Big Wheel, Looping Star, Mary Rose and Enterprise???

[Greg Pryce]

When the Scenic Railway opened, and for decades afterwards, there were no seat restraints at all- even the lapbars did not appear until the 1960's and the seat belts were not fitted until the early 1980's, when a six-year-old Canadian girl died in a freak accident when she fell from the rear of a train.

As far as I am aware, this was the first fatality at Dreamland since circa 1935, when a swinging ship broke loose from its moorings and five people died.

I remember this Canadian Girl falling out and if I'm right, it was because she was fooling around, so no fault of the machine. As usual!

[dave771]

Before any incorrect stories start appearing on the forum, there was no fault found on the ride and the child was not fooling around. Reports state that the child was sitting on her mothers lap when the train left the station, between there and the top of the pull up the child was moved to sit next to her mother leaving much more space between her and the lap bar. When the train left the pull up there was the usual 'kick' effect on the back seat of the train which caused the child to leave her seat and land on the track. HSE after their enquiries found no fault on the ride and asked that seat belts were installed on the trains. Since this incident children are not allowed to sit on parents laps and must be able to sit alone wearing their own seat belt.

[Busheyfields]

As far as I am aware, this was the first fatality at Dreamland since circa 1935, when a swinging ship broke loose from its moorings and five people died.

Back in the 1960's when I would have been 12 we were waiting to board the "old" big wheel (the one that used to be situated between the Whirlwind Racer and Ghost Train, not the giant wheel that appeared in the Bembom era) some lads were violently swinging one of the cars when the safety bar broke and one lad fell to the ground only a few feet away from where we were standing. I beleive he died in hospital a few days later.

[sullee]

another ride that was at dreamland when i worked there which would suit the park was a wooden waltzer surely this would fit in too??

[vince69619]

Hello,

I realise your new on the forum, but you are possibly talking about the waltzer that mysteriously caught fire a few years ago.

Maybe you need to read back a bit? Welcome to the forum.

Vince
(One of three!)

[Vince, Charlie and Sam]

you are possibly talking about the waltzer that mysteriously caught fire a few years ago.

Pleasurama, Mr G's amusement arcade, The Waltzer, the Scenic Railway, three buildngs in Folkestone, I have never in my life known anyone else to have had so much bad luck with fire, particularly as every single one of these structures were uninsured.

[jo.clarinet]

As far as I am aware, this was the first fatality at Dreamland since circa 1935, when a swinging ship broke loose from its moorings and five people died.

Back in the 1960's when I would have been 12 we were waiting to board the "old" big wheel (the one that used to be situated between the Whirlwind Racer and Ghost Train, not the giant wheel that appeared in the Bembom era) some lads were violently swinging one of the cars when the safety bar broke and one lad fell to the ground only a few feet away from where we were standing. I beleive he died in hospital a few days later.

My goodness, I was there then too, and I'd forgotten all about it till now! I didn't see the actual incident, but we were quite near the old big wheel at the time - I remember the location, the rumour spreading through the crowd and the fact that the ambulance which came to the scene almost ran over my father's foot!