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I have read The Magic
Eye for some time now and always enjoy the articles/pictures
published. I read with interest your latest one about Blackpool's
other amusements. I remember them well and it's great to see them
getting some recognition at last.
I am a dark ride fan
and have fond memories of Blackpool's Ghost Trains in all of the
venues mentioned and these are some of my memories of them. The
Olympia had an unusual one in that it wasn't greatly themed and had
an unusual track layout in the station. This was due to the presence
of a large supporting girder by the out-doors causing the track to
curve away then back to the main wall. The cars were olive green
with a small skull & crossbones (with an eye patch) on the side and
a metal bat on the low rise front. They were later painted purple in
the mid 70s. There were illuminated 'castle-style bricks' on a black
background and just one full size painting of the Frankenstein
monster for theming in the station. Very 'pop art' really. An
illuminated skull was also between 'ghost' and 'train' in the
signage above. A great little ride and location, facing the Dodgems
on the back wall. Somehow, indoor dark rides always seem spookier to
me.
The late 60s
opening of the Golden Mile Centre had another work of pop art in its
double decker. This was the first instance of 'dayglo' paint being
used on the exterior that I remember seeing. It was called the
'Roller Ghoster' and had Supercar 'bubble' cars. Again the first
time I'd seen these before they became popular. A large spider, with
red flashing eyes, in its web graced the back wall behind the drop
and large eyes were dotted around the whole frontage including the
one balcony on the right hand side. This was the first modern
style 'ghostie' I remember. In later years the drop was taken away
and a new frontage covered it. After it eventually closed a more
traditional travelling style 'flat' ghost train was erected next to
it before the Sea Life Centre took over.
For a short time in
the early 70s there was also a travelling ghost train called The
Bogey Run on the old Central Station site too.
Just for the record
I remember the Pleasure Beach Ghost Train before it's 'castle'
theming in the early 70s. It was unusual to see no theming on
a ghost train and was very minimalist, with plain, dark blue walls,
tiny spotlights on the ceiling and bright pink cars with a single
skull on the front (later painted lilac on theming of the ride). It
was a plain grey, concrete proscenium with just a small castle-ation across
the roof. I thought it looked better actually. I was only a child
but my memory is vivid. It was somehow spookier for having no
theming. Strange but true. A real functional, modernist structure as
Emberton intended.
The Olympia Fair
and Golden Mile Centre are sad losses as they had an atmosphere to
them that I loved.
Tony O'Keeffe
Liverpool
December 2023:
I worked on the
[Central Station] fairground for over 10 years starting with
Laurence Silcock on the Ski Jump. After 4 years or so, i worked for
John Walter Marshall and I was the first gaff lad (fairground lad)
that built up and worked on the Everest, which was on the ground
that Coral Island now stands. I can assure you I was the only person
who could jump on the Everest cars when the rams were operated to
tilt the cars as the speed increased. The years I was on the
fairground, especially where the Coral Island now stands, were the
best years of my life.
Hammy (which
was my nickname at the time)
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