How High Was The BIG Wheel?

The Save Dreamland Campaign was launched by Joyland Books in January 2003 and is now supported by several thousand people. This is the place to discuss all aspects of saving Margate's famous amusement park and its iconic , Grade II listed Scenic Railway, Britain's oldest roller coaster.

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How High Was The BIG Wheel?

Postby AJ » 14 May 2003, 18:51

I've just been watching Only Fools and Horses 'Jolly Boys Outing' for about the hundredth time and was wondering............

How high was the big wheel?
What were the names of the rides?
What were peoples first impressions of their very first visit to Dreamland?


I remember going in about 1986 when I was 10 years old and queing to get in, my first visit to any kind of Amusement Park! And when I got in it was amazing. I seem to remember some kind of organ playing in a restaurant as you just got in?????? And dodgems being in some kind of half derelict building (now an arcade) opposite the same restaurant.

Walking out and seeing the Scenic Railway for the first time and my stomach doing a spin cycle. My first ride was the Ladybird Rollercoaster, only after watching it about five times did I get enough courage to ride it. I remember going on the Astroglide slide thing and the ride op having a radio on and it was playing 'Golden Brown' by the Stranglers...when ever I hear that song it reminds me of Dreamland. Then my Dad and Uncle Frank going on the Mary Rose and I just stood and watched (I wish I had gone on it now). I then remember going on the 'Zig Zag'? and didn't it used to be surrounded by trees?

Then going on the BIG WHEEL....up until this point the biggest wheel I had ever been on was on Walton Pier!!! What a monster that big wheel was!!! And the Water Chute what a classic why did Godden pull it down?

What was the big green Planet thing called, I remember seeing it on all the flyers and posters at the railway station at home and was really looking forward to riding it and then when I did what a let down. I remember going on a ride called the Ben-Hur or was that when I visited a couple of years later.

I remember leaving the park around lunch time and getting a UV stamp on my hand so I could go back in and thinking I wasn't ever going to wash that stamp off as it was so 'cool'. We then met up with my Nan and Grandad and the first thing they asked me was 'Had I been on the Scenic Railway' which I hadn't quite built up the courage for yet.

After our Fish and Chips it was back to the park and straight on the Scenic and then straight on the Scenic again and again and again. FOUR TIMES IN A ROW, my mates will think I'm so cool when I tell them that.

Then on to the Syphinx, now I don't remember much about this except there was some bloke having a epileptic fit and my Uncle Frank shooing me away as I was starring at the poor bloke.

Any way I don't remember much more apart from the Pirate Ship a few more goes on the Scenic Railway and then bricking it on the 'Looping Star' and buying my Mum a box of toffees to take home as they had a picture of the 'Looping Star' on and I could show her what I had been on. And getting Chips on the way home from that little Chip Shop just off of the prom down a side street and standing eating my chips looking accross the park and up at the Big Wheel wishing I didn't have to go home.

I remember a couple more visits to Bembom Brothers and then I would not return until 1996 and what a difference.................The Legendary Jimmy Godden had got his hands on it and given it its first kiss of death.

Anyway I have some very fond memories of Dreamland and Margate!!!!

Thats enough of my ramblings.
Last edited by AJ on 17 May 2003, 14:53, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Sarah » 14 May 2003, 21:49

Good lord, what an amazing memory you have. Most of my childhood is a hazy fuzz... the odd hot summer... a Silver Jubilee street party... Mousetrap for Christmas... then I left school. Why didn't I pay more attention?
My first visit to Dreamland would have been around 1977. I remember going on the Water Chute with my grandad while nan held the coats. Then we did the Scenic and I was very scared, mostly of the brakeman I seem to remember. My grandad never tired of telling me that he painted the Scenic Railway in the 1950s... of course he let me think he did it all by himself... and I was very proud of him. I loved the Caterpillar (can remember my mum holding the coats for that one) but could not be tempted onto the Big Wheel. Still not too clever with heights.
In later years I did brave the Mary Rose and the Looping Star (I would guess I was showing off in front of a boyfriend). Remember telling mum that I was going to Lewisham (which was, for about five minutes, THE place for bored surburban teenagers to hang around looking bored and suburban) and then getting the train to Margate; must have been about 14 I suppose. She never said anything, but she must have been able to tell that I'd been somewhere more exciting than the Riverdale Shopping Centre.
Ah, I do enjoy a little wander down amnesia lane. Sure sign of getting old.

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How High? & Dreamland Memories

Postby porterm » 15 May 2003, 01:14

Yes, I have quite a few memories of the park. My first family visit was in about 1978 I seem to remember. It was pre-Bemboms when you had to pay per ride; I remember the Scenic Railway allowed you to stay on for a reduced price repeat ride if you wished. I had seen a school educational programme years ago that featured the old double big wheel, and what looked like a double track racing coaster (I've just found out the park did have one years ago). I was eager to see these rides, but alas only the Water Chute, River Caves and Scenic Railway were the major attractions I remember. I thought the River Caves were really unusual; very sad to see Bembom Bros removing them during their era. I remember all that was left at one point was part of the original front structure, with the windmill, and maybe the big water wheel. I remember bands used to play on the stage area they had created under the windmill.

Does anyone remember the old rides underneath the Scenic Railway structure like the Haunted Walkthrough attraction with a swinging pendulum outside behind a window? There was some kind of Space Race type ride near the former attraction also; I think it may have gone up to Southport as there was a very similar ride under Pleasureland's Cyclone roller coaster back in 1993 when I visited.

In 1980, Dreamland's Diamond Year (Big Wheel launched), I remember visiting after seeing the Radio One Roadshow on the beach. It was quite a hot day and the park was very busy; remember going on an awfully fast spinning ride which went up in the air at quite an angle. Nearly felt sick after that. I believe my sister and I went on the Big Wheel also, but both felt rather scared at its height, and I seem to remember the carriages spun round a bit too. No idea how tall the wheel was AJ, but believe it was billed as Europe's tallest at its launch. I also remember the Sphinx; looked great from the outside but just seemed to have optical mirrors inside on a couple of levels. Also there used to be Go Karts, laying back, to the left of the Scenic Railway.

In the tunnel entrance from the promenade there was always a seasonally updated model af all the rides under glass. I also used to go when the park had its dry skating rink, under a large arched roof building, which has, I believe, since been converted into an amusement arcade with a lowered ceiling. I've read that this area was said to be haunted; as I've said before hopefully the spirits are still there to fend off unwelcome intruders or potential redevelopers.

I think the greeny/ silvery coloured spinning globe type ride was called something like Apollo 13; it had about 4 cars on arms that revolved up and down as the globe turned. Later the globe was painted orange and converted into "Heatwave"; a chair-o-plane type ride. During Bemboms' era a tall structure briefly appeared with airship-type gondolas which spun round as they rose to the top of the pole structure. Never saw this in action though, or rode on it; you could still see the gondolas laying on the floor at the rear of the park a few years back.

That's enough reminiscing for once I think. Hopefully the future will bode well again for the park after what maybe a somewhat disjointed season this year. (By the way, did you know that one of New York's original Coney lsland parks was called Dreamland?) - they had numerous fires over the years, eventually being wiped out. :D
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Postby AJ » 15 May 2003, 18:05

I remember that ride with the airship gondolas, I think it was called the Zepplin. I went on it a few times when I visited around 1988.

Hi Porterm have you been to the British Pathe site: http://www.britishpathe.com
if you search 'Margate' it should bring up a film titled
'(FAIRGROUND SCENES AT MARGATE)'
this shows the old racing coaster.

I wonder if anyone has any information on it?
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Postby dave771 » 17 May 2003, 18:15

The big wheel was 148 feet, have got some old brochures from the bembom days if aj wants to email me.
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Postby Neil » 18 May 2003, 18:42

My first visit was in 1998. I remember it well and it being the highlight of my first holiday away from my parents (My Grandma and Grandad took me). We spend most of the day at the beach and shell grotto but we kept asking my Grandad to take us to Dream land so we were allowed two rides at the end of the day. We went on the dodgems and vintage cars. In those days they were a decent ride and the only landscaped part of the park. They were pretty long and went round a garden. However the last time I went the vintage cars had been relocated. Nowadays they aren't a patch on what they used to be. They're only half the length and instead of going round a beautiful garden they go round a couple of tacky and cheap lumps of plastic. If they needed room for a new ride I wouldn't mind but there's plenty of room.
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re: how high was the big wheel?

Postby imansfield » 18 May 2003, 23:04

Ah yes, I'll never forget my first visit to Dreamland, way way back in '77.
I was 5 years old and my older brother took me on the scenic and made me sit on the back row. "You can feel the train jumping off the tracks as you go down the hills" he said. I thought I was gonna die. I clung on for dear life as we plummeted down what felt like near vertical drops. It was terifying, but for some strange reason I liked it. It left a lasting impression on me and Ive been hooked on rollercoasters ever since.

We used to live in pegwell bay, so dreamland soon became a regular event. Then came "Bembom brothers". I vividly remember seeing an advert on the telly for the new park and its Looping star rollercoaster. I didnt sleep for week as I was soooooo excited about riding a rollercoaster that went upside-down. My mum, bless her, didnt want me to ride it 'case I fell out, but wild horses wouldnt have kept me off that thing! Even at ten years old I was a real adrenalin junkie 8) She got her own back though. I made her ride the pirate ship with me and it gave her a migraine and we had to go home :x Boy did I have the hump with her that day!

Anyway Im rambling now. Yes, the big wheel was about 150 feet high. And does anyone remember the rotor? Or the woodland maze underneath the scenic? Or the coach station? Or the meteor?

So many happy memories. A part of me will die if we loose this place :cry:

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Postby Chris Ben Kent » 04 Jun 2003, 20:12

:P i took a look at that racing coaster on the film, it looks great, i wonder where it went? it looks just as permanent and as exiting as the scenic, yet it didn't survive.... i suggest you take a look if you haven't seen it allready![/url]
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