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Pleasure Beach Express – July 1935

Pleasure Beach Express

Rainbow Wheel

Revolution – 1979

 

New for the season – Tidal Wave – 1980

Airships on the South Shore

Fair Ground – 1908

Hiram Maxim’s Captive Flying Machine was built at the Pleasure Beach in June 1904.

A nice card showing the ‘L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway’

Early views of the area from the south end of the pleasure ground.

Gipsy Camp c.1904

This card shows the gypsy camp, a combination of caravans and tents made of wattle hurdles covered with blankets.

Miniature Railway and Gipsy Encampment, with Gipsy Sarah.

At one time this part of South Shore was home to over 300 gypsies

Gypsy Camp

The Gipsies – 1903

‘Gipsy Britannia – Gipsy Sarah’s Eldest Granddaughter in England’

Gypsies, caravan, tent and switchback railway

Gipsy Sarah’s eldest clever granddaughter – 1907

Gipsy Encampment

Jennie Boswell – 1908

Visiting the gypsies at the south end of the Pleasure Beach

By 1900 the developing fairground also provided work for the gypsies.

The “Spectatorium” which showed massive shows of the Battle of Chesapeake Bay, between the ships Monitor and Merrimac

Built in 1910 at a cost of £ 30,000. Destroyed by fire just after the start of WW2, by fire

Fun House

Aerial Flight

One of the earliest rides at the park

Roller Skating was a national craze in 1909, and this is huge one at the Pleasure Beach

Aerial Flight comic view

The Water Chute

This ride was 65 feet high and had a 237 foot slope to the lake at the bottom.

Advertisement from a booklet – 1914

Bicycle Railway

The Cycle Track

An original William Bean ride known as the Hotchkiss Bicycle Railway

Customers pedalled furiously with their hand to move slowly around an oval track

In the background are tents and caravans belonging to the gypsies who were still on the site

The Helter Skelter Lighthouse, built in 1905, stood at the entrance to the Pleasure Beach for more than a quarter of a century. S

The Helter Skelter Lighthouse disappeared during the redevelopment of the Pleasure Beach in the 1930’s.

Another view showing this popular ride

River Caves – c.1908

River Caves

River Caves – Interior

The River Caves ride was installed at the park in 1905. Described as a ‘dark ride’ involving a boat trip through “cave-like” tunnels, each incorporating a different theme.

Pudges Peculiar Passage – Peter Pans Parlour

This shows a stall or shop on Spanish Street which was at the front of the Pleasure Beach, a permanent row of buildings which ran from the Helter Skelter along the shoreline to roughly where the River Caves are today.

Noah’s Ark – 1922

Noah’s Ark – c.1922

Noah’s Ark – 1933

Built by William H Strickler, the Noah’s Ark was built in 1921. It was a walk-through fun house, in the shape of an Ark, surrounded by mechanical animals, and rocking backwards and forwards as if in the sea.

Joy Wheel c.1910

The Joy Wheel

Flying at Blackpool – 1919

Virginia Reel c.1922

Published by BPB

Built by William Homer Strickler, who was born in Chicago, USA. Strickler completed his masterpiece at Blackpool in 1922.

Fun House – Opened in 1934

Attractions included the Wall of Death, Giant Slide and Revolving Barrel

Destroyed by fire in 1991 – Filmed by Rangeway Television

The “Mary Louise” diesel oil engine on its way to the Pleasure Beach in June 1933. One of two engines used on the miniature railway

The other, named ‘Carol Jean’, was destroyed in a fire during July 1934. Both engines were named after Leonard Thompson’s daughters. The replacement for the ‘Carol Jean’ was named Geoffrey after his son, but later renamed ‘Princess Royal, when the Princess happened to visit the factory where the engine was being built

Pleasure Beach Express – 1935 – with the Tower neatly added !

The Pleasure Beach Express arrived in 1933. It was a 21″ gauge and had two locomotives, a one third scale model of a 4-6-2 LNER Pacific express, and the other a 4-6-4 Baltic

Also in this view is the Big Dipper, Boating Lake and the Forth Bridge

Pleasure Beach – Boating Pool

The Big Dipper and the boating lake. This view from 1939 is now covered by a parade of shops and restaurants

Also in view is the Forth Bridge which the Pleasure Beach Express crossed

Military Band at Blackpool Pleasure Beach

TINY TOT – THE SMALLEST HORSE IN THE WORLD

Casino building during illuminations

Casino – c.1958

The Casino at the Pleasure Beach

View of the fair in the 1930’s

Aerial view showing the casino and tram terminus

 A brilliant aerial view showing vacant lots at the south end of the park

The Casino at the Pleasure Beach opened on the 26th May 1939, after a rebuild

It boasted the Savarin Restaurant, the Beach Restaurant, a 700-seat banqueting hall and various bars. It became the Gaslight Bar and Diamond Lil’s in 1964, and later the Paradise, the Horseshoe and the Carousel

From the air looking West

Aerial view of the Pleasure Beach – with the tramlines now going past the Pleasure Beach

A similar view with trams running the promenade

The Big Dipper opened on the 23rd of August 1923

Designed by John Miller it was the first in the UK to use under-track wheels

Postcard of the Big Dipper in 1923

View of ‘Becher’s Brook’ from the top of the Grand National roller coaster, looking at Bond Street to the left

Another view looking towards the Tower. The previous view was taken from the top of the coaster to the left

A modern view from a similar point

MORE TO FOLLOW SOON !!!!!!!!!!!