The Sid Davey greyhound racing wheel has been restored to its former glory and unveiled for the team at the Dungog ambulance station.

The unusual equipment which runs on a bicycle sprocket and chain has 16 dogs “racing” with a different winner each time is back in working order thanks to the work of Paul Coghlan .

He has brought the machine back to its former glory – including re-casting four of the missing dogs.

The machine, made by Sid Davey, is believed to be more than 80 years old.

It was originally used as a fundraiser for the ambulance officer wages and in later years it was used by the Apex club to fund-raise.

It spent an unknown number of years languishing in the back shed of the Dungog ambulance station until Jackie Bayne’s curiosity was piqued.

Ms Bayne, an antiques dealer, was called in by the ambulance crew to sell old oil drums found on the site when staff were clearing an old shed at the rear of the property to be used as a barbecue area.

Proving that one man’s trash is indeed another man’s treasure, the drums were sold by Ms Bayne with the proceeds going back to the ambos to fund the shed makeover.

Ms Bayne said the restored machine will be unveiled at the ambulance station this weekend and then will be on display at Davey and Olsen in Dowling Street for a short time.

“It’s going to be kept in the community’s hands and used for community events,” she said.

Having a preview of the wheel on Friday, Station officer Annette Vickery said it was “fantastic” to see the wheel restored.

“It really was just considered to be a piece of old junk in the back shed, it was completely unrecognisable to what it is now,” she said.