Gallopers at the Amusement Park Page 2


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GALLOPERS AT THE AMUSEMENT PARK (PAGE 2) by Nick Laister Gallery: From Joyland Books Exhibition Hall, 1 to 30 September 2000
Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister	Fun City, Skegness Another sad amusement park tale is that of Fun City. Faced with declining visitor numbers, this Skegness park has become somewhat run down over recent years. The Gallopers provide perhaps the only relief from the sad decay. This ride operated for many years at Dunes Leisure at Mablethorpe, but was added to this small Skegness park in 1997. By 1999, the ride was being advertised for sale in trade newspaper Worlds Fair. All the park's rides have now been removed.

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister Collection	Grand Pier, Weston-Super-Mare Described as a "fabulous amusement park over the sea", Grand Pier certainly lives up to this description with its selection of children's rides. Nestling amongst the amusement machines is this set of juvenile Gallopers. That this ride can hold its own amongst the latest funfair rides at Weston-Super-Mare is testament to the continuing attraction of the traditional gallopers.

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister	Gulliver's Land, Milton Keynes The UK's newest theme park opened in 1999 at Milton Keynes. Attractively housed in this wooden pavilion is a modern Carousel. Similar rides feature at the other two Gulliver's parks: Gulliver's Kingdom at Matlock Bath in Derbyshire, and Gulliver's World at Warrington.

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister	Legoland, Windsor Built on the site of the former Windsor Safari Park, Legoland features a small funfair. Brickadilly's Carousel is one of the new fairground attractions. It seems that children everywhere will always love the simple pleasures of a carousel, even when the horses don't go up and down!

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister	Lightwater Valley, Ripon For many years, before it became a theme park, an 'Old Time Fairground' operated at Lightwater Valley in Yorkshire. The photograph above, taken in 1993, was after the park had firmly moved in the direction of major thrill rides. This ride was loaned to Lightwater Valley for the 1993 season. For the 2001 season, Lightwater Valley has loaned the ex-Benny Irvin Savages set from enthusiast Roger Austin. The ride is situated in a quiet, wooded corner of the park. This ride was built in 1892 for John Danter. It has been travelled over the years by three generation of the Irvin family. It features original wooden platform, steps and rounding boards, but the horses are fibreglass.

Image: Nick Laister	Llandudno Pier Fairground rides have for many years been a major attraction at Llandudno Pier. Even today there is a small selection of juvenile rides, but pride of place is taken by this small modern merry-go-round.

Image: Nick Laister	Marine Lake, Rhyl Gallopers can be seen operating in this postcard of Rhyl's Marine Lake amusement park. This is believed to be the same set that still operates at the adjacent Ocean Beach Fun Fair (see separate display for Ocean Beach).

Image: Nick Laister	Palace Pier (now Brighton Pier), Brighton The Noble Organisation, owners of the Palace (now Brighton) Pier since 1984, sold the original Pier Gallopers in 1991. These were replaced by this modern (John Rundle) set in 1996. This ride is much photographed, having featured alongside the Spice Girls and in an episode of EastEnders.

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister Collection	Peter Pan's Playground, Ryde This small, attractive amusement park at Ryde on the Isle of Wight is home to this fine set of juvenile Gallopers. Built by Jacksons, this set is always kept as well-maintained as the park. Each of the horses are named in the traditional galloper style, and dated. The top three photographs were all taken in 1999 and 2000. But the ride has been at this park for well over a quarter of a century, as this 1973 picture shows.

Image: Nick Laister	Needles Park, Isle of Wight Needles Park on the Isle of Wight is located in a spectacular setting overlooking the famous landmark. The small pleasure park features several children's rides and includes this modern Carousel, pictured here out of season in the early 1990s.
Image: Nick Laister	Pictured in the height of season in August 2000, the Needles Carousel still holds pride of place in the newly redeveloped theme park.

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister	Ocean Beach Fun Fair, Rhyl Believed to be the Gallopers that originally operated at the Marine Lake Amusement Park across the road from Ocean Beach Fun Fair, this ride (which is understood to be over 100 years old) has operated at Rhyl for well over 70 years. It continues to be a colourful and popular ride at this large North Wales amusement park. Ocean Beach is a great training ground for the younger gallopers rider. Next to the huge Gallopers pictured above is this attractive juvenile set. But younger riders had better watch out; lurking behind is the famous Ocean Beach Ghost Train!

Image: Nick Laister	Central Pier, Blackpool At the heart of Blackpool's Golden Mile is Central Pier, owned by Leisure Parcs Ltd. Whilst the Pier is most famous for its Big Wheel, now a much-loved part of the Blackpool skyline, it also features this delightful set of juvenile gallopers.

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister	Pleasureland, Southport Southport's Pleasureland has benefited from massive investment from its owner, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, since the company gained full control of the park a few years ago. Major new rides have been installed, such as the state-of-the-art TraumaTizer roller coaster (pictured above in the background). But as this photograph shows, there is still space for the traditional pleasures of the park's Gallopers. This set of Gallopers started life as a simple Dobby set, but it has been resident at Southport for at least 50 years, and has witnessed several changes in ownership. In the hands of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach company, its future is likely to be secure.

Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister Image: Nick Laister	Rainbow Amusement Park, Hunstanton This small East Coast amusement park has a real family atmosphere, and is home to what is reputedly Britain's oldest operating Gallopers. Believed to have been rebuilt by Savages in 1895 from a Walker Dobby set, this beautiful machine is still a delight to ride. This ride has been at Hunstanton for over 45 years, but has passed through various owners. Currently owned and operated at the park by Fred Pooley, it still features many original wooden decorations. Unusually, most of the horses are still wooden (on most other rides they have been replaced by fibreglass horses) and, as this photograph shows, it has these very rare ostriches.

Image: Nick Laister Collection	Rotunda Amusement Park, Folkestone Built in 1882, this ride has been at this Folkestone park since 1984. The park recently changed hands, and is now owned by Jimmy Godden, the owner of Margate's Dreamland.

Image: Nick Laister	South Pier, Blackpool All three of Blackpool's piers now feature carousels. South Pier is no exception; on the site of the old Pier Theatre is this modern merry-go-round.
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