Clacton Pier (The history)

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Postby Chief Engineer » 07 Jul 2011, 23:40

Great find FB, I doubt there was too many of those particular post cards produced.

I am sure the owners would be only to pleased to accept any contributions to a Pier Museum for others to enjoy. Although a way off yet, a Clacton Pier museum has been talked about and certain projects and ideas have been thrown into the pot as to how it would work. The owners have already obtained an identical cast iron turnstile that will probably form part of the entrance as a mock up of the toll gate during the Kingsman era, complete with the bill boards of the artists featuring that week in all the theatres.

One feature that I would love to add would be a full scale original Steel Stella car in a 3D back drop image of the ride, for the perfect photo that says 'I rode Steel Stella'. Of course the rest of the pictorial history will be included and certainly a post card section will be one of the exhibits, here are just a few that will show the ever changing face of Clacton Pier over the years.

CE
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Postby FATBOY » 11 Jul 2011, 18:42

finally managed to get my hands on this postcard too!

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Postby Chief Engineer » 14 Jul 2011, 21:31

Hi FB,

Great postcard view, certainly brings back memories. The Big Wheel still has its front canopy, the free Mushroom slide was still in use, the Sky Liner was probably in its last year of service and of course the Whirlwind looks fantastic , all viewed from the Astro Glide which disappeared over the side one stormy night.

The Whirlwind was of coursed designed to stand on land based concrete footings, for the Pier a spiders web of steel girders had to be welded together for the ride to stand on to spread the weight over the top of the Pier deck.

Sitting on the girders you can also see two blue water tanks, these were used for transporting marine mammals to the swimming pool / dolphinarium, the last time was of course the removal of Nemo from the Pier. Their use on the Whirlwind was to actually hold the ride down, along with concrete blocks full of pig iron blocks cast into the girders, these counter weights were used to counteract the lifting forces when the cars were inverted in the curves.

Of course postcards of the Pier on the whole only show the enjoyably summer side of a day on the Pier, I thought you might like to see a similar view of the Big Wheel after a freak winter nights weather during the early years when the Harrison family owned the Pier. High waves lifted both the timber joists and decking under the Big Wheel, which had not long been raised ready for rebuilding. It is a bit hard to see in the pictures just how high the waves had lifted that part of the Pier from its concrete substructure, but if you follow the hand rail behind the wheel you can see the bend it placed in the top rail.

CE
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Postby FATBOY » 16 Jul 2011, 14:33

cracking pic CE, the way you describe the whirlwind being weighted down, would that sort of practice be allowed in todays world? also could the pier ever take a coaster the size of the whirlwind again? ive found some more picture postcards! and finally found one with the bungee jump crane on the pier! im roughly guessing 88,89,90,91 when it was possibly on the pier??? also i love the big top colours on the jolly roger, makes the pier look so much better with a plethora of colour. did the red and white just fade away over the years?

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when the time comes i would love to donate the postcards :D
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Postby Chief Engineer » 19 Aug 2011, 20:48

Hi everyone,

Apologies for lack of any new posts for a while, It has been a bit hectic the last few months trying to keep up with all the day to day work as well as all the new works going on around the Pier.

The Pier has never stood still when it comes to making improvements or bringing on new attractions. The present owners of the Pier are lucky in having a structure already in place to build upon. In the early years of course when the Pier was expanding you had to actually build the Pier from the beach up. Here are a few photographs of the first extension to the Piers west side. Dated 1924/5, the note attached to the pictures mentions that this will also be the 3rd extension to the original Blue Lagoon.

CE

PS, great set of post cards FB, the Jolly Roger looks fantastic all painted up as a Big Top, the shape of the building and roof suited that roll perfectly.
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Postby Chief Engineer » 07 Sep 2011, 23:03

Hi everyone,

Post card time again and a nice shot of the west corner of the Pier. Franked in August 1935 I think this view shows the Pier a year earlier. The "Worlds Wonder" swimming pool is open and this will be the last summer of dancing over the sea in the old "Blue Lagoon Lounge" before it moves to the new "Blue Lagoon" to be built on the concrete slab that appears to be already in place. The close up shot gives a slightly better view of what could be self propelled bumper cars on what is now the seating area to the Boardwalk Bar.
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CE
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Postby Chief Engineer » 07 Sep 2011, 23:15

Now you see it, now you don't,

Actually it is the other way around that I am really after. I have been trying to date the appearance of the Kiosk at the top of Pier Gap. The first postcard is franked 1924 which gives a slight hint to its possible age, the second hand tinted card is franked 1961. Hopefully unlike a lot of Clacton's disappearing sea-side shelters and buildings, this one will be here for a while yet.

Any idea's as to its date of construction?

CE
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Postby FATBOY » 08 Sep 2011, 21:00

hard to believe that kiosk is still going!!
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Postby Chief Engineer » 08 Sep 2011, 23:39

It's doing very well!

And it was interesting to note the pedestrian crossing where traffic lights now stand. A quick internet search states the first Zebra crossings were introduced pre-war and that they did not get their black and white road markings until 1951, I wonder if this was Clacton's first such crossing ?

CE
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Postby marc » 19 Sep 2011, 18:23

Hi
Have you got any pictures of Paul Hedges Round Up, when it was on the Pier ?

Thanks
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Postby Chief Engineer » 20 Sep 2011, 00:27

Hi Marc,

Sadly I do not have any pictures of the 'Round Up' that the Pier had for a few seasons. The only information that I can recall is that it was an imported ride from the States and was supplied by Keith Emmit. I do recall very well that the ride never lasted its first day, with both electric rim drive motors burning out.

CE
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Postby Chief Engineer » 20 Sep 2011, 01:06

Time for a little water fun in the swimming pool gala. This early flyer gives a hint of the afternoons water born entertainment, the back of the flyer also doubles as the entry slip to any event and for 3d you could enter as many as you liked.

I just wonder how the winner for event 14 was judged, the 'Cigarette Race'

CE
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Postby Chief Engineer » 20 Sep 2011, 23:09

While helping a family researching for information on one of the artiste who headlined in the Ocean Theatre Revue I came across an interesting connection with a comedian from the Hi-De-Hi sit-com.

Sadly having passed away in 2009, Felix Bowness who played Fred the jockey from Hi-De-Hi was debuting in the Ocean Revue over 60 years ago. His obituary quotes that he made his acting debut in 1946 and as you can see from this 1946 Ocean Revue hand bill Felix was top of the bill and this was possibly that first debut.

CE

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Felix Bowness, comedian and actor, born 30 March 1922; died 13 September 2009
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Postby timmov » 13 Oct 2011, 23:12

We used to visit relatives in Clacton from our home in Yorkshire every single Easter from around 1975 to 1985 and visits to the pier and the amusements as a kid were the big highlight every year, so this forum is a treasure trove of memories for me.

I have a few questions I hope someone can answer.

First, what was the name of the helicopter ride on the pier that the riders could control by pushing and pulling a bar to make their helicopter rise and fall on a hydraulic arm? A photo or two of this ride would be great to see if any still exist.

Secondly, does anyone else remember there being an exhibition of all the puppets used in the children's TV show 'Camberwick Green' in the mid-70s? This was not on the pier itself but in one of the nearby buildings along the sea front. From my distant recollection, they were arranged in a diorama scene, and may even have been animated so they waved etc.

Thirdly, who else remembers a full-sized replica dalek outside Marshalls Amusements? Kids could climb inside the dalek's body shell and operate it from within.

Thanks again for all the memories.
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Postby ijtharper » 15 Oct 2011, 23:04

Hi Timmov
My Clacton years coincide with yours. I've made a few posts in the Clacton Pavilion thread about them.

I used to go on the helicopter ride you mentioned. No idea what it was called but remember it clearly. The helicopters were quite cartoony in dimensions, two people could sit in each one and the lap bar swang on a gate-hinge; toward you for up, away for down.

I don't remember the Camberwick Green setup you mentioned, although I was mad on the Camberwick/Trumpton/Chigley series.

I do remember the red and black dalek outside the amusements. Putting money in just made it turn and talk, but you could sit in it free and work the levers inside to move the "arms" up and down!
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