Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach

bots|deny=SoxBot IVInfobox Amusement park
name = Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach


image_size = 100px
location = Great Yarmouth, Norfolk
location2 =
location3 = England
address = South Beach Parade, Great Yarmouth NR30 3EH
opening_date = c 1887
closing_date =
phone_numbers = 01493 844585
previous_names =
season = Weekends from Easter until
2 November and daily during school holidays
owner = Pleasure & Leisure Corporation PLC
rides = 20
coasters = * The only operating 1930s wooden rollercoaster in the UK
* Big Apple Coaster
water_rides = Log Flume
other_rides = The Yarmouth Wheel
Sky Drop
homepage = [http://pleasure-beach.co.uk/index.php Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach Official Site]

Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach is a historic free entry pleasure park located in the seaside resort town of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on the English east coast. The park has operated continuously for 121 years since around 1887.

The park features the only currently operating historic 1930s wooden rollercoaster remaining in the UK, together with 20 other principal rides and children’s entertainment. A wide range of amusement arcades, catering facilities, sweet shops and ice cream parlours are also provided.

The pleasure beach maintains its position in the UK’s top ten free entry amusement parks by regularly adding new attractions and rides.

History

Early days

The earliest recorded ride on Great Yarmouth's pleasure beach was a Switchback built in 1887 that was moved to different sites on the beach between installation and 1892. Finally in 1909 it was dismantled and moved to Honley Pleasure Park in Huddersfield.

There was an early scenic railway built to replace the switchback in 1909, but this ride was destroyed by fire in 1919 and although rebuilt its lease ran out in 1928 and it was purchased instead by Aberdeen Beach Amusement Park and re-sited there in 1929.

This earlier scenic railway was replaced by a Figure 8 roller coaster erected in 1929 that was finally replaced by the current 1932 ride. It is almost certain that all three of these previous historical rides were designed and built by the most important roller coaster designer in the world, LaMarcus Thompson, in the United States.

Historical wooden rollercoasters

The pleasure beach's premier ride is historically significant. The 'scenic railway' roller coaster was built in 1932 for legendary showman Pat Collins of the famous Collins family fairground dynasty. The scenic railway was originally designed and built by the renowned German engineer Erich Heidrich as the flagship attraction of the 1929 - 1931 Paris Colonial Exposition.

When the Paris exposition closed the railway was dismantled and shipped to Great Yarmouth where it has stood and operated ever since. At some point in its history the 'scenic' element, the plaster cladding representing mountains and rocks, has been stripped in places leaving the bare framework skeleton of the ride. There are currently several video films at YouTube showing the rider's eye view of the full ride experience.

Today it is one of only two 1930s scenic railways still remaining in the UK, since its larger ‘sister’ ride at Barry Island Pleasure Park was dismantled in 1973. The only other surviving UK scenic railway is located in Margate and is the oldest surviving in the UK having been built in 1920, but is currently non-operational, mothballed and, despite being a Grade 2 Listed Building, had been under imminent threat of demolition, since the 'Dreamland' park went into receivership in 2002.

However in February 2008 Margate Council agreed a planning brief that will see Dreamland mostly saved with part of the park being laid to housing. If the Dreamland scenic railway is not rescued the Great Yarmouth coaster will then be the last of its kind in the country. On 7 April 2008, a fire broke out on the Dreamland roller coaster, causing significant damage to the Scenic Railway. Police later confirmed that the damage was the result of deliberate arson. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/7335519.stm BBC NEWS | England | Kent | Fire rips through rollercoaster ] ]

Twenty five percent of the Dreamland ride's track footprint was totally destroyed, including the first main tower, the station and the workshop storage facility. Early indications by scenic railway experts are that the ride can be rebuilt and should be operating again by 2011. However, the ride's trains were irreplaceable as they were the last surviving original 1920's scenic railway cars in existence, although it is expected that replica rolling stock will be found or fabricated.

As a result of the Dreamland fire the Great Yarmouth roller coaster is currently the only operating traditional wooden roller coaster in the whole of the UK.

The Great Yarmouth coaster is an ACE Coaster Classic. [ [http://www.aceonline.org/CoasterAwards/?type=1 ACE Coaster Classic Awards] ]

Current rides and attractions

* Wooden Roller Coaster
* Big Apple Coaster
* Log Flume
* The Yarmouth Wheel
* Sky Drop – 22 metre
* Evolution
* Disko
* Pirate Ship
* Dodgems
* Snails & Fairy Tales
* Twister
* Gallopers
* Mulan
* Segway race track
* Go Cart Racing
* Crazy Golf

ee also

* Great Yarmouth
* List of British Theme Parks

External links

* [http://pleasure-beach.co.uk/index.php Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach Official Site]
* [http://www.rollercoastermayhem.com/UKwoodencoasters.htm UK Wooden Rollercoasters]

References