READY TO UNLEASH YOUR INNER CHILD AND EMBRACE THE WEIRD AT NOVELTY AUTOMATION?
This quirky arcade had been bookmarked on my map for ages. Novelty Automation, a beacon of bizarre fun waiting to be discovered. As I approached the entrance on Princeton Street, animated arrows beckoned me like mischievous imps, daring me to enter and explore the mechanical mayhem within.
NOVELTY AUTOMATION DETAILS
- Address: 1A Princeton Street, London, WC1R 4AY
- 5 minute walk from Holburn or Chancery Lane tube stations
- Free to enter
- 34 tokens required to play every machine (£5 for 5 tokens / £9 for 10 tokens / £27 for 34 tokens).**
Novelty Automation is a free-to-enter haven for curious minds, but to truly unleash your inner inventor-clown, tokens are your key. We opted for a shared bucket of giggles (20 tokens for £18), and let me tell you, the cost-to-laughter ratio was off the charts!
Some machines cater to solo adventurers, while others demand teamwork. Regardless, watching my friends tackle these contraptions was pure joy. (Though, full disclosure, “attempt” might be a generous term for my own skills!).
THE MADNESS WE ENCOUNTERED
- My Nuke: Imagine a remote-controlled nuclear meltdown (minus the fallout, hopefully). My friend’s attempt was…eventful, resulting in a safety shutdown. But hey, he at least got a radiation-themed candy as a consolation prize.
- Microbreak: Picture a vintage armchair whisking you on a magical holiday – from airplane turbulence to sun-drenched beaches. Watching my friend forced to sunbathe was a highlight (sorry, not sorry!).
- Expressive Booth: Cram as many friends as possible inside, contort your faces at the machine’s demands, and emerge with a photo that will forever replay the memory. We were in hysterics before even starting!
- Alien Probe: The name’s self-explanatory. Just try not to poke the grumpy extraterrestrial too much…trust me.
- Divorce: Put your teamwork (and relationship) to the test as you race to dismantle a toy house. Let’s just say, my competitive spirit may have gotten the better of me.
- Instant Weightloss: Watch yourself melt away on the screen, then receive a “nutrient-rich” treat. A bit odd, but hey, who am I to judge the path to enlightenment?
- Autofrisk: Rubber gloves and a surprise ending? Trust me, this frisk is anything but routine.
- The Chiropodist: Daring you to do the unthinkable: remove a shoe and insert your foot into the mysterious unknown for ‘treatment’.
- Test Your Nerve: Facing a dog trapped inside a dog cage, you press a button whilst the panting pooch showers you with slobber and barks aggressively. My friend valiantly held on, but will you?
- Cyclepong: Mounted upon rickety bikes, control the paddle by cycling back and forth. Laughter (and wobbly pedaling) guaranteed, and yet again, my skills left much to be desired.
- The Filament Centre: Grab your Amazon-picker shopping trolley, using the rock of the pedals below to dash around the aisles and race against the clock to snag your loot. My personal favorite for a hilarious adrenaline rush, with flashbacks of Dale Winton’s Supermarket Sweep (who didn’t want to be on that show!!)
- The Small Hadron Collider: This upright pinball machine promised cosmic chaos, but let’s just say my initial attempts were about as successful as launching a potato into orbit. Turns out, brute force wasn’t the answer (who knew?). After a friendly nudge from the shop assistant, I adopted a gentler approach and… bingo! My reward? An embossed sticker. As a fully-functioning (cough) adult, I proudly attempted to stick it on my friend’s back on our way home to the station.
BEYOND THE GAMES
The mastermind behind this mechanical menagerie is Tim Hunkin (engineer, cartoonist, writer, and artist ), a true renaissance man and inventor of joy. His journey began in the 80s, crafting wacky machines for London’s Cabaret Mechanical Theatre. Inspired by a childhood dream, he opened “Under the Pier Show” in Southwold, and later, “Novelty Automation” in Farringdon (which features some guest machines).
Remember The Chiropodist? This quirky contraption was the first of Tim Hunkin’s creations at London’s Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.
THE ADVENTURE CONTINUES
If you’re hungry for more magic, check out Hunkin’s “Under the Pier Show” and even Cabaret Mechanical Theatre’s “Mechanical Making Space” in Hastings.
**At the time of writing this blog, 34 tokens were required to play every machine at Novelty Automation (£5 for 5 tokens / £9 for 10 tokens / £27 for 34 tokens).**
Credits:
Cabaret Mechanical Theatre (n.d.) CMT Covent Garden (photo) at cabaret.co.uk [accessed February 2024]
Hunkin, T (n.d.) Under the Pier (video) at underthepier.com [accessed February 2024]
LOCAL RECOMMENDATION:
If you’re visiting Novelty Automation, why not consider a unique dining experience at Dans le Noir? Visit my DANS LE NOIR: An Unforgettable Challenge of Dining in Darkness blog to learn more.
