Coaster Scenery
Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach | Footage from 1959
This short video, shot by local film make Brian Cheeseman with his 8mm camera, features various rides and attractions at Pleasure Beach in 1959.
John Collins was lessee of the Pleasure Beach site until December 1958. He had sublet the site to Botton Brothers ahead of the 1954 season and Botton Brothers were awarded lease of the site when it came up for renewal in 1959. John Collins sold the Scenic Railway to Botton Brothers at the same time, although this footage shows they had already made their mark on the ride.
The Scenic Railway was originally clad in plaster sculpted to resemble mountainous terrain and decorated with castles and other structures. Much of the decoration had be lost by this point, and the cladding itself had deteriorated to the point it had to be removed or cut back in several places. Compared this footage to that shot only four years earlier. The original station is still in place however, and the original wooden trains would continue to operate until the end of the 1963 season.
Botton Brothers bought the Gallopers to Pleasure Beach in 1954. They also provided rides at Bertram Mills' International Circus show at Olympia each Christmas until 1966, and the Gallopers were taken there each winter.
At least two, and possibly three, separate Flying Saucer rides operated at Pleasure Beach. These look like big wheels, but the wheel itself revolves on its base as well. This footage is of the first such ride to operate at the park.
Reubin Wilson, Albert Botton's brother-in-law, operated a Water Dodgems at the park, and it's likely this is the model seen in the footage, quickly followed by footage of Botton Brothers' Dodgems. The children's Tugs ride was situated near the entrance to the park.
Striking now is the lack of fencing all around the site.
Scenic Railway Roller Coaster
Designer: Hugo Haase A. G.
Operational: 1932 - present
National Fairground Archive: RC15
Gallopers
Manufacturer: Savages
Operational: 1954 - present
National Fairground Archive: G26
Flying Saucers
Manufacturer: Lang Wheels
National Fairground Archive: BW100a
Dodgems
Manufacturer: Supercar
Operational: 1954 - 1968
National Fairground Archive: DG453
Richard Mills ©
Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach | Footage from 1959
This short video, shot by local film make Brian Cheeseman with his 8mm camera, features various rides and attractions at Pleasure Beach in 1959.
John Collins was lessee of the Pleasure Beach site until December 1958. He had sublet the site to Botton Brothers ahead of the 1954 season and Botton Brothers were awarded lease of the site when it came up for renewal in 1959. John Collins sold the Scenic Railway to Botton Brothers at the same time, although this footage shows they had already made their mark on the ride.
The Scenic Railway was originally clad in plaster sculpted to resemble mountainous terrain and decorated with castles and other structures. Much of the decoration had be lost by this point, and the cladding itself had deteriorated to the point it had to be removed or cut back in several places. Compared this footage to that shot only four years earlier. The original station is still in place however, and the original wooden trains would continue to operate until the end of the 1963 season.
Botton Brothers bought the Gallopers to Pleasure Beach in 1954. They also provided rides at Bertram Mills' International Circus show at Olympia each Christmas until 1966, and the Gallopers were taken there each winter.
At least two, and possibly three, separate Flying Saucer rides operated at Pleasure Beach. These look like big wheels, but the wheel itself revolves on its base as well. This footage is of the first such ride to operate at the park.
Reubin Wilson, Albert Botton's brother-in-law, operated a Water Dodgems at the park, and it's likely this is the model seen in the footage, quickly followed by footage of Botton Brothers' Dodgems. The children's Tugs ride was situated near the entrance to the park.
Striking now is the lack of fencing all around the site.
Scenic Railway Roller Coaster
Designer: Hugo Haase A. G.
Operational: 1932 - present
National Fairground Archive: RC15
Gallopers
Manufacturer: Savages
Operational: 1954 - present
National Fairground Archive: G26
Flying Saucers
Manufacturer: Lang Wheels
National Fairground Archive: BW100a
Dodgems
Manufacturer: Supercar
Operational: 1954 - 1968
National Fairground Archive: DG453
Richard Mills ©