Chris Bell on technical innovations in kiddy rides

"On the surface, it could be perceived that little has changed in the development of Kiddie Rides over the years, but here at AMUTEC we have a history of innovation within this specialised sector.

"The original company, of which many of the personnel are still involved, introduced and developed Photo-Rides, Simulators, Smoking Trains, Lifting Rides, soft-starts for Carousels and many others, all of which are still prominent in the market place.

"Within the design of the ride itself, microchip technology in the timers, multi-coin handling, rotational molding for characters and computerised production of mechanical bases have all been introduced in recent years.

"New, innovative simulation and entertaining games designed to further enhance the finished product will be evident in the new models that will be introduced and shown by AMUTEC, now part of Namco Europe's Kiddie Rides Division, during the forthcoming show season.

"Whilst we continue to develop our own modern takes on a traditional theme, our range remains bolstered by third party rides from other leading developers based around the world, including Merkur Gaming, combining to produce one of the strongest, cutting edge kiddie ride portfolios in the market."