The Aerial Glide, Shipley Glen Pleasure Grounds, Shipley, West Yorkshire

UPDATE 18th November 2017: There is now nothing left of the two fairgrounds which existed at Shipley Glen (Bracken Hall Green). The second fairground at Vulcan House, Prod Lane is now new housing completed about a year ago. The first fairground on Bracken Hall Green finally ran out round about WWI. What is left is the Tramway which was built to convey passengers up the steep slope to the bottom of Prod Lane. Built in 1895 the Tramway is now run by a number of volunteers. They have a good web site. With thanks to William Slessor

UPDATE 3/4 SEPTEMBER 2005: Shipley Glen Pleasure Grounds close. Click here for photographs of the park's final weekend.

UPDATE 19 July 2004: Aerial Glide is de-listed following a successful appeal by the owner and demolition of the ride commences. Click here for a photograph of owner Mr Teale (taken at 16.15hrs today) demolishing the ride. Click here for another image of the demolition.

In October 2003, a report submitted to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) by Mike Short and Nick Laister resulted in the Aerial Glide at Shipley Glen Pleasure Grounds, Shipley (UK) being given Grade II listed building status. This is only the second time that a UK amusement park ride has been listed.

Right: The Aerial Glide station (Photo: www.ukrides.info)

What's New

Easter on Shipley Glen 1912 from the Yorkshire Film Archive (29/11/09)
Last weekend Gallery (4/9/05)
Aerial photograph of the Aerial Glide (2/1/04)
Interview with campaigner Mike Short on 'The Magic Eye' (30/11/03)

Download the Report

The report was written by Mike Short, a local resident who is campaigning to save the Shipley Glen Pleasure Grounds, and Nick Laister, a planning consultant and leading authority on the UK amusement park industry, who was responsible for the first ever listing of an amusement park ride: the Scenic Railway Roller Coaster at Dreamland in Margate. The report can be downloaded in Microsoft Word or PDF format by clicking the links below.

Microsoft Word Format

Urgent Submission for Spot Listing of the Aerial Glide [297KB]
Appendix A (Not currently available)
Appendix B (Location Plan) [140KB jpeg]

PDF Format

Urgent Submission for Spot Listing of the Aerial Glide [410KB]
Appendix A (not currently available)
Appendix B (Location Plan) [140KB jpeg]

If you have any questions about this report, or the Aerial Glide ride itself, the report's author can be contacted by clicking here.

Want to Find Out More About Amusement Park History?

If you are interested in amusement park history, you should check out the following books and videos, all of which are available from Joyland Books:

Kursaal Memories by Ken Crowe	Riding on rainbows by John K Walton	Pleasureland Memories by Stephen Copnall

Ł11.99 Click here for details	Ł15.99 Click here for details	Ł12.99 Click here for details

About the authors
Find out about Mike Short and Nick Laister.

Press Release
Announcement that the Aerial Glide is listed (PDF File - 101KB).

Photo Gallery
Photographs of the Aerial Glide and Pleasure Grounds.

BBC Radio Leeds
Text of news items and interview, 3 November 2003

Aerial Talk
The Mike Short Interview on 'The Magic Eye'

Easter on Shipley Glen 1912
From the Yorkshire Film Archive.

Fun Stops as fair Closes
From This is Bradford 5 September 2005

Historic fairground to Close in Autumn
From This is Bradford 24 March 2005

Funfair Owner Pulls Down Rusting 'Glide'
From This is Bradford July 2004

Fairground on Track to open for Summer
From This is Bradford 3 December 2003

Riding High as Fairground Ride is saved
From This is Bradford 4 November 2003. Click here for scan of newspaper report (jpeg - 117KB).

New Blow in Funfair Homes Battle
From This is Bradford, May 2003

Future of Funfair Hangs in Balance
From This is Bradford, May 2003

Shipley Glen Tramway
Britain's Oldest Working Cable Tramway

Save Dreamland Campaign
Campaign to save Margate's Dreamland Fun Park and Grade II listed Scenic Railway roller coaster.