That's a Meccano motor everyone said.
And it turns out we were all wrong. It's actually from a Moto Trix construction set. Looks a bit like Meccano but the holes are spaced differently so the two aren't compatible. You can read more about these sets over on the Brigton Toy and Model Museum website.
I like this because it's pure motor. Nothing is hidden away inside a casing. Back in 1936 when the motor was introduced, electricity was still a bit of a novelty to many people so for the curious child, being able to see how this magic thing worked must have been fascinating.
Best of all, my motor still operates. Given an dose of 9V from a PP3 battery, it whirs away quite happily.
