When Otago Vintage Machinery Club volunteer Bob Sims asked for help in tracking down items for the Outram museum’s collection (The Star’s July 6), he was delighted with the response.
Mr Sims asked if anyone knew how to operate the tea-bag machine the group was given when Bell Tea closed in 2014 and was delighted when the company’s former maintenance man contacted him.
"He was really helpful and he’s coming back," Mr Sims said.
He had also asked for old phone books and vehicle number plates.
"Someone poked number plates under the front door [at the museum]. The fact that they took the time to go out and leave them was nice.
"And we had a few people ringing up about old phone books but so far no-one has offered any of the really old ones where all the numbers used Morse code," he said.
The next big event for the club is a Crank Up Day from 10am on October 21, the Saturday of Labour Weekend, when lots of the machinery will be operating.
And Mr Sims is promising a blast or two from the old foghorn from the Taiaroa Head lighthouse, guaranteed to delight youngsters.
