Hiya All,
I stumbled across this forum the other night when looking up information about the whirlwind. Firstly congratulations to everybody on a fantastic thread - this is a fantastic collection of the years past.
I thought it only fair that i shared a few of my memories.........
I also remember the jets and the helicopters which seemed so high to a small child - there was also the little boats in a concrete pool that went round in a circle on the site where the current twister is.
I remember going to the dolphinarium and having bubbles and squeak sing happy birthday to me - well, the tune
I still faintly have a scar on my arm from the slip in the 70's when my arm rubbed on the side of the chute the whole way down, didn't stop me going back for another ride that day though.
I can remember following the building of the whirlwind in the evening gazette and kept a clipping of a story and picture when the climb was put up showing it to be slightly higher than the big wheel - wish I still had the cutting now.
Does anybody remember the clown face logo used for both clacton and walton piers in the 70's?
FATBOY - I seem to vaguely recall that in the 70's there was small platform construction next to the pier (cockney side), kids used to climb on it at high tide. When that was removed the box and warning triangle were put there in its place to highlight the underwater hazzard. I might be wrong though - it's me age haha.