Blackpool Pleasure Beach 1981

Back in time we go to 1981. In this article we are exclusively in the southern half of Blackpool Pleasure Beach, south of Watson Road. There were quite a few visits to the park in that year, so there will be at least one and possibly more articles to come depending on whether I can find enough photos not yet on the blog.

For now I'm concentrating on the kiddies' section of the park, which the southern side had long been associated with although both the Big Dipper and the Roller Coaster had stations in the southern half and they had for a few years been joined by other adult-oriented rides such as the Revolution etc. Also here I introduce the star of the article - my daughter.

This particular roundabout complete with its vehicles, animals and whatever else there was to sit on whilst it went round, had been operating in this spot ever since I had ridden them myself in the 1950s and 60s.

Likewise with these boats. I have a photo of me on them somewhere. Sadly it has only the same amount of background detail as this one. It would be nice to have a collection of views of the Pleasure Beach from the late 1950s - early 1960s, but any photos I do have tend to be of family and even they are rare. I have more fingers than such photos...

Ah, the good old Scalextric principle! The slot did the steering, which is perhaps just as well given that there are two steering wheels and if working would inevitably lead to a disagreement as to which way to go...

Cinderella's coach didn't actually go anywhere and on its first night after the park closed it reverted to mice and pumpkin and the loss of the newly appointed stableboy's job...

The Ladybirds ride was a favourite. A very gentle version of the Turtle Race it went round and round and up and down without Chubby Checker being anywhere near... If that goes over the head of anyone, you need to research the music charts and lyrics of 1961. By heck, this blog gets more educational every year...

There were a few photo-opportunities dotted about the park. I'm fairly sure this was somewhere near the Goldmine on the bridge over Watson Road. End of article looming - the next will contain some more general views of rides and riders and people more generally wandering around. Yesterday's article has so far hit 245 views in just 23 hours. Sigh... all those disappointed people...

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