Games Picked Up

Ghosts and Goblins (1985 Taito)
Gyruss (1983 Centuri)
Hyper Sports (1984 Centuri)
Mr. Do! (1982 Universal)
Pac-Land (1984 Bally Midway)
Phoenix (1980 Centuri)
Robotron (1982 Williams Electronics)
Route 16 (1981 Centuri)
Track and Field (1983 Centuri)
Tron (1982 Bally Midway)
Turkey Shoot (1984 Williams Electronics)
Zoo Keeper (1983 Taito)

Introduction

Sometimes I have arcade machines shipped over from the USA. And back in 2017 there weren’t any UK delivery options available (that I was aware of anyway), so you’d either have to organise onward shipping from where they came into, or go there yourself and collect them.

Now to be clear … where they come into, is just south of Paris! And well … I love a good arcade adventure, so I tend to hire a HGV and collect them myself!

One time though, to offset the cost of hiring the lorry/ petrol/ etc. I offered to be the courier for a few people - not only UK people, but some of the European collectors too. I figured … “it’s only a little bit out of my way” … but well, it turned into a HUGE adventure!

Road-Trip

This Arcade Adventure began around 4pm on Friday the 3rd of February 2017. I drove to St Albans in the United Kingdom to pick up a 7.5T HGV, it’s not my first time (by a long shot!) but it’s just as exciting every single time. Funnily enough, this particular HGV is one I’ve hired before ~ so we have arcade history together (which is nice!)

However this didn’t especially lead to a smooth journey as you’ll read further down!

The hire lorry from St Albans Van Hire. — My Trusty HGV!

Outbound

Northampton (Midlands) to Folkestone (Eurotunnel) via the SafeStore in Dunstable:: 150 Miles (241km)
Calais (Eurotunnel) to Paris (France):: 216 Miles (348km)

Down Up To … Northampton

First off, I’d made a little deal with someone so I have to drive the lorry back up to Northampton … which unfortunately is in completely the opposite direction for heading to where I actually need to go - towards Folkestone for the Eurotunnel!

Unfortunately I have to stop off at my storage facility first and sign a contract for a brand new unit as I’m more or less out of space in all the others … As I’m rushing there, I totally wish that I’d sorted this out the day before, it’s a massive inconvenience and there’s no way I can sort it out on my return, it’ll be well after they close on the Sunday evening. I’ve planned this all out meticulously but there are always some lose ends! Then the first set back, there’s an accident on the motorway and it’s already quite clogged from rush hour ~ it starts to look like I’ll miss the office opening hours for the storage unit. I phone them in a bit of a panic, and thankfully the storage unit manager (who is an AMAZING guy!) offers to stay behind for me. I’m so very grateful for that as I miss the 6pm closing time by a good 35 minutes and he had generously offered to stay behind for me even though it’s a Friday night and there’s a nasty amount of paperwork that needs filing.

Once that’s all sorted I head back home to pick up a machine to be delivered which I have in my garage. It takes me a good while to get the cab out, it’s extremely heavy and behind a Frogger - this takes me far longer than it should 😕 as I’m already tired from working all day and starting this adventure.

It’s now getting VERY late and I’m already massively behind schedule.

Down To … Dunstable!

I can’t hang around so finally begin the drive South. It is all part of the plan, but I have to stop off at another of my storage facilities on the way as I’ve two more machines which also need to be delivered. Only … I can’t find one of the machines! This will teach me for not taking stock of which machine is in which unit. I mean, having too many cabs is certainly a nice problem to have but I really need to get back on the road and and I’m searching all over the units for it, hunting high and low and then OH NO! I’ve found another machine that’s also supposed to be delivered, one I’d completely forgotten that I’d picked up for the person I’m doing an extra deal with! It’s a Jukebox and it’s not completely huge but I’d done all my planning based on having a certain number of machines in the lorry … this is potentially going to make things very difficult. All I can do is hope that I’ve over-estimated the size of the machines enough that everything will fit in. Anyways, I spend far too long searching for the missing machine only to find that I’ve put it right at the back of one of the units, I can only just see it!!! This is a disaster as well as I really need to get back out on the road again.

I have little choice other than to just “get on with it” so I start shifting machines out. An Atari 720, Neo Geo Lordsvale cabaret, Pac-Land and Track and Field in order to reach it, move it out, and then move them all back in again.

By now I’m getting pretty tired and had skipped dinner thinking I’d just stop for something on the way. But now though, it’s far, far too late and there’s simply no chance of stopping at all.

I’m going to need to just keep on driving the whole way down to Paris else I’m potentially going to be late!

Down To Folkestone

It’s now 9:30pm or so … I can finally begin the long drive down to Folkestone. It’s at times like this, you start questioning why you didn’t leave earlier, or why didn’t I just get the cabs ready before I left?! It’s not a pleasant journey down to Folkestone even though it’s late, there’s a lot of Friday evening traffic on the motorway and several sets of roadworks where I come to a complete standstill for a lot longer than I’d hoped, and I don’t end up boarding the Eurotunnel until 2am! This is going to be a very very long night.

At the front of the queue waiting to board the Eurotunnel. — Waiting to board the Eurotunnel.

The freight version of the Eurotunnel is very different to the passenger version, it’s actually quite something to see. Rather than have everyone stay in their vehicles - the lorries are driven onto the train, and the train isn’t enclosed like the passenger version, it’s just an open metal framework structure, the vehicals are almost completely exposed! Then all the drivers and passengers are picked up in a bus and driven to a front carriage where we’re all crammed in together with a couple of (usually) broken toilets and some weird and expensive snack machines.

Just to backtrack a little, it’s quite terrifying the first time you drive onto the train, as the metal kerbs are very tight driving on and there’s very little in the way of anyone or anything telling you what you’re supposed to be doing once you’re parked up.

The very first thing I do on arrival into Calais when manoeuvring off the last carriage is to glance at my passenger side wing mirror, which I now notice is … gone! It’s just not there anymore! All that’s left is the upper blind spot mirror and the insides of the main part, the rest of it is probably laying in the channel tunnel somewhere! This is a bit of a blow as I never normally bother to take out the extra insurance and well, I need that damn mirror especially for motorway driving! This is going to make things a little more tricky than usual as I’ve not especially allowed any extra time for sorting unexpected things out.

Down To Paris

So far every time I’ve driven down to Paris in an HGV (which is restricted to 55mph/ 90kmh) I’ve ended up driving straight through the night, and every single time I say to myself that I’m never going to do it again. Next time, if there is a next time, even more preparation is required!

I drive all the way down only stopping for fuel just before Charles De Gaulle, and arriving just after 8am at the warehouse (Europe being an hour ahead).

I try and get some sleep but it’s a cold February morning and it’s soon absolutely freezing in the HGV as there’s no night heater. I manage maybe half an hour or so, and am awakened by Valentin tapping on the window at 9am sharp! It’s so very good to see him again, and we have a nice chat inside the HGV (although I must have sounded incomprehensible, I’m sure my brain wasn’t quite in gear for a lot of the conversation). I really need waking up and very soon the warehouse owner turns up, so we get straight to work as there are a lot of machines to move!

I reverse the HGV back up to the loading bay, guided by Valentin and then we get to work playing cab Tetris loading the machines. It all seems to be going quite well at first, but then another disaster … the Jukebox has pushed the space limit over the edge and no matter how we rearrange machines there simply isn’t enough room … we discuss what to do for a while; taking cabs out, putting them back in, moving them round, turning them around. But no … nothing works. We do this LOTS and LOTS until Valentin suggests something particularly smart! He asks the warehouse guy to pick up a machine with a forklift and to load it on top of the others which are flat. We try the Track and Field cocktail at first but nope, it’s too tall (and surprisingly heavy). Then we try the Tron cabaret, which thankfully is perfect! It slides right in atop the machines in the middle and has plenty of room to clear the up and over door! I stress a little about getting it down again without a forklift but well, it’s a cabaret so it’s fairly light. We secure it with some straps, and it feels a little scary but it’s really not going anywhere now.

The tron cabaret on top of the other machines! — The tron cabaret on top!

Next, I set off to visit Zamoth at Coin-Op Legacy; he’s kindly been storing a machine for a guy in the UK and I’m going to take it back for him. Myself and Valentin allowed space for this extra machine but it’s only guesswork and I’m truly concerned about it fitting in okay after all the mishaps I’ve had so far. All my worries go away once I arrive though. It’s so very good to see my good friend Zamoth and we chat for ages and tour round his new machines :slight_smile: I love visiting Coin-op Legacy so much!!!

I wish I could spend longer here but unfortunately there was a nasty accident on the motorway getting here and it’s cost me dearly in time. Thankfully the rain starts to subside and we bring out the Defender cab to be delivered to the UK ~ my first amount of luck happens, it slides right in with no fuss at all!

Now onwards, I have some European deliveries to make!

Making Deliveries

Up To Belgium

Paris (France) to Arquennes (Belgium):: 219 Miles (353km)

What with the cab Tetris, the motorway accident (and another getting out of Paris too (I spot a car on fire on the opposite carriageway!) I’m now leaving VERY late for my first delivery. The SatNav tells me I’m going to be some two hours later than I anticipated. I let Christophe know and drive straight up to Belgium with no time for any long stops.

Thankfully, once I’m finally out of Paris it’s a really nice scenic drive! It’s also good to be driving in the daylight now and great to see some sunshine finally. There’s zero traffic after leaving Paris ~ I think everyone in France has gone to visit Paris for the weekend!

I have to stop several times along the way for a quick coffee and fuel as I’m rather fatigued now and each stop helps me recharge somewhat. Even with all the stops, the two hours I was due to be over (which maybe was based more on traffic hold ups nearer my destination which probably cleared up before I reached them) they disappear from my SatNav completely, and I manage to arrive pretty much at exactly the time I originally said that I would. Although far more hungry and tired than originally planned! It’s just been non- stop since I started out.

I make my first wrong turn and end up having a nice tour around where Christophe lives. It’s very beautiful here! I’d love to come and visit to do some sightseeing some day. There are lots of castles and cobbled streets (which are a little scary in the HGV especially with the Tron cabaret balanced atop of the other machines!) but I find the house just fine. I just have to drive round the block a few times to get parked well in the narrow street (was a little nervous about pulling onto his driveway as it was especially dark and the HGV is rather long).

I have to say, it’s a lovely feeling delivering arcade machines, as there’s a wonderful sense of excitement for people when they get them. You’re essentially an arcade Santa Claus. Christophe and his son are incredibly excited for the delivery! It’s a wonderful BurgerTime machine, and we lift it together into his house and marvel over what amazing condition it’s in.

Now, remember that I’ve never met Christophe before … plus, I am filthy from arcade dirt and diesel pumps and probably quite stinky as it’s been hard work! But he (with I’m sure, permission from his wife), invites me to have dinner with his family :slight_smile: This is so extremely kind and welcoming, I am so bowled over by their generosity. We chat and laugh and after some dessert, I have a tour of his amazing games room. As is always the case with trips like this, and unfortunately due to an early start on Sunday, I really can’t stay for too long. The family also offer me somewhere to sleep, which is extremely tempting, but my tight schedule just doesn’t allow for it. So I head out for another long drive heading North.

Up To The Netherlands

Arquennes (Belgium) to Apeldoorn (Netherlands):: 167 Miles (270km)

With some amazing wholesome home-cooked food inside me, the drive is long but easy. I stop for a break only around an hour from my destination at a truck stop. But it’s late, it’s after 2am now, so I get some myself some sleep finally. I’ll have to be on the road again by 6am, so it’s not much sleep at all, but anything is good. It’s still brutally cold, and the HGV is uncomfortable to sleep in. I end up waking up at ~5am just from sheer coldness! Christophe made me a packed lunch bag, which was incredibly thoughtful and I’m very glad of it right now, and devour it eagerly while I wait for the truck to warm up :slight_smile: I head back out on the road.

It’s still very dark and I’m so very close to my destination with only six miles to go when suddenly there’s an enormous BANG! The front passenger-side tyre has burst! This probably should be more terrifying but TBH, it’s happened to me before on a motorbike and this feels decidedly less thrilling! It’s followed by the thud-thud-thud-thud sound of the wheel and tyre battling to get any kind of grip on the road surface but just flapping around uncontrollably.

I pull onto the hard shoulder immediately, which is very difficult in such a heavy vehicle, and have to wrestle with the steering wheel to avoid it pulling to the left and coast carefully to a controlled stop tapping the brakes gently. You can’t brake too fast else you lose control, and the slower you get the harder it tries to veer off on the punctured side.

A photo of the flat tire on the HGV. — Bang!

So here I am, on yet another tight schedule and now just stuck in the dark, with my hazard lights flashing on the side of a European motorway feeling a bit defeated.

This is not good at all! I phone the HGV hire company, then the AA, and then a European Assistance company. Thankfully this is all fairly easy, although a little on the expensive side (the hire company only pay for part of it).

But now onto the hard part … I’d organised to pick up a very rare machine, literally the only known version of it in the world and I only had a tiny window of opportunity to pick it up. And now … I’ve blown it! I curse my luck, why couldn’t this have happened after I picked it up!!! It’s a bit of a low point. I’d been heading out to meet Marco, so I also let him know what’s happened as I was supposed to be dropping off his machines before picking up this one.

A photo of the missing wheel, the HGV is on a jack. — The European Assistance guy was excellent.

Marco very thoughtfully came out to meet me on the motorway, with a flask of coffee! He also waited with me for the European Assistance van which was very much appreciated as he didn’t speak any English, so Marco translated for me.

The only good thing to come of the puncture is that my time is now my own and I can spend a little longer with Marco. I always feel terrible about having to rush off so quickly so it’s a nice stop, and we chat and look round his machines. Plus it’s actually daylight for a change and a nice bright day too; we decide to start unloading to bring his machines into his storage unit.

Then I open the HGV and remember the small issue of the Tron cabaret being now a little in the way! Thankfully Marco asks a guy for some help and he’s happy to, so after making some room the three of us slide the cab to its feet on the floor of the truck and it’s a huge relief for all of us once it touches down. There’s zero way I’d have been able to do this on my own, and I’m sure that even with two it would have been difficult, three people thankfully we managed it! Although it was still difficult enough! We continue to unload and Marco has a few things for me too :slight_smile:

Once we’re all strapped up and sorted out, it’s time to get back on the road again. I do try contacting the guy about the other machine a few times but he did say he wouldn’t be available later, so I’m not overly surprised when he doesn’t respond. He did say earlier that he’d be out on the road himself by now. It’s fine, it’s just bad luck and not the end of the world ~ he had mentioned previously that it’s easy enough for him to ship it over. Obviously, it’s just annoying that I was so damn close to him and with space in the truck too and now I’ll need to pay extra for it.

Inbound

Back To Calais

The weather varies a lot on this part of the journey and it feels like both myself and the HGV are struggling a little. I stop quite a few times for coffee and fuel, and my eyelids are getting really heavy. At times I feel like I’m fighting to concentrate on the road. It begins to rain around Belgium and just before I pass back into France the sky opens and the rain is suddenly torrential! It’s so bad that I’m having trouble even seeing the lane markings on the road, strangely though - I’m almost a little thankful for this as it makes me a lot more focused and alert again. … Although the puncture is still pretty fresh in my memory and it occurs to me that it wouldn’t be very nice for that to happen again right now, what with the weather and the currently extremely narrow hard shoulder on this part of the motorway. I stop less and less, and after what feels like an eternity I reach Calais again. It’s getting late now, so no time for any proper food again. Thankfully boarding the train doesn’t take anywhere near as long as it did on the way out (maybe because it’s a nice quiet Sunday evening?) and also for once, for I think the very first time, I don’t get stopped by border control and have to go through one of their scanners. Although the crossing is fairly short, I’m pretty sure I slept through the entirety of it - I don’t even remember going underground!

Back To Northampton

Once I’m back in the UK and with another 45 minutes of sleep under my belt I’m ready to drive back home up to Northampton, I don’t have Monday off work so I absolutely have to unload the machines tonight! It’s unavoidable really, and just bad timing with things that are going on at work, it really can’t be helped. It takes some three hours or so to get to the storage unit, and now it’s just after 11pm. A big sigh and I get to work unloading the machines.

Thankfully it’s dry here, so I start unloading everything. It’s really late though (and really dark!) so I just start stacking the machines along the wall inside the storage facility. This place is new to me and unfortunately I could only get larger units on the 3rd floor. I can only load two machines into the lift at a time, so this is going to take a little while. I wish it wasn’t so late, this is extremely painful with so many cabs. Thankfully, I won’t be delivering any of the UK buyers machines - I have them either coming over to collect in person, else they’re sending couriers. The good news though is that the main unit is a perfect size across and can fit four cabs really nicely. I was expecting to have to lose a bunch of space but I do manage to fit all the cabs into one unit. There’s a little manoeuvring around to be done as there are a few cabs which are either not mine (the Defender), or sold/ potentially sold already so I make sure they’re easy to get to. I think I got home at just after 2am, annoyingly as well it took a little longer than usual as the main dual carriageway which connects my house with the storage units was completely closed for an entire junction and the detour wasn’t exactly HGV friendly! Still I got home and parked up, and now there’s only one more job to do before I can finally get some proper sleep in an actual bed, and that’s to clear out the truck. I take zero care with this, and just pack everything everywhere up and throw it inside the house! I’m so glad my girlfriend isn’t home, I’m sure she would not approve!

Tired and dirty, I finally get to sleep at 2:30am. It’s been a huge trip and I have only two hours sleep before I have to get up and take the HGV back and then start work! It’s an amazing two hours sleep though! Everything is now done, away and finished. The very last part is just taking the lorry back to St Albans, and this is easy now as the van is clean. So I can just jump in and drive it away.

Although it’s been possibly the hardest roadtrip so far … I’d do it all over again. There’s nothing quite like getting on the road and meeting people who share a passion for our stupid hobby of collecting games the size of refrigerators. It might well defy belief to some people, the owner of a storage unit once said to me with quite seriousness: