Love it or loathe it, one thing that’s freely available during Lockdown is daytime TV. I try not to fall victim to the armchair theatre syndrome but I do allow myself the guilty pleasure of tuning in to Bargain Hunt at 12.15 most weekdays. This week the programme provoked a very happy memory for me when the contestants found a vintage toy which I remembered well: Escalado.
It was a horse racing game for up to four players. The long, narrow, green plastic mat was rolled out across the kitchen table to become the racecourse. A winding handle was fixed to the starting line of the mat and four metal horses, of varying colours, were lined at the starting post. As the handle was turned frantically – usually by my Dad – the vibrations from the handle shook the mat, and in turn the metal horses shuffled along towards the finish line.
We very quickly discovered that bending the horses’ metal legs could determine just how quickly they moved. But careful tactics were vital, because bending the legs too much would cause the horse to fall and be disqualified from the race.
My Dad was a painter and decorator and quite often he acquired stuff from his customers. The Escalado was one such a treasure. It was already quite shabby when it came into our possession, but as a family we absolutely loved it. One particular New Year’s Eve – I was around 8 years old – my favourite Aunt and Uncle came over to visit. We set up the Escalado and enjoyed an evening that turned out to be one of my most precious memories. It’s strange how a couple of seconds on a lunch time TV programme can bring all the laughter and joy flooding back. It just goes to show – not all daytime TV is a bad thing!
Lynda Taylor
