, I need to know who your father was.
He was clearly a pioneer or knew the early pioneers of the electric model car racing hobby (often referred to, somewhat inaccurately, as "slot racing" or even more inaccurately as "Scalextric").
You might not realize it, but your father could well have been famous among those early enthusiasts.
My next question concerns the photos of the track, which appear to have been taken in a basement.
Do you recognize that location and track? Could you tell me where it is?
Do you know specifically if it was the Southport MES club basement, or a basement owned by your father?
I can't tell if I'm looking at a practice replica of the original track or the original track itself.
And finally, could you name any of your father's friends who shared this hobby?
One last thing: do you know if your father worked or collaborated with a magazine, or if he provided his photos to one?
Or rather... I can confirm that three of those photos were published in a magazine.
There is, somewhere on the internet, one of those Look at Life movies, filmed I would guess in the fifties or poss early sixties, on this very topic. It popped up in my FB feed a few months ago - typical middle-class home with neat garden, Dad arrives home in little car (which would help date it if only I could remember what it was) Mum all prim in dress and apron and son with shirt and shorts. Dad goes to beautifully equipped shed to fettle his little i/c powered cars (just like these) while smoking a pipe. Then meets pals for a race session, lots of blue smoke. Typical clipped voiceover. I was fascinated and watched it a couple of times then in the annoying way of FB it vanished without trace.
Here’s part of it, via British Pathé:
https://youtu.be/wzN595nesWk
(I’m sure it had the domestic stuff when I saw it before but maybe imagined all that or confused from a similar one about the early traction engine movement, or something.)
Here’s part of it, via British Pathé:
https://youtu.be/wzN595nesWk
(I’m sure it had the domestic stuff when I saw it before but maybe imagined all that or confused from a similar one about the early traction engine movement, or something.)
Edited by Yertis on Saturday 10th October 06:41
Edited by Yertis on Saturday 10th October 06:45
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