The Traditional Fisherman's Forum

How do you tell the different models?
My one has a wide drum 4” spins well, and dose the job.
What more could a man asked for!

Nice reels but as you say... poor paint job.
Good old Shepard’s bush.

Great reels, lightweight metal compared to a J.W such as a Rapidex, very free running made by WR Products.

I think Nobby traced where the original manufacturer's building stood? not alot of info on WR Products but they made
a fine reel.

Prone to paint loss and 'wobble' which Garry Mills for one, can usually fix. There's a 'Dettol' thread on here as it strips the
remaining paint off in jig time, if you prefer a blank canvas and some restoration

I do have some plastic arbours here, always hoped to take them to the tackle fairs but will we ever see one again? TFFer Macman kindly sent them over from Australia.

I did a little about the makers here....there's a lot we still don't know...like who they were for starters:

https://nobbystackle.wordpress.com/2014 ... ho-dun-it/

Hi Nobby , Sir,
I would be interested in one of the arbours if you have any spare ?
Tight Lines !
DWW

Good morning fellow friends,if we go back to say 1960 can any body say the price of the Speedia .compared to the Trudex.Reelmaker

I dropped on one being offered for sale over here. The lady was in her sixties and it was her Dad's reel along with two wooden centrepins that I persuaded her to keep as mementos of her Dad. To be honest they weren't worth anything. The Speedia was almost seized, turning very reluctantly. I took the drum off, gave the spindle a wipe with a tissue and applied a little saliva to it. The reel was transformed so I gave her the €60 asking price without quibble and took it home. I keep intending to strip the paint off and brush the metal but haven't got around to it.

It is used on my light quiver rod but is equally capable for trotting. What I like about the reel is that the handles are more inset than on an Aerial type reel so don't catch my fingers when braking during a cast.

ReelMaker wrote: ↑Sun Oct 25, 2020 12:21 pm Good morning fellow friends,if we go back to say 1960 can any body say the price of the Speedia .compared to the Trudex.Reelmaker

Sorry Reelmaker,
We don't have much info on the Speedia, The closest I can get is 1951 when the then current MkII reel was £2.12s. 6d....£2.62 and a half pence nowadays!


The Trudex wasn't out yet in '51, but the Rapidex was at £3. 8s. or £3.40 pence now.

I have figures for the Youngs reels in 1960 but not for the Speedia. On the face of it they seem a bit of a bargain.

Hmmm. Not sure about that last bit Nobby.

I don't think that the reels directly compare. The Trudex to my mind is a smaller reel that to me suggests tench, chub, roach whereas the Speedia is undoubtedly for larger species; predominently barbel. I have both and the Trudex is a far better engineered reel. There is an adjustable friction brake and the check lever is much more luxury than the Speedia's utilitarian lever. It also feels more solid. If the Trudex was the same dimensions as a wide drum Speedia it would be a much better reel except for the extra weight. Which is probably why the Trudex and Rapidex were so popular in the smaller sizes and the Speedia carved its mark on barbel rivers.

I can't see a reason to say the Speedia is undoubtedly for larger species of fish, it's perfect for flicking out small baits for roach too. Whilst it's proved very popular for barbel in recent years I don't think many people were fishing for them in 1951. As a bottom feeder they seem to have been rather looked down upon...or at least so was my impression at the time, but I was very young and may have misunderstood.

I only made the comparison between the two reels because Reelmaker asked for it pricewise.


Since the Speedia is made from thin stampings* it's bound to feel lighter than the cast Trudex and Rapidex reels. But I wouldn't consider it the poorer for it and the very first Speedias made were of comparable quality to anything from JW Young, including the Aerial reels.

Some Speedias even have the adjustable drag wheel as Young's patent on it had expired by then. Probably something to do with my old fingers but I find the Young's little check lever quite awkward...but then I am of course fishing it 'the wrong way round' as a right handed caster, whereas the Speedia lever...also fished wrong way round, I can manage with the rod hand.



* There are some early Speedias with a cast reelback, but they seem exceptionally rare.

I think that the Youngs rotating check control knob can be a pain, but the Trudex's little plastic lever is perfect for me. I haven't seen any Speedias with a friction brake, but there is a version with different check settings. It is the adjustable friction drag that find most useful. Not just for casting where it prevents over runs, but as a form of bait runner that is much smoother than a check.

Value is something personal, but today the Speedia usually commands the higher prices. Fashions change and barbel are no longer the roach's poor relation.