Evening Folks, I didn't know where to start with this introduction so please be patient. My mum introduced me to playing fruit machines. My earliest memories was watching her playing games like win-a-gain, rat race & Smash & Grab at Butlins Minehead. Back home she then started to enjoy going to a local arcade which had many of the bell fruit, Cloud, Jester & bar x token machine games. Some Saturdays I would have to go shopping with her which ended up watching for an hour or 2 and so over time I started to get the bug & play the machines myself.

One of the 1st games I enjoyed playing was a pontoon or hi/low game called Deal Em. It was really great to **** all the way up to the jackpot. Then I moved onto feature games like HiLo Silver, Match of The Day, Silver Shadow, Ten Out Of Ten, Hi Roller & Andy Cap to name just a few. Then over the years a big jump to games like Jewel In The Crown ,Battle axe, Wipeout, Grid Runner, Revolution, Big Bucks, Big Banker, Indiana Jones, Monopoly, Jackpoteers, Adams Family, Party Animal, Snakes n Ladders, Big Wheel, Casino Crazy, Pie Factory & Roller Coaster Lol

When I was around 14/15 I also started playing pool, snooker & darts in 2 local men's clubs. Being tall for my age along with having friends who were 3, 4 & 6 years older than me which really helped in playing machines like Cops & Robbers, Public Enemy, Hyper Viper
Super Blackjack, Premier Club Manager & Crown Jewels. Some great memories with the lads those years. There is a couple of club games that I can't remember names of unfortunately. 1 machine was like a roller coaster / funfair top feature & the other machine had like a matrix feature that you had to line up. 1 line would go up while the other line went across at the same time, very fast may I say. Still today I can't even remember the companies who made either of them but they were both great machines to play.

Move on 10 years and I finally drop the biggest Jackpot of my life & meet my wife in the very arcade that my mum took me many Saturday morning would you believe. Anyway thanks for being patient reading my sad life story / introduction but that's how I came about this forum & visited the ReelFruits 4th year birthday party In Maidstone & Mr Ps in Tonbridge. Dave, Amelia, Ruby, lineup chris, yorkie & boom147 made my wife and I very welcome over the weekend. So For anybody who enjoyed playing proper fruit machines in their youth like myself & your looking for a great weekend / day out. You won't be disappointed paying these amusements a visit any time of the year, I'm sure you will be made to feel very welcome & will definitely enjoy that buzz once agin playing fruit machines how they should be played!

Dave I really liked the different set up in both amusements. If you could just manage another Big Bucks, Monopoly, Indiana Jones, Big Break & Snakes N Ladders to join Sonic, Roller Coaster & Big Wheel on that back wall & Hyper Viper, Premier Manager & Crown Jewels into the middle I think you would have the full house mate. Thanks once again for a great weekend Steve sorry Dave :-) Already looking forward to coming back asap mate.

Welcome "aboard"Tim lol😊
Nice write up mate.Defo hit the nail on the head with
all your comments and observations.
Yep quality arcades. Dave does put a lot into
them and the results speak for themselves.
I like your list of old favourites as well.
Silver Shadow...played one of them recently😊
As you are near me , I look forward to welcoming
you whenever you fancy a visit to ours.
I plan regular trips to Reelfruits.
Mostly on Saturdays by train.
If that's how you travel down. Maybe we could
plan something.
I sometimes meet up with Simon (Nudgeshuffle)
and Nick (Sulzerned) on route as well.
It's always a long day but so worth it.
I bet Dave has one or two of your favourites somewhere!

Welcome to the forum Tim.

Great to hear your background on how you got into the machines, its always interesting to hear.

The party was fantastic, the best I've been to so far. Can't beat a good party day

Great comments and Huge welcome to the forum Tim!

Amelia and I put immense work into the arcades and it is certainly very consuming. The 'spare' time at home is working on machines and the 'days off from the arcade' are at the unit or old Gravesend site as we plan to empty that by Christmas - actually forget plan - we have to be out by then!!

With the new place not too far away it's just like a big cooking pot, all the different ingredients being mixed about and trying to keep it all in the pot without it spilling over!

Meeting people like your self and Amandamakes it all worth it and that's why we do it.

Dave and Amelia

Thanks once again for the very warm welcome everyone. Hopefully I will be able to speak with you all @ one of the birthday bashes / opening. Definitely worth the trip!

We took the kids to Blackpool yesterday as it was the last day of their illuminations. We thought we'd visit the Tower Circus & Jungle Jims. We also stopped off at 4 arcades excluding Coral Island. I managed to find about 8 games altogether but 3/4 of the bulbs where out :-( Fun Land had about 6/8 games upstairs that wasn't even switched on. I think they may be broken or getting sold? 1 of the games was hi spirits though. I managed to have a little dabble today on an Adams Family #whataripoff Lol

Chris I will definitely be in touch thank you.