benbon water chute

[jmace9]

Hi All

Can anybody tell me if there is anything left of the old water chute or did it get broken up as it was wood. I remember the days when me and my mates from school used to ride it and the sounds it used to make when we were going up. I can't remember the amount of times the ride went wrong wilst i was on it normaly on the way up.

doe's were days !!!!


John

[dave771]

The water chute was a steel structure and was destroyed by our mate Jimmy, as far as im aware nothing from that ride survived !

[jmace9]

The water chute was a steel structure and was destroyed by our mate Jimmy, as far as im aware nothing from that ride survived !

Sorry dave i thought it was wood.

Did any of the cars survive.

john

[dave771]

I dont think they did but will try to find out for you from Dingo who used to run the ride in the Bembom years, the structure was steel but the tracks / troughs were made up of wood too, when on the ride the tracks did give the feel of a wooden ride !

[porterm]

Yes, that ride certainly brings back many happy memories as, until recently, I didn't realise it was the very same ride from my first ever playground, Battersea Funfair, when I used to live a shortish walk from the park. I never forget how on my inaugural ride that my poor sister was quite ill after her experience on it; she was quite sick. I never could fathom out if it was the offending ride or not as I felt fine afterwards. I was probably only about 11 then; ironically enough the ride used to sit at right angles to the ill-fated Big Dipper scenic railway ride that was at Battersea until 1972 (which I never rode incidentally as it looked too scary and I believe my mum didn't want me to go on it). Maybe she had a premonition or something. When the ride was relocated to Dreamland it also sat opposite the Scenic Railway; it must have felt quite at home.

When I used to work for BT in Canterbury I heard a colleague one day (in early 1996, I believe) saying how he had seen the beginnings of the Dreamland's Water Chute demolition. He was also very upset and couldn't believe it - I wonder if he could have predicted how things would develop under the park's new ownership.

The Chute's construction material was always quite deceiving to me; I also used to think that it was wooden. After the Battersea Big Dipper crash I thought they added more "cross" supports on the Chute, but maybe they were always there. I can't remember seeing such supports on the Blackpool Chute ride, but it could've been a different design. I think the noises jmace9 referred to were the "dog" devices on the lift hill that click in place behind the car to prevent a rollback; modern log flumes use similar devices I believe. Sorry to ramble, but does anyone remember a rather unusual water fountain character as you exited the Dreamland Chute underneath its structure? - I seem to remember it was a figure of some description. Bembom's also cleverly themed the bottom control booth as a lighthouse. Those were certainly the days - if only I had a video camera then! Sadly as far as Nick Laister informed me this ride was just scrapped - criminal really due to its now severe rarity.

Blackpool's Water Chute is due to be dismantled, or dare I say scrapped, before next season and the last remaining Chute would then be at Coney Beach in Wales, sadly another park under redevelopment threat. These rides may not be so high tech as today's water rides but I certainly think they could still play a part in today's parks, with a little imagination.

Martin

[David Ellis]

I believe the Blackpool chute (Vikingar) has already been dismantled, according to reports on the Roller Coaster Club of Gt Britain Message Board.

David.

[porf]

Here's a quick picture of the Water Chute from an old promotional brochure I got recently.

My first memory of this ride was not going on it! I used to be scared of coaster type rides and can remember my Dad and Sister going on it and me getting cash to go to the arcade instead. Things have changed a bit!

[Nick]

Blackpool's Water Chute is due to be dismantled, or dare I say scrapped, before next season and the last remaining Chute would then be at Coney Beach in Wales, sadly another park under redevelopment threat. These rides may not be so high tech as today's water rides but I certainly think they could still play a part in today's parks, with a little imagination.

Martin

Actually, the Coney Beach Water Chute in South Wales was demolished in the 1990s following a fatal accident. The Pleasure Beach Blackpool Chute has almost gone, having been demolished over the past couple of weeks. This leaves only the Ocean Beach Chute at Rhyl, North Wales. Ocean Beach is under threat of redevelopment for apartments and a supermarket.

Nick

[micktee]

Interesting reading regarding this ride, the steel work was brand new at Dreamland, but the wooden parts and track came from Batersea Fun Fair.
When the ride was dismantled everything was scrapped including the cars, there were only 2 that actually worked out of 5, the others being kept in the station.
The ride I understand came from an idea of Sir Leslie Joseph who was a welshman, he was a director of Dreamland for many years and Trust House Forte who were involved with the festival of Britain in 1951, there were various Water Chute Rides built by his company and at the top of the pull up and at start of the drop there was always a Welsh & English Flag flying.
I still have the model of the Dreamland Ride, this and other models of Dreamland will be on show in the summer of next year, I will keep you posted

[porterm]

Nick, I stand (or sit) corrected. I seem to get my Welsh parks muddled up somewhat (I've only actually ever been to Barry Island in the early seventies; luckily catching the remains of the former Scenic Railway there whilst on holiday at the former Butlin's centre opposite). In the wake of the Battersea Big Dipper tragedy their ride wasn't operational (I think it was before the storm damage incident as the structure appeared to be ok by my hazey memory). Oh, and I shouldn't forget my Oakwood visits; nice little park with a great woodie - and soon to be joined by a vertical lift hill coaster.

Mick; fascinating comments re the old Battersea Chute. I wasn't going mad then; it actually was a wood construction when it was at Battersea Park. I believe it actually survived as a lone attraction for a short time after the park sadly closed for good in 1974. I didn't realise about the Welsh connection - rather ironic now that the last surviving Chute will be at Ocean Beach, assuming that park survives. I'll have to try to get down there next Summer if possible for a nostalgic ride hopefully. Luckily I managed to ride Blackpool's Chute in 2003; it gave us a sharp jolt on the final right hand bend after the water splash. Maybe the brakes weren't working too well.

I'd love to check out your models of the Dreamland Chute next Summer. One could probably write a whole book dedicated to the history of this unique attraction (I know Nick's posted something on a rival site). Better not plug that in case I get in trouble.

Martin

[Nick]

I don't mind you posting a link to a "rival" site. I think you are referring to this:

http://www.themagiceye.co.uk/id30.html

There is also some Dreamland content on this site.

Nick

[porterm]

Thanks Nick. Yes, that was the one. A great article I thought. (I also love the End of the Reel item there too). I was so lucky to take my one and only ride on it in its final year in 1982. An utter classic; I'm just so sad I only took one ride now, and don't believe I took any photos of the ride.

Martin