Holte/Bradmatic "Super Challenger"

[operator bell]

I've just been offered one of these. It's a new one to me and I'd be interested to know a bit about it. I don't especially want it myself but if anyone else does, I'll grab it and hold it for you. I doubt it will be expensive.

[john t peterson]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for alerting me about the Super Challenger for sale. I have both the Super and the original not-quite-so-super model in my inventory, part of a collection that I purchased from California in 2002. So, I'm going to pass on your kind offer but I truly do thank you for putting me on option for it. If I can ever do anything to help you with something, please don't hesitate to ask.

Kind regards,

John

[pennymachines]

The Super Challenger was made by Bradmatic Ltd. (formerly Bradley) of Perry Barr, Birmingham. It was an updated version of the classic old Bradley Challenger. The crucial differences were that it was cheaper to make, all payouts were five pennies and they were automatically tripped by the winning coin (on the original Challenger coins were inserted by depressing the top lever and payouts were released with the same lever).

The cases were beech or something similar, faced with a variety of 60s patterned plastic laminates - making them reminiscent to baby boomers of kitchen tables and other domestic furniture of the day. The early, all-oak example below is unusual; perhaps a prototype even.

Bradley (Holte Manufacturing Co.) Super Challenger

[markymark]

Topic merged - site admin.

Just a quickie... I have a Super Challenger coin drop case type machine, which I have always believed to have been made by Bradley, and looking at pictures on the web, mine is identical. However, when I got mine, there was a small oval brass/red logo badge glued to the front case that says, Ruffler & Walker??????? I realise that R&W did distribute various makes of machines, do you think the Challenger was one of them???? Or has someone just stuck the badge on!
btw the picture is not my actual machine but is the same model

super.jpg (9.96 KiB) Viewed 4340 times

[JC]

R&W disributed machines by most makers in the '50s and '60s - I've even seen Bryans machines with R&W labels on, so the label on your Challenger is probably original, rather than one that someone has just 'stuck on' at a later date.
However, although the name Bradley is often associated with these machines, they were actually produced by Holt Engineering.

[perana5000]

Anyone know where Holte Manufacturing Co were based?

[pennymachines]

I've found no record online (or elsewhere) of the Holte Manufacturing Co. and think Jerry's 'Holt Engineering' was a misnomer.

However, Bradley Automatics, founded in 1932, manufactured Leslie C Bradley's original Challenger from 129 Park Road, Hockley, Birmingham, before turning over production to machine tools and jet engine parts during WW2.

After the war, his sons Frank, Norman, and Leslie (all mechanical engineers), relaunched the business as Bradmatic Ltd. at 10 Station Road, Aston, about 3 miles from the old premises.

Although as slot collectors we associate that company with the Super Challenger, this appears to have become sidelined by the production of high quality magnetic tape recording equipment. It was in this capacity that they became involved in the development and manufacture of the famous Mellotron electromechanical musical instrument, production of which eventually moved to a factory in Streetly.

Production of the Super Challenger would already have been moved to the Holte Manufacturing Company by that time. Early Super Challengers are marked, BRITISH MADE By BRADMATIC, and others, A BRITISH MADE "BRADLEY" MACHINE BY HOLTE MANUFACTURING CO.

Holte may have been a Bradley subsidiary or, perhaps more likely, a local engineering company licenced by the Bradleys to produce their game. The company's name indicates that it shared the Aston location, possibly Holte Road, under half a mile from Bradmatic. The imposing Jacobean Aston Hall was built by Sir Thomas Holte in 1618 - 1635. This area of Birmingham became a hub of manufacturing during the industrial revolution. James Watt's Soho foundry was built nearby and his eldest son leased the hall.

[geofflove]

Well that’s fascinating! I had no idea of the connection to the mellotron. An amazing sounding instrument appearing on some classic music of the time. The Russian choir sample was the best for me! Thanks for some gap filling!

[perana5000]

One of the sons or grandson of a Bradley brother is still in the Mellotron game. Hoping to get more info as regard Holte Engineering. In the meantime Strawberry fields forever.

[coppinpr]

The Mellotron was a very much hated machine in the music industry, accused of taking musicians jobs would you believe. David Nixon and his father in law bandleader Eric Robinson (both were members of the BBC closed shop at the time and had huge influence) were big investors in the project, but they had great trouble finding musicians who would demonstrate the instrument because of its near blacklisting. In truth, the machine at that time was not very good and the Hammond organ which pre dates it probably did more damage by cutting down the number of musicians needed.

[cheeky]

One of the sons or grandson of a Bradley brother is still in the Mellotron game. Hoping to get more info as regard Holte Engineering. In the meantime Strawberry fields forever.

Did you manage to elicit any new information from your man?

[cheeky]

Post moved & merged - Site Admin.

I was looking at the original and relatively attractive Challenger coin drop machine and was comparing it to the less attractive Super Challenger. I understand that the latter has an ‘automatic’ payout. How does this work and was the earlier model over engineered? Many thanks…

[pennymachines]

On the Super Challenger, coins stack in channels (visible to players) held by detents. The 5th coin which enters a channel causes a diverter to rock into coin divert position. This causes the next coin arriving there to go to the payout release channel, and fall to the detent release trip, allowing the 5 coin stack to drop to the payout.

The mechanism is much lighter weight than the original Challenger, but less prone to coin jams, so technically and economically, it's an improvement. It doesn't have that game's presence of course, and also lacks the variable payouts.

[cheeky]

That’s a brilliant explanation PM. Thank you for the explanatory photos too. Much appreciated.