Gadget Hall of Fame: Scalextric
We reminisce about the trailblazing slot car racers from the original 'Scalex-electric'...
Before plastic took over your beloved racing car dreams there was 1957’s Scalextric, made with passion and, well, metal.
Forget about those cheap Mini Coopers and Aston Martins of the 80s – this is the real deal. If you were lucky enough to have owned Scalextric’s original living room racetack, you’d remember the sound and thrill of metal gliding on rubber past your feet.
No sneaky shortcuts were taken in creating a solid and sturdy toy that could be enjoyed by children and big kids alike…
What’s the story?
With the exception of Hornby’s network of intricately detailed model railways and Subbuteo’s diminutive plastic football superstars, no toy has been as well loved for so long as Scalextric.
The slot-based racing sets first emerged from their tiny pits in 1957 and have dominated the race to entertain kids ever since.
Why should I want one?
Because the original Scalextric sets were made with passion and care. Before everything was shipped off to the Far East for mass production in cavernous factories, Scalextric sets were pieced together in Hampshire (presumably in a garage staffed by miniature mechanics) with attention to detail that you just don’t get on toys of today.
Scalextric is one of those rare names, like Hoover or Tannoy, that has become a general term for any example of its ilk – official or otherwise.
What should I look for?
The first car ever made by Scalextric was a metal Maserati 250F (pictured, above) but the company stopped making these tinplate cars after just three years and switched to the cheaper plastic versions.
The original track pieces were made from rubber, not plastic, and the boxes featured artwork by motor racing artist Roy Nockolds (best known for his paintings of historic races at tracks such as Brooklands and Le Mans).
ALSO IN 1957…
Film: Gunfight at the OK Corral
This classic western based on real events (no droids here, Westworld fans) follows the unlikely partnership of Burt Lancaster’s lawman, Wyatt Earp, and Kirk Douglas’ outlaw, Doc Holliday.
Music: Jerry Lee Lewis: Great Balls of Fire
Goose and Maverick’s heart- wrenching rendition in Top Gun remains the definitive version in Stuff‘s eyes, but this much-covered rock ‘n’ roll hit is a bona fide classic.
TV: The Sky at Night
Before Gamesmaster introduced him to 80s kids, Patrick Moore earned a crust as the BBC’s chief stargazer on The Sky at Night. It’s the longest-running show with the same presenter in television history. You can catch up on episodes from the still-running series on BBC iPlayer.
Gadget: Laser
American physicist Gordon Gould is credited with inventing the laser (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) in 1957. Next stop, CD players and sharks with light-based weapons on their heads.
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