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Original poster

Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Blimey!!

140 replies

MarthasGinYard · 30/05/2019 23:15

Now I know the Grand National and Big Dipper have been there since Gods Dog, my own DF who is 85 was recollecting stories of riding them In the 50's and how 'bone shaker' they were then....

But NOTHING can have prepared me for the experience.

And they actually look in parts like old pallets and crates nailed together....

With bits missing!!

Any recollections??

OP posts:
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5
Iris1654 · 31/05/2019 05:53

Tony robinson, hidden Britain.

piekebab · 31/05/2019 07:22

I worked at Camelot many moons ago as a student selling ice creams and balloons. It's been shut for ages but people are always breaking in and wandering about, The roller coaster you can see was the Knightmare, it's starting to fall apart a bit now. You can see it clearly from the perimeter fence. They were supposedly building houses on the land but there's been all sorts of arguing about it over the years. The company that owned it also had another Wild West themed place in Derbyshire.

piekebab · 31/05/2019 07:25

American Adventure Park was the other place !

Bezalelle · 31/05/2019 07:33

Camelot! Now that was a special place...

AnneElliott · 31/05/2019 07:37

I thought steeplechase was pretty scary. Only a small seatbelt and then the ground falls away and it's just you on the horse - holding on for dear life! DS thought it was amazing though!

springgreensunshine · 31/05/2019 07:42

I've only been there once when I was about 8 maybe. The laughing policeman in a glass case is the only thing I remember. I don't remember a single ride. We probably only got to look at the free stuff though.

Original poster
MarthasGinYard · 31/05/2019 07:54

I'm going to be on a google rabbit hole now want to see the Tony Robinson Camelot programme too.

OP posts:
Original poster
MarthasGinYard · 31/05/2019 07:59

When we entered the first thing we went on was Grand National. Scary to think there just used to be a little bar barely holding you in.

All the old 'No Standing up' signs on the rides had me thinking this must have been a 'thing' in the day Shock

Scarily on the Big Dipper we sat at the back and I was willing it to stay on the Tracks during the turns.

Was so relieved to get off.

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AlbusPercival · 31/05/2019 08:03

I adore BPB, can’t wait for my son
To be big enough. Favourite is definitely the one that’s like a bobsleigh

BobbinThreadbare123 · 31/05/2019 08:04

I used to see the Camelot park every day on my commute. Creepy! I remember going to American Adventure when I was in Brownies. What a great time we had.
My nan used to tell me scare stories about the rides at Blackpool; she went on the same ones I did but back in the day. They used to get the train up from Liverpool for the day. Or to Morecambe!

piekebab · 31/05/2019 08:07

I'm sure Morecambe had a dolphin pool on the front and my dh said there was a building with monkeys in it on the front in Fleetwood but I think he's making that up. (Early 80's ?)

Original poster
MarthasGinYard · 31/05/2019 08:07

If anyone goes and drives to it, drive around the perimeter and then down Watson road which slices through the park.

You get views around the back of the GN to appreciate the full primitive standing. We were counting bits missing Shock

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Soola · 31/05/2019 08:15

Last time I went to Blackpool was circa 1985 when we went on holiday with friends as two couples.

On arrival we checked into the Queens hotel which was beyond grim.

We then spent the afternoon at the ‘attractions’ at Blackpool pleasure beach.

We went on the rollercoaster which looked ancient and the two guys went behind us and myself and my friend sat together.

As we set off the bar that the attendant clamped down in front of us moved up and was not in a locked position. We slid about and had to hold on for dear life!

We stayed one night in the revolting hotel and then refused to stay another night as the rooms were such a state and off we went never for me to return to Blackpool again.

dementedpixie · 31/05/2019 08:19

It was the Wild Mouse and I loved it as a child. Don't like the steeplechase as you don't feel secure

piekebab · 31/05/2019 08:20

Is Jungle Jim's still there in the Tower or Professor Peabody's ? I used to love those places

Original poster
MarthasGinYard · 31/05/2019 08:23

Pie

We also did the Tower

Jungle Jim's I asked about but it's closed and is being turned into something else.

We went to the circus in the tower though. Fantastic!!

OP posts:
Dof6 · 31/05/2019 08:23

I liked the Pepsi Max which has now been re-labelled the Big One for obvious reasons. That is one hell of a drop!

NC4Now · 31/05/2019 08:24

Professor Peabody’s is gone too, sadly. The Monster Drop in there was awesome.

Original poster
MarthasGinYard · 31/05/2019 08:27

I chickened out of the 'Big one'

They kept stopping it and having to check it....I queued and then got slightly unnerved as to why there were huge queues but half of one line of cars just kept getting sent out with sandbags in.Confused

I couldn't find anyone to ask so gave it a miss.

Dd went on with her dad whilst I watched

After three circuits of the Steeplechase I just hadn't anything left in meGrin

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BelindasGleeTeam · 31/05/2019 08:28

Pepsi Max was always called The Big One. It was the Pepsi Max Big One.

The big coaster at Camelot was the tower of terror wasn't it? Went upside down inside the building bit. Remet it well.

piekebab · 31/05/2019 08:30

There was the Tower of Terror too but that's not the one you can see from the road

Original poster
MarthasGinYard · 31/05/2019 08:30

What was professor Peabody's

My dad recollects a collection of scary curio stuff in the tower in the 40's. He described a giant hairball in a case which was removed from a girls insides who used to suck her hair....or so the tale goes.

Was hoping Dd might see it as a deterrent.

I wondered if some of this collection was now in Ripley's but didn't get time to go in there.

OP posts:
piekebab · 31/05/2019 08:31

Peabody's was a big indoor play area in the Winter Gardens

safariboot · 31/05/2019 08:43

First time I went to pleasure beach I went straight for the Big Dipper thinking ah, this is an old ride, it's not going to be much. It went down the first drop and I was Holy Shit Shock ! They knew what they were doing when they made those things.

Steeplechase is cool. You're belted in, but I think it does rely on you to not be an idiot. I'm sure they changed the handles a few years ago to make it easier to hold on.

There's a new coaster coming, "Icon", hope it's good. BPB is a great park all round. So compact, saves your legs all the walking, but they fit so much in.

Such a shame the Wild Mouse was demolished. Surely it could have been sold to another park?

Original poster
MarthasGinYard · 31/05/2019 08:47

I've now found a huge list of all their incidents on a site called what do they know.com

It lists safety incidents and accidents at the park.

The man who broke his neck is a sad read. He was there with his partner who was in a wheelchair having overcome cancer. I think the trip was meant to be a celebration.

Very sad

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