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At the end 2001 Rick Davis - Chairman of DAFE: the Darkride And Funhouse Enthusiasts of America - made a trip to Kennywood
Park (West Mifflin, PA, USA) to peruse their archives in search of material for
future articles for the DAFE publication Barrel O' Fun and for the Daffy Klub web site.
That one day visit eventually stretched into six days! Kennywood has a hidden 'treasure chest' of material not only of Kennywood itself, but also many other parks including Blackpool. Rick found many drawings of the Blackpool Noah's Ark attraction and in 2003 shares them here. The artist of the drawings is Douglas Sills.
Rather than just reproduce the drawings found at the archives in Kennywood, themagiceye has added some photos of its own taken between 2003 - 2005. This allows for comparisons to be drawn between the artist's impressions and Noah's Ark as it stands as at August of 2005. |
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 Image: Kennywood Archives
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Introduction
"The Noah's Ark was once a fairly common, yet
unique attraction that was featured at most average sized amusement parks in the US and the UK. It combined an unusual rocking boat with many
of the stunts common to the average funhouse. Today, unfortunately, only two remain in the
world. Not surprising is the fact that Blackpool and Kennywood are the parks that contain the only Arks."
Rick Davis, Chairman of the Darkride
And Funhouse Enthusiasts of America
There were three Noah's Arks operational up until 2000 when Frontierland in Morecambe, Lancashire (UK) closed. (Interestingly, an 'Historic Marker' at Blackpool Pleasure Beach in front of the Noah's Ark entrance states that the Morecambe Ark is still open!) Many thanks to Andrew Love for permission to use the photo of the Morecambe Ark to the left. (Roller Coaster enthusiasts will of course note the much missed magnificent 'out and back' Cyclone aka Texas Tornado on the left hand side of the photo.) Who knows how long an attraction like Noah's Ark can last in these 'sue you' times? |
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 Image: Kennywood Archives
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Entrance up to Rope Bridge The designs for the original entrance. In 2005 your journey starts with a climb up seventeen stairs.
The photograph to the left was taken in 2003. The photograph to the left and the one below show the result of a major overhaul of the North Park dating back from 1995. A new Pleasure Beach entrance for the public was built back then and some of it 'ate into' part of the Noah's Ark's existing rocky landscape. Noah's Ark itself was given a revamp.
Pre 1995 this is how the Noah's Ark entrance looked. The 1995 re-vamp of the Ark involved the use of 30,000 feet of scant timber, 150 sheets of plywood, 150 sheets of tackboard, 200 rolls of fibreglass matting, 1,000 litres of resin, 5 miles of ducting for a new revamped air conditioning system, 10 miles of electric cabling and 250 tonnes of paint! .
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 Image: Gary Radice
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Walking onto Rocks from Rope Bridge As soon as you have mounted the seventeen steps from the entrance and crossed the rope bridge you are met by the view to the left.
The rock is labelled in the drawing "Fire Exit Rock" - this is visible in the photograph below.
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 Image: Kennywood Archives
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Tilting Floor: Steam Jets
from Side of Rocks
The drawing states "Tilting Floor" but themagiceye cannot
find evidence of this in the actual walk through..
It also refers to "steam jets"
and "steam effect".
As at 2005 these steam jets are enclosed by a tunnel. It can get very damp and...er...steamy in there! |
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 Image: Kennywood Archives
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The Stepping Stones
themagiceye defies anybody to walk these stepping stones (that twist and rock as you step on them) and not fall in the water without holding on...and the water can be quite deep particularly after a storm. Then
it's on to the walkway into the Ark. Take care when entering the Ark up the walkway...It can be
quite slippery (rain or not) and the Ark is moving as you enter...
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 Image: Kennywood Archives
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Buttercup
By the time you enter the Ark you can really feel the rocking motion come into play. Buttercup the
cow is visible straight ahead but before you get to walk past her you must navigate uneven floors to
your left.
Douglas Sills has labelled "electric rail" in the drawing on the left, which should act as a warning to all...(You can relax, though, and forget the "electricity" component. It isn't too shocking as at 2005!)
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 Image: Kennywood Archives  Image: Gary Radice |
The Wooden Maze
The writing on the sketch says: "Exit through wooden maze
onto top deck. Walls to have mis-shaped mirrors" and "Swinging storm lamps".
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 Image: Gary Radice
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The Exit from the Wooden Maze
and Noah Once you exit the wooden maze, Noah is to your right... Noah's hands are usually
attached to the (turning) wheel
but Noah was "broken" when the photo to the left was taken (circa 2003).
..And to your left is this view.
Turn left again and
this is the view that more or less greets you. (No sign of a
telescope though as at 2005).
This photograph was taken August 2005. For anyone who doesn't know what is meant by "Photo Burner" (mentioned in the drawing left) all will be revealed on the next page...
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