Hammonds Toy Shop – Marina Court St Leonards who remembers the window train set?

shop & photo source unknown but Hammonds was similar

Colin Bell asks Who remembers Hammonds Toy Shop, where you put a penny in the window slot to make the train go round?

Alan Esdaile… Remember it well. Anyone got a photo?

Martin Richter… anyone got a penny? i think the coin-slots were still there the last time i was there?

Yvonne Cleland… My mum ALWAYS had a penny to spare for this when we lived at Marina. Magic xxx

Peter Fairless… Yes, used to be an add on to the regular Christmas trip to see Kings Road lights. A walk down to the front to see the train and then walk back up to Kings Road and some sweets from Woolworths!

Steve Cooke… Loved it. Great shop and always a grand window.

Bernard Goffredo… Loved that when I was a kid

Steve Fox… Oh yes.

Judie Struys… I do indeed. My bus stop was just outside x

Andy Clarke… I also remember the toy shop at Silverhill had one that took 2p to get it going.

Steve Thorpe… Remember Hammonds, I put £1 per week from my paper round on account and eventually paid for a train set!

Alan Esdaile… one penny! and how exciting and happy we were to watch it go round.

Martin Richter… bus fare to my nan’s and her *magic cupboard* was a ha’penny

Stephanie Blackledge… Oh yes! Happy days

Tim Moose Bruce… Toy shop called Arbours (later called Wonderful Wilsons) in Western Rd Bexhill had a coin operated train set in its window.

Angela Frances Gardner… It was 4 old pence when I was a child in the mid 60s.

Josie Lawson… Is that the toy shop I think my parents took me in just before Christmas one year. I think it was the only toy shop there . I loved it.

Nicola Dobson… Loved it put a penny in the slot

Jon McCallion… Yes remember it wel

Cris Kennard… Gosh that brings back memories mum always had spare 1d.

Tony Court-holmes… yes very well

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Inside Hammonds toy shop – Marine Court, St Leonards-on-Sea

photo © Heidi Millett

Heidi Millett… My auntie when she used to work at Hammonds toy shop, Marine Court, St Leonards.. oh the memories.

Colin Bell… Wonderful, a huge part of my childhood in the 50’s & 60’s

Lloyd Johnson… was that the one with the working train in the window that would run if you put money in the slot in the window frame?

Colin Bell… Yes Lloyd it was, I lived just a few hundred yards from it as a kid.

Lloyd Johnson, Colin, what fun that was…My Mum and I would walk all the way up there from the Memorial just so I could put a penny in the slot and watch the train….this has just made me remember at Christmas back in the 1950s lots of the shops hid threepenny pieces in their window displays and you had to find them and I think you’d win something if you got them alright. ..can anyone else remember any details of that?

Sophie Ash… The slot is still there. Got a tanner?

Nicola Dobson… I loved that train

Tracy Birrell… I remember the train in the window and putting a penny in the slot to make it go round.

Marilyn Spence… Shame I wasn’t a child in Hastings. Moved there when I was 13