Mechanical Memories Magazine

Spotlight Bryan's Allwins
Each month in Spotlight, I shall be taking a closer look at one of the machines I
have in the museum. This month it's actually two machines: Elevenses and gapwin.
Bryan ' s entered the Allwin market relatively late. Their heyday, the most innovative
years, were undoubtedly the 1930s. Two machines in particular: Payramid (1934) and
Allsport (1937) were still being manufactured in the 1970s. Few manufacturers of
amusement machines, (or anything else come to that), could boast such longevity of
product. When they did statt to produce all wins, they did so in typical Bryan ' s fashion.
Unlike others of the era, particularly Oliver Whales and Wondermatics, Bry
produced a very small range of Allwins Gust six between 1953 - 1956), but all unique a
individual. The range comprised: Fivewin (1954); Elevenses ( 1955); Pilwin (1953 and
later version 1956); Ten cup (1956); U Win (1956) and Gapwin (1956). The two I have in
the museum are: the most common (Elevenses) and the best (Gapwin).
Bryan 's advertising literature always boasted 'Bryan's Machines are so different',
and William Bryan certainly didn't forget his own slogan when designing his Allwins.
The first machine in the range was ' Pilwin Play' and was no doubt the test bed for future
design and improvement; a chance to evaluate the Allwin ' s short comings and inherant
design flaws (the basic design of Allwins hadn ' t changed for forty years).
B,yans Elevenses and Gapwin in Mechanical Mem ories Museum
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