The fun fair's most spectacular ride was a rollercoaster called The Big Dipper, which opened in 1951. It was of wooden construction and suffered a major fire in 1970. It was closed after five children were killed and 13 injured in an accident on 30 May 1972 when one of the trains became detached from the haulage rope, rolling back to the station (the anti-rollback mechanism having failed) and colliding with the other train.[6] This is the worst accident in the history of theme parks. The lack of a main attraction led to the decline in the popularity of the fun fair and its eventual closure in 1974. After the closure, the "Jetstream" ride was sold to Trusthouse Forte, the then owners of Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in Manchester. A night scene at the funfair which was very ghostly and empty was in the opening title scene for the 60s BBC program Journey To The Unknown.
I totally agree. Went there LOADS of times as a child/teenager. LOVED the place. Remember the Guiness World Clock? Wonder whatever happened to that?! :(
Not many people there, but then it closed 2 years before this clip is dated! I loved it as a kid and the miniature railway was great too! I'm going to the newly reopened Dreamland in Margate, It is themed with old stuff, there is a helter skelter, and they have rebuilt the wooden roller coaster, I'm going to live it again, YAY!
Amazing to see this after all these years. Used to bunk off School in the 1950s and spend the day here !!. Would the Big Dipper pass modern safety standards ?
Interesting to see that by the time this film was made, the Cyclone rollercoaster (built in 1973 to replace the Big Dipper) has already been replaced by a similar ride - Jetstream.
Yes. The Jetstream arrived in 74, it's last year. I think this film was 73/74. As pat oniels gallopers has Terry working on it, he the one sat on the he platforms as the ride goes around. The layout is 74 footage with the rotor at the back of the park near the dive bomber. Bidells jets can be clearly seen near the gallopers too. I remember the camera men on the ground that day, they were having non of us gippoes in their film. 🤣 It was a quiet day when they were there. Good memories of my teens.
As this video shows the Jet Stream, which according to rcdb was only in the park in 1974 this video is probably mis-dated. Is it possible an error was made in this case?
Sorry to put a damper on here but does anyone remember the horrible accident here in 72 when big dipper went backwards suddenly and end carriages derailed I think?! 5 people died
It also is surrounded by trees. . If this is London and one presumes battersea how come the skyline isn't filled with skyscrapers?. Or battersea power station? ..just curious
This was midweek before dinnertime. So not really busy. Although the park did get busy with locals later on. There was a decent bar next to the boats. Some of us who worked there grabbed the last pint after we closed the machines down.
It is Battersea ...and that's me at the start on the waterchute..i was a kid working there😁
The fun fair's most spectacular ride was a rollercoaster called The Big Dipper,
which opened in 1951. It was of wooden construction and suffered a
major fire in 1970. It was closed after five children were killed and 13
injured in an accident
on 30 May 1972 when one of the trains became detached from the haulage
rope, rolling back to the station (the anti-rollback mechanism having
failed) and colliding with the other train.[6]
This is the worst accident in the history of theme parks. The lack of a
main attraction led to the decline in the popularity of the fun fair
and its eventual closure in 1974.
After the closure, the "Jetstream" ride was sold to Trusthouse Forte, the then owners of Belle Vue Zoological Gardens in Manchester.
A night scene at the funfair which was very ghostly and empty was in
the opening title scene for the 60s BBC program Journey To The Unknown.
The date must be wrong. In 1975, I was manager of the bar, restaurant, shops and the completely closed funfair site.
Superb footage of a park sadly missed!!!!
I totally agree. Went there LOADS of times as a child/teenager. LOVED the place. Remember the Guiness World Clock? Wonder whatever happened to that?! :(
Not many people there, but then it closed 2 years before this clip is dated!
I loved it as a kid and the miniature railway was great too!
I'm going to the newly reopened Dreamland in Margate, It is themed with old stuff, there is a helter skelter, and they have rebuilt the wooden roller coaster, I'm going to live it again, YAY!
Amazing to see this after all these years. Used to bunk off School in the 1950s and spend the day here !!.
Would the Big Dipper pass modern safety standards ?
I used to go int the seventies
it was in Battersea Park hence all the trees
Interesting to see that by the time this film was made, the Cyclone rollercoaster (built in 1973 to replace the Big Dipper) has already been replaced by a similar ride - Jetstream.
Yes.
The Jetstream arrived in 74, it's last year.
I think this film was 73/74. As pat oniels gallopers has Terry working on it, he the one sat on the he platforms as the ride goes around.
The layout is 74 footage with the rotor at the back of the park near the dive bomber.
Bidells jets can be clearly seen near the gallopers too.
I remember the camera men on the ground that day, they were having non of us gippoes in their film. 🤣
It was a quiet day when they were there.
Good memories of my teens.
As this video shows the Jet Stream, which according to rcdb was only in the park in 1974 this video is probably mis-dated. Is it possible an error was made in this case?
Think that's why it closed a couple of years later ...
It was closed in 1974 The Big dipper was dismantled after the crash & deaths in 1972 & the Funfair lost popularity
Sorry to put a damper on here but does anyone remember the horrible accident here in 72 when big dipper went backwards suddenly and end carriages derailed I think?! 5 people died
It also is surrounded by trees. . If this is London and one presumes battersea how come the skyline isn't filled with skyscrapers?. Or battersea power station? ..just curious
gemma stone Power Station in skyline/background at 00:30....
On a bigger screen its visible now
It doesn't seem very busy!
gemma stone Not surprised... It closed in 1974, regardless of what Pathe say!
This was midweek before dinnertime. So not really busy. Although the park did get busy with locals later on. There was a decent bar next to the boats.
Some of us who worked there grabbed the last pint after we closed the machines down.