Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach
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Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach is a seaside amusement park opened in the late 1890s and situated in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.
The main park itself has over 20 large rides as well as crazy golf courses, water attractions, kiddie rides and awe-inspiring white knuckle classics.
In 2006 over 1.4 million people visited The Pleasure Beach,putting it in the top ten free entry amusement parks in the UK and the park aim to add to this, with even more new rides, attractions and innovations.
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[edit] Historical wooden rollercoaster
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 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 have since confirmed that the damage was the result of deliberate arson. [1] Twenty five percent of the ride's track footprint has been 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. However, the ride's trains are irreplaceable as they were the last surviving original 1920's scenic railway cars in existence, although replica rolling stock can 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.[2]
[edit] Other ride attractions
- Disko
- Sky Drop
- Dodgems
- Big Apple Coaster
- Snails & Fairy Tales
- Roller Coaster
- Log Flume
- Evolution
- Twister
- Gallopers
- Mulan
- Pirate Ship
[edit] Catering
Sweet shops include a Rock Shop offering a wide variety of sweets and chocolate, a Candy Floss Stall and a traditional Ice Cream Parlour.If you want something more substantial, then make a beeline to the Food Court where meals and snacks are served all day. The Pleasure Beach has its own fully licensed bar situated near the Pirate Ship.
