Lyon Pinball, Pinball Repair and restoration. UK

Lyon Pinball, Pinball Repair and restoration. UK

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Pinball repair, service and restoration in the UK

It’s pretty common for my clients to have a game r It’s pretty common for my clients to have a game room… but this one really surprised me — he has a full bumper car ring inside his house! 🤯 How amazing is that?

Right next to the bumper cars sits his Bally Hang Glider pinball. The machine was alive, but with issues: it wouldn’t reset properly, the score reels were acting up, the player unit was randomly jumping players, and can’t play with the 4th player. 

So I dove in. First step: track down the score reel issues. I found a bit of everything — two reels were sluggish and not rotating well (full teardown, clean, and a better spring fixed that), two were misadjusted and not detecting numbers 1–8, and another two were stuck on 9. All sorted. ✔️

Next, I set the game to free play, just the way the owner likes it. Then I dialed in the coin/player unit so all 4 players work correctly again.

Of course, EM games love surprises… While testing, the whole game suddenly stopped. Tracing it down led me to a loose wire in the bonus unit. Took me a while to find it, but quick fix, and we were back in business.

I really love these old machines. Just look at that artwork—everyone on the beach staring up, amazed by the hang glider. The coolest guy on the sand. Pure late-70s charm. ☀️🎨

EMs can be tricky to fix on location, but fortunately I got this one fully sorted in few hours. Always satisfying to bring a classic back to life! ⚡🎯

#pinball #pinballfix #handglider #pinballrepair #empinball #pinballuk #pinballlife #pinballtech #ukpinball
🔥 This week’s fix: Williams Firepower in South Wal 🔥 This week’s fix: Williams Firepower in South Wales! 🔥

This machine was booting but with issues: had no sound, no memory, and pressing the flipper buttons sent the whole game into chaos—or straight into a reset.

The interesting twist?
The owner had already tried to save it by installing all new boards: Rottendog CPU/driver, refurbished power supply, and sound board. But even with all that, the game still wasn’t behaving.

First stop: sound.
The refurbished power supply looked good—voltages checked out. But the sound board was completely mute. Even a dying board usually makes some noise… but this one? Nothing.
Turned out the speaker itself was dead—only the second time I’ve seen this in 20 years! Luckily, the owner had an old spare. We plugged it in and finally got sound… sort of.

Next discovery: the refurbished sound board had been set up for a different game. A quick jumper change and—bam!—proper Firepower sound restored.

Then on to the flipper reset issue.
Usually it’s a broken coil diode or power supply trouble. The supply was fine, but I did find a broken diode on one of the coils (check the pic). Replaced it… but the resets continued.

That’s when I remembered: the newer Rottendog CPU boards can have a weak ground connection. A well-known issue. So I added a jumper wire to improve grounding between the CPU and power supply and—bam again!—problem solved.

And the missing memory?
Simple: dead battery.

The owner was so happy to finally have a fully working Firepower that he sent me home with a jar of homemade plum jam. 🔧💜

#pinball #pinballfix #pinballrepair #pinballuk #southwales #firepower #pinballtech #pinballlife
🎯 On-Site Pinball Repair Day! This week I visited 🎯 On-Site Pinball Repair Day!

This week I visited a fantastic business in England that has an amazing playroom with two pinball machines 😍

I was called in to bring two classics back to life — Frankenstein 🧟‍♂️ and GoldenEye 🕶️

🧠 On Frankenstein, the game kept tripping fuses at power-up. The culprit was a big inrush current! I installed an NTC inrush limiter and replaced the weak plug fuse — problem solved ✅

While testing, the flippers felt weak and a few coils weren’t working. All the fuses looked fine, but one of them tested bad — and was also underrated (3A instead of 5A). ⚡ A good reminder: never trust a fuse just because it looks okay — always test it! After fitting the correct fuse, everything came back to life. Then I gave it a full clean and wax so it plays and shines like new ✨

🎯 On GoldenEye, it was a similar story — a blown fuse and high inrush tripping the breaker. Added an NTC limiter and the issue disappeared. I also noticed the playfield pitch was too flat (around 5°), so I adjusted it to the proper 7°. Now it plays fast and smooth — just how Bond likes it 😎

📸 look the NTC installed in the game 
🎥 look the pins then running 

Always a pleasure to keep these classics running strong — and what a great place to work in! 🎱🎮

#PinballRepair #PinballRestoration #PinballTech #FrankensteinPinball #GoldenEyePinball #PinballMaintenance #PinballLife  #PinballServiceUK #PinballUK #Pinball #Pinballfix #snowbusiness
🧩 Testing a Williams WPC CPU on the bench using an 🧩 Testing a Williams WPC CPU on the bench using an ATX power supply and a logic probe.

Each column line should pulse — but one wasn’t!
After tracing it back, one chip had a pin not doing a proper connection.

A quick resolder later, all columns are pulsing perfectly again 🔥

This shows how you can bench-test WPC CPU boards without needing a full game setup — super handy for diagnosing switch matrix issues.

#PinballRepair #Pinball #Willimspinball #electronics #pinballuk #pinballfix #pinball
🎥 Take a look at this beauty in action! Here’s a q 🎥 Take a look at this beauty in action!
Here’s a quick video of the Old Chicago pinball machine, fully working after the repair in Clevedon.
Running smooth and sounding just like it should — classic Bally from the mid-70s. 🔧✨

When I was talking with the owner, he thought the game was from the ‘60s — easy mistake with the retro style — but it’s actually from 1975.
I also pointed out something cool he hadn’t noticed before: the backglass artwork features John Dillinger and the infamous Woman in Red. A nice little detail that gives this game even more character.

Check my previous post to see the before-and-after photos of the repair!

 #ballypinball #PinballRepair #PinballRestoration #JohnDillinger #WomanInRed #VintagePinball #FixPinballs #pinballfix #pinballuk
Got a call to bring an old Bally Old Chicago back Got a call to bring an old Bally Old Chicago back to life — so I hit the road to Clevedon, England 🚗💨
⠀
This beauty is nearly 50 years old and still looking great cosmetically. But when I opened it up, I found a broken flipper rubber — and most of the others were yellowed and cracked. So I replaced all the rubbers for proper bounce and feel.
⠀
A few bulbs were out too, so I swapped in new ones on the playfield and in the backbox, and gave everything a deep clean and wax. ✨
⠀
Also spotted two sticky drop targets that weren’t resetting properly — fixed those as well.
⠀
Swipe to see:
🔧 The broken flipper rubber
💡 A few “before” shots inside
🧽 Some mid-fix action
⠀
#pinballrepair #oldchicago #ballypinball #pinballrestoration #pinballtechnician #pinballlife #vintagepinball #clevedon #pinballfix #pinballuk #pinball
Before ➡️ After Restoring this Gottlieb Big Shot b Before ➡️ After
Restoring this Gottlieb Big Shot back to its former glory, one part at a time.
Swipe up to see what a soak in Evapo-Rust can do! 💪🎯

This door went from rusty relic to shiny showpiece—just wait till you see the whole machine come together.

Pinball repair is all about the details. Stay tuned for more restoration updates!

#PinballRestoration #GottliebBigShot #BeforeAndAfter #PinballRepair #Pinballuk #gottliebpinball #Pinballfix
🛠️ Sega Frankenstein Resurrection at the House of 🛠️ Sega Frankenstein Resurrection at the House of Frankenstein, Bath 🧟‍♂️🎯

Got called out to bring this Sega Frankenstein back to life at the amazing @houseoffrankenstein_bath – and what a monster of a job it turned out to be!

Originally, they sent me the boards after another tech removed them. I sorted loads of cold solder joints, but that was just the beginning…

🔧 On-site fixes included:
	•	Replacing a burnt laser kick coil (dead fuse on the PPB traced back to that 🔥)
	•	Fixing a stuck outhole kicker
	•	Rebuilding and reinstalling a disassembled post switch under the playfield
	•	Diagnosing a totally scrambled switch matrix – the ball launcher was disconnected and triggering the start button?! 🤯

The main culprit?
A grounded switch row thanks to the coin rejector shorting out. Since the game’s on free play, I disconnected it. Then traced two crazy switch columns to failed transistors on the CPU. Swapped them out – and boom, back in business! 💥

Took me over 5 hours with all the small fixes and cleaning, but totally worth it. Game’s now running like a dream, and the owner was thrilled. Museum visitors can enjoy this classic again!

🎥 I’ll upload:
	•	A shot of the dead coil
	•	A video of the switch matrix mayhem
	•	A clip of the game working 100%

#PinballRepair #SegaFrankenstein #HouseOfFrankensteinBath #PinballFix #UKPinball #PinballRestoration #PinballUK #Pinball #Bath
🛠️ Sega Frankenstein Resurrection at the House of 🛠️ Sega Frankenstein Resurrection at the House of Frankenstein, Bath 🧟‍♂️🎯

Got called out to bring this Sega Frankenstein back to life at the amazing @houseoffrankenstein_bath – and what a monster of a job it turned out to be!

Originally, they sent me the boards after another tech removed them. I sorted loads of cold solder joints, but that was just the beginning…

🔧 On-site fixes included:
	•	Replacing a burnt laser kick coil (dead fuse on the PPB traced back to that 🔥)
	•	Fixing a stuck outhole kicker
	•	Rebuilding and reinstalling a disassembled post switch under the playfield
	•	Diagnosing a totally scrambled switch matrix – the ball launcher was disconnected and triggering the start button?! 🤯

The main culprit?
A grounded switch row thanks to the coin rejector shorting out. Since the game’s on free play, I disconnected it. Then traced two crazy switch columns to failed transistors on the CPU. Swapped them out – and boom, back in business! 💥

Took me over 5 hours with all the small fixes and cleaning, but totally worth it. Game’s now running like a dream, and the owner was thrilled. Museum visitors can enjoy this classic again!

🎥 I’ll upload:
	•	A shot of the dead coil
	•	A video of the switch matrix mayhem
	•	A clip of the game working 100%

#PinballRepair #SegaFrankenstein #HouseOfFrankensteinBath #PinballFix #UKPinball #PinballRestoration #pinballuk #pinball #bath
Switch Matrix Problems? Don’t Just Blame the Game! Switch Matrix Problems? Don’t Just Blame the Game! ⚡🧠

This Sega Frankenstein was acting haunted — switches going crazy when I connected just one. 🧟‍♂️ The issue wasn’t in the playfield wiring. It was in the CPU board.

In the video, you’ll see:
🔌 I jumped the row and column connectors — and boom, multiple switches triggered.
🛠️ Pulled the board, found two shorted transistors.
✅ Replaced them, problem solved.

💡 Tip: Before chasing down playfield gremlins, isolate the board. You might save yourself hours of troubleshooting.

🎥 Filmed this in Bath, in the actual House of Frankenstein @houseoffrankenstein_bath . Perfect setting for spooky switch behavior.

#PinballRepair #SegaFrankenstein #SwitchMatrix #PinballTech #PinballProblems #PinballLife #pinball #pinballuk #bath #frankensteinbath
🛠️ Zaccaria Rescue – Against All Odds! 🇮🇹🎯 I usua 🛠️ Zaccaria Rescue – Against All Odds! 🇮🇹🎯

I usually don’t work on Italian or Spanish pinballs. Every time someone calls about one, it’s almost always a “no.” Why?

Because:
	•	They’re built completely differently from the US machines (Williams, Bally, etc.)
	•	Parts are almost impossible to find
	•	Documentation is scarce

So when a local owner called about a Zaccaria pinball, I gave my usual answer: “Sorry, I don’t work on those.” He was clearly disappointed. Turns out we live quite close, and he didn’t know any other technician around. He told me he had just bought the game at an online auction – his first pinball ever – and really wanted to bring it back to life.

Later, I got curious and did a bit of research… and surprise! It turns out his game is one of the rare Zaccarias built entirely with Williams parts. So I called him back and said: “Let’s do it.”

🎁 The Condition at Pickup (Auction in Cardiff):
	•	No glass and dirty 
	•	No keys
	•	And of course… not working

🔧 First step: drilled the locks open, gave it a good clean. One thing I do like about these Italian games? The playfields are often in amazing condition. After a deep clean and polish, this one was shining like new again.

✨ Replaced:
	•	Rubbers
	•	Lights
	•	Cleaned and polished all metal + posts

🐛 Found some woodworm damage (no idea where it was stored!), so I treated it with woodworm killer. Mechanisms were surprisingly well preserved, but all the stepper units were completely jammed.

⚙️ After a few days of work: The game is alive again!

🎮 It’s a simple but fun game to play. I especially like the dual bonus system. And check out the backglass — the score reels go into the millions! Must’ve been some sort of point inflation in Italy back then 😂 Most games cap out at 100,000… but here they just threw on two extra static zeroes to make it look like more.

📸 Swipe to see:
	1.	The condition I found it in
	2.	A cleaned stepper unit
	3.	The game restored
	4.	And a video of it in action 🎥

Not bad for a game that almost got left behind 🙌

#pinball #pinballfix #pinballrepair #pinballrestoration #pinballtech #zaccaria #zaccariapinball #pinballuk #wales
🛠️ FLASH!! AH-AHHH!! ⚡ Sometimes pinball jobs come 🛠️ FLASH!! AH-AHHH!! ⚡
Sometimes pinball jobs come with surprises—and this Flash Gordon was one of them!

I got a call about a “non-working” machine with “a bit of dirt” and a ball that wouldn’t launch. Asked for a picture… and well, it wasn’t just dirty—it was barn-find level filthy.

I told the owner to give it a quick wipe-down if possible, and then I’d come out for a proper diagnosis. Drove an hour out, and what I found was a completely dead game:
🔧 All switches unresponsive
🔧 2 displays not working
🔧 Wrong voltages on the driver board
🔧 HV section toasted
🔧 Corrosion on the CPU (but miraculously still booting)

I gave an estimate for a full bench repair and restoration. But then he asked me the question every tech both dreads and loves:
“Can you fix it… now? There’s a surprise party in few day and the pinball is one of the surprises.”

😅

Thankfully, I had most of my parts with me. I told him it wouldn’t be a full restore, and that two drop targets were broken (I disabled them), but… yes, I could make it playable.

6 hours later:
✅ Switch and connector issues resolved
✅ Driver board repaired with new caps + key fixes
✅ HV rebuilt
✅ Display repairs (missing digits/segments, cold solder joints)
✅ Deep clean with Novus, wax, fresh rubbers & bulbs

Not showroom perfect, but Flash Gordon was alive again—and playing strong. 💥

Owner was thrilled, and the party got its surprise.
Me? Tired. I always prefer a full shop job, but this one was about getting it ready just in time.

From barn dust to party-ready in a day.
That’s pinball life. 🎯

#pinballrepair #flashgordonpinball #pinballrestoration #pinballtech #pinballlife #classicpinball #ballypinball #surpriseparty #pinballfix #beforeandafter #fieldservice
#pinballuk #uk
🛠️ This week I had the chance to work on something 🛠️ This week I had the chance to work on something special – an Iron Maiden Limited Edition pinball machine in Hereford 🎸🤘
Always a treat to work on one of these. Absolute beauty of a game.

🎥 The first video shows the machine finally up and running again. The owner called me in because it was throwing a “node board missing” error. If you’ve worked on modern Stern machines, you know this could mean a few things — often it’s just a loose connector or a dodgy Ethernet cable. But sometimes… the node board has simply decided to die. 😵

Unfortunately, these boards aren’t repairable, and a new one runs close to £200.
I tested all the cables first, then swapped some parts to confirm — and sure enough, Node 8 was gone.

💡 Swapped in a brand-new node board and we were back in business. The left flipper also wasn’t working when I got there, but that turned out to be just a misadjusted switch. Quick fix. ✅

Always satisfying to bring a great machine back to life.
If your pinball machine is acting up — you know who to call. 😉

#PinballRepair #IronMaidenLE #SternPinball #NodeBoard #PinballFix #UKPinball #PinballUK
🛠️ Service Call: Bride of Pinbot in Devon Yesterda 🛠️ Service Call: Bride of Pinbot in Devon
Yesterday I took a long trip from Cardiff to beautiful Devon to rescue a classic: Bride of Pinbot. Despite the miles, this game deserved the care!

🎯 Issue #1: Tripping the House Fuse
The machine recently started shutting down the house fuse—unusual for a game that’s been stable. Turns out the inrush current at power-on was a bit too aggressive.
✅ Solution: Installed an NTC thermistor (varistor) between the fuse and the game. No more fuse trips—solid fix!

🤖 Issue #2: Spinning Head Non-Stop
The iconic rotating head just wouldn’t stop turning.
	•	Switch tested OK with the meter ✅
	•	Replaced the diode—still no change ❌
	•	Ended up replacing the entire switch—that did the trick! 💡

🧼 Before heading back, I gave the playfield a good clean. She’s showing her age, but still delivers great games. Classic Bally/Williams charm!

🙏 Big thanks to the owner for trusting me with this beauty. Always a pleasure to keep pinball alive!

#PinballRepair #BrideOfPinbot #PinballMaintenance #PinballTech #PinballLife #PinballFix #Pinballuk #pinball
Another video of the working Xenon now with the so Another video of the working Xenon now with the sound and voice working. One the most beautiful Xenon I ever seen. 
#Xenon #pinballuk #pinball #pinballfix #pinballrepair
🎯 Xenon Sound Board Repair 🎯 One of the most beaut 🎯 Xenon Sound Board Repair 🎯
One of the most beautiful classic pinball machines, Xenon, but with no sound — just a loud humming. Here’s how I brought her voice back:

🔧 Diagnosis & Bench Testing:
I pulled the sound & driver boards. The driver board still had a 40-year-old capacitor (a many times affect humming!), so I replaced it and added necessary jumpers. That improved stability, but the sound board still only gave off noise on the bench.

💾 ROM Issues:
Chips tested OK — the issue was the original ROM, which had gone bad from tarnish and age. I burned a new EPROM and the test sounds played perfectly!

🗣️ Voice Trouble:
Back in the machine, Xenon spoke — but one phrase was corrupted. I found a damaged and broken-leg voice ROM. The owner had a spare vocalizer board, so we swapped it in…

✅ Success!
Xenon is alive and speaking again!
From no sound to full voice — check out the video clips showing the process:
1️⃣ Dead sound board
2️⃣ Working test tones
3️⃣ Corrupted speech
4️⃣ Full voice restored 🎙️💙

#PinballRepair #XenonPinball #VintagePinball #SoundBoardFix #TechRestoration #BallyXenon #RetroGaming #PinballLove #PinballUK #Pinballrepair
🎯 Pinball Repair Visit: Highest Score Arcade (Sali 🎯 Pinball Repair Visit: Highest Score Arcade (Salisbury)
This week I visited @highestscorearcade to work on two classic machines — Barracora and Fish Tales — each with their own quirks!

🔧 Barracora:
The game wasn’t launching the ball, and a few coils weren’t working. After a quick inspection, I found a disconnected wire (check the pic 📸) and discovered the launch problem was due to a missing transistor — yes, missing! It likely fell off during shipping or handling. I installed a new transistor and reconnected the loose wire. Boom 💥 — Barracora is back in action!

💡 Fish Tales:
Most of the GI lights were out. But when I touched the connector, they flickered back on. A closer look showed a couple of worn-out female pins. Swapped them out with fresh ones, and the lights are shining bright again!

It’s always a pleasure keeping the games at Highest Score running strong — it’s a fantastic place to enjoy pinball and arcade vibes. I even got a chance to try their newly acquired Dungeons & Dragons Limited Edition — amazing game! 🎮⚔️

📍If you’re near Salisbury, go check them out and experience the pinball magic!
#PinballRepair #ArcadeLife #Barracora #FishTales #DungeonsAndDragonsPinball #HighestScoreArcade #PinballMaintenance #PinballRestoration #ArcadeTech #PinballFix #Pinball #pinballuk
Doctor Who Pinball – Service Call in Shaftesbury 🛠 Doctor Who Pinball – Service Call in Shaftesbury 🛠️🎯
I recently headed out to Shaftesbury to give this Doctor Who pinball machine some much-needed attention. The owner told me it hadn’t been serviced in over 7 years — and it showed!

The main issue was a non-working right flipper. I expected a switch or opto board fault, but it turned out to be a loose cable under the playfield. A quick resolder, and it sprang back to life. 🔧⚡
(Batteries and holder corroded so I replaced that too).

I also realigned the upper left flipper, which was installed in the wrong position, replaced several dead bulbs, and gave the playfield a deep clean and polish. Swipe to see the before-and-after shots — what a difference! ✨

Always a pleasure to travel around Dorset with its stunning views, and even better when I get to bring another classic game back to life.

Happy flipping! 🎉

#PinballRepair #DoctorWhoPinball #Shaftesbury #PinballService #DorsetDays #PinballRestoration #Pinball #Pinballfix #Pinballuk
🎯 Service Call: Getaway High Speed II 🚨 Got calle 🎯 Service Call: Getaway High Speed II 🚨

Got called in last night to rescue a Williams Getaway: High Speed II with a completely dead DMD. No high voltages present, and the owner had already attempted a repair but hit a wall. 🔧

After some board-level troubleshooting and replacing a few key transistors in the high-voltage section, the display roared back to life. 💥

This machine was in pristine condition, so it was incredibly satisfying to see it fully working again — and to hear that supercharger spinning! 🏁

Always a pleasure bringing these classics back to life.

#PinballRepair #GetawayHighSpeed2 #WilliamsPinball #DMDRepair #PinballRestoration  #PinballTech #PinballLife #PinballMachine #Pinballuk #Pinballfix
Sweethearts is back in action! ❤️🎯 This classic p Sweethearts is back in action! ❤️🎯

This classic pinball machine was not working for over a year. The owner was heartbroken — it’s a very special game to him.

Another tech had swapped a failing score reel, but it was misadjusted and wouldn’t reset properly. On top of that, the 100-point scoring was dead, and the 1-point switch was stuck.

After a full tune-up and some careful adjustments, everything’s now working just like it should — and the owner couldn’t be happier.

Keeping the silverball spirit alive, one game at a time! 🛠️✨
#PinballRepair #SweetHeartsPinball #EMPinball #PinballRestoration  #Pinballrepair #Pinballuk #pinballfix #Gottliebpinball
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Lyon Pinball, Pinball Repair and restoration. UK

Lyon Pinball, Pinball Repair and restoration. UK

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