Manufactured by Memphis Metal Manufacturing, Crusader the Mechanical Wonder Horse was released around 1950. Since kiddie rides would not be manufactured in the UK until 1953, the first rides in this country were imports from the USA such as this one. There's no way of knowing how many of these rides made it to this side of the Atlantic. I have seen a postcard showing one of these outside an arcade in Jaywick Sands in the 1950s, which may or may not be the same unit shown in the video below, taken at Bognor Regis Butlins in 1983.
The Crusader shown in this video appears to be on his original base but the coin chute/slot has been replaced with a 1950s/60s Edwin Hall one. He's also lost his leather tack (unless two different versions were produced as this one appears to have a moulded metal saddle which could have made a leather saddle sit awkwardly on his back?) and seems to have a different handlebar which I have not seen on any Crusaders in the USA.
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