• Graham Isles, test engineer.
peel off sticker and the
main plaque never has to
be altered thus a change
of games takes only a few
minutes.
. ' A lot oi work must go
mto the overall design of
the machine" , said Keith
Lindley.
"We must have some-
thing that can be made
with the minimum of man-
power, if you are to
maintain the same level of
efficiency.
"Ease of production
means ease of mainten-
ance. The two go hand-in-
hand.''
Dutchford have their
cabinets made by Pastern
Cabinet Co. of Cardiff and
the tubes are from Han-
tarex.
Below the switch panel
Dutchford have inserted a
printed circuit board
which will take up to
twenty switches to allow
for future developments.
All machines manufac-
tured by Dutchford are
left switched on for seven
days to test them out
before they leave the
factory.
Their present premises
are comfortable and spa-
cious and there is a happy
atmosphere throughout.
Indeed the workforce are
conspiciously conscious of
the teamwork necessary
to maintain the present
production levels.
Proudly displayed in
Ricky Tailford's office are
two silver football
trophies which are indic-
ative of the outside in-
terests of he and Vince
Saunders. They are foot-
ball fanatics.
Leisure Play
December
" Ricky and I met
through football, " Vince
Saunders told me, "we
both took a great interest
in the under 14s team who
never lost a game until
beaten in the semi-final of
the cup. "
Vince played for Fair-
ford Town FC for over 20
years and has a personal
collection of trophies
numbering over 200.
"Dutchford sponsor a
local team called Fairford
United who were cup and
league champions last
season and are undefea-
ted this season. Ricky still
runs along the line on
Saturdays," said Vince.
Whilst Ricky and Vince
devote themselves to foot-
ball, Keith Lindley is a
sailing enthusiast who
sailed his 30 ft. yacht to
the Channel Islands this
summer.
On top of their produc-
tion of video games and
the manufacture of the
Data Draw and Travel
Bingo, Dutchford are also
operators with 50 sites in
pubs and clubs, operating
purely video games in
Whitbread-Flowers man-
aged houses from Chelten-
ham to Bath, and from
Bristol to Chippenham.
A site operator who has
reason to be grateful to
Dutchford is Andrew
Moore who operates 120
sites in the Bristol area.
Andrew has been dealing
with Dutchford for a
number of years and buys
all his video machines
f~o?1 them. During my
visit he appeared with
four machines with game
board faults which were
repaired immediately.
and a table-top for con- rewarded by extra plays
on the video!
version to Scramble.
" I find the after-sales
Dutchford are making a
service and back-up from great contribution to the
Dutchford is excellent. I amusement industry and
am very pleased with will continue to do so
them,'' said Andrew.
through the enthusiasm
dynamism
and enterpris~
'' A few weeks ago I had
of
the
three
a couple of problems to be They are their directors.
own best
sorted out and telephoned PR men.
Vince who opened the fac-
Not only are they very
tory at 9 a.m. on a Sunday
and fixed the problems successful manufacturers
of video game machin2s,
for me.
they
have also developed
" On another occasion I
a
calculator-sized
elec-
left Bristol at 6 p.m. on a tronic pools forecaster
Friday to take a machine
to Dutchford and it was which could have given
back on site by 8 p.m. them seven first divi-
after a round trip of 100 dends on the pools last
y~~r. But the company is
tniles.
g1vmg no guarantee with
"We have to provide a the machine.
service to our customers
"No one could do that "
and it is very comforting says
Ricky Tailford, "b~t
to know that I can rely on
we
have
proved that it is
Dutchford to give me twice as good
as any other
backing. They are a super means of picking
out re-
company."
sults. "
Ricky, Keith and Vince
the machine and
are well known within the last Using
year's
form, the firm
industry as reliable, has already
had good
knowledgeable business- results as an experiment
men and are well liked for and now the teams have
the cheerful, ebullient played
sufficient games
characters they are. They this season,
current form
are equally respected as a can be fed into
the com-
company within the com- puter.
munity in which they
reside, not only for the
The 'brain' in the Data
employment they provide Draw is a programmed
for the local people, but micro processor which is
also for their continuing being produced in
interest in the youth of the America. It was designed
community through their by Keith Lindley, Techni-
football sponsorship, etc.
cal Director, with the
Earlier this year their assistance of a mathema-
social consciousness was tician, and developed by
further demonstrated AMI in Swindon.
when they presented a
The company are pre-
video game machine to pared to turn out 3000 a
Paternosta School, Ciren- week and are poised to
cester, a school which expand their production
caters for mentally handi- area by up to 50 per cent.
capped children.
Ricky says -that the
The school staff were
~~rket
for the machines
delighted with the gift
from Dutchford which 1s m_ every country which
they have found has been receives British coupons.
An operator has to
a great aid towards the
children's powers of con- punch in the details of the
t~ams playing, informa-
centration.
They have subse- tion that is available from
quently received 'thank any newspaper before the
you· letters from the games. Then a press of
school explaining how the the result button and the
video game has helped machine indicates a per-
on~ child's reading ability centage chance of a draw
to lillprove by six months. home win, or away win. '
It also has an elec-
and yet others are now
reading much faster as a tronic pure luck key for
result of the game. Im- th_ose who µrefer picking
provements achieved are wrnners with a pin.
Page Seven